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    the dell 8600 or 600m

    Discussion in 'Dell' started by wassim, Jul 2, 2004.

  1. wassim

    wassim Notebook Enthusiast

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    If i decide to go with the centrino, what do you think wouldd be better to go with of these two models, with similar specs? (The graphics card is worse (radeon 9000) in the 600m, but, it isn't really going to be a gaming machine). Also, the 600m is a little smaller/lighter and a little cheaper.
     
    wassim, Jul 2, 2004
    #1
  2. mathlete2001

    mathlete2001 Notebook Deity

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    Though heavier, and with a bigger screen, the 8600 has more room for a bigger battery, so it lasts longer. If you compare it equipped with the FX5200, the radeon 9000 is actually faster, even though it is not DX9 compatible. If you are looking for a thin and light notebook, stay away from the 600m. It is poorly designed, as it gets very low battery life when you consider the equipment. I would change the choice to between a 8600 and an IBM. Ask around the IBM forum to get opinions about that.

    Completed mods:
    GPU cooling (100°C->75°C)
    Mods in progress:
    8600c to 8600 keyboard swap (to get the eraser head).
    Tweaks: Radeon 9600 pro (337/242) at 400/300
    ~TWEEK
     
    mathlete2001, Jul 2, 2004
    #2
  3. Plugo2K

    Plugo2K Notebook Enthusiast

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    so given a choice between a Radeon 9000/9200 and a Geforce 5200, which do you think is more important: DX9 compatability or the increased speed?
     
    Plugo2K, Jul 5, 2004
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  4. Aleman

    Aleman Notebook Evangelist

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    DO NOT buy the FX 5200 based on DirectX 9 compatibility. It will get around 8 FPS in DX9 games (well, the desktop version at least, the mobile version would probably get less).

    www.team-md.com
     
    Aleman, Jul 5, 2004
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  5. mathlete2001

    mathlete2001 Notebook Deity

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    I spent $50 to upgrade my desktop to an FX5200, and it is an all-around bad card. I got about 7000 in aquamark, and about 600 3dmarks. Keep in mind this is the desktop version with 8x AGP and 128 megs of video RAM, two things you won't see in a laptop with this chipset. My notebook is a Radeon 9600 pro, and I couldn't be happier. Any 9000 series radeon is great.

    Completed mods:
    GPU cooling (100°C->75°C)
    Mods in progress:
    8600c to 8600 keyboard swap (to get the eraser head).
    Tweaks: Radeon 9600 pro (337/242) at 400/300
    ~TWEEK
     
    mathlete2001, Jul 5, 2004
    #5