Turion 1.6GHz vs. Centrino 1.6GHz

[Crism]

I've got a friend looking into getting a laptop this week and it's between 2 Compaq systems.

Centrino 1.6GHz
256MB RAM
40GB HDD
14" Brightview
DVD/CDRW
$600 AR

Turion 1.6GHz
512MB RAM
60GB HDD
14" Brightview
DVD Burner
ATI 200m IGP (128MB Shared...Can this be changed to 64MB?)
$750 AR

I would personally take the Turion but how is the battery life of the Turion in comparison to the Centrino. I've heard in some cases it being better and some cases it being worse.

What do you think?

 

[Cerb]

The second system is well worth the extra $150, battery life or not.
double the RAM, better video, and a DVD burner.

Given it's a Compaq, you may or may not be able to change the shared RAM, but you probably can.

Battery life, overall, has a lot to do with the specific computer. The CPU is the most power-hungry component, but it's not the only thing pulling power. While Centrino garuntees a Pentium-M, all it garuntees is that, an Intel chipset, and an Intel radio.

 

[Topweasel]

The turion uses about 50% more power in its lowest setting then a P-M but that will have only a couple of minutes difference. What Iwould look at is the P-Ms Vid if it is anything then then the Intel extreme then it will probably suck more power then the 200m will and will equal out the power usage.

 

[Valkerie]

Ultimately you'll get the Centrino to perform with much lower power consumption. Don't worry about what the guy said earlier about the Intel Extreme Graphics 2, all laptop Intel Extremes are perfected by Intel to offer optimum power saving methods.
Personally, I'd get the Turion, it's has way better features, and only for an extra $150. DVD-RW's can cost upto 300 USD for a decent one. And laptop memory isn't always cheap these days.
I would also never run Windows XP on 256mb RAM, the lag is just too noticable.

 

[Ronin]

Turion has my nod.

 

[BlingBlingArsch]

Turion is cool.

 

[n7]

teh Centrino is nice, but in this case, i'd take teh Turion

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Turion but id still look for a full Pentium M instead.

 

[dguy6789]

The difference in battery life between the two will be tiny and unnoticable. The performance advantage the Turion system has over the Pentium M system would be very noticable and well worth it.

 

[DanDaMan315]

Do Turions have an integrated memory controller?

 

[MangoTBG]

Turion and yes you can change the shared memory to 64mb. It's quite easy

 

[bob4432]

is anybody else offering these turions besides hp/compaq? i really don't like them and would rather get a dell or ibm...how do the celeron m compare?

 

[Ronin]

Those are pretty much your choices atm.

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Originally posted by: dguy6789
The difference in battery life between the two will be tiny and unnoticable. The performance advantage the Turion system has over the Pentium M system would be very noticable and well worth it.

Where you getting that info? Last time I checked the P-M outperforms the Turion

 

[Diasper]

I would take TDP figures with a pinch of salt personally. PM might have some advantage but it would be small and certainly insignificant in the scheme of things.


Turion has better performance when it comes to encoding and general tasks for sure. Games is close however where the PM might edge it out slightly depending on how much cache/fsb it has.

But given a choice of those two at those prices - the Turion easily

 

[Jassi]

Originally posted by: thecoolnessrune

Originally posted by: dguy6789
The difference in battery life between the two will be tiny and unnoticable. The performance advantage the Turion system has over the Pentium M system would be very noticable and well worth it.

Where you getting that info? Last time I checked the P-M outperforms the Turion

Which article are you referring to that says P-M outperforms Turion? Keep in mind that the one posted a few months ago has been torn apart time after time because the reviewer was biased (their site sold P-Ms and P-M socket adapters).

Turion will kick the P-M's butt or atleast match it in almost everything.