Techie Question 2

[Skyfish]

Ok we got some real experts on this site so here is my dilemma :

I want a laptop, I love fast Processors and money is not an issue...

I have my eyes set on two nice ones but one has got an INTEL Centrino M1.5ghz
and the other one a P4 3.06GHz with Steedstep.
Both with 512DRAM. The P4 has a 533Mhz FSB and the Centrino has 400 Mhz FSB (Intel 855PM chipset)

The problem is that the Centrino is the Graphics one with a big screen and a 128MB GeForceFX5200 card :(

Now what really is the advantage of one over the other ?
With Centrino I can use WiFi anywhere I understand that but will it be fast enough to handle my heavy workload and manic Civving ?
Do I understand right that with Centrino I lose in speed but gain in Mobility ?

'cause I am not too keen on WiFi...

By the way I dont play any other game than Civ3 however I usually have 20 apps running simultaneously and hate to wait [mad]

Thanks for your help !

[Plux]

It all depends on how you will use your laptop. Centrino is a special platform developed by Intel for very mobile users. This means that it has special features for power management (saving), making the processor 'clock down' when not used heavily, among other features for enhanced mobile working. So, if you plan to use it 'on the road' a lot, this should appeal to you. If you know for sure that you will use the laptop on current, then the P4 will probably offer more performance. But, for what's it worth, in both cases you will be able to play civ flawlessly ;).

More info on centrino can be found here: http://www.tweakers.net/reviews/360

[Skyfish]

Great thanks !
Well the power is an important issue to me indeed : I need a PC that can run more than 2 hours without recharge so maybe Centrino could help.

What's important is that I need to play Civ flawlessly WHILE I also use the following apps at the same time : Outlook, at least 6 IE windows, MSM, Excel, Word, an ORACLE app and an SAP app through 2 diff. Citrix tunnels, a Cisco VPN, etc..
:D

[digger760]

I would choose the Centrino for your situation Skyfish. Even though the Centrino is 1.5Mhz, i think i heard somewhere that it runs as fast a a 2.0Ghz P4, but it also uses less power and generates less heat...less heat is a good thing...you dont want to burn your balls off.

I read alot of reports of the Centrino being able to play DVD and the battery lasting the distance. I'm not sure of the power consumption of the GeForceFX5200 though, but it probably has power saving features as well.

I myself have been looking at this for quite sometime. I think i would like a 3+ Ghz laptop but am very tempted by the Centrino as well. I am waiting to see the ATI 9600 mobility Radeon in some laptops, but Nvidia seems to have won all the contacts with the major vendors. The only website i found withe the ATI was

www.voodoopc.com

Their laptops are absolute beasts, but also cost $3000 :( and i would hate for something to go wrong cos they only seem to be in the US.

Skyfish did you have a look a www.gericom.com they are a german compnay and they make some good laptops as well.

Regards

digger760

[Skyfish]

I know Voodoos are just amazing machines ....but I did not know they made laptops [eek]
THANKS !

However I would not go with a totally unknow brand like Gericomm, why take the risk when I can pay the cash ?

The main issue then remains to know if a Centrino 1.5GHz is powerful and how much it can really handle..[sad]

[digger760]

A 1.5Ghz Centrino will run Civ fine, maybe large or huge maps might be a bit slow near the end of a game.

What PC do you use now? If it is anything more than 2Ghz you wont notice any difference. infact the graphics will probably be better on the laptop.

[Samildanach]

I would wait until Conquests comes out - just in case all those ritual sacrifices you'll be offering up change the goal posts[headstab]