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    nc8430 vs. nw8440

    Discussion in 'HP' started by petrv, Oct 25, 2006.

  1. petrv

    petrv Notebook Consultant

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    Are there any significant differences between the nc8430 and nw8440? They both seem the same design. Is the nw line even better built than the nc line? I currently have the nc8430 and its build quality seems very good, so I cannot imagine even better quality of the nw8440.
     
    petrv, Oct 25, 2006
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  2. Amberite

    Amberite Notebook Guru

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    From a quick glance at the nw8440s, it seems like they are more akin to workstations for engineers / 3d graphics work, etc. They have FireGL chips which are not exactly for gaming. I guess you could compare these to dell's Precision line.
     
    Amberite, Oct 25, 2006
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  3. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Amberite is right on the money there. The nw8440 has a workstation card comparable to the nc8430...but optimized for engineering/3d stuff. The FireGL will work for gaming, but you might occasionally run into trouble with drivers and compatibility with games (I can't give you a good example right now though).

    But since the FireGL has to pass specific compatibility tests for engineering/3d/other work, there is a very rigorous development program for that card that drives the cost up.

    Unless you need the workstation card for a specific purchase, the nc8430's lower price and equivalent (and sometimes more powerful for gaming) gpu makes for a better deal.
     
    Greg, Oct 25, 2006
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