There are some new security features in Windows Service Pack 2 (available on Windows Update now or to be included on all new computers in October 2004 and later) that take advantage of AMD Athlon 64bit CPU's.
Otherwise, the full benefit of 64bit chips will not be seen on the consumer level until the next generation Windows Longhorn Operating system is released in 2006 likely or later.
Both the Intel Pentium M and the Athlon 64 64bit cpus run at a lower mhz than Intel Pentium 4M cpus which are fine on desktops but are not ideal for notebook use (due to excessive heat requiring thicker and heavier notebook designs and low battery life).
AMD Athlon 64bit notebooks (HP/Compaq sells one) are a decent alternative but their battery life is still less than Intel Pentium M notebooks and also thicker.
Pentium M (Centrino) notebooks will get at least 3.5-4 hours battery life using wi-fi 100% of the time or longer if that is switched off (and you can save more power by not using an external mouse, turning down the LCD brightness, etc.
Intel will be introducing 64bit chips later closer to the emergence of Microsoft Longhorn.
For now, however the Pentium M is the best value if you want the best combination of lighter weight, battery life, and performance.
You will get at least a 1.5x mhz improvement for the Pentium M versus the Pentium 4M so a 1.7 Pentium M 735 Dothan would be similar to a 2.55mhz Pentium 4M or better (some say performance can be between 1.5 and 2x but 1.5 is conservative).
If you get a Pentium M notebook (Centrino) just make sure you get a 715 Pentium M Dothan or higher --- this has 2mb L2 system cache (for faster loading times than using system RAM for what is stored in the cache -- this is double what the 705 Pentium M and older Banias Pentium M's had -- if you look at any notebook if it states 1Mb L2 system cache you are getting the older cpu.
The 745 Pentium M 1.8 and 745 Pentium M 755 are both priced too high as they are the top of the line -- the Pentium M 725 1.6 is $400 less than the 2.0 if ordering at HP/Compaq custom and you won't miss the tradeup.
Save your $ for a faster RPM hard drive (5400 or 7200 instead of standard 4200 on notebooks), more RAM (but order less from manufacturer and get more yourself later -- notebooks only have 2 RAM slots so don't fill both), and get the best DEDICATED video RAM you can afford -- at least 64mb dedicated video is good and 128mb dedicated video is ideal.
Note, shared or integrated video is not dedicated and should be avoided if possible as you cannot upgrade your video card easily on a notebook like on a desktop.
Hi,
I would like to buy a laptop. I know centrino is good, but their prossessors are low GHz... Also, The P4 pross are hight GHz, but not as good as centrino (P-M) for the battery life. Morehover, the new wave is the 64 bits pross. So, my question is waht is better between a P 4 pross and a centrino laptop (P-M pross)? Also, is there P-M pross at 64 bits? So, what should I buy? A centrino laptop, a laptop with a P 4 pross or a laptop with a 64 bits pross?
Finnally, if the GHz of a P-M pross, it should be tjhat they are better, so a 1,8GHz P-M proos is equivalent to what in a P 4 pross?
Thanks a lot,
Blakco

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