Laptops & the Core 2 Duo Issue

[Overkiller]

Hello-

I am looking into a laptop as my next purchase. This latop should be under 8 pounds, have a 15" screen (nothing smaller) and no larger than a 17". 2 GB of ram, a good processor, no-integrated graphics (this wont be gamed on however) and so forth. The price tag I wanted is under 2,000.

I was pretty much sold on the HP dv6000t as it appears to be a great medley of everything that I needed above. Then I started doing more research about the Core 2 Duo and the loud pitched noise that emanates from laptops with this processor. I am going off of foggy memory but something akin to capacitators being overloaded due to the constant under-clocking / volting as the laptop goes into energy-saver mode. The "fix" (which doesn't work in all instances) ranges from messing with the USB root hub, to essentially making the processor run at its default speed more / if not all of the time. This then leads to the fan being on a lot more (i.e. most if not all of the time) and more power usage as a result.

Apparently this is not only for the dv6000t but is more widespread.

Can someone else provide more information about this and whether it has been resolved since last month? Any laptops fitting my criteria above that I should look at instead.

What about a mobile AMD Chip...does it really perform that poorly in comparision to the Core2Duo...What about a MacBook Pro...quite expensive for what you get in comparision..and I would run Windows XP on it anyways.

Thanks!

 

[Overkiller]

^bump

 

[stoma]

I have a Dell 6400 that I paid about 1100 for...haven't had any high pitched noises. Have owned it for about 3 months.

 

[WackyDan]

Bunk.

I'd like to see where you are getting that info from... I've been around numerous Core 2 duo laptops and never seen this.

 

[Aluvus]

I have never heard of such an issue.

There was initially a problem with power management when USB devices are connected, but that was fixed long ago.

 

[Overkiller]

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=75470&page=111


There is one instance of it. There are roughly 120+ pages in that thread. Essentially somewhere in the middle there are about 20-30+ pages of people complaining about the noise...

 

[Ruptga]

I have a t2300 based Inspiron E1505, and I do have that obnoxious buzzing noise when the CPU idles, but I run F@H whenever I'm plugged in so it doesn't usually bother me. I don't know why it does this, I just know that I had three months warranty, got it at the beginning of the summer, was gone all summer (hence it didn't get fixed), and now have no hope of getting it fixed.

 

[KaOTiK]

My laptop is nearly silent and it has a C2D 2.33GHz in it. I'm using a MacBook Pro. Maybe certain manufactors C2D notebooks are noisy but I haven't come across any from others I know with c2d in their notebooks.

Kao

 

[Ruptga]

bump

I know it sounds like a load of crap, but I have a laptop with this buzzing noise, and would love to hear from anyone that knows or has links about it.

 

[Tarrant64]

Have a couple hundred HP nx9420's here at work. All C2D's. None of the described problems. Quiet as ever.

Used several Dell Exxx model's. No problems there either.


I'm a Mac fan, don't get me wrong, but if you're going to run Windows XP, skip the Macbook Pro. It's kind of silly to buy a Mac just to run Windows software. Dual-booting or Virtual PC, OK. But not Windows just to do Windows. Save yourself $800+ and buy a laptop built for Windows.


If it's a serious problem, send it in to get it fixed. Could be faulty hardware.

 

[Overkiller]

It's not a load of crap. A lot of people in that thread have this issue.

The fix is in that thread...i can find the exact page (out of over 120+) later today but there are a few "fixes."

They are:

- Latest Bios Revision
- Something with the USB Root Hub
- Essentially running your cpu at a constant speed / usage

All of these impact the battery life to a % & it does not fix everyone's problem. Also, many have returned the laptops to no avail.


Also, remember that one persons "not loud / annoying" is another person's "THIS IS EXCRUCIATING"

Hence how some people have 12 fans in their systems and others have 1 or two that are undervolted, hdd's suspended, case dampened, and so forth.

 

[Tarrant64]

Originally posted by: Overkiller
It's not a load of crap. A lot of people in that thread have this issue.

The fix is in that thread...i can find the exact page (out of over 120+) later today but there are a few "fixes."

They are:

- Latest Bios Revision
- Something with the USB Root Hub
- Essentially running your cpu at a constant speed / usage

All of these impact the battery life to a % & it does not fix everyone's problem. Also, many have returned the laptops to no avail.


Also, remember that one persons "not loud / annoying" is another person's "THIS IS EXCRUCIATING"

Hence how some people have 12 fans in their systems and others have 1 or two that are undervolted, hdd's suspended, case dampened, and so forth.

Yeah man, but we're talking about a laptop here, not a pimped out desktop.

Do you have any official listing other than this one thread from a forum? I mean from the manufacturer itself?

 

[MercenaryForHire]

I've heard this noise from a few laptops - generally, the cheaper the laptop components, the more likely to get the squeal. It can affect AMDs as well, apparently - anything that goes into the C4 "deep sleep" state has the potential to do this.

Mind you, I've heard electrical whine from old P3 notebooks as well, but I think that's a different issue.

- M4H

 

[Tarrant64]

I think it would be wrong to single out the C2D processor as a cause of the issue. More hardware/manufacturer related.

I'm sure if you think back to P4's being used in laptops...Yeah. My point exactly. Fans blowing all the hot air out is what caused those problems. Faulty heatsinks, etc.

C2D's are much more energy efficient now, and doesn't burn a hole in your pocket when sitting on you're lap.

Overkiller,
In this forum is this all from one specific model laptop? Or do all these users happen to be using C2D's? And they happen to come across this one forum to post about it, making it a bigger deal than it is?


It's always the smaller number of people, say...500 out of 50,000, having one issue.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: Tarrant64
I think it would be wrong to single out the C2D processor as a cause of the issue. More hardware/manufacturer related.

So in other words,

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
... the cheaper the laptop components, the more likely to get the squeal. It can affect AMDs as well, apparently - anything that goes into the C4 "deep sleep" state has the potential to do this.

Overkiller,
In this forum is this all from one specific model laptop? Or do all these users happen to be using C2D's? And they happen to come across this one forum to post about it, making it a bigger deal than it is?


It's always the smaller number of people, say...500 out of 50,000, having one issue.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=112883&highlight=CPU+whine = XPS M1210
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=85477&highlight=CPU+whine = Various Pavilion models
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=113289&highlight=CPU+whine = Thinkpad T60
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=103747&highlight=CPU+whine = Miscellanous notebooks
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=67251&highlight=CPU+whine = Macbook series

Just search "CPU whine" on that forum, or Google for that matter.

- M4H

 

[Tarrant64]

Yeah, I was typing that and didn't see your post until afterwards.

Just think of it as reinforcing your statement.

As far as the laptops go, are we going to scare everyone away from C2D laptops now?

Or just say it's hit and miss.

 

[Ruptga]

From those links it seems it's some kind of cheap electronic problem (which I already guessed), but that means a motherboard replacement or something and this college student just doesn't have the funds for that right now. I only had a three month warranty, so there's no hope of Dell fixing this for me, right?


Edit: anyway, OP, it seems this is a random laptop problem in general, regardless of manufacturer. Just buy whatever you like and RMA if necessary. That HP you mentioned in the OP seems quite nice, I'd buy it.

 

[Tarrant64]

Well over the weekend my parents had just bought my sister a new HP(dv9000t) with the C2D and 2gb ram. I will call her tonight and see if she's had any of these problems. I'm not just saying that either, it's true. She's the kind of person who watches movies all day and can put the laptop through some use.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: Tarrant64
Yeah, I was typing that and didn't see your post until afterwards.

Just think of it as reinforcing your statement.

:beer:

As far as the laptops go, are we going to scare everyone away from C2D laptops now?

Or just say it's hit and miss.

Personally, I tend to scare people away from any laptop they haven't seen and played with in person. Brick-and-mortar stores still have that edge over online ordering.

It's definitely hit-and-miss, I'll give you that. Particular runs of the same model might be better/worse/not affected/terrible. Hell, some people might not even notice or mind. Just look at all the CRTs that used to be stuck on 60Hz and the person just can't figure out why they're getting vicious eyestrain.

- M4H

 

[Overkiller]

Thanks for the links M4h...

I am not singling out the C2D or the HP Dv6000t in particular..it is that I WANT a C2D laptop and the Dv6000t and this was a concern that i found with the laptop...and after more research, with other models as well with other manufacturers.

Of course, after being a system builder / tweaker for years I am well aware how a few vocal voices can tarnish the reputation of an entire product / manufacturer.

Any comparative laptops to the dv6000t?

thanks

 

[Overkiller]

Originally posted by: ADDAvenger
From those links it seems it's some kind of cheap electronic problem (which I already guessed), but that means a motherboard replacement or something and this college student just doesn't have the funds for that right now. I only had a three month warranty, so there's no hope of Dell fixing this for me, right?


Edit: anyway, OP, it seems this is a random laptop problem in general, regardless of manufacturer. Just buy whatever you like and RMA if necessary. That HP you mentioned in the OP seems quite nice, I'd buy it.

Read this thread...This should hopefully fix it for you. (also update your bios while you are at it)

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=90335

 

[Ruptga]

Originally posted by: Overkiller

Originally posted by: ADDAvenger
From those links it seems it's some kind of cheap electronic problem (which I already guessed), but that means a motherboard replacement or something and this college student just doesn't have the funds for that right now. I only had a three month warranty, so there's no hope of Dell fixing this for me, right?


Edit: anyway, OP, it seems this is a random laptop problem in general, regardless of manufacturer. Just buy whatever you like and RMA if necessary. That HP you mentioned in the OP seems quite nice, I'd buy it.

Read this thread...This should hopefully fix it for you. (also update your bios while you are at it)

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=90335

I tried the root hub thing, it didn't make any difference. I've never updated a BIOS before, but I suppose I'll try that in the morning.

Edit: Thankfully Dell idiotproofs it and has the BIOS update in an exe so all I had to do was run it. The newest version is A14, released yesterday, and it fixed the buzzing/whining/squealing completely

 

[Overkiller]

also try the RMClock utility..

 

[Overkiller]

excellent news ADDAvenger!