Top of the Line Notebook Suggestions?

[ChivalricRonin]

Hey all... I'm currently thinking of purchasing a notebook for gaming, programming, DVD watching/burning etc... I'd like it to have the fastest CPU, at least 1 GB of high quality Ram, 5400 rpm+ HD 60 Gig or above, 802.11 A/B/G mini-pci card (can you get all 3?) and a GeForce FX Go 5600 Ultra, or a Mobile Radeon 9600 Pro 128 (256 if they're up to that) graphics card. I'm currently looking at the Alienware Area-51m, fully customized, but even they arn't using DX9 mobile graphics cards yet. I looked at the Voodoopc.com systems, and while impressive, still seem to fall short of the Alienware notebook. Can anyone suggest another company that caters to the high end? I also noticed that most Centrino systems have less memory, slower CPU (2.4 max ghz, vs 3 + HT) and what appear to be lesser system specs over all. Of course, where they shine is the battery life. Is the extended battery life really worth the lesser power? What is the adv life of a normal Pentium 4M versus the PentiumM? Thanks for your time.

EDIT: I'd like to keep away from anything that's TCPA complient thank you... I know some of the IBM thinkpads are already incorporating TCPA hardware! Scary!

 

[Gibson486]

ehhhh...I dont not think any of those video cards have entered the market yet.....

Centrino is not targeted to the enthusiest market.

Dude, its a notebook, lower your expectations for now. During the summer we should see some interesting stuff, such as Gateway with it's 17 in notebook.

Why such high specs? nothing is really gonna take full advanatge of those specs for a long time. Games may benefit a little, but i stress a little.

PM is can catch up to P4M b/c it is based on somewhat on the P3.

 

[Shivatron]

Originally posted by: ChivalricRonin
EDIT: I'd like to keep away from anything that's TCPA complient thank you... I know some of the IBM thinkpads are already incorporating TCPA hardware! Scary!

Pardon my ignorance, but what's TCPA?

EDIT: Nevermind; consider this a bump. (Thanks, Google!)

 

[Koing]

the Centrino 1.6GHz is equivalent to a P4m 2.4GHz..........

the 802.11g will work on all of them. Its backwards compatible. You can get that card separate but no bu ilt in 802.11g card built in to the laptop though.......

The battery time is defiantely worth it. Centrino is about battery time and performance. P4m gets slaughtered. The battery times are on the system being on and *light* usage with typing in word and such. Not DVD or game watching. You will get about HALF performance with heavy usage of the cpu.

Is the battery life really worth it? Depends if you need to type away from a plug source or don't want to carry the charger with you.......

 

[bigshooter]

You aren't looking for a centrino laptop if you fast as you can get, plus you also mentioned you want P4, which isn't centrino. That is the pentium-m. Pentium-m goes up to 1.6ghz which performs close to a p4 2.4ghz. Intel has released a 2.5Ghz p4-m, the p4 3.06ghz that alienware sells is a desktop processor in a notebook.

Dell sells a card in their laptops that supports 802.11a/b/g, but I don't knwo who else does.

You probably won't want to go with an IBM, they are geared more towards business. I don't see them putting a high end dx 9 graphics part in their notebooks for some time, let alone one with 128-256megs ram. The new ATI and nvidia mobile parts have been anounced, but not released as far as I've seen. There are no manufacturers currently using them.

 

[777php]

the IBM T40 can utilize up to 2GB of RAM so I'm not sure where you got your information about Centrino laptops having less memory.

 

[ceo2b]

Originally posted by: 777php
the IBM T40 can utilize up to 2GB of RAM so I'm not sure where you got your information about Centrino laptops having less memory.

I think he is talking about the graphics card.

 

[ChivalricRonin]

Yes, I was talking about a graphics card (hopefully the new standard) with 128 of video ram. Bigshooter, am I right to think the battery life of an Alienware notebook would be, to put it bluntly, crap? I thought that it was at least a P4-M, not a desktop processor. Does anyone know if there are any expected advances in laptop technology, especialyl with respect to battery life and processor speed by mid-summer? I can wait for awhile, but it is going to be next to integral for my sophomore year of college.

 

[bigshooter]

Originally posted by: ceo2b

Originally posted by: 777php the IBM T40 can utilize up to 2GB of RAM so I'm not sure where you got your information about Centrino laptops having less memory.

I think he is talking about the graphics card.

I was talking about the graphics card, and i wasn't saying that centrinos have less graphics memory, I was saying that IBM gears more to the business crowd. They aren't going to make a gaming laptop.

ChivalicRonin: the alienware laptop will be pretty much as fast as you can get a laptop today, but the battery life will suffer. They put the fastest of everything in it, a desktop processor, 5400rpm hard drives, big LCD's, and the ti4200 mobile part which isn't as efficient as the g4go and mobility radeon parts. If you just want a portable system that you can plug in wherever you go, it will work fine. If you want to play games for 3 hours on a flight you won't come close.

 

[govtcheez75]

I'd say get the 17" powerbook!

 

[Derango]

Originally posted by: bigshooter

ChivalicRonin: the alienware laptop will be pretty much as fast as you can get a laptop today, but the battery life will suffer. They put the fastest of everything in it, a desktop processor, 5400rpm hard drives, big LCD's, and the ti4200 mobile part which isn't as efficient as the g4go and mobility radeon parts. If you just want a portable system that you can plug in wherever you go, it will work fine. If you want to play games for 3 hours on a flight you won't come close.

The alienware laptop also doubles as a very nice spaceheater. My friend has one...we use it to keep food warm.

 

[ceo2b]

Originally posted by: Derango
The alienware laptop also doubles as a very nice spaceheater. My friend has one...we use it to keep food warm.

LOL that was quite funny!!!!!

 

[ChivalricRonin]

haha... is that right? well, maybe alienware will come out with something w/better cooling by the end of the summer. Actually, I considered the 17 inch powerbook, but considering the speed and whatnot, it doesn't seem worth it. Also, I'd like to be able to use my PC software and games, most of which arn't compatable with a mac. Any other suggestions? Know if there's any big developments in mobile tech coming up?

 

[bigshooter]

Originally posted by: ChivalricRonin
Any other suggestions? Know if there's any big developments in mobile tech coming up?

The big mobile development was teh pentium-m. There are also the new ATI and nvidia mobile parts coming out, but other than that not much else. I guess you coudl wait until close to winter time and see if the mobile Athlon64 is any good. If they can optimize it for mobile applications at all, it might be a competitor for p4-m, but prob not pentium-m powerwise at least.

 

[bharok]

Originally posted by: bigshooter

Originally posted by: ChivalricRonin
Any other suggestions? Know if there's any big developments in mobile tech coming up?

The big mobile development was teh pentium-m. There are also the new ATI and nvidia mobile parts coming out, but other than that not much else. I guess you coudl wait until close to winter time and see if the mobile Athlon64 is any good. If they can optimize it for mobile applications at all, it might be a competitor for p4-m, but prob not pentium-m powerwise at least.

About when should we see the new ATI and nvidia mobile parts in the market?