rbw wrote: > James G. Sack (jim) wrote: >> David Looney wrote: >> >>> James G. Sack (jim) wrote: >>> >>>> ..so I think I'm finally going to break down and get a laptop. >>>> >>>> My wife, Barbara, is going on a genealogy trip next month and wishes to >>>> take some notes on the go. She's made a suggestion that is hard to >>>> resist. She thinks she could share one of these things with me, since >>>> typically either of us needs the portability at different times. She >>>> even thinks she might use this opportunity to jump into a Linux >>>> environment -- no dual boot needed, even! >>> http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/linux_3x?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs >>> >>> >>> Dell now selling E1505N 15" dual core pentium with XGA widescreen for >>> $599 and Ubuntu pre-loaded ! >>> >>> >> >> Yeah, I saw that. The base system is a Pentium T2080, but not a Core 2 >> Duo. >> >> LB would say I am being wildly indulgent, but I was kinda wanting to >> indulge myself with some Core 2 Duo snappiness. That adds only a $100 >> bill, but if you want to upgrade memory or hard disk, they make some >> visibly extra profit on that. >> >> Right now, I'm thinking their attractive prices really only stay >> attractive at the low-ball end. Also I'm a bit worried when I see >> remarks advising service contracts. My standard practice is to >> self-insure things like tires and computers. >> >> OTOH, I _just might_ end up deciding to go CB and figure if it lasts 2-3 >> years without raising huge hardware-envy issues, that might be ok. >> >> Thanks, >> ..jim >> >> >> > Jim, > > I have been looking at the specs for laptops also in anticipation of > moving up from my Fujitsu Lifebook 2210C which has a 1.8Ghz M processor > and 768Mb (Max'd) of RAM and which I have been using instead of a > desktop since early 2003. I push it hard by running XP in VMWare to run > some required network apps at work and a typical list of GBF desktop > apps in Linux. The things that are on the top of my radar are Duo 2 Core > processor and max RAM at 4Gb. Next in line is the 7200rpm HD >=80Gb and > then finally the wide format 17" screen. > > Regarding the CPU the following charts show that the "L" series Intel > Duo 2 Core processors are half the wattage drawing power as the "T" > series. I think I am going to hold out for the "L" series CPU's. I could > probably get away with the 35watt "T" series CPU's since I am almost > always plugged into the wall but waiting a bit longer will help save up > to max out the RAM to 4Gb right off the bat. I haven't seen anywhere > anyone can actually buy a laptop with one of these "L" series CPU's yet, > have you? > http://www.anandtech.com/mobile/showdoc.aspx?i=2985&p=2 > http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2808&p=3 > (In this second chart note how the only CPU w/o virtualization in the > CPU is anything with the "T5500" on it... Maybe that's why they are so > cheap... I want that L7500...) > > I saw a couple laptops at FRY's (all "T" series CPU's BTW) that came > with 2Gb of RAM at a price point of @$1,000 with RAM upgradeable to 4Gb. > I was thinking the same thing someone else mentioned... 'Is that 2 slots > w/ 1Gb ea.? and how much is a couple pieces of 3rd party 2Gb notebook > memory?' > > My specs are largely because I want all that RAM and all that CPU power > (at low, low wattage) to fully make ZEN and VMWare etc. really run > through its paces. For me one of the major factors is marginalizing > every operating system to a special case instance (translation: M$ can't > affect me anymore) which Linux already gives us the ability to do (see > the small Linux distro tread ;^) subject to available hardware. > Virtualization goes a very long way to making even hardware a moot point. > > There are several other things I would want to see if they were possible > beyond this ZEN virtual network magic but I'm only 1/3rd the way to > building up my savings so I have time to query those things. > > Let us know what you think and how it goes... > > rbw > >
Ahh, I found the Intel intel: http://www.intel.com/products/processor_number/chart/coreduo.htm You are talking about the Intel® Core™ Duo processor Low Voltage (15W; there's also an "ultra low" 9W U-series listed there) They are still classified under the "centrino" name, whatever that really means. Curiously, the L-series does NOT show on their page entitled Intel® Centrino® Processor Technology http://www.intel.com/products/centrino/compare.htm All 3 L's are 65nm technology. Guess the low-voltage magic is a different technology dimension. I hadn't seen (or noticed) laptops with L-series chips, but a search on intel L2300 laptop (might try L2400 and L2500, too) does produce hits! Asus, Lenovo, ..? 15W sounds deliciously lo-cal, hmmm. Please hurry up and tell me what you find! ;-) Regards, ..jim -- [email protected] http://www.kernel-panic.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/kplug-list
