New Laptop

[crazydave]

The new company told me to pick out a new laptop. I got one of these:

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/inspn_xps?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs

3.4 Ghz P4
1 gig ram
80 gig hard drive
15.4" wide screen
DVD Burner

It's a pig but I don't think you can get much better performance from a laptop.

 

[builder]

My older 2003 model with 2.4ghz and 528mb RAM runs circles around the newer desktops we bought with more RAM and speed. I think it's the video card. It turns Photoshop into a real image cruncher. And Autocad, even on a 262MB drawing, doesn't burp.

 

[crazydave]

My older 2003 model with 2.4ghz and 528mb RAM runs circles around the newer desktops we bought with more RAM and speed. I think it's the video card. It turns Photoshop into a real image cruncher. And Autocad, even on a 262MB drawing, doesn't burp.

This one has the 128MB DDR ATI MOBILITY RADEON 9700 AGP 8X. Should be a monster. I can't wait. It's like fucking Christmas this week at the CD household.

 

[HardHarry]

I'd rather have a Pentium-M (currently found in Centrino). Lower clock speeds but equivalent performance without weighing as much or chewing through battery life as fast.

Everyone buys the highest CPU clock they can get. I'd rather have a P4-M @ 1.8 or 2.0 GHz plus a mobile Radeon 9700 w/ 128 dedicated DDR.

 

[crazydave]

I'd rather have a Pentium-M (currently found in Centrino). Lower clock speeds but equivalent performance without weighing as much or chewing through battery life as fast.

Everyone buys the highest CPU clock they can get. I'd rather have a P4-M @ 1.8 or 2.0 GHz plus a mobile Radeon 9700 w/ 128 dedicated DDR.

I looked at a lot of reviews and this one is what made me pick the Dell:

http://www.techtv.com/freshgear/products/story/0,23008,3629407,00.html

It's pretty damn fast. Blew the rest out but they picked the alienware because of the upgradeability. If I was purchasing for myself I would have picked the alienware but since the company if footing the bill I'll take the Dell.

 

[HardHarry]

I looked at a lot of reviews and this one is what made me pick the Dell:

http://www.techtv.com/freshgear/products/story/0,23008,3629407,00.html

It's pretty damn fast. Blew the rest out but they picked the alienware because of the upgradeability. If I was purchasing for myself I would have picked the alienware but since the company if footing the bill I'll take the Dell.

You do realize that the Alienware and the Voodoo Envy are all really made by Clevo, a tiawanese company? They are essentially the same machines as a Sager, also made by Clevo. I'm not sure, but I think the Dell Inspirons are Clevo's too.

My issue with the P4's is that the get REALLY hot, the laptops are really heavy, and they chew through the battery quickly. I dont know what the exact performance comparison is, but a P4M @ 1.6 GHz performed almost exactly the same as a fast P4 (2.8 GHz or so) in most tests including games. It's a completely different chip than the regular P4. I think there's an article about the differences and advantages on [H]ardOCP.

That Radeon is sweet though. You made a good choice there. Graphics module expandibility in the Alienware aside, the GeForce Go is crap. The Radeon buries it in terms of performance and heat.

 

[crazydave]

You do realize that the Alienware and the Voodoo Envy are all really made by Clevo, a tiawanese company? They are essentially the same machines as a Sager, also made by Clevo. I'm not sure, but I think the Dell Inspirons are Clevo's too.

My issue with the P4's is that the get REALLY hot, the laptops are really heavy, and they chew through the battery quickly. I dont know what the exact performance comparison is, but a P4M @ 1.6 GHz performed almost exactly the same as a fast P4 (2.8 GHz or so) in most tests including games. It's a completely different chip than the regular P4. I think there's an article about the differences and advantages on [H]ardOCP.

That Radeon is sweet though. You made a good choice there. Graphics module expandibility in the Alienware aside, the GeForce Go is crap. The Radeon buries it in terms of performance and heat.

I really don't use battery power too often. Maybe an hour or so unless traveling. I got this basically because I don't really have an office yet so I am slightly mobile. I'll let you know what I think when I get it.

 

[Superfluous_Nut]

yeah, the battery life thing isn't a big deal for me either, tho mine is a p4m. it's not a laptop -- it's a portable, i figure. no chance i'm actually putting that thing on my lap.