Pentium M cpu speed vs performance for 3D Rendering

[paulsiu]

Hi,

My cousin wants to buy a Inspiron 9300 for school and he is wondering if it is worth buying additional cpu speed. He is using the computer mostly for 3D rendering using 3D studio and Maya.

Here are the cpu choices:

Intel® Pentium® M Processor 770 (2.13 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB) [add $400 or $12/month2]

Intel® Pentium® M Processor 760 (2 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB) [add $200 or $6/month2]

Intel® Pentium® M Processor 750 (1.86 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB) [add $100 or $3/month2]

Intel® Pentium® M Processor 740 (1.73 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB) [Included in Price]


Is it worth $100 for example to buy a 750 or $400 for a 770? I did look through some 3D benchmarks, but they don't tell me a lot because I never use 3D rendering program. Opinons?

Paul

 

[Lord Banshee]

If i was him, i would gat a 1000 dollar laptop for school and an AthlonX2 for home. Do the rendering at home. I do not want to imagein how long a the battery will last with rendering.. ouch.. maybe an hour and half at tops.

 

[stevty2889]

The 2ghz will be pretty fast compared to the 1.73 and 1.86, but the added $200 over the 2.0 for the 2.13 is definatly not worth it. Pentium-M's aren't exactly ideal for 3D rendering anyway. If battery life is important I would deffinatly stick with the pentium-m, but most 3D rendering is gonna take a lot longer than a battery can last anyway.

 

[Duvie]

Originally posted by: stevty2889
The 2ghz will be pretty fast compared to the 1.73 and 1.86, but the added $200 over the 2.0 for the 2.13 is definatly not worth it. Pentium-M's aren't exactly ideal for 3D rendering anyway. If battery life is important I would deffinatly stick with the pentium-m, but most 3D rendering is gonna take a lot longer than a battery can last anyway.

I agree.....the only reason I din't take that upgrade and went with the 1.86ghz was to pay for the upgrade to the 6800go card. Which ppl is a very nice video card....

You dont always have to think batteries for laptops...they are also aka "mobile"...I am an architect by trade and work as an engineer in the construction field. i can tell you from several recent porjects at major universities we are putting AC outlets in the labs, classrooms, etc. So battery or not I am sure he will have access to power....

 

[paulsiu]

The reason to get a laptop is so he can carry the machine around to the different sites for use with his fellow students. It's hard to do this if you have a desktop. Hmm... So the 2 Ghz would be worth it but 2.13 is not. Most places will have an outlet so battery life doesn't matter so much except for those times when he has to work somewhere without a outlet

 

[paulsiu]

Question to Duvie,

Why did you get the 6800go. I thought the default x300 based card is good enough since he doesn't plan to play any games. From what I can determine, 3D rendering relies on pure processing alone.

 

[Duvie]

Originally posted by: paulsiu
Question to Duvie,

Why did you get the 6800go. I thought the default x300 based card is good enough since he doesn't plan to play any games. From what I can determine, 3D rendering relies on pure processing alone.

2 reasons...

1) I thought perhaps I could soft quadro hack it, which I could not....

2) I dont mind to play games on mine...I rather play them there then on my main system which I have other uses for....

That is why i said he should get th e2.0ghz...I was just justifynig why I did not do so...