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    Montevina-is it worth it?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by omegamuff1n, May 5, 2009.

  1. omegamuff1n

    omegamuff1n Newbie

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    I'm thinking about buying a new notebook soon. So here I am looking at Ibuypower (and don't give me any crap about that... I need the cheapest possible computer and idc if "their customer support is bad" or w.e, I'll never need customer support lol) and I'm seeing that I can upgrade from a 2.0GHz standard Core 2 Duo CPU to some kind of 2.4GHz "Montevina" Core 2 Duo?? I looked it up and I guess it's like the new standard... apparently it would cost me an extra whopping $100-is it really worth spending that to get the new standard or whatever? Is it fairly necessary?
     
    omegamuff1n, May 5, 2009
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  2. Gophn

    Gophn NBR Resident Assistant

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    Welcome to the NBR forums. :)

    "Montevina" (Centrino 2) is the name for Intel's latest mobile platform .... NOT CPUs.

    So if your notebook has a Intel PM45 chipset with Intel 5100/5300 wireless, your system already has a Montevina platform.

    more info here:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centrino

    So your question should now be "is it worth to upgrade a CPU from 2.0GHz to 2.4GHz."

    that is a noticeable jump in performance.... but for gaming, it wont be too noticeable... unless if the game in multi-threaded (to fully utilize both cores).

    If you are using your system for heavy number crunching (media/audio/video .... editing/rendering/converting/etc.), then the faster CPU would be noticeable.
     
    Gophn, May 5, 2009
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  3. omegamuff1n

    omegamuff1n Newbie

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    Hm, so the one that doesn't say Montevina should actually still have it? Are you sure?
     
    omegamuff1n, May 5, 2009
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  4. Gophn

    Gophn NBR Resident Assistant

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    very sure.

    Some vendors do not know how to label their stuff.
     
    Gophn, May 5, 2009
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  5. omegamuff1n

    omegamuff1n Newbie

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    That's weird though... here's what it says. It looks like different processor models.

    [New !!!] Intel® Core 2 Duo Mobile T6400 Dual-Core Processor (2x 2.0GHz/2MB Cache/800FSB)

    [New !!!] Intel® Montevina Core 2 Duo Mobile P8600 Dual-Core Processor (2x 2.4GHz/3MB Cache/1066FSB) [+ $105]
     
    omegamuff1n, May 5, 2009
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  6. t30power

    t30power Notebook Deity

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    The P8600 is a 25W TDP processor which means if you get it your laptop would typically run cooler than other 35W processors (T) series. Also it depends on how long you plan on keeping the laptop, the 2.4GHz would carry nicely over the coming years with Win7 coming.
     
    t30power, May 5, 2009
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  7. weirdo81622

    weirdo81622 Notebook Evangelist

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    If you're looking for the cheapest possible computer, and buying it from ibuypower, I'd say that the upgrade isn't worth it for you.
     
    weirdo81622, May 5, 2009
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  8. IntelUser

    IntelUser Notebook Deity

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    But technically one of the benefits of Montevina platform is the 1066MHz FSB and faster memory you don't really have it with the lower FSB/cache versions. :)
     
    IntelUser, May 5, 2009
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  9. sgogeta4

    sgogeta4 Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Technically to be included in the Montevina platform, you require the CPU to be a 2nd generation Penryn w/ 1066MHz FSB, hence why they don't put Montevina in front of the T6400 model. But in reality, who gives a **** since it's all just marketing. :)
     
    sgogeta4, May 5, 2009
    #9