Merom release early; forget Vista

well, I hold my dell purchase and ignore the good deal last couple weeks. I plan to buy laptop with merom with Vista in Nov.

by supprise, Merom will be released earlier than expected. it could be as early as June/July:
http://www.tgdaily.com/2006/04/19/intel_to_ship_core_inq3_2006/

should we go ahead and buy laptop with Merom in July or wait until Nov for vista. it is worth it to wait for hardware since it is harder to upgrade.
is it worth it to wait for vista? software is easier to upgrade.

 

Thanks for the link; good read. The general rule of thumb is to wait as long as possible before buying. Buy it when you need it - technology is always improving and advancing, and to the consumer's benefit, prices are falling with it.

Vista, from what I have read, might be coming on machines by Christmas, but supposedly has been delayed until Q1 2007. At this point, we've had so many delays with the OS that it is pointless to count on a 'firm' release date, so play it as you go.

Personally, I'm on my third notebook I bought with XP, and I'd like to have my next notebook be a little different.
Keep in mind that with Vista also comes DirectX 10, although when the GPUs that support that come out is uncertain (non-gamers need not be concerned with this). Unless you need a notebook right now, I would wait a short while to see how things clear up.

Chaz

 

Vista won't be released till Jan. 2007. I would wait because you can buy a computer with vista, or you could buy a computer with xp plus spend 150-200 for vista. Your pick.

 

consumer version Vista will be release Q1 2007 for consumers. but OEM Vista will be released in Nov. DELL want to make money and put pressure on Microsoft.

can someone explain why 64bit Merom is better than 32bit core due?

 

Vista will be able to support 64bit CPU's. The current core duo CPU's are only 32bit. 64bit will just speed things up a bit.

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=50366

 

Merom is more than 64-bit, it is a different basic chip than Yonah resulting in ~20% more performance, even on 32-bit instructions.

I believe Merom can execute 4 instructions per clock, whereas Yonah can only do 3 instructions per clock. Also, most Merom chips will have double the cache [4MB] of Yonah [2MB].

Bottom line, if Merom is no more expensive, then by all means it will be the processor of choice.

Hermit

 

I just bought an E1505, and now I'm thinking of returning it. I bought it because I didnt think Merom was going to come out until September or something, right after school started, so I figured I should just buy Dual Core. I really enjoy this notebook and am having a great time with it, it is very fast. The only downside I see to this computer is that it doesnt have the greatest Video Card (x1400). I'm not a hardcore gamer but I think I would still like a better one. I have like 8 more days left to return it if I want to. I've looked everywhere for a computer that has dual core and okay graphics card and the E1505 was the best priced one. What is your guys opinion on me returning the computer to Dell and waiting for the Merom processor, possibly Dell will sell some with a better graphics card, like the X1600.

 

The D420 release will dovetail with this newer target for the Merom/Conroe...waited this long, so I'm going to wait to see if it launches with Merom. Nice find, that tdaily.com article. The T5500 Merom (1.66G) was scheduled to come in 15% discount to its precursor. Additionally, with Dell needing revenues for its next quarter and with HP coming coming up quickly http://www.tgdaily.com/2006/04/20/dell_loses_market_share_to_hp_says_idc/print.html Dell should keep those prices similar to what they are, now, too.

Waiting through another quarter...anyone notice other manufacturers delaying their Yonah designs? The channel must be full of M and Yonahs and with AMD set to intro their "dual" stuff, it's a buyer's market, IMO, for another quarter. http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid=%7B5809C4AE%2D9210%2D4898%2D884A%2DFC1372C8AAB0%7D&source=blq%2Fyhoo&dist=yhoo&siteid=yhoo

 

Everytime a new processor or the latest and greatest piece of hardware gets released the prices for it are off the charts, it's never been different, it's always been that way. The price on the last latest and greatest then drops and becomes even cheaper before becoming no longer stocked on shelves.

Anyone waiting for the next best thing to be released before making their next purchase would still be using a Pentium 133MHz processor while they wait. Once the T5000 and T7000 are out there then you'll be waiting for the next quarter because they'll be getting ready to release the T8000 and T9000, after that, you'll be waiting again because it's a never ending cycle.

The release of a new Microsoft Operating System also always starts out with prices off the charts for it, while the cost for the past Operating System continues to drop (which is what we're seeing now with XP Pro, we've probably seen the bottom of what it's going to drop to).

The hardware compatability lists for Vista are out there, all the current processors meet the requirments with ease. The big issues to look out for when buying a system now in preporation for the release of Vista is making sure your going to have a graphics card that meets the hardware requirements and making sure you have a 1Gig stick of Ram, at least, and that 1 Gig stick of RAM only filling up one of your memory slots so you have room to add another Gig later (once Vista is released and the cost of the current RAM will have dropped).

If Microsoft continues following form you'll also be able to purchase a Windows 2000/XP Pro upgrade version of Vista for less than the cost of buying the complete install version.

You'll never get anywhere if your always waiting for the next greatest thing to be released before you buy it, just make sure what you buy now will be capable of handling the next best thing when it comes along if having the latest and greatest (and spending the most) is important to you.

 

I guess you are right esotorica. If I just wait another 3 months, something else that is new will be coming out right after it, wether its the GPU, RAM, or something else. I am really happy with this notebook right now and I love the price that I got for it. I dont think I will return it unless I somehow see something bigger and better for the same amount of money.

 

Be my guest; I've picked my entry point for this new platform.

...an afterthought: Just read the above (window) post; for me, I don't need to replace a notebook, but do want a Merom AND don't wanna wait for a Santa Rosa chipset. That places me in Q3-Q4. That's my thinking; everyone has their own criterion/a.

You're aware that Vista comes in all flavors of processor/platform combinations and 32- or EM64T won't matter, certainly in the beginning year of launch.

Choosing the T5500/T5600 w/ 2MB cache and not waiting for Santa Rosa or spending the increased point for a 4 MB cache CPU; if I get a free Core duo NB this year, then I'll buy the Santa Rosa equipped NB in Q1/2 2007.

On an equal platform/OS, etc., there's been reported a 15-20% faster processing speed with Merom than with Yonah.

 

I just decided I would wait for the e1405 to take advantage of Duo Core on a 14". Now I hear that these 64 bit processors are coming out this summer and I instantly reconsider whether I should wait even longer for that instead. If you have that mindset then you'll never get anywhere because you'll always be waiting. You should never postpone a purchase of hardware just because there's something new, only wait if there is a reason why you need more up to date hardware(in this case for Vista) or if this "new" breakthrough is revolutionary(single core to Duo core is more revolutionary than 32 bit to 64 bit in my opinion, please tell me if I'm wrong) The only negative part is that you always feel like you're a generation behind with all this unless you have the money to buy a new laptop everytime they release a new processor or other technological advancement. So that is why I'm just going with the e1405 when it comes out. Within a month there will be a new processor out that will make me an "oldy" but at least I will have a Duo Core and be part of the new era of PC's and not stuck waay back with Pentium M.

How big a jump is 32 bit to 64 bit anyway?

 

I was in the same situation, I wanted a new laptop since january, when I was ready to make the purchase core duo came out, then I had to wait for a 15.4" dell with the core duo, then I had to wait for the 6400 to get dedicated video and so on (the only way to get an up to date laptop in my country is thru dell). I guees you only have to wait to get tecnology that is really new to feel that you are up to date, at least for a few months!!

 

Honestly id rather have my nice e1505 with its mature stable XP OS... I saw my year of waiting...

- Wait for Core Duo
- Wait for Core Duo w/Dedicated Video
- Wait for Turion X/2
- Wait for Turion X/2 w/Dedicated Video
- Wait for Merom
- Wait for Merom w/Dedicated Video
- Wait for Windows Vista
- Wait for Windows Vista SP1 (when its finally stable)

That seemed to be about March/April of next year... and I didnt want to use my 600m for a 4th year (its a great system, but I needed a bit more) so went for the e1505 deal... and I love it.

 

I agree, I think the new DUO Core is new enough technology for me. I wrote it in another post here a while ago, I don't upgrade my systems based on what hardware is getting released, I found it instead to work best for me to just upgrade my systems when Microsoft makes a new major release of their OS. I waited and waited to get a new laptop for the hardware requirements of the new OS Vista to get released and think I found the perfect window for it by buying right now. New hardware on the verge of release means it's pushed the price down on what's out there right now as the latest and greatest and I know it's going to handle the next generation of software just fine because the next generation of software was developed on todays hardware.

I hear what your saying about sticking with a now known stable OS like XP Pro SP2. I waited till SP2 to come out and be proven stable before updating our systems at work from 2000 to XP Pro. For my own personal systems though, I'm some what fearless and don't mind playing with a new OS when it gets released. Whats the worse that's going to happen? If it's too unstable I can always just reinstall the older OS and wait for the bugs to be fixed. I certainly don't like deploying any OS on our work systems though untill I've had the time to spend with it and get to know it inside and out. My laptop always seems to be the sacraficial victim to new OS's and my old laptop certainly wasn't going to run Vista.

 

I've been in the exacy same situation, I was originnaly going to order the M140, then the D620, then the M140 again and now finaly the e1405. I won't feel out of date as long I have a machine with core duo which was a bigger breakthrough un processor development than 64 bit.

 

I totally agree. After my Satellite blew out earlier this year, I thought I could hold out and wait by using my iMac until Vista/Merom came in a complete and stable package. I was mistaken - how ever good my iMac is, I found it increasingly difficult to keep teathered to my desktop, and not being able to move around. I finally settled on Core Duo after I realized that if I kept on waiting, I would probably never have a notebook because something new is always just around the corner.

Reguarding Merom: Its nice to see that Merom's release is being sped up - I'm eagar to see how it performs against the Turion X2.

 

I've been waiting since January and was just about to go and buy a laptop this week because I though Merom was going to be released in Q4. Thanks for the link!

 

so your saying wait if possible for the merom?

 

Everyone should keep in mind, there is a VERY good chance that current core duo machines will be able to have a merom CPU dropped into them. No reason to wait for something if you can just buy now and upgrade down the road

 

How easy is it to upgrade the CPU on a laptop like the e1705? I've worked on PC's before but not much on laptops aside from changing memory/hard drive/wifi card.

Aren't the CPU's soldered to the motherboard?

 

some CPU's are. but it is more expensive for the Manufactors to replace the Whole mainboard and CPU then just replace the Mainboard.

 

No, they are not sodered. They are quite easy to switch out, taking the computer apart is the hardest part, but it takes all of 5 minutes. No reason anyone should have any trouble with it

 

I just received and have played with my new dell d620 laptop with 1.83 dual core 32 bit and I love this machine. I can wait for another year for Vista and 64 bit and I'm sure other hardware, but its a never ending cycle. Also, I say no thanks to installing a new unstable operating system like Vista into my laptop.

 

Just wondering, from 2007-2010, do you think manufactorers of programs will release 32 and 64 bit versions of their programs or only produce 64 bit?