[Master_Axe]

so wait... if i have ddr2-667 ram rather than ddr2-553 all it means is that it will run with a faster CPU, but there is no other apparent difference in performance? Oh yeah, what does it mean if people say 1:1 with FSB and RAM or something like that? Thx.

Franz

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Yeah, you have helped me, thank you . I really appreciate you writing me! thx. I have decided, after thinking it through, that I'll just wait for a 512mb video card, and a new i945 mobo, for which dualcore should work, and ddr2-667. I found out that the motherboard will be available around 2Q 2005 (march or may) and the video card in late march or may(i forget which). Of course, i have no idea what the delay is from desktop to laptop -.- Also, i think around that same time the new P4 6xx are coming out, which have 2mb l2 cache and 64 bit, or at least the 660 has. Are the desktop processors used in laptops? And if the new mobo comes out, and it is capable of supporting the smithfield, will it also be able to hold the P4, and could i thenk change from p4 to smithfield? thx

Anyhow, you said you'd rather get that dell. It cost about 100$ or 200$ less, but has 1.5 GHZ less and 533 instead of 800FSB. It also has ddr1 ram (older mobo). the alienware has the new i915, which supports PCIe and ddr2-533. And about being portable: It just needs to be able to be transported, i'd never use it on battery power.

And whats so special about falcon NW? Thx Thx,

Franz

The delay from desktop to laptop is generally around 4-6 months. I think possibly with dual-core, this may take longer as they are suppossedly running on a BTX form factor. How this will affect laptop construction in the coming years I have no idea.

The thing with the dell is that it uses Intel's M processor technology, which offers comparable performance with less MHz and power consumption. That 2.3 GHz processor will hang in performance-wise with most systems bases on the P4 3.6GHz, while producing less heat (the main problem in laptop design) and using less power. I have personally used one of Dell's XPS2 systems with the 2.0GHz Dothan and 1GB of RAM, with the Go6800 256MB video system, and can run HL2 at native resolution approaching 75-80 FPS.

The Intel 6xx processors will all be 64-bit compatible. Here is a great discussion revolving around the new 6xx series of procesors. From what I have seen so far, they are great performers, right in line with the higher-end 64-bit AMD processors.

[hrdwrjnkie]

Yeah, you have helped me, thank you . I really appreciate you writing me! thx. I have decided, after thinking it through, that I'll just wait for a 512mb video card, and a new i945 mobo, for which dualcore should work, and ddr2-667. I found out that the motherboard will be available around 2Q 2005 (march or may) and the video card in late march or may(i forget which). Of course, i have no idea what the delay is from desktop to laptop -.- Also, i think around that same time the new P4 6xx are coming out, which have 2mb l2 cache and 64 bit, or at least the 660 has. Are the desktop processors used in laptops? And if the new mobo comes out, and it is capable of supporting the smithfield, will it also be able to hold the P4, and could i thenk change from p4 to smithfield? thx

Anyhow, you said you'd rather get that dell. It cost about 100$ or 200$ less, but has 1.5 GHZ less and 533 instead of 800FSB. It also has ddr1 ram (older mobo). the alienware has the new i915, which supports PCIe and ddr2-533. And about being portable: It just needs to be able to be transported, i'd never use it on battery power.

And whats so special about falcon NW? Thx Thx,

Franz

The delay from desktop to laptop is generally around 4-6 months. I think possibly with dual-core, this may take longer as they are suppossedly running on a BTX form factor. How this will affect laptop construction in the coming years I have no idea.

The thing with the dell is that it uses Intel's M processor technology, which offers comparable performance with less MHz and power consumption. That 2.3 GHz processor will hang in performance-wise with most systems bases on the P4 3.6GHz, while producing less heat (the main problem in laptop design) and using less power. I have personally used one of Dell's XPS2 systems with the 2.0GHz Dothan and 1GB of RAM, with the Go6800 256MB video system, and can run HL2 at native resolution approaching 75-80 FPS.

The Intel 6xx processors will all be 64-bit compatible. Here is a great discussion revolving around the new 6xx series of procesors. From what I have seen so far, they are great performers, right in line with the higher-end 64-bit AMD processors.

[hrdwrjnkie]

so wait... if i have ddr2-667 ram rather than ddr2-553 all it means is that it will run with a faster CPU, but there is no other apparent difference in performance? Oh yeah, what does it mean if people say 1:1 with FSB and RAM or something like that? Thx.

Franz

The speed of the DDR is all relevant to the speed that the system bus, or front side bus, runs at. The 1:1 ratio that you speak of is an example of that RAM:FSB relationship.

For example:

A P4 3.4GHz CPU runs wwith an 800MHz effective front side bus This bus is the match for PC4300, or DDR533 (the terms are interchangable) RAM when run at a 1:1 ratio. Overclockers will debate the merits of using DDR667 RAM and using a lower FSB:RAM ratio.

The P4 3.46GHz CPU runs with a 1066MHz effective FSB Again, the bus is a perfect match for DDR667 at a 1:1 ratio.

The 1:1 ratio means that your processor, MB bus, and RAM are all running in sync with each other. If you were overclocking you CPU, you would want to raise the FSB:RAM ratio so that higher CPU speeds will not force your RAM to run faster.

Were you to purchase a P43.4GHz 880FSB chip and desire to overclock it, DDR667 would be our best bet as it has more speed capacity while still maintaining your ideal 1:1 FSB:RAM ratio. However, in a alaptop situation, overclocking is almost never a possibility, so the DDR533 would be an ideal match.

[Master_Axe]

Thx. But i don't want to overclock a laptop . What is meant by the 1:1? they have the same FSB, or some relation? And that means that i can only get a profit out of a ddr2-667 ram system if my processor, which i wont and cant overclock, has 1066mhz FSB? Thx,


Franz

[Master_Axe]

So, are you saying that 2.3GHZ 533(in this case) is faster than 3.6 ghz 800fsb? How come? And if the new mobo[i945] comes out, and it is capable of supporting the smithfield, will it also be able to hold the P4, and could i then change from p4 to smithfield? The P4 in laptops is a desktop processor, right?

K, if the wait is 4-6 months, i'd have to wait till then end of the year for the new motherboard and graphics card, right? >-< thx

Franz

[Master_Axe]

Er.... what would you suggest i do? Buy the alienware now, or wait till a better graphics card and 667 ram comes out? Thx

Franz

[hrdwrjnkie]

Again, man, that Alienware will play any game on the market at respectable frame rates. If you want to wait for the new cards, 667RAM, and 1066 bus processors, feel free. Biut like I said before, if you are always waiting for the next best thing you will always be waiting. And anything you buy to day will be trumped in five or six months.

[Master_Axe]

yeah, sure... but how often does it happen that faster ram comes out, and processors and graphic cards? thx

Franz

[hrdwrjnkie]

yeah, sure... but how often does it happen that faster ram comes out, and processors and graphic cards? thx

Franz

Welcoe to the six-month product sycle. 90% of manufacturers try to release something better (usually an upgrade to existing architecture vs. a whole new product) every six months. This includes processors, RAM, video cards, etc. etc.

[Master_Axe]

Really? I didn't know faster ram and bigger graphic cards came out that often. Oh well, thank you for the help. I understand computers a lot better now . You have also talked some sense into me in things building my own laptop . Thank you a bunch.

Due to some info i just got recently, I'll have to wait anyway. The earliest i could get the comp would be early may, and in mid june friends from the US are coming here(no computer playing). Then i'll fly with them to the US () in early July, and stay there the whole summer. so technically if i DID order it now, i could play 1.5 months with it. Plus, there's no game I'd like to play right now. Maybe WoW, but i don't want to pay for 1.5 months and then have to quit. Anyhow, i still have my old laptop on which i can play warcraft 3 (i got the screen to work- turned down the brightness). Anyhow, thank you for your time,

Franz

[Doby]

Real good info provided by hrdwrjnkie, thanx

Rick

[Master_Axe]

indeed thx!

[JourneyMan]

I know some about building computers, so here's my 2 cents.

I would like to point out an essential part of computers that you are forgetting. Heat. The Pent M is alot cooler the the Pent 4, and in a laptop, you have very limited options in heat control. This is which you really shouldn't OC a laptop. When a desktop is built for OC, most of the case design goes into heat control. Here are some examples:

using of 4-6 fans to make air "flow" through the case similar to the A/C on your house

having LARGE fans in both sides of the case, to get the same effect as above

building your computer in a refridgerator (I kid you not, I've seen it)

Even if you don't OC, using high-end parts generates a lot of heat. If you look at the pics for the big, cool graphics cards, they have large fans built in them, like this:

http://www.newegg.co...-122-207-06.jpg

http://www.newegg.co...-142-037-04.jpg

Laptops don't have room in the case to allow much airflow, so they are often built with lower-end parts than desktops. They simply cannot accomidate for large amounts of heat.

Switching out parts in a laptop is NOT a good idea. Desktop parts are not built to work on a laptop and switching in a high-end processor like that is a good way to melt it to your motherboard. Your best bet would be to get a prebuilt dell. Personally, I would have it set up like this:

Pent M770
XP Home
the 2 year warranty
1 GB DDR2 SDRAM
60 GB Hard Drive 7200rpm
256MB Gforce 6800 Ultra
no extra battery
no MS office
Mcafee security
Dell 1350 Int Wireless

Which would run about $3304. About $100 less than the alienware you get a better machine:
A better suited processor (heat counts a lot here)
Same speed HD, just 20GB smaller (I've used 8.55GB on mine, with tons of MP3s)
Same amount RAM, just slightly slower
Same graphics card
Dunno about the sound, but laptop speakers aren't the greatest so no loss there
Much better warranty (good 2yr vs poopy 1 yr)
Full system security software
Wireless networking
a lighter machine

There you go, an adaptable workhorse capable of easy trasportation. That guy would be very stable and durable, and would last you many years.

[JourneyMan]

Oops, didn't notice the second page >_<;; *FLAP FLAP FLAP*

Well, it was good info, and nothing was hurt by it being said, even it it was a little underneath the discussion. The point is, don't expect a laptop to give the same performance as a desktop. They can come decently close, but at a price.

[Master_Axe]

yeah, thats true.

Back to the laptops... even if the p m is cooler than a p 4... the p 4 has 3.6 800 fsb, the p m 2.13 533fsb... there's an extreme performance difference, especially for people who only use their comps for gaming. I dont use my laptops on baattery, so does it really matter how hot they get, as long as they dont melt down?

Bottom line is that the alienware computer, which has a wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy cooler design than the dell (and a faster processor ), came out in november 2004. so i've decided to wait 4-6 months, until theres a 512 mb graphic card and the new i945 mobo, which suppports ddr2 667 ram. once they come out, i'll immediatly purchase the comp.

Please notice one thing, many are missing!!!!!!!!!!!!! the alienware computer has TWO CD ROM DRIVES. if you compare the price, take only one with the alienware, and then the weaker of the two. otherwise you are unfairly increasing the price. also things such as a "self repair system" are already checked- you might want to uncheck those.

Err, so my question would be, if a p m is slower than p 4, why take the p m? Because its cooler? Whats the difference if neither melts down (I wont exchange hardware nor will i overclock anything) Thx

Franz