Advantages/Disadvantages of Mobile Processors compared to Normal Processors

[Luke]

Hi,
I am looking at purchasing a laptop in the near future. However looking at
Dell there appears to be two different types of processors, a "Mobile Intel
Pentium 4 Processor - M with Speedstep" and just an ordinary "Mobile Intel
Pentium Processor". For example, with the Inspiron 8500 and 5150.

The "-M" processors seem to be both more expensive and slower than the
ordinary ones. So what are the advantages/disadvantages of these
processors?

Why would I want to buy one instead of the normal processors?

Any advice/information would be much appreciated.

Luke

 

[Luke]

~misfit~ wrote:

If the "Mobile Intel Pentium Processor" is between 1.3G and 1.6G then it
is probably a "Centrino" CPU.


Don't confuse Gigahertz with speed. The Centrino CPUs are able to hold
their own with P4s running at twice the clock-rate.

</snip>

Ok. The Centrino processors are the ones with wireless capabilities built
into the actual processor arn't they?

Just quickly, you said if it is between 1.3G and 1.6G then it is probably a
Centrino, but with the Dell ones (eg:
http://www.ap.dell.com/ap/au/en/gen/offers/special_offer_2.htm) they appear
to have much higher clock speeds (eg: 2.5ghz). So I take it these arn't
actually Centrino chips? (Maybe I should email Dell)

Thanks for the help

Luke

 

[~misfit~]

~misfit~ wrote:

</snip>

Ok. The Centrino processors are the ones with wireless capabilities built
into the actual processor arn't they?

The full Centrino package is CPU, Chipset and wireless ethernet. However
some companies are just using the CPU and chipset and leaving out the
wireless.

Just quickly, you said if it is between 1.3G and 1.6G then it is probably a
Centrino, but with the Dell ones (eg:
http://www.ap.dell.com/ap/au/en/gen/offers/special_offer_2.htm) they appear
to have much higher clock speeds (eg: 2.5ghz). So I take it these arn't
actually Centrino chips? (Maybe I should email Dell)

It seems that niether of these are Centrino units, sorry, my mistake. If I
were in the market for a laptop I'd go with a Centrino-based unit. They are
far superior to lappies based on desktop CPUs (albeit modified for mobile
use).

The -M designation seems to be for CPUs that run cooler/lower voltage and
change their speed in Mhz depending on whether they are running on
mains-power or battery power. They are nowhere as efficient or powerful as
the Centrino CPUs however.

The Centrino CPU is the first CPU built from the ground-up for mobile use
rather than a desktop CPU ported over for mobile use.

If you google alt.sci.seti for centrino you'll see that these CPUs are
*very* fast compared with the desktop/mobile hybrid we are used to seeing in
laptops and do it on half (or less) the power.

 

[JK]

If you want a low priced notebook with a mobile processor, you should
be looking at notebooks with a mobile Athlon XP processor.

 

[Phrederik]

If you want a low priced notebook with a mobile processor, you should
be looking at notebooks with a mobile Athlon XP processor.

Or an empty pizzabox... it would work just as well.