AMD or Centrino?

[The_Unforgiven]

What is a better choice for a laptop?

AMD64 Athlon 3000+
128 kB first level cache, 1 MB second level cache

or

Intel Centrino Pentium M735
2 MB cache, 1.70 Ghz, 400 MHz FSB

I know that AMD uses more energy, but what is the better choice when looking at performance? Rest of system stats are nearly identical.

thanx

 

[DaEezT]

Plain performance?
-> AMD

 

[Comraddict]

AMD will be heavier, although many centrino ones are heavy as well. I have AMD64 mobile. I didn't feel like paying $200+ more to intel so they can advertise centrino everywhere.

 

[Jeratain]

AMD's laptop chips are decent, but nothing to boast about. If you want a desktop replacement laptop, go ahead and get an AMD.

If you want real mobile power, you will definitely want a Centrino machine.

Personally, I'd even get a Pentium M Centrino even for a desktop replacement over a P4 or AMD - but that's just me, and I'm a consumer whore

 

[Grisu]

Personally, I'd even get a Pentium M Centrino even for a desktop replacement over a P4 or AMD - but that's just me, and I'm a consumer whore

but then how are you going to tell if your system is running if you can't hear the fan droning on like an airplane?

anyway, a amd64 will outperform a pentium m, but the fan will also be running most of the time, and the battery won't run too long....

 

[stormbind]

the battery won't run too long....

There's a smart buyer.

What were you planning to use the laptop for anyway? Internet, Office, and Civ3 don't require cutting edge hardware - best to go with something boasting minimal power drain.

 

[Comraddict]

but then how are you going to tell if your system is running if you can't hear the fan droning on like an airplane?

anyway, a amd64 will outperform a pentium m, but the fan will also be running most of the time, and the battery won't run too long....

Fan doesn't run all the time - like intel's speedstep, AMD has technology to decrease clock speed when CPU is used less than 80%. It is called PowerNow! or new term- Cool'N'Quiet. The CPU operates at 800MHz until load reaches 80% or more, than it goes to its nominal value.

 

[DaEezT]

Fan doesn't run all the time - like intel's speedstep, AMD has technology to decrease clock speed when CPU is used less than 80%. It is called PowerNow! or new term- Cool'N'Quiet. The CPU operates at 800MHz until load reaches 80% or more, than it goes to its nominal value.

All mobile CPU's have frequency scaling capabilities, whether it's called PowerNow! or SpeedStep is unimportant. The Scaling you describe is not done by the CPU, but by a program, which in case of windows is included in the operating system. For my (pure) Linux notebook I have the freedom to configure my scaling demon to give me the cpu power I need when I need it

What were you planning to use the laptop for anyway? Internet, Office, and Civ3 don't require cutting edge hardware - best to go with something boasting minimal power drain.

not what, but what and where
I use my laptop just as a mobile desktop, meaning I just want my personal files and programs with me at work, university, home, a friends place etc. But I don't want to use it on my lap in the crowded subway, but someplace where I can sit and put it on a table and such places usually have power supplys
I always get a laugh out from that guy who studies with me and proudly uses his "sub-notebook" at university (where it is possible to plug in your AC adapter btw) and always looks like he has cramps in his shoulder blades while typing on that tiny keyboard

All Intel is good for is to show off that stupid sticker on the notebook that ppl only recognize because of that annoying, ever-present commercials...

 

[Jeratain]

All Intel is good for is to show off that stupid sticker on the notebook that ppl only recognize because of that annoying, ever-present commercials...

With all due respect to your reply (you make a good point about AC adapters and power supply being in many places, though it doesn't apply everywhere), the Pentium M with Centrino technology is where the future is going as far as processors go - so you can't just dismiss this technology. It's no longer about just clock frequencies anymore.

 

[HAND]

If I went for a laptop, I'd go for Centrino, even though i'd go for AMD Athlon 64 on a desktop.

 

[DaEezT]

It's no longer about just clock frequencies anymore.

Thats precisely why AMD is better!
Intel has just been increasing the MHz output on their pentium class CPUs for years to make it look powerful the "average buyer" who only understands that more = faster. All they ended up with are number crunching monsters with 3+ GHz that drain power like crazy.
AMD on the other hand increasesd the cache, introduced new instuction sets that fit the need of normal users and invested into 64 bit for the desktop.

AMD CPUs usually match or outperform faster intel Intel CPUs because thats all there is to Intel: hight numbers.

Centrino is their last straw and that why their cimmercials are so ever present. you don't even see their P3/4 (don't remember which) ads anymore. Oh, and when was the last time you saw an AMD commercial? seems like AMD knows where to invest their money...

 

[Goober]

For a labtop - Centrino. It will conserve electricity and power better then an AMD.

Might reduce your performance a bit, but, on a Laptop, its usually all about the battery lasting longer, which is will do on a Centrino. When/if i get a Laptop, i shall get a Centrino, if possible.

 

[Grisu]

With all due respect to your reply (you make a good point about AC adapters and power supply being in many places, though it doesn't apply everywhere), the Pentium M with Centrino technology is where the future is going as far as processors go - so you can't just dismiss this technology. It's no longer about just clock frequencies anymore.

isn't it ironic, that intel who has been using the clock frequency argument for years against AMD's P-Rating is now saying the exact opposite?

Anyway, I'm no big fan of Intels PR-Campaign (though the centrino commercials aren't that bad, compared to the Pentium with "HT"-Technology commercials). But I have to agree with you that the centrino is a cool thing. I have tested a few laptops lately, and while notebooks with AMD64 or even Pentium-Desktop-CPUs were fanning almost constantly under load (and making annoying noises...) the Pentium M systems stayed quiet for a long time. But if you want raw power, AMD64 is superior

 

[DaEezT]

I have tested a few laptops lately, and while notebooks with AMD64 or even Pentium-Desktop-CPUs were fanning almost constantly under load (and making annoying noises...) the Pentium M systems stayed quiet for a long time. But if you want raw power, AMD64 is superior

That depends on what cpu core it is. For cheap notebooks they just modify normal desktop CPUs into mobile cpus (on some older models it was as easy as connecting two contacts on the cpu) so you got scaling capabilities but they still use 80+ Watt. The Mobile Athlon64 3000+ for example uses 81W while the 2800+ is available with two different cores that run with 62W or 35W, but those cost about 50% more than the faster 3200+ with 81W
Those 35W Athlon64 are about as expensive as centrino, but still more powerful
And sadly sometimes non-professional stores don't list those detailed differences about the CPU core in their ads, especially for cheap notebooks...