Laptop Question - Larger than a Netbook, smaller than a Notebook - Athlon II Neo Chip

[bob4432]

looking for a laptop for my wife as her T42 has finally passed on. she wants something smaller than the now defunct T42 but need more power than a netbook and was looking at the TOSHIBA Satellite T215D-S1150 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834114913

anybody have any experience w/ that particular unit or the athlon II neo k325 chip along w/ the amd m880g chipset?

 

[Bateluer]

I asked a similar question in here.
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2096364

Debating whether to pick one up, or wait until next year for a Bobcat based device with a little more oomph and longer battery life.

 

[dangerman1337]

I've got a dell M301z, its good for playing HD video but won't play newer games even on low settings and the battery life is a bit dissapointing as it can only do 3 hours on low power and low brightness which seems to decrease the internet speed on it.

 

[Zap]

I asked a similar question in here.
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2096364

Hey, you still need someone to run Ubuntu Live on one of those? I'm back from vacation and pending three computer builds I have to do for relatives, I'm still up to trying it for you.

bob4432, you should read my post in that thread and then read Anandtech's review of a near identical notebook to what you linked.

CPU performance is right there with the Intel CULV, meaning better than Atom. GPU performance is good enough to play stuff like WoW and L4D at full resolution with medium to low settings. Battery life is very, VERY variable since the CPU (and maybe GPU) clocks dynamically. The CPU goes between 800MHz and 1.5GHz (4x minimum multiplier on AMD chips, 200MHz HTT), and varies greatly in voltage down to 0.7v or so. My Intel CULV (Pentium SU4100) battery life is somewhat static because it only varies between 1.2 and 1.3GHz (200MHz FSB, 6x minimum multiplier on Intel chips), and voltage stays the same at 1.0v. I wish there was a way to lock the CPU/GPU in the AMD platform at the lowest power settings for when you just want to web browse because then it would be closer to an Intel CULV in battery life for light tasks.

 

[bob4432]

Hey, you still need someone to run Ubuntu Live on one of those? I'm back from vacation and pending three computer builds I have to do for relatives, I'm still up to trying it for you.

bob4432, you should read my post in that thread and then read Anandtech's review of a near identical notebook to what you linked.

CPU performance is right there with the Intel CULV, meaning better than Atom. GPU performance is good enough to play stuff like WoW and L4D at full resolution with medium to low settings. Battery life is very, VERY variable since the CPU (and maybe GPU) clocks dynamically. The CPU goes between 800MHz and 1.5GHz (4x minimum multiplier on AMD chips, 200MHz HTT), and varies greatly in voltage down to 0.7v or so. My Intel CULV (Pentium SU4100) battery life is somewhat static because it only varies between 1.2 and 1.3GHz (200MHz FSB, 6x minimum multiplier on Intel chips), and voltage stays the same at 1.0v. I wish there was a way to lock the CPU/GPU in the AMD platform at the lowest power settings for when you just want to web browse because then it would be closer to an Intel CULV in battery life for light tasks.

actually i read both of those last night - very informative. i am going to disassemble the t42 for one last shot as the more i mess w/ the t42, it seems like a thermal issue and it looks like some decent mobile platforms on the horizon. if that doesn't do it, it looks like the toshiba will be coming my way .

again, thanks all for the input.
bob

 

[Zap]

BTW, do you want me to move this thread to a more appropriate forum? We have a special place for notebook discussions.

 

[bob4432]

BTW, do you want me to move this thread to a more appropriate forum? We have a special place for notebook discussions.

that would be excellent, i must have glanced right over "notebook" when i saw sff.....