Laptop memory: 1X512/1024 better than 2x256/512?

[inhotep]

Hi,

I'm thinking to upgrade my laptop's memory from 2x256 to 1x512 + 1x256 or 1x1024 PC2700. Problem is that I don't know which config will drain the most battery power?? Operation w/ battery is my #1 concern. I want to choose the best possible config to save as much energy possible (optimal running time on battery). I get on average about 4-5 hours usage when browsing the net, taking notes, not any CPU intensive programs.

Games and photoshop however is another story. I get around 1.3-2 max. err

I hope more ram will boost the speed since there will be less HD swap.
Still wondering about the 2 sticks vs. 1 stick ram power drain, or 512 vs. 1 gig ram drain on the battery.

Please submit your knowlege.

PS, if you were to choose a upgrade, would you upgrade the ram or the 4200 rpm HD for optimal performance?

Thanks

Centrino p-m 1.5 (1024kb L2, not the newer dothan), 2x256 PC2700, 4200rpm 60gig HD, intel extreme crap II graphics, 6 cell li-ion batt.
I'm really suprised that Star Wars Galaxies can operate on this laptop
Some what playable.

my response to people who want to use Pentium-M dothan in their desktops.. May be they want the option to swap the CPUs between desktop and Centrino laptop? i dono...

 

[jdiddy]

I have the same Banias cpu as you, upgrading to a 7200 rpm hdd yielded me alot more performance then going to 1 gig of ram. I went the 2x512 route. The effect on battery was nil on both upgrades.

 

[inhotep]

cool thanks for the input.
Where did you get the 7200rpm HD btw?

 

[CombatChuk]

When you have more RAM, the hard drive gets accessed less and thus, uses less battery.

 

[inhotep]

768 or 1 gig?

 

[fbrdphreak]

I'd say the diff in perf would be nil between 768 & 1024. The power diff would be nil between one stick & two, as the one stick would have denser memory chips on it & the two sticks would have two sets of less dense memory chips.
Thus, go with whatever floats your boat. For general Windows use as u described, I would say 7200RPM+768 is the way to go :thumbsup:

 

[inhotep]

thanks dudes! i'll shoot for the 768ram/7200rpm hd
btw, how do u find out the supported hd size for mt laptop? i got a gateway 4520 gz (320m)

hmm this 1250 bucks laptop will turn into a 1500 dollar machine. a 9 cell back up battery 130 bucks, a new 2ghz dothan = 700 bucks... god damn it!!!

also, what would be the easiest way to clone the data from 4200 rpm to 7200rpm hd?

thanks

HL2 runs on my laptop!! very playable @ 800x600 and default settings. getting around 12-70 fps.
Hardware= DX6, software=DX9
Crashes during auto-save thou..

Not bad for the integrated intel extreme II controler

 

[Wuzup101]

There is no real world difference power wise between a faster hard drive and more ram. If anything extra ram might conserve a bit of power b/c the disk is getting accessed less. Plenty of people who have upgraded their hard drives have said that there's no difference in power usage.