X3100 vs ATI HD2400

Looking at a new laptop for my wife. Will be used basically for Photoshop and some low demand video work. The laptops I've narrowed it down to have either an X3100 or the ATI HD2400 128mb.

Can anyone tell me which one would be best? Integrated or card??

The system will have 2 GB of RAM and an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU.

Tx in advance....

 

Does she plan on playing games or perhaps render 3D models/objects? Does she care about battery life?
Photoshop is purely CPU dependent, so you will see no benefits in using the HD2400 over the X3100 for photoshop. For tasks such as gaming, you will need the HD2400.

 

for longer battery life and low heat levels, the X3100 is the best choice since it is intergrated. it handles video extremely well, and can even do some light gaming

 

Thanks for the quick replies. Her use will not involve 3d work at all and battery time isn't critical......perhaps two hours before recharge.

She doesn't game at all and if was I was put a game on it would only be a golf game, which I do enjoy.

The laptop that is being replaced is a Dell Inspiron 5100, p4 2.4 ghz desktop processor, 512 pc3200, 40 gb hdd and an ati radeon m7 video. As you can see, whatever she gets will be streets ahead of this poor soul.

 

if this is the case, then you should save yourself some money and go with the X3100. it'll perform just fine for everything you'll want to do.

 

Yes go with the x3100. But if you want better video playback then you might want to think about getting the HD 2400.

Of course if you want to save money go with the x3100

 

I guess I should have mentioned this in the original posting....the two systems are essentially the same price. So, as that's the case, I take it the advice would be to take the system with the HD2400.

Tx again....perhaps Tiger Woods would even play on with that card.

 

Yes you should definitely take the one with the HD2400

 

In that case, with the same price, get the HD 2400

 

in your case , do not waste your money on HD2400, since Photoshop is a CPU intensive program , it does not really matter what Graphics you 've got and X3100 is underrated IMHO , it easily handles light HD-DVD work.

plus , the HD2400 is not a great card.

 

these 2 both have the same CPU?

if so then get the HD2400 , other wise , get a better faster CPU for PHOTOSHOP.

 

I might suggest just waiting for Montevina(next gen Centrino) platform then decide to get the best of both worlds. It's still 1-2 months away, but it'll be far better than the X3100 on Santa Rosa. X4500 on the Montevina will have full HD video acceleration on hardware and the 3D performance will also be better.

 

More good information. Now that I understand that Photoshop draws on the CPU and not the video card she should still see some performance improvement with the new system even though it's not a power house.

Her old laptop has a Pentium 4 2.4ghz desktop processor in the Dell 5100 and the new candidate has a Intel Core 2 duo 1.6. Now I don't know the tech stuff on these chips but I have read that my old p4 chip was not a mobile processor and it ran really hot.

I hope that even with the lower number (1.6) it will out perform the old Dell.

Again, I sure appreciate the feedback from this forum.....definitely a valuable resource for people like me.

 

IMHO P4m was, probably, the worst mobile CPU from Intel

 

I believe Phooshop is multi threaded and if so it will crush the P4! If not the 1.6 C2D will do as well as 2.4 P4 and if more than one application going will really do better.

 

CS2 and CS3 definitely support multithreading. I've noticed a significant increase in my CS2, especially when working with filters on large images.

 

Yeah, you are right on this, he should wait to see how montevina will be priced.

And Montevina chips support ddr3 memoies and they have 1066mhz fsb.

 

I am sure you are right on this , it does support it.

 

Are you talking about T5450?

If so it is better than your P4 , couse the CS3 support multi-threading.

But if I were you, I 'd forget about the GPU and get a better CPU , at least T7500 or T8100.