DV9700 - Choose AMD over Intel?

I'm thinking of buying a DV9700. The AMD seems to be a good deal. My questions are:

1. Does the integrated WLAN work great on a AMD machine? How does it compare against the Intel ProWireless?

2. Is there an HDMI port in the AMD version?

3. Any heat and noise problem in the AMD machine? Any battery life issues?

4. Is AMD good for multitasking?

 

1. No clue.

2.On mine there is.

3.All HP's get hot, though Intel machines have lower temps. No battery issues either.

4.For me, yes. Unless you have 95 windows open it should be fine.

For multitasking AMD's are good. But if your encoding video, go Intel.

 

I have the dv2000z with the AMD Turion X2 1.6Ghz, I use this machine for school work, multimedia, some light video editing, photoshop, and light gaming. I know it is not the fastes machine, but combining the 1.6ghz with 2.5gb ram I don't experience lag at all. Depending the task most of the time I will have a lot of windows open while listening to music, and running other softwares. In my experience AMD processors are good for multitasking.

 

AMDs have massive heating problems. I wouldn't recommend using them because of that. Heat is a big problem in Notebooks and they are easily defeated here by the Intels.

 

My cousin has two AMD HP notebooks and they serve her family well. For the average user, price, RAM and HD space are the bigger factors. Heat isn't all that big of an issue since the processor runs well within its specification. She got a GREAT deal on both of them and I would of gotten them myself if I had the money and was married to a rich hotshot.

 

1. About the same. I wish they'd offer Atheros.
2. Yes, if you have a dedicated GPU. Not sure about integrated GPUs.
3. My dv9000z runs cool with the current BIOS. Battery life is a little less than Intel.
4. Yes.

 

I was reading something about AMD HyperTransport Technology in the Turion which seems to be better than the Intel L2 architecture. That got my attention.

And I saw a promotion on CircuitCity which is selling the dv9730us at a good price. It has a nvidia card. But it didn't mention that an HDMI port is available. I'm not sure if that is a good card. More Info here: http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/HP-Pavilion-DV9730US-17-Widescreen-Entertainment-Laptop-DV9730US/sem/rpsm/oid/199876/catOid/-12963/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

Is the price OK and is it a good machine?

 

It looks good, but it lacks the dedicated memory GPU option. Check out the configure-to-order dv9700z's on hp.com. You can get higher-res screens, Bluetooth, even faster CPUs, and other such things that way. Their shipping estimates are usually conservative.

 

it doesnt say which video card it has? at least, i couldnt find it. if you want a 15.4 incher, here is a good one. for specs(minus 2gb ram, since i upgraded from 2 -> 4 gb), see my sig

 

Get the Intel, the AMD's have had problems with the wifi going bad after ~10 months.

 

That was with the older series which used a totally different motherboard/chipset. Nothing to do with dv95xx and newer series. Also it was more of HP's poor design choices rather than the cpu being the casue of those troubles.

 

It's a nVidia 7150m. I just found out that it's an integrated graphics. At first i thought it's a discrete one.

So what's so special about the Turion Gold version?

 

Nothing, it is just a marketing name that they slapped onto the higher-end Turions.

 

I think HP is starting to use offer Atheros on the new Compaqs since a few weeks ago I helped my cousin configure her new Compaq presario -AMD and I was looking through the Add/remove programs to uninstall the boaltware and I saw two softwares or utilities for Atheros. I am not sure if they are using the Atheros in the Pavillion line.

This called my attenting since all the HP/ Compaq laptops that I have own and seen in the last few years had Broadcom wireless card.

 

Excellent! That gives me another reason to upgrade to a Puma platform notebook when they're out.

 

according to www.cpubenchmark.net

an u2500 low end 1.2ghz core duo intel processor is slightly more powerful than an AMD 64X2 TL-52 type running at 1.6ghz

 

I had no opinion on which processor to order for my new DV9700, so I did my research, including NBR, and decided that AMD price to performance was good enough for me. I returned it 2 weeks later due to high heat. It was too hot to have on my lap. I then ordered an Intel DV9700 and there are no heat issues. It is warm but is not nearly as bad as the AMD. I have also noticed longer battery life with the Intel.

 

That's interesting. The integrated graphics in the AMD DV9700 should run colder.

 

I wouldn't hold my breath for either. HP has been using Atheros cards in budget units like the C700 series since inception, but it's inclusion seems to be entirely random and unpredictable (as one unit will have it & another will not). As for having a Puma notebook, it is already rumored that HP is using another nForce chipset again..........