Notebook Buying Guide

Notebook Buying Guide

By: xAMDvsIntelx

I know this little article will never replace help given out by members on NotebookReview.com, but will give you a good idea of what to expect and how much to pay for notebooks currently. Use this as a guide; If you have a question, please feel free to post it in the hardware section, and don’t forget to fill out the notebook FAQ!

The Budget Notebook User (As low as you can go to $900):

Ok, you’ve just got $500 of birthday money from all of your relatives, and you decide to throw in another $300 of your own money to buy a new notebook – what kind of notebook can you buy for that and what performance will it have? What the heck can it do? Well, these are the things to expect from most low-end notebooks:

Processor:
A good old $800 laptop will probably have either an AMD Sempron processor, or an Intel Celeron. Try to avoid the Celeron if you can, as it has less power management features than a Sempron processor does. Basically a Sempron CPU will get much better battery life on average than its Celeron counterpart will. If you can score an Intel Core Solo, Intel Core Duo/Duo 2, or an AMD Turion 64/X2, go for that instead of the other two. You're not likely to spot a lot of Core Duos in this price range, however.

RAM/HD:
Most laptops in this price range will have decent sized hard drives (HDs) – probably 40-60GBs and a good amount of Random Access Memory (RAM) – usually around 512MB-1GB.

Screen Sizes:
These notebooks generally have screens varying from 14” to 15.4”, although there may be some exceptions to this.

Graphics Card:
NO dedicated graphics: Basically No dedicated Graphics Card (GPU) = Poor gaming/3D intensive experience; Do not expect your new $800 notebook to play Doom 3 or Battlefield 2 well with its integrated graphics chip. However, I have managed to play Battlefield 1942 on some integrated solutions, so older games may be O.K. with Integrated Solutions. Try to get a ATI Radeon Xpress 1150 or Nvidia GeForce Go 6150 in this price range – it’s probably the best you can do. The Nvidia 6150 GPU is currently the best integrated card as it actually has its own memory, ranging from around 32MB to 128MB of dedicated memory (Vista with Aero capable). ATI's Xpress 1150 isn't a bad choice either, but it doesn't have the extra "oomph" needed to play higher level games. Intel has also announced and introduced their new X3100 GPU, which is able to run Vista’s AeroGlass interface without kinks with enough RAM. Their new GPU should be able to handle a fair amount of gaming, so long as its not too intense.

General Tasks that can be Accomplished:
These notebooks are best suited for: word processing, internet surfing, listening to music, watching DVDs, light gaming (usually games that are a few years old will work just fine - ATI's, and especially Nvidia's cards, should be able to handle more than GMA cards), and other general productivity.

Weight/Size:
Budget notebooks aren’t going to be light as a feather and aren’t meant for anything but general productivity. Their weight range is 5-8 pounds depending upon your particular notebook. You can take these notebooks traveling with you, however, they aren’t meant for the road warrior.

Who this Type of Notebook is Meant For:
These types of notebooks are meant for mainly home/student users who are on a budget.

Amenities:
Not much with a budget notebook, but try to look for one that has an integrated wireless solution. Also, make sure your notebook has at least 3 USB ports; firewire is also another plus if you can find it on your notebook. In addition, you should look for a DVD-ROM drive to watch DVDs and burn CDs.

Notebooks to Look For:
1. Compaq C500T- This is a good 15.4” budget notebook – it features Intel’s Celeron Processor and can be upgraded to Intel’s Pentium M (both are quite old, however). This notebook does come pre-installed with Windows Vista, but don’t expect to run the AeroGlass feature (at least not well), due to its Intel GMA 950 GPU. At its rock bottom price of $450, its hard to argue with this notebook value wise, but other notebooks come fairly close for a little bit more money
2. Dell Inspiron E1501- This 15.4" notebook is virtually the same as a Dell E1505, except for its CPU and graphics card. The E1501 features an AMD Dual-Core Turion 64 CPU paired to an ATI Radeon 1150 Xpress. Not bad for a notebook that starts at $650
3. Compaq V6000t/V6000z- Virtually identical to its HP counter part (dv6000 series), this notebook has a slightly reduced price over its HP brother. Like with most all HP/Compaq products, this notebook comes in two flavors, one offering a combination of an Intel Core Duo 2 and a GMA 950, and the other offering a Turion X2 paired with an Nvidia 6150 Go. The both start around the astounding price of only $450

The Mainstream Notebook/Cheap Gaming Notebook ($900-$1900):

Uh-Oh! Your old faithful desktop just blew up! But after 9 years of good dedication from this machine, you aren’t too disappointed. You’ve thought about replacing it with another desktop, but you’ve recently been interested in notebooks – they’re lighter, consume less space/energy, and are usually equally as powerful. But you’ve seen some high-end notebooks with gigantic price tags of $2000 and even more! You don’t want a low-end notebook either – you want something decent enough to run Battlefield 2 and maybe even Doom 3. You want a mainstream notebook/cheap gaming notebook:

Processor:
A midrange notebook will probably come with an Intel Core Duo/Duo 2 processor or an AMD Turion X2 processor. The Turion X2, while not being a bad CPU, doesn't quite have the prowess of a Core Duo 2 has and lags in the battery-life department when compared to its Intel counterpart. The Core Duo is an excellent processor and will handle all tasks very easily, especially when multi-tasking. The Core Duo (regular) will have increased battery life when compared with its AMD counterparts as well, due to its excellent power management features. Core Duo 2s are becoming the mainstream in this segment nowadays, replacing the older Core Duos, which will offer better performance than the Core Duo and 64-bit capability, but will take a small hit in battery life.

RAM/HD:
Most laptops in this price range will have 60-100GB HDs depending upon your preference. Beware of 4,200 RPM HDs if performance means anything to you, however. Try to get notebooks that have HD speeds of 5,400 RPM or greater for better performance in your laptop. Notebooks in this range usually have 1GB of RAM or greater installed, and are also usually upgradeable to 2-3GB of RAM. Look out for dual-channel RAM as well – it will give you a slight increase in performance if you're using integrated graphics.

Screen Sizes:
These notebooks usually can have screen sizes varying from 12” portables to 17” media powerhouses.

Graphics Card:
Most mainstream notebooks have decent dedicated GPUs installed in them, which will allow their owners to enjoy more recent games/GPU intensive tasks at a higher level of performance than those with Integrated GPUs. These graphics cards will usually allow their users to play games such as Doom 3 and Battlefield 2 at medium to high settings, depending upon your particular GPU. Good mainstream GPUs to look out for are the ATI Radeon X1400/1300 and the Nvidia GeForce 7300/7400. If you can score an ATI X1600/X1700 or an Nvidia GeForce 7700/7900GS Go, all the more power to you! However, if you’re look at notebooks 14” and below, your choice of a dedicated GPU becomes more and more restricted, so don’t be disappointed if you end up having to settle for an integrated GPU on your new 12” notebook.
(note: Nvidia’s GeForce 8-series is beginning to permeate the notebook marketplace – if you’re a hardcore gamer, look for a notebook that has one of these high-performance cards in it)

General Tasks that can be Accomplished:
These notebooks can handle everything a budget notebook can with extreme ease. However, their real advantage lies in overall better build quality and better hardware when compared with budget notebooks, and can be used more for gaming with a dedicated GPU.

Weight/Size:
These notebooks, depending on which one you buy, can weigh as little as 3 pounds all the way up to 10 pound behemoths. If you want to go for a lighter notebook, you can use it on the road more easily, but you’ll be limited in screen size and in power, in terms of a GPU, usually. If you’re a multimedia person looking out for a notebook, you’re in luck – most laptop sizes have a 15.4" or 17" display, perfect for all of your multimedia needs.

Who this Notebook is Meant For:
The average home/student user, the road warrior on a budget, and gamers who don’t want to dump their wallet on an insane notebook gaming rig.

Amenities:
These notebooks usually come with an integrated wireless solution and sometimes with Bluetooth as well. Look for 4 USB ports as well as other connectors such as an RGB monitor out port, plus a firewire port and a card-reader slot. A DVD-Rom drive is a must, but try to look for a drive that can Burn DVDs/CDs as well as view them. Look out for glossy and matte screens too.


Notebooks to Look For:
1. HP Pavilion dv6500t/dv6000t/dv6000z- The HP dv6000 series sports a dual-core CPU and comes with a Nvidia 8400GS Go GPU (dv6500t only) or Nvidia 7400 Go (dv6000t only), both of which should be fine for moderate gaming. It also comes with some classy looks as well.
2. Dell Inspiron E1520/Vostro 1500- An excellent 15.4" notebook that comes with Intel's Core Duo 2 technology and decent graphics from either the Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT or 8400M GS (go for the 8600 for more gaming performance). This notebook offers a good bang for your buck, and also has a newer refreshed style after the years of the old Dell “box” look. (note: the Vostro comes without the usual Dell bloatware and has a black housing case)
3. HP Pavilion dv9500t/dv9000z- A terrific 17” multimedia powerhouse, featuring dual HDs for up to 400GB of storage! It comes complete with an Intel Core Duo2/Turion X2 CPU and an Nvidia GeForce 8600M GS GPU. It's a direct competitior to the Dell 1720/Vostro 1700 and the Toshiba Satellite P200 series. It is slightly more expensive, however, and doesn't offer as much GPU performance as the Dell does.
4. Dell Inspiron 1720/Vostro 1700- An excellent 17” gaming notebook featuring either the Nvidia GeForce 8400M GS or 8600M GS (go for the later if you want better GPU performance)! It also features an Intel Core Duo 2 processor with up to 4GB of RAM, and with Windows Vista, it’s a great multimedia notebook as well. Its updated, refreshed look is also a welcome addition as well.
5. ThinkPad T and Z series- If you want durability with great business performance, you’ve got yourself a ThinkPad. These notebooks can take a beating and also include fingerprint security as well as the legendary Thinkpad keyboard.
6. Asus W3J/V6J- Both these notebooks are of excellent quality and have fairly decent performance. However, the V6J is lacking in GPU power, and somewhat more expensive than the competition is. The W3J is an excellent 14" notebook that sports the powerful ATI X1600 GPU.
7. Sony FE-Series- The new FE series is the replacement for the very popular Sony FS series and comes with newly updated hardware, which include the Intel Core Duo and the Nvidia GeForce 7400.
8. Apple MacBook- Apple's newest MacIntel notebook replaces the older iBook line and does it with some style. The new MacBooks are Core Duo 2 powered, but sadly are only offered with integrated graphics. They do come in two attractive colors, however - White and Black.
9. Dell XPS M1330 - Dell continues on its redesign rampage (which is a good thing), with its M1330. It is probably the best looking product that Dell has come out with in a long while. It features Intel Core Duo 2 technology and comes equipped with an optional Nvidia GeForce 8400M GS for a decent gaming experience. It also one of the first notebooks that has made use of LED backlight technology.
10. Asus G1 Ensemble- This stunningly stylish notebook from Asus dishes out a good amount of value and quality for a good price. At $1800, this notebook comes speced out with a 2.0GHz Core Duo 2 CPU, 2GB RAM, a Nvidia GeForce 7700 Go, 160GB HD and a WSXGA+ screen standard. I would go check one out online if you want a gaming notebook that's stylish as well as powerful.
11. Dell Latitude D240 - Another notebook from Dell - the Latitude D240 has everything a roadwarrior on a budget needs: excellent support, good durability/battery life, and of course, price. This 3lbs notebook can be had for only $1200 and comes equipped with either an Intel Core Solo or Intel LV Core Duo 2

High-End Notebooks (2000+):
High end notebooks range from super-powerful gaming rigs with an insane amount of power to some of the smallest notebooks on the market today for the super road-warrior. Thse notebooks usually have all the newest hardware and all the bells and whistles, making them a High-End notebook:

Processor:
In high-end notebooks, you’ll want the fastest Core Duo or Turion you can get your hands on. However, be warned of AMD Athlon X2 and especially Intel Core Duo 2 desktop processors if you want any kind of portability at all. Plus, both these processors suck battery life like none other and throw off enough heat to be a portable heater. In this price range, however, there are notebooks that are feather light and can’t have a power-sucking processor, but instead have Low-Voltage (LV) or Ultra-Low-Voltage (ULV) Intel Core Duo/Core Duo 2 processors in them. These notebooks are meant for the super road warrior.

RAM/HD:
If you’re looking at a gaming rig, 1-2GB of RAM is a must have, 3-4GB would be much better, however (although you’d be paying a pretty penny for some RAM). If you’re looking at ultra-portable notebooks, 1GB would be ideal, and some ultra portables have RAM built in, so no major upgrades here. The HD size for a gaming rig should be 60-100GB with a RPM of at least 5,400, if not 7,200. For road warriors, sorry no 100GB HDs for you! Look for notebooks that have 60-80GBs of storage with a power-saving RPM of 4,200.

Screen Sizes:
Here, screen sizes are usually at opposite ends of the spectrum, either a tiny 12”-10” screen for those road-warriors or a 17” giant for those of you who are gamers. You’ll rarely ever see a 14”-15.4” notebook in this category.

Graphics Card:
You’ll either be getting a power-sipping integrated GPU for ultra portables, or an insanely powerful GPU for gaming rigs. Look for Intel GMA 900/950 if your going for an ultra portable – its probably the best you can do. For gamers, look for the Nvidia GeForce 8600M GS/GT or ATI equivalent at the very least. A better graphics solution would be the GeForce 8800M GT. Games like Doom 3 and Battlefield 2 are going to be child’s play for GPUs like these.

General Tasks that can be Accomplished: For ultra-portables, basic computing and general productivity. For gaming rigs – virtually every computing task known to man. If your notebook can’t do it, it probably can’t be done.

Weight/Size:
Ultra-portables usually weigh less than 4.5 pounds and are easy to carry with you, almost everywhere. If you’re looking at a gaming rig, you’re probably not going to be able to take it everywhere with you – they usually weigh upwards of 8 pounds.

Who this notebook is Meant For:
The super-road warrior, the insane gamer, or the multimedia freak of course!

Amenities:
You can expect these notebooks to have basically everything on them. Integrated wireless, Bluetooth, 5+ USB ports, you name it and these notebooks probably have it. Of course ultra-portables won’t have 5+ USB ports, but will have all the other goodies, and some even come with Cingular/Verizon wireless internet access cards that can be used almost everywhere.

Notebooks to Look For:
1. Asus W2pb- Featuring excellent build quality, blow-the-doors off sound, and an excellent 17” screen, this notebook is made for the media-centric freak. Asus, to the applaud of the notebook community, has updated the screen resolution on its largest Ensemble notebook, back to WSXGA format. This notebook features an Intel Core Duo 2 (T7200) and an ATI X1600 GPU.
2. Toshiba Qosmio G45- Another outstanding multimedia notebook that closely rivals the Asus W2jb. It features a built-in, instant TV tuner with XP MCE and the best 17” glossy screen I’ve ever seen in my life. This notebook also has dual harmon/kardon speakers that won’t disappoint. The new Qosmio G45 sports an Intel Core Duo 2 CPU, a new HD-DVD Drive by Toshiba, and an optional WUXGA screen.
3. Dell XPS M1710- This super powerful gaming rig won’t let down you down when it comes to GPU power. With its ultra fast Nvidia GeForce Go 7900 GTX, this notebook will perform any task it is given with ease, and makes games like Doom 3 and Battlefield 2 look like child’s play. The XPS also features a flashy lid complete with lights that literally make this notebook “glow”!
4. HP Pavilion HDX- This is HP’s foray into the notebook PC/desktop PC hybrid arena. This giant of a notebook (if you can even call it that), can come equipped with an Intel Core Duo 2 Extreme (overclocked) CPU for the ultimate gaming experience. This hybrid also comes equipped with an ATI Radeon 2600XT (512MB), making for a superfast GPU. It’s 20” touchscreen display is also another big plus.
5. Sony TX-series- This ultra-portable laptop features a built-in Cingular Internet Wireless card and can get about 7.5 hours of battery life on a single charge. It also has an Intel ULV processor for the greatest amount of battery life.
6. Asus G2 EnsembleLike its 15.4" cousin, the Asus G2 Gaming notebook offers a lot in terms of style and value. It comes well equipped with an ATI X1700 GPU and Core Duo 2 CPU. It also comes with some XPS-esque lighting on its sides.
7. Apple Mac Book Pro 15"/17"- These foxy notebooks made by Apple have excellent costruction and feature numerous gizmos and gadgets along with an Intel Core Duo 2 CPU and a Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT graphics card. However, there have been reports of heat issues and an underclocked GPU because of the notebook's heat situation - some faults in an otherwise excellent notebook.

Another thing to consider...
When buying your notebook, you have to realize that there's always newer, better technology that's going to come out and trump whatever is currently the best in technology. To be honest, this is just the way the technology works - don't hold yourself back from buying if you really need the notebook. My golden rule when it comes to buying notebooks is: If you need it now, buy it - if not, then don't buy. Also, make sure you've done your research on which notebook fits your needs best and offers the most performance/amenities for your budget so you don't double guess what you've bought. Keep your ears open and look out for newer technology that's coming out in the attainable future - check our New Bits on NBR.com's front page, kindly updated by our Lead Mod., Chaz.

What the Heck are Doom 3 and Battlefield 2?:
Doom 3 and Battlefield 2 are current games that demand the most out of a user’s notebook – basically pushing the notebook to its limits. These games are used as benchmarks here at NotebookReview.com, usually to compare a notebook’s GPU.

Note: I’m sorry if I left your favorite notebook off of a particular list, or forgot to put in a certain fact. Please send me a message, and I’ll correct it. I also tried to keep this as unbiased as possible, so tell me if you think I’m biast! Feel free to PM me with questions, but make sure you've consulted the forums too!

Links:
Notebook FAQ/Guides:
Pulp's Hard Drive Guide
Pulp's Screen Guide
ChazMan's GPU Guide
Lowlymarine's Notebook FAQ

NOTICE:
3/22/06: Intel Core Duo update.
6/25/06: Changed "Notebooks to Look For" section.
7/14/06: Added "Another thing to consider..."
9/2/06: Overall Update
1/15/07: Updated "What Notebooks to Look For" section
4/27/07: Overall Update
8/10/07: Updated

 

Pretty Good Guide! This will probably help newbies in their quest for a lappy! I would add the Apple Powerbook (17") to the "High-End" group thought.

 

Spectacular guide AMDvsIntel! I'm going to sticky this for future reference. Really well done, congrats.

 

Very Nice, welcome to the guide creator family.

 

Thanks guys for all the positive feedback! I'll keep updating it as the notebook world changes!

 

A great guide! Thanks!

I wonder if could improve if you split the price-based categries by size. For instance, split "High-End" in two subcategories:
-High-End Ultraportable (Sony Vaio TX, Fujitsu P-Series...)
-High-End Desktop Replacement (Toshiba Qosmio, ...)
What do you think?

 

Sure, I can do that, however it might take me a while (Lots of projects/tests coming up). I'll probably post up the new one before Christmas though. Anyone else have any suggestions?

 

Might want to make the fonts bigger for your headings - that will make it easier to distinguish between the different sections.

 

IMHO categories should be
-Budget Mainstream
-Medium budget/Thin and Light
-Medium budget/Mainstream size
-HighEnd/Ultraportable
-HighEnd/Desktop Replacement

 

I am curious that you do not include and ASUS in your list, in particular, the ASUS z70va. SO many people are high on that here. I am just getting ready to buy a laptop and that was the one I was considering.

So I was curious why it was not on your list.

 

I am sure that as you might want to know about a new powerhouse notebook, the likes of which have never been seen from Eurocom/M-Tech. It is the D900K F-Bomb. It has the Socket 939 AMD board with availability all the way to the 7800 Nvidia Go with 256MB of onboard DDR3. You can even RAID two hard drives. I personally have been dying to get my hands on a machine like this for some time. And yes, the FX57 and x2 4800+ are both options available on this machine. As far as gaming and other enthusiast needs go, there is nothing better than this in my opinion. Check it out: http://eurocom.com/products/showroom/specselectnew.cfm?model_id=164

 

It completely blew my mind I'll be sure to put in the revised version (hopefully I can get it done when I get out of school this Friday!!)

 

Hi, very guide... but I will have to disagree with a couple of things... You can get a very laptop for under $800... I got my XPS M140 for $700..


- PM 1.73
- 1GB DDR II
- 60GB (5400)
- DVD+/- Burner
- Built in Wi-Fi, and Blutooth
- 9 cell Battery (7 hours =))
- Windows media Center 2005

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=34836

You should add somthing about going to dell outlet that you can get some very good deals =).

 

hi all

I need some help with buying a new laptop. My needs are less than basic.

my answers to the FAQ questions:

1: mainstream size
2: word processing (I write a lot, 6-7 hours a day typing): this is my main (even only) reason for the laptop
3: it will remain on desk
4: no games (no movies, no...)
5: brand does not matter
6: battery in not important
7: budget: 1000 $ Canadian
8: buying on line OK
9: Canada
10: don't care
11: non-glossy screen

main thing though: I want something that endures and does not give me trouble (my computer skills: none; this situation is not likely to change in near future)

 

I was mainly only thinking of putting new notebooks into my buying guide, but I may put a small section about Dell outlets and such; you can't buy that new for that price. I also never said that you couldn't buy a notebook for less than 800. RBY: Please start a new thread - this is a buying guide, thanks.

 

Hi, dell outlet does offer brand new notebooks, that customers order but were never shipped out.

 

Yes - however it is usually extremely difficult to come by these "special" notebooks. Most all, if not all notebooks in the Dell outlet have already been opened and/or have suffered some cosmetic damage.

 

the problem in that fantastic guide is that is only budget center intead of being size and performance centered

 

I don't really see a problem in that. In addition, I believe that I do take size and performance into consideration in my guide... Anyways, I'm planning to update it in the next couple days.

 

That is not true... the ones that were previously ordered, are notbooks that were ordered, then the buyer cancelled the order. They are brand new and sealed, and exactly the same as NEW!!! Please visit dells site, so you can know what your talking about...

 

What I wanted to say was the same that I wrote in my first post in this thread: that IMHO while using the budget-related categories they should be divided in size/performance categories
-Budget/ Mainstream Size (<900$, 15", low performance): Acer Aspire 3000 & Travelmate 2000, HP Compaq M2200
-Medium budget/Mainstream size (900-1900$, 15-15.5", medium performance): too many to be listed here!
-Medium budget/Thin and Light (1200-1900$, 13-14"): Sony Vaio S-series, Fujitsu Lifebook S-series, Asus W3V
-High-end/DesktopReplacent/Gaming (17", >=2000$, hight performance): Toshiba Qosmio,...
-High-end/Ultraportable <=12",>=2000$) Sony Vaio TX-series, Fujitsu Lifebook P-series, Toshiba Libretto U100

Of course more division could be made, because there are Ultraportable under 2000 (Acer TM3000, Dell Lattitude X1), but that would complicate thr guide

 

Yes, I understand that and I do know what I'm talking about, as I have visited Dell's outlet site many times. From my experiences there, ALL of the notebooks have already been opened and/or have suffered cosmetic damage. NONE were unopened and/or have not been used. In addition, you will pay more for an unopened notebook than a previosly opened one.

 

Thanks for the input - I'll try to fit most of that into my new guide

 

Ha nice avatar AMDvsIntel Great fit for you.

Pentium 4 side seems a little bigger...is that intentional?

 

No, its not intentional - I just found it on the net (I'm too lazy to make my own). But I might photoshop my own

 

Photoshop lol... somthing that simple could have been done in MS paint.

 

Your guide is very nice and your avatar is too. Even though it was found on the internet.

It wasnt done in photoshop jason, you have me confused.

 

Beware of those "specials"! I just ordered a Dell laptop and had to send it back. (I love the fact that the sale's dept. is located in the state's but customer service is in another country.) We ordered the laptop, bought the wireless modem,set everything up and then had to send it back. The thing wasn't what the sale's person promised (smaler size screen for one thing)and it kept popping up error message's. NOT something you want to see on something you just bought! Trying to deal with customer service was a horrifying experience! I couldn't decide if they couldn't understand english or just chose not to.
I am so glad that I found this site before ordering or buying the next laptop. Thank's!! LOVE'N IT! You can bet that when I got to purchase my next laptop I will be armed with my buyers guide!!

 

This thread really helped me pick out a laptop. When I asked questions on this site, people jumped in right away with great suggestions. I printed some of it out and brought it with me shopping. I got a very good deal on an Acer, and it's better than I had hoped to get within my budget.

I'll let you know when my novel gets published!

Thanks again,
SweaterGrrrl

 

ew...i m new here, but very nice guide...thx

 

"Processor:
A good old $800 laptop will probably have either an AMD Sempron processor, or an Intel Celeron. Try to avoid the Celeron if you can, as it has less power management features than a Sempron processor does. Basically a Sempron CPU will get much better battery life on average than its Celeron counterpart will."

Not true according to the anand Tech article, Celerons offer superior battery life to Semprons. At the budget level I would avoid a Sempron power hog.

"...It was also surprising to find out that neither of the Sempron based notebooks were really competitive at all in terms of battery life. The real race was between the Compaq Presario V2000 and the Gateway NX200S, which the Gateway won by just over 10%..."

http://www.anandtech.com/mobile/showdoc.aspx?i=2625&p=14

 

Interesting read - however, looking over some of the previous reviews made by members here at NBR.com, I've found that on average, the Sempron CPU has a higher battery life time than its Intel counterpart:

Intel Celeron CPUs:

1. Gateway S-7200N 14" (Celeron 360) - 1 hour 43 minutes while watching a DVD
Link: http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2593

2. Toshiba Satellite L25 15" (Celeron 370) - 45 minutes while watching a DVD and 1 hour and 30 minutes in general productivity
Link: http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2674&review=Toshiba+L25

AMD Sempron CPUs:

1. Averatec 3700 Series 12" (Sempron 3000+) - 4 hours while doing general productivity
Link: http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2544

2. HP ze2000z 15" (Sempron 2800+) - 2 hours and 25 minutes while running Photoshop and other general productivity programs
Link: http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2570

It's hard to believe that the Celerons still got better battery life than the Semprons, especially in general productivity - the Sempron's PowerNOW should have conserved battery life. Celerons, which don't have power management, would have still been running at full speed, while the Semprons downclocked themselves to save battery power.

 

The article compared identical units, the only difference being the sempron verses the celeron. The Celeron was a completely new design made for notebooks the Sempron is basicly a chopped up desktop design. I got a full 3 hours on my V2000 celeron 1.4 on wireless and full bright doing general productivity.

From the same article:

"The most interesting item? The V2000 Celeron M notebook offered significantly better battery life than its Sempron counterpart, the V2000Z, in all aspects. We were particularly shocked in how much better the V2000 did in the wireless web browsing tests when compared to the V2000Z. The same performance, but significantly better battery life? We at least found which of the three Compaqs that you should choose."

 

The Celeron M is based on a Pentium M. It's also essentially a chopped up version, missing the SpeedStep technology, and has half the level 2 cache.

 

Justitia,

Is there any reason you don't list any ACER Notebooks? I am looking to purchase an ACER TravelMate 4402WMLi Notebook with the AMD Turion processor. I believe you should consider adding ACER to your list of Notebook manufacturers. Did you know that ACER just surpassed TOSHIBA to being Number 3 Notebook and making TOSHIBS Number 4 now.

DJS

 

Umm...

Were you trying to address me? I didn't include a lot of Acer notebooks due to their lack of build quality IMO (with some exceptions such as the Ferrari and the 8200, of which I will include the new TM in my updated version).

 

Yes, xAMDvsIntelx, it was you I was trying to address. Sorry! What exactly do you mean by ACER's lack of build quality IMO? Do you know something about ACER that I don't know? I there maybe something I should know about ACER?

To me HP/Compaq is the crappy manufacturer of PCs. The reason I say this is bcause I have a HP Pavilion zt3017wm that will only be 2 years old the end of March this year and the thing just died. The computer shop replaced the video board and that didn't change things, so they say they need to replace the Motherboard and that will cost $400.00-$500.00. So at that rate I need to just purchase a new notebook and I am looking for anything but HP. I also want 64bit AMD Turion. I would like your honest opinion on the ACER TravelMate 4402WMLi. Do you think that it would be a great! notebook for the money?

Thanks!

djs

 

If you want to know what type of notebook to buy, I suggest filling out our Notebook FAQ in the "What Should I Buy" Forum. In reguards to the Acer: *I* have found most Acers to have so-so build quality and not so good screens when compared to other notebook makers such as Dell and HP. The Acer TravelMate 4402WMLi looks like an O.K. choice IMO, but I suggest looking at the HP dv5000z - I am aware that you don't like HP, but I suggest looking at it in one of your local electronics retailors. The HP offers better build-quality and a better screen IMO.

 

There is a great deal for laptop on www.dealclan.com
Toshiba 1 Gb RAM, 120 GB Hard disk - $999.
Offer ends on 25 Feb

 

That's a great notebook buying guide. Here are some of my hardware related thoughts about: AC adapter, Volume Control, Sound System, Memory Location, USB Port Location, Keyboard and WARRANTY.

 

OK, guys...I'm really glad that I found this site. Although my modest budget is round 800 euros (buying in Hungary),I would like if you could explain a little bit how to make my choice. I stayed all night long reading the posts in this forum and have three brands in mind: ACER (but after the xAMDvsINTEL's comments I have second thoughts), HP Compaq, Toshiba (although the price is the problem here). Perhaps this is not the place to present my preferencies, but I just ask for advice, right. Enjoyed every moment of learning about laptops - hope to buy one soon. This is to acknowledge that your work is appreciated by newbies. Hope to hear from you!!!
Cheers from "the Macedonian"

 

Hey Everyone, this is what kind of lap-top I would like

1) What is your budget? somewhere round 800 euros 1 euro=250 HUF

2) What size notebook would you prefer? Mainstream - 15.4"

a. Ultraportable; 12" screen or less
b. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen
c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
d. Desktop Replacement; 17"+ screen


3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
Basic MS Office work, movies, Internet, editing pictures, downloading, games, burning DVD's,
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk? the mobile version
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
don't know since I'm out of there for a while, but love to play some...not necesseraly the top-noch ones.

6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
Here I am confused, since it's Europe I don't really know. I prefer ACER, DELL, HP Compaq, Fujitsu Siemens, Toshiba (quality+budget matters more than the brand)

7) How many hours of battery life do you need? 3.5 +

8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?first feel it and try it than buy it. So, yes I do mind

9) What country are you buying this in? Hungary, Budapest

Screen Specifics

10) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
Here I'm totally confused, help me please!!! (optimal solution) maybe WSXGA+

a. XGA = eXtended Graphics Array; 1024x768; This resolution will give you the largest viewable text and images while offering the least amount of screen real estate.

b. SXGA = Super eXtended Graphics Array; 1400x1050; This resolution offers a middle ground between XGA and UXGA.

c. UXGA = Ultra eXtended Graphics Array; 1600x1200; This resolution will give you the smallest viewable text and images while offering the greatest amount of screen real estate.

d. WXGA = Widescreen eXtended Graphics Array; 1280x768 or 1280x800; This resolution offers the same as XGA except that there is more horizontal real estate; 1280 versus 1024. Popular for movie viewing due to support for widescreen.

e. WXGA+ = Widescreen eXtended Graphics Array+; 1440x900; This resolution is offered on 17" widescreen notebooks and is comparable to WXGA in terms of text and icon size versus available screen real estate. Popular for movie viewing due to support for widescreen.

f. WSXGA+ = Widescreen Super eXtended Graphics Array; 1680x1050; This resolution is comparable to SXGA in that it offers a middle ground between WXGA/WXGA+ and WUXGA. Popular for movie viewing due to support for widescreen.

g. WUXGA = Widescreen Ultra eXtended Graphics Array; 1920x1200; This resolution offers the smallest viewable text and images while offering the greatest amount of screen real estate.


11) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen? doesn't matter that much, what would you reccomend?

Build Quality and Design

12) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you? very much, but practical things are more important

13) How long do you want this laptop to last? 2-3 years, maybe 4 (i'll get rich by than and able to buy the latest model

Notebook Components

14) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 120GB? 60-80 GB (5400 rpm or higher)

15) Do you need a DVD, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-R drive? yes, DVD burner

Thanks,

 

I wouldn't post your FAQ here - I suggest starting your own thread - you'll get more traffic. In reguards to Acer: Acer's notebooks aren't all bad - you've just got to watch out for the lower end models (800-1000 USD range).

 

Thanks this topic is very good and help very much to choise my future notebook.

 

I am new here but figured since I am about (or think I am about) to buy a laptop that I would ask a couple of very specific questions.

As background, I would be using it pretty much as a desktop replacement so weight doesn't much matter. Gaming doesn't much matter as I would be playing SimCity type games (twitch goes downhill fast as you get older <g>). In addition to basic, not to complicated most of the used would be for surfing, DVD editing and burning (e.g., TIVO downloads) and graphics editing, streaming video off the web. I will admit that in terms of my use I almost always have a zillion windows open at the same time. Price is not a huge object but ideally to keep it under $2000 and, of course, as cheap as make sense. I'd like to see it last technology wise for 2 to 3 years. I'd like to see it support Vista and Vista applications.

1. I saw HPs announcements of their new AMD X2 laptops. When are they going to actually come out. While I really want to get a laptop now it may be worth the wait if it is substantially weight.

2. How is the AMD X2 going to compare to the Turion and the Dual Core Core comare for both the above uses and for Vista?

3. Given the above uses how do the Dual Core and Turion compare?

4. If I core for the Dual Core how much does the T2300, T2400, 2500 and T2600 a difference? How about the different flavors of the Turion that are being put into laptops?

6. Any comparison between the Fujitsu N6410 (I know the Fujitsu has been rated to have the best screen), HP DV8000t and 8000z given the above uses?

7. Any difference between the ATI video in the HP v. the ATI mobile card in the Fujitsu?

8. Has anyone bought at Costco? Is their return/refund policy as good as all their other items (which is pretty much forever even if they don't carry it any more)

Finally... 9. Are there any other brands that compare -- Specifcally any Toshiba with similar specs for about the same price range.

I know that these are a bunch of questions. I really appreciate the help and hope that the detail helps others.

Steve

 

Just a quick add-on to my messge above...

Preference would be 17 inch but if I am going to lose a lot of performance available (or if $$s become way way more for a 17" with the needs I listed above I would settle for a 15.4" inch.

Thanks, Steve

 

1. starting in june. but they only announced their 14" line. no news for anything bigger.

2. pretty much any processor can be compatible with vista. however, only the turion and the turion x2 will be able to use vista 64-bit...not including the upcoming merom.

3. the turion x2 should have similar performance with the core duo, but since there are no good benchmarks of the x2 done yet, it will be hard to say. the dual core processors easily beat the single core turion.

4. for average use, there is not much difference between them, though the largest leap in performance is between the t2300 and t2400 (best price/performance ratio). anyway, if you do cpu intensive stuff that takes a lot of time (e.g. video encoding large files) you will more easily see the difference between the different steps. the same should be true for the turion (i.e. not a lot a difference between them for average user but can be noticed in cpu intensive applications).

5. you forgot it...

6. if they have the same configuration, they should perform similarly (n6410 vs. dv8000t). however, the dv8000z should have the weakest performance b/c of the turion single core processor.

7. well, hp only uses ati in the dv8000z. this ati card is integrated and is much weaker than the x1400 in the fujitsu. however, the dv8000t comes with the nvidia 7400go, which performs similarly to the x1400.

8. yeah, they have a pretty good refund/return policy. though for notebooks, it is only for 6 months, not forever.

9. the toshiba p100 actually has a better video card than the fujitsu or the toshiba. the dell e1705 has the best with the 7800go, and you can buy it extremely cheap with the dell coupon codes. hp also has another one you should consider, the hp nx9420.

 

Thanks much.

I think I am settled on the Dell 1705 given the $750 rebate. A couple more questions:

Is there a reason to get the NVIDA® GeForce™ Go 7800 vs. ATI MOBILITY™ RADEON® X1400 if I am not going to do heavy duty gaming (but will do video editing, etc.)

Do you or anyone know if Dell has a price refund policy (for 30 or 60 days or whatever) if they drop the price of the customized or base system?

Thanks, Steve

 

if you don't do hard core gaming, the 7800go will be a bit much....not to mention cause your notebook to overheat. i have no idea bout the refund policy, though.

 

My E1705 doesn't overheat, even when OCed.....

Dell's refund/return policy is 21 days from the date of invoice. Within the 21 days, you may either return or exchange the notebook. You must pay for shipping, however, unless there is a defect in the notebook.