Well, I have use to be crazy about computers back in the year 1997 till around 2004. I remember that time my Dad bought me my good old Pentium MMX system. Computer are super expensive back then. I have been through lots of experience with computers, even help friends to buy computers all the time till i lost count of how many system I have setup for my friends.
Computers technology has evolve a lot since the days of the MMX. I would not want to go into details about those technical parts as most of my readers would not have understand what are they reading if I wrote too technical. LoLz.
Before we start with some explainations, let us get back to the main point of purchasing a Laptop first. What do you want as a normal user? This should be the main question that I would have as a friend if he or she wanted to buy a laptop. I guess most of us at our age nowadays wanted a laptop as some kind of entertainment, to watch movies, to listen to music, do some documents, surfing, chating and some light games. When I says light games I really do mean it. If you are looking for heavy 3D graphics for laptop, I would strongly suggest a desktop. Laptop was not build for heavy stuff at first (exceptional for those Alienwares). LoLz.
CPU - Central Processing Unit. This is the heart of the Laptop, commonly known as the "Processor". There are 2 majors competitor for the CPU which is Intel and AMD. There also VIA Cyrix which is less popular. Many People mistakenly think that Centrino is a processor by Intel. No it is not. Centrino is actually a standard set by Intel. The laptop that has this centrino logo actually consist of an Intel CPU (Speedstepping capable), and a Intel Chipset and an Intel Wifi. Which CPU to choose ? I would recommend Intel over AMD on laptops although AMD is cheaper. Well there are a few CPU's in the market now from intel for laptops, mainly the Core Duo, Dual Core , Core 2 Duo , Celeron. What are the differences ?
Core Duo - First Generation of the Core family, Does Not support 64 bit processing
Dual Core - Cut Down version of Core 2 Duo, Normally have half the cache of the Core 2 Duo. Support 64 bit.
Core 2 Duo - Current most popular CPU among many users.
Celeron - This one is tricky, there are many versions of Cut down CPU's being rename as Celeron, Intel has been using the name for Pentium II cut down version all the way to Core cut down version.
To me, Dual Core is more then enough for normal users. Many friends like to ask me , faster processor better right ? To me, the answer is NO! A comparison of a 2Ghz vs a 1.6Ghz processor of the same specification only show seconds of improvement. It is not like older days where by you wait for years if you CPU is slow. Cut down version normally has smaller Cache, but what does it means? cache is a very fast accessable RAM for the CPU itself. Smaller means slower of cause, but It is not that much noticable if you are not using heavy calculations program, 3D rendering, Heaving 3D gaming, SQL query might have affected too. But then if the Laptop are meant for movie, music, light gaming, do it really worth to spend extra on this ? think twice..
RAM - Example : Imagine the CPU is the person working on a desk. RAM would be the Desk. More RAMs means the Desk is bigger, more paper work can be store on the desk and the person who works on it can access the Desk faster instead of looking for the information in a drawer (Harddisk). But bear in mind, a 32 bit processor is only capable of accessing around 3.5 GB rams only. A 64 bit processor does not necessary be capable of addressing more then 3.5 GB it had to be pair with an OS (Operation System) with 64 bit capability. Microsoft has included an extension in some of their OS call the PAE (Physical Address Extension) which allow 64bit processor to address more then 3.5GB in a 32bit enviroment but it is limited to 2 GB per Application only.
A Normal user, 2 GB ram would be sufficient enough.
HARDDISK - This depends on what you want to store. But there are difference performance for harddisk drive on different specification. Older days, hard disk use have a rotation speed of 4200 rpm only while the newer one's would have 5400 rpm. And the latest one would do 7200 rpm. Faster means the system can access data faster. Bear in mind too, faster RPM drains power faster too. Normally Laptop nowadays supplied with 5400 rpm drives. That is another reason why Laptop are no match with desktop, a Desktop drive WD Raptop is running as fast as 15000 rpm.
GPU - Graphic Processing Unit, Graphic Card. A very much debateable topic. Many likes to says the laptop does not comes with a graphic card. Well I would like to rectify that, All Laptops has a graphic card, else you would not see anything on the screen itself. It is either On-Board @ Build-in , which means it is embedded into the chipset itself or it is external.
Well, this is my opinion. Those with Intel 945 chipsets comes with GMA950 which is still consider quite weak. 965 chipsets comes with GMA X3100 which is much better, and nowadays thos G33 chipsets comes handy with those HD4500 (if i remember correctly). Most additional external graphic cards are useless to me. namely the Nvidia 8400 or the ATI 6150. Those are just slightly better then the Intel ones which is not useful at all. Try running it on some heavy 3D games, you will end up having slide shows as well. If you wan better graphics looks for those mid range ones, such as the 8600 series (i dunno the newer series, but dont get those lowest range one, not worth). These mid range ones has stand alone rams which makes them a lot better.
Batteries - Laptop batteries are meant to be use. If you bought your laptop and worried charging and discharging it will shorten the lifespan of the laptop, then keep it :P . A laptop battery can last for 300 ~ 500 charges roughly. Sounds little right ? but the if you charge and discharge it like 2 or 3 days once, it would easily last for 3 years. But if you keep it for 2 months and discharge once. I bet it will dry up in less then a few charges later. And there is no more such stories as if you keep the AC on when the battery is on the laptop, it would over change.
Computers technology has evolve a lot since the days of the MMX. I would not want to go into details about those technical parts as most of my readers would not have understand what are they reading if I wrote too technical. LoLz.
Before we start with some explainations, let us get back to the main point of purchasing a Laptop first. What do you want as a normal user? This should be the main question that I would have as a friend if he or she wanted to buy a laptop. I guess most of us at our age nowadays wanted a laptop as some kind of entertainment, to watch movies, to listen to music, do some documents, surfing, chating and some light games. When I says light games I really do mean it. If you are looking for heavy 3D graphics for laptop, I would strongly suggest a desktop. Laptop was not build for heavy stuff at first (exceptional for those Alienwares). LoLz.
CPU - Central Processing Unit. This is the heart of the Laptop, commonly known as the "Processor". There are 2 majors competitor for the CPU which is Intel and AMD. There also VIA Cyrix which is less popular. Many People mistakenly think that Centrino is a processor by Intel. No it is not. Centrino is actually a standard set by Intel. The laptop that has this centrino logo actually consist of an Intel CPU (Speedstepping capable), and a Intel Chipset and an Intel Wifi. Which CPU to choose ? I would recommend Intel over AMD on laptops although AMD is cheaper. Well there are a few CPU's in the market now from intel for laptops, mainly the Core Duo, Dual Core , Core 2 Duo , Celeron. What are the differences ?
Core Duo - First Generation of the Core family, Does Not support 64 bit processing
Dual Core - Cut Down version of Core 2 Duo, Normally have half the cache of the Core 2 Duo. Support 64 bit.
Core 2 Duo - Current most popular CPU among many users.
Celeron - This one is tricky, there are many versions of Cut down CPU's being rename as Celeron, Intel has been using the name for Pentium II cut down version all the way to Core cut down version.
To me, Dual Core is more then enough for normal users. Many friends like to ask me , faster processor better right ? To me, the answer is NO! A comparison of a 2Ghz vs a 1.6Ghz processor of the same specification only show seconds of improvement. It is not like older days where by you wait for years if you CPU is slow. Cut down version normally has smaller Cache, but what does it means? cache is a very fast accessable RAM for the CPU itself. Smaller means slower of cause, but It is not that much noticable if you are not using heavy calculations program, 3D rendering, Heaving 3D gaming, SQL query might have affected too. But then if the Laptop are meant for movie, music, light gaming, do it really worth to spend extra on this ? think twice..
RAM - Example : Imagine the CPU is the person working on a desk. RAM would be the Desk. More RAMs means the Desk is bigger, more paper work can be store on the desk and the person who works on it can access the Desk faster instead of looking for the information in a drawer (Harddisk). But bear in mind, a 32 bit processor is only capable of accessing around 3.5 GB rams only. A 64 bit processor does not necessary be capable of addressing more then 3.5 GB it had to be pair with an OS (Operation System) with 64 bit capability. Microsoft has included an extension in some of their OS call the PAE (Physical Address Extension) which allow 64bit processor to address more then 3.5GB in a 32bit enviroment but it is limited to 2 GB per Application only.
A Normal user, 2 GB ram would be sufficient enough.
HARDDISK - This depends on what you want to store. But there are difference performance for harddisk drive on different specification. Older days, hard disk use have a rotation speed of 4200 rpm only while the newer one's would have 5400 rpm. And the latest one would do 7200 rpm. Faster means the system can access data faster. Bear in mind too, faster RPM drains power faster too. Normally Laptop nowadays supplied with 5400 rpm drives. That is another reason why Laptop are no match with desktop, a Desktop drive WD Raptop is running as fast as 15000 rpm.
GPU - Graphic Processing Unit, Graphic Card. A very much debateable topic. Many likes to says the laptop does not comes with a graphic card. Well I would like to rectify that, All Laptops has a graphic card, else you would not see anything on the screen itself. It is either On-Board @ Build-in , which means it is embedded into the chipset itself or it is external.
Well, this is my opinion. Those with Intel 945 chipsets comes with GMA950 which is still consider quite weak. 965 chipsets comes with GMA X3100 which is much better, and nowadays thos G33 chipsets comes handy with those HD4500 (if i remember correctly). Most additional external graphic cards are useless to me. namely the Nvidia 8400 or the ATI 6150. Those are just slightly better then the Intel ones which is not useful at all. Try running it on some heavy 3D games, you will end up having slide shows as well. If you wan better graphics looks for those mid range ones, such as the 8600 series (i dunno the newer series, but dont get those lowest range one, not worth). These mid range ones has stand alone rams which makes them a lot better.
Batteries - Laptop batteries are meant to be use. If you bought your laptop and worried charging and discharging it will shorten the lifespan of the laptop, then keep it :P . A laptop battery can last for 300 ~ 500 charges roughly. Sounds little right ? but the if you charge and discharge it like 2 or 3 days once, it would easily last for 3 years. But if you keep it for 2 months and discharge once. I bet it will dry up in less then a few charges later. And there is no more such stories as if you keep the AC on when the battery is on the laptop, it would over change.
