The Intel-Processed Laptop Configurations - fundas

As it always was, this is the time for a furore in Laptop markets. I've been vella enough in the past month or so to research all the laptops in the market. I had a tight budget (<45K) and wanted no compromise on the config part. The most important thing that I was looking for was the Battery life. All these pts made me zero in on the Dell Inspiron 6400...quite an obvious choice for low-budgeters.

At the time of buying the laptop, I was faced with the processor-RAM-Peripheral configurations conundrum...CoreDuo Vs Core2Duo, the role of clock speed (1.66 GHz, 1.73GHz...) etc. The free time aided me in collecting some useful technical information about the processors.

This post is to help you guys figure out what combination you should be looking for a laptop so as to achieve max efficiency...basically ur money's worth. Here u go...

The Core2Duo has an inherent edge over the CoreDuo one, that can range from 5% - 25% depending upon the tasks u're performing (the more CPU intensive the task, the bigger the advantage). AFAIK, we're buying lappies for everyday essentials like word processing, mails, songs, XL etc. These are not CPU intensive tasks.

This advantage can, however, be offset by the clock speed (basically something that decides how fast the processor can perform a logical operation) of the processor. So a 1.83 GHz Core Duo processor is better than the 1.73 GHz Core 2 Duo one for everyday essentials. (do the math urself ) If we consider gaming...the 1.73 GHz Core 2 Duo outperforms the 1.83 GHz Core Duo one by 10% (nothing to write home about )

Another performance factor is The Front Side Bus factor. (FSB) (FSB is the means for Memory-processor-memory and periphal-processor-peripheral data transfers)

The intel Dual-Core processors either come with a 667MHz Front Side Bus config or a 533 MHz FSB...so theoritically speaking, the 667MHz lappy should be 25% faster than the 533MHz one.

The problem with the current laptops is that even though the RAMs and HardDisks have been upgraded to the 667 MHz versions, a lot of peripherals still run at 533 MHz...so the 667MHz versions of the laptops do not run at 100% efficiency...as a result, they're finally just 10% faster than their 533Mhz counterparts. So even if u buy these, it'll constantly haunt u that these 'dabbas' run 15% slower than they're supposed to.

Now the problem with the Dell 667MHz versions is that Dell provides a 1GB or 2GB 533MHz RAM with this processor (yeah yeah as a part of befooling the innocent junta). This, in effect, makes the laptop 'handicapped'...all the advantage it's got over the 533MHz counterparts has been annulled because of the processor-memory mismatch. So if u're going for a Dell, be extra careful to see that the RAMs FSB config matches with the processor's. Please note that a 667MHz RAM for a 533MHz processor is equally erroneous.

One more thing to consider is the DIMM (Dual In-Line Memory Module) thingy...the DIMM is basically a RAM stick that u see on ur Laptop...each DIMM goes into a RAM slot in ur laptop. Dell provides you with 2-4 RAM Slots. If u go for a 2-slot Laptop, which I think is default in India,and if u're buying 2 sticks of 512MB, there won't be a way u can upgrade in the future. So better go for a 1GB, 1DIMM, 533MHz thingy, so that u get an empty slot for future upgrade. [Some might ask...why 2GB RAM? ... well in case u decide to upgrade to Vista in the future, u'll definitely 2GB for an enhanced experience.]

Now coming to the Processor FSBs, These are the most commonly used B-School processors: CoreDuo - T2300 (1.83 GHz, the one many of us, including me, go for) - 533 MHz Core2Duo - T5300(1.73 GHz, the one mentioned as an upgrade) - 533 MHz Core2Duo - T5500(1.66 GHz, the one I suggest as a upgrade, if at all) - 667 MHz

Because of similar FSB Frequency, an upgrade from T2300 to T5300, is in effect not an upgrade.

While the higher clock speed benefits the T2300 users, the superior technology benefits the T5300 users and when compared with each other, there's nothing to choose between the two processors. So that's a definite 7-8K waste if u go for the T5300 instead of T2300.

The T5500 however is a genuine upgrade to the T2300 processor. If at all u wanna upgrade, go for the 1.66 GHz one...but the problem again, is the cost. 10K extra for upgrading everything to 667MHz. (RAM, HDD etc etc)

I just hope the technicalities are understandable. Now just go nail that lappy of urs.