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General discussion

If you have a choice between these two, which one?

Sep 9, 2004 9:49AM PDT

Bellow are specs for two notebooks. I can get either one and I need some advice which one to go for. It has to be one of the two so advice to look for something else will not help me much. Here are the specs:

Notebook 1

operating system: Windows

Discussion is locked

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Re: If you have a choice between these two, which one?
Sep 9, 2004 10:45AM PDT

The 2nd notebook looks like a Compaq X1000 series or HPZT3000 series as it has the 15.4" widescreen, the ATI 9200 video card, and also it weighs 6.5 pounds.

I would not get the 1st one for one simple reason other than the fact it is a hot running Pentium 4M -- it has shared (integrated video graphics).

The 2nd notebook (the Compaq X1000 series or HPZT300 series) has 32mb dedicated graphics.

You must be looking at a store prebuilt system as it has the Intel 705 (Banias -- not the Dothan line which is 715 and higher and has DOUBLE the L2 system cache for very little extra cost ($50-75 more if ordering custom online).

At any rate look at X1000forums.com for the advantages or ordering custom.

Recommended specs:

Intel Pentium M 725 Pentium 1.6 (2mb L2 cache)
5400 rpm hard drive 60gb (50% faster than 4200)
256mb RAM (order 512RAM later yourself for less for 768mb total)
CD-RW/DVD ROM
Intel 2200b/g wi-fi (bluetooth option only $19 more online --can't get this retail)
15.4" Briteview XGA LCD ($50 more than regular XGA on prebuilts -- this just came out and you will be disappointed if you don't check this out).

By ordering custom you can get a $100 instant discount, a $100 custom order rebate and a free DVD ROM to CD-RW/DVD ROM upgrade for the HPZT3000 line (disregard the $50 rebate -- you can download and submit the $100 custom order rebate instead -- see x1000forums.com) The Compaq X1000 is the same notebook except for appearance but they have a $50 instant rebate and $100 custom order rebate.

The HPbriteview XGA LCD just became available yesterday (9/8/04) at HPShopping so nearly any prebuilt model you see out there today does not have it yet. It is very similar to the Trubrite LCD on Toshiba M35S456 (6.2 pounds) if you have seen that.

Get a Pentium M (Centrino) processor as it makes a lighter notebook, you will like the 15.4" widescreen for DVD's and viewing spreadsheets (more columns at right and left) and it still will fit in a notebook backpack that holds a 15" notebook.

But if you get that prebuilt you will get the older Banias 1.5 and you will not get a HP Briteview LCD.

If you are in Canada where there seems to be a time warp in what is available buy it.

If in the US, shop custom.

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Re: If you have a choice between these two, which one?
Sep 9, 2004 10:53AM PDT

Sorry, I forgot to mention that you can get 64mb dedicated video graphics (ATI 9200) for only $50 more than the 32mb dedicated when ordering the HPZT3000 or Compaq X1000 series custom.

Integrated/shared video is only acceptable for ultralight notebooks which are built for size and which won't be used to play games or other demanding video programs at all.

You cannot change your mind later -- dedicated video is more important than even the cpu choice. notebooks cannot be upgraded at will like a desktop can with a plug in video card.

Some newer systems like the Acer 2025 or Dell 8600 (Centrinos -- Pentium M) have 128mb dedicated but 64mb is the mainstream right now.

I have 32mb dedicated on my Compaq X1360US (prebuilt from Circuit City before Dothan cpus and Briteview LCD's came out) but there are some games out already (like Doom 3) that will play on 64mb and not 32mb dedicated.

I am happy with my notebook and it would be similar to your choice #2 (except mine is a 1.4 Pentium M Banias) but you could pay less money and get more (more video memory, faster hard drive, etc) ordering custom.

Not only does shared video not work at all in more cases then dedicated but it subtracts from your system RAM (so 64mb shared means you have 512 - 64 = 448 mb RAM available) wheras dedicated is separate so it does not impact your system RAM at all.

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Re: If you have a choice between these two, which one?
Sep 10, 2004 1:44AM PDT

Thanks for the reply and extensive information.

Yes, I'm in Canada so it will probably take a while for this latest stuff to appear here. The reason I mantioned that it has to be one of the two is that I have both notebooks here at home and I have to figure out which one to return, and I have to do it fairly fast. The reason I didn't mention the brands is because some people might be tempted to dismiss or favor one owere the other because of the name rather than specs.

The thing that I forgot to mentioned in my original posting is that other than using it for the regular tasks (Office, Interner, etc.) I will be using the notebook for intermediate-level audio/video editing and authoring (using primarily WaveLab, Sound Forge, DVD Maestro anad/or DVD Producer, so I was wondering how do the two processors compare for this kinds of tasks?

Thanks.

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Re: If you have a choice between these two, which one?
Sep 10, 2004 3:21AM PDT

The most important thing is to get the most dedicated video memory you can and the 1st machine (Pentium 4M) does not even have that.

I would recommend at least 64mb dedicated but 32mb dedicated is better than shared.

A Pentium M processor will perform between 1.5 and 2x that of a Pentium 4M processor. So, your 1.5 Banias Pentium M will perform at least as fast as a 2.25mhz Pentium 4M up to a 3mhz. Figure more conservatively and you are comparable in performance to about a 2.5 Pentium 4M.

Hopefully, you have 1 stick of RAM 512mb (check buy taking off screw and popping off the RAM module lid on the bottom of the X1000 or ZT3000 -- if there is no module there you have 512mb 1 stick in the other slot under the keyboard.

If you will be doing video editing you should go up to 1mb RAM and that will be cheap (under $100 US when on sale for PC27000 Crucial/Kingston, etc) for another 512mb -- but if you have 256mb in each slot you will be wasting 1 module and you would have to replace both to get to 1mb RAM. 512mb is fine for most uses but for video editing you want more.

It is not even worth comparing the other system more as it has shared (integrated) video RAM. That will reduce your available RAM below the 512mb you have now. That will not occur with dedicated RAM.

You are stuck with the choice you make with the video but you can always put in a faster cpu (you can go up to a Dothan 2.0 Pentium , a faster hard drive or more memory later.

As I stated yesterday, I have a Compaq X1360US with the Pentium M 1.4 Banias (1mb cache , Dothans now have 2mb), 60gb 4200 hard drive, 32mb dedicated video, CD-RW/DVD ROM, Intel 2200b/g wi-fi, and the 15.4" widescreen.

The other thing you really want is a faster hard drive (5400 rpm 50% faster, 7200 rpm Hitachi hard drive another 20% above that) but you can upgrade that later if you want.

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Re: If you have a choice between these two, which one?
Sep 11, 2004 3:02AM PDT

Thanks again for the info. Yeah, I know that the specs on these two units are not 'ideal' (can they ever be, really? Happy) but being a graduate student on rather tight budget I have to operate within my financial means. I looked at the Toshiba you mentioned and, if it was not so expensive, I'd consider getting it.

Since you have Compaq X series I vas wondering if you yourself had that low-level high-pitch noise porblem others on X1000 forum adre talking about? The notebook 2 (indeed, a Compaq X series) has the very same problem and non of the fixes suggested over at x1000 forums are helpful with this unit.

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Re: If you have a choice between these two, which one?
Sep 11, 2004 8:51AM PDT

The notebook someone bought recently was an X1460US which is essentially the notebook you have -- 1.5 705 Banias Pentium M, etc.

No, my notebook runs completely silent --- I know this as I am using it either in a quiet kitchen or in front of a widescreen 57" HDTV late at night so that is one of the reasons I like this notebook. The fan does not come on at all either when using wi-fi so there is no noise at all.

My notebook used the Pentium 1.4 Banias. Then Intel switched over to the Dothan cpus (new manufacturing process) and the 715 and higher Pentium M's now have 2mb L2 cache instead of 1mb as they were able to make the transistors smaller and thus add double the L2 cache to the new Dothan cpus.

The '705' cpu is the new Dothan manufacturing process but it has been decontented by Intel to accomodate HP / Dell etc to have a lower priced Pentium M (only $50 less than 725 1.6 Dothan).

Perhaps there is something with this 705 Banias CPU that is causing this issue -- it was posted on X1000forums.com that the problem was due to some sort of cpu throttle issue.

Your noise issue, Subhek's noise issue (on X1000forums.com) and the other recent poster with the X1460US are all prebuilt notebooks sold retail (Subheks was from Compusa) and I suspect all have the 705 Banias Pentium M.

If you cannot resolve this issue I would recommend finding another Pentium M notebook that does not have the Pentium M 705 (Banias)--get any Pentium M that is coded 715 or higher) as not only does that not have the 2mb L2 cache it may have this whining issue as well.

As you are very limited in Canada right now for a notebook that comes with a true Dothan 715 or higher processer that might make your decision if you cannot find a notebook with that (I know some Acers and also Asus notebooks in Canada have the Dothan Pentium M's).

If there is any way you could order it on the US custom website and have it shipped to a US address not only would you get a $100 instant rebate and $100 custom order rebate but you could get the 725 Pentium M 1.6 and likely not have this issue (as that is what the vast majority of people are ordering now and they do not seem to have this issue).