zv5000 video card/CPU decisions

I'm getting ready to buy an HP Notebook. (zv5000z or zv5000t) I've learned so much from this site, but I still have a few decisions to make based on what I can afford. [ ]

1. Video cards: Would nvidia 32mb dedicated be better than 64mb shared ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 IGP? With 512mb DDR SDRAM installed.

2. CPUs: Celeron 2.8ghz or AMD Athlon XP-M 2800+ (1.60 GHz)

This notebook will be used mostly for basic web design, internet, e-mail, wi-fi, DVD viewing, BASIC gaming....nothing hardcore.

Thanks for your help.

 

The dedicated video card should perform better because it won't be siphoning resources away from the rest of the machine as it does its work.

As for the processor, I'd go with the Athlon. The numbering convention used by AMD (2800+, 3200+, etc) is supposed to indicate the speed of a comparable Pentium 4, at least according to AMD. So the Athlon 1.6 ghz processor theoretically can perform as well as a P4 2.8 ghz. As I understand it, AMD chips tend to be a lot cooler (temperature-wise) than Intel Pentium 4s.

AlphaAJ86

 

So even though the 32MB NVIDIA GeForce 4 440 has LESS memory as compared to the 64mb shared ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 IGP, it will still perform better because it is using dedicated memory instead of shared memory?

It just seems like with 512mb SDRAM installed, using 64mb of it for the video card shouldn't really affect the system.

I don't think I can afford the extra $50 for the 64MB NVIDIA GeForce 4 440 (I've already stretched my limit) Plus, I don't think I'll really need it since I won't be doing much gaming at alll.

THANKS so much for your help. [ ]

 

yes, the nVidia 32mb vid card will be better, and I don't think that extra 32 would really help the aging card.

zx5000 :: 2.4M :: 512 DDR :: 40gb 4200 RPM HD :: 15.4" :: Radeon 9600 Mobilty M10 :: Aquamark3 22,856