Dell readies notebooks with two CPUs

frostedflakes

Diamond Member
Mar 1, 2005
7,925
1
81
Sounds interesting, can't wait to read more about this. Will probably be an expensive option, but maybe if more manufacturers start to do this it will push prices down.
 

TheStu

Moderator<br>Mobile Devices & Gadgets
Moderator
Sep 15, 2004
12,089
45
91
It sounds like the ARM processor will basically turn the system into a really big PDA, which could mean that it won't be very snappy.
 

Ika

Lifer
Mar 22, 2006
14,264
3
81
Originally posted by: TheStu
It sounds like the ARM processor will basically turn the system into a really big PDA, which could mean that it won't be very snappy.

Sounds more like when you use the instant-on function of the laptop, it'll be using the ARM processor when you need to do a quick task or something. When you want to use it like a normal computer, you boot into Windows or whatever, and it'll run as a normal laptop using the Intel CPU. Doesn't sound like a bad idea... if this was implemented on a netbook, it might work even better...
 

TheStu

Moderator<br>Mobile Devices & Gadgets
Moderator
Sep 15, 2004
12,089
45
91
Originally posted by: Aflac
Originally posted by: TheStu
It sounds like the ARM processor will basically turn the system into a really big PDA, which could mean that it won't be very snappy.

Sounds more like when you use the instant-on function of the laptop, it'll be using the ARM processor when you need to do a quick task or something. When you want to use it like a normal computer, you boot into Windows or whatever, and it'll run as a normal laptop using the Intel CPU. Doesn't sound like a bad idea... if this was implemented on a netbook, it might work even better...

So what you are saying is that "It sounds like the ARM processor will basically turn the system into a really big PDA, which could mean that it won't be very snappy."

I never said that the ARM processor was going to be used for Windows, I said that it was going to be used for PDA-esque functions, such as checking email and surfing the web, maybe playing some music. The reason I said it wouldn't be too snappy is because instead of a 3.n" 320*240 or 640*480 screen, it will instead be driving a larger screen at 1280*800 or larger. And unless they do some clever trickery, it probably will not have access to the 2GB+ RAM that the system will no doubt have. The iPod Touch for example, which uses an ARM processor, one of the newest, is a great little piece of tech that can do some incredible things with its 533 MHz processor and 133MHz FSB, but has the aforementioned small screen and I am not sure how well just the ARM processor will handle scaling up. Bear in mind that the iPhone and iPod Touch have multiple co-processors that handle things like 3D rendering, h.264 playback, audio and everything else.