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#1
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P4 vs Centrino? Which of these laptops?
I'm looking at two laptops at:
http://www.accessmicro.com/content/p...ction=NoteBook (note: sometimes it takes a LONG time for the page to load.) The two Intel laptops I'm looking at, one is a P4 and the other a Mobile Centrino. What's the difference? I ask because laptop A, the Centrino, is more espensive, but laptop B, the P4, seems much more powerful...except the Centrino has a 1MB L2 cache while the P4 has a 512KB L2. Can anyone explain based on this why one would be more powerful than the other? Thanks! =) M8080 Mobile-Intel Centrino CPU: Centrino Mobile FSB 400MHz @ 1.3GHz CPU CORE LOGIC: Montara - GM +ICH4 -M w/ 1MB L2 cache RAM: DDR-SDRAM VIDEO: Intel 82852/82855 64MB G732-Intel Pentium 4 CPU: P4 Northwood 533 MHz FSB @ 2.2 GHz CO 512KB L2 cache RAM: DDR SO DIMM VIDEO: ATI Mobility 9000 M9 64MB Liam druid -at- celticbear -dot- com |
#3
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"Robert Myers" wrote in message ... On 26 Jun 2003 06:56:25 -0700, (LRW) wrote: I'm looking at two laptops at: http://www.accessmicro.com/content/p...ction=NoteBook (note: sometimes it takes a LONG time for the page to load.) The two Intel laptops I'm looking at, one is a P4 and the other a Mobile Centrino. What's the difference? I ask because laptop A, the Centrino, is more espensive, but laptop B, the P4, seems much more powerful...except the Centrino has a 1MB L2 cache while the P4 has a 512KB L2. Can anyone explain based on this why one would be more powerful than the other? Thanks! =) M8080 Mobile-Intel Centrino CPU: Centrino Mobile FSB 400MHz @ 1.3GHz CPU CORE LOGIC: Montara - GM +ICH4 -M w/ 1MB L2 cache RAM: DDR-SDRAM VIDEO: Intel 82852/82855 64MB G732-Intel Pentium 4 CPU: P4 Northwood 533 MHz FSB @ 2.2 GHz CO 512KB L2 cache RAM: DDR SO DIMM VIDEO: ATI Mobility 9000 M9 64MB Common wisdom: 1.6GHz centrino=2.4GHz P4, so 1.3GHz=2GHz P4. Centrino executes (on the average) more instructions per clock than the P4. In order to be branded Centrino, computers must come with 802.11b, a feature you'll be sorry for leaving out if you do. Odd that the web description mentions this feature only by way of the "built-in wireless antenna". Main selling point of the Centrino: lower power consumption, longer battery life. Unless you're using your notebook as a portable desktop replacement, longer battery life trumps a 10% difference in speed any day. Notebook purchased for travel and other mobile use: Centrino. Notebook purchased as portable desktop replacement: P4. RM You should also consider AMD laptops with 802.11b functionality. AMD has been architecturally doing what Centrino has just begun to do for some time now. ken k |
#4
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On Thu, 26 Jun 2003 11:03:05 -0400, JK wrote:
snip The Centrino system has a processor that is only 1.3 ghz. Although it will probably run faster than a 1.3 ghz Pentium 4, it is probably much slower than an Athlon XP2000+ in most software. While a computer architect I very much admire at AMD would be glad to know that people are championing the cause of AMD processors for mobile applications, this kind of statement really isn't helpful. My guess, based on reading lots of benchmarks and understanding what I do of the architectures of the chips involved, would be that the performance of a 1.3 GHz Centrino and an Athlon XP2000+ would be indistinguishable to most users, and that benchmarks would confirm that their performance is comparable. http://users.erols.com/chare/elec.htm lists the "typical power dissipation of an Athlon XP2000+ as 62.5 watts and the "thermal design power of 1.3GHz Banias (the processor part of the Centrino set) as 22 wattts. AMD processors are always worth considering, but overstating the case really doesn't help anyone, including AMD. In particular, trying to push Athlon XP's as a drop-in, low-cost replacement for Centrino is something I don't think even AMD marketeers would do. AMD is working on its own innovative low-power designs. I don't think the Athlon XP is one of them. Don't steal their thunder by trying to help them out with misplaced cheerleading. RM |
#5
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Robert Myers wrote in message . ..
On 26 Jun 2003 06:56:25 -0700, (LRW) wrote: Common wisdom: 1.6GHz centrino=2.4GHz P4, so 1.3GHz=2GHz P4. Centrino executes (on the average) more instructions per clock than the P4. Thanks for the feedback! But, "common wisdom"? I didn't know that. (One of the reasons I'm asking about the differences.) Why is it that the Centrino executes more instructions? Does it have to do with the double sized L2 cache? I have heard that AMD does the same thing which is why they can outperform Pentiums of the same speed even with their lower FSB. (Do I have that right?) Well, this is probably 75/25 desktop replacement. Which is one reason that ATI Moility 9000 video card is very appealing. Thanks again for the reply! =) |
#6
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Robert Myers wrote: On Thu, 26 Jun 2003 11:03:05 -0400, JK wrote: snip The Centrino system has a processor that is only 1.3 ghz. Although it will probably run faster than a 1.3 ghz Pentium 4, it is probably much slower than an Athlon XP2000+ in most software. While a computer architect I very much admire at AMD would be glad to know that people are championing the cause of AMD processors for mobile applications, this kind of statement really isn't helpful. My guess, based on reading lots of benchmarks and understanding what I do of the architectures of the chips involved, would be that the performance of a 1.3 GHz Centrino and an Athlon XP2000+ would be indistinguishable to most users, and that benchmarks would confirm that their performance is comparable. http://users.erols.com/chare/elec.htm lists the "typical power dissipation of an Athlon XP2000+ as 62.5 watts and the "thermal design power of 1.3GHz Banias (the processor part of the Centrino set) as 22 wattts. LOL! You looked up the power consumption for the desktop XP2000+ Palomino.The mobile XP2200+ is listed as having a maximum power consumption of 35 watts. There is no listing there for typical power consumption. I see the mobile Pentium 4 2.2 ghz listed at 46.6 watts estimated max power dissipation, while the Pentium 4 desktop cpu has an estimated max power consumption of 73.4 watts (thermal design power/.75) . OUCH! I would not want to have that in my notebook. The vast majority of AMD based notebooks use mobile Athlon XP processors, while the vast majority of Intel based notebooks under $1300 use Celeron or desktop P4 processors. AMD processors are always worth considering, but overstating the case really doesn't help anyone, including AMD. In particular, trying to push Athlon XP's as a drop-in, low-cost replacement for Centrino is something I don't think even AMD marketeers would do. That is funny! I would not consider the Centrino an adequate mobile Athlon XP replacement, even if the high price of Centrino is ignored. AMD is working on its own innovative low-power designs. I don't think the Athlon XP is one of them. Don't steal their thunder by trying to help them out with misplaced cheerleading. There are low voltage XP-M processors up to XP2000+ for the thin and light market if someone wants a thin notebook with long battery life. http://www.crn.com/sections/Breaking...rticleID=42708 RM |
#7
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"Kenneth A Kauffman" wrote in message ...
You should also consider AMD laptops with 802.11b functionality. AMD has been architecturally doing what Centrino has just begun to do for some time now. ken k Correct me if I'm wrong, but 802.11b is simply wireless networking, yes? Can't you just add a wireless PCMCIA NIC and call it good? Personally, I'm a huge AMD fan. I'm looking into this for my wife. =) Thanks for the feedback! Liam |
#8
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"LRW" wrote in message om... "Kenneth A Kauffman" wrote in message ... You should also consider AMD laptops with 802.11b functionality. AMD has been architecturally doing what Centrino has just begun to do for some time now. ken k Correct me if I'm wrong, but 802.11b is simply wireless networking, yes? Can't you just add a wireless PCMCIA NIC and call it good? Personally, I'm a huge AMD fan. I'm looking into this for my wife. =) Thanks for the feedback! Liam Yes. But Centrino is not strictly a processor but a "chipset" which includes specifications for built in 802.11b. So.. if you were to go "head to head" looking at laptops, a Centrino machine will always provide 802.11b. Therefor, comparing to anyother laptop 'feature for feature' you need to consider cost of this functionality too. ken k |
#9
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On Thu, 26 Jun 2003 10:22:02 -0400, Robert Myers
wrote: In order to be branded Centrino, computers must come with 802.11b, Centrino has to be Intel's 802.11b - there are other alternatives in Pentium-M systems. Rgds, George Macdonald "Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me?? |
#10
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On Thu, 26 Jun 2003 11:38:52 -0400, Robert Myers
wrote: AMD is working on its own innovative low-power designs. I don't think the Athlon XP is one of them. Don't steal their thunder by trying to help them out with misplaced cheerleading. The Athlon XP-M has been available for months now. Rgds, George Macdonald "Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me?? |
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