Laptop: Dual Core (32-bit) vs 64bit

[Church of Noise]

As my desktop is getting too old to use (both for business and personal use), I'm looking around for laptops (as it seems nice to be able to use the thing all over the place).
The thing is, within my budget, one can choose for either a Dual Core Intel equiped machine or a machine with an AMD 64-bit processor (eg: Acer 5025).
The laptop would be used for all sorts of applications: browsing, multimedia (playing, not making anything myself), the occasional game and from time to time some calculations (finite element modelling) although the latter is usually done on my PC at work.

Both seem to have their typical advantages:
- dual core: calculating power,
- AMD 64: being 64-bit and thus ready for 64-bit apps.
Are there any reasons to choose the one over the other and which one would you recommend?

Alex

PS: I have been molsty looking at 64-bit laptops, most of all the Acer Aspire 5025 and Acer Ferrari 4002, but I'm very open to other suggestions!

[J1mmyD]

I never thought to ask this question on here. I've been looking for something new (that has bloody good battery life, doesn't overheat or crash anywhere near as often as this Viao) and I've spec'ed one up on Dell. Asking an aquaintance who 'has some computer knowledge' he was absolutely scathing about the memory options Dell had. Really put me off the purchase. Can anyone look at this and tell me if it's good/bad/indifferent?

Church, this option isn't cheap at all ... but depending the Dell basic latops are starting at £500. Let's see what those in the know on here say.

Anyway, here's the specs:

Module Description Show Details
Inspiron E1505 Intel® Core™ Duo processor T2500 (2MB Cache/2GHz/667MHz FSB)
Operating System (Office software not included) Genuine Windows® XP Professional
LCD Panel 15.4 inch Wide Screen XGA Display
Memory 2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHZ, 2 DIMM
Video Card Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950
Hard Drive 100GB 5400rpm SATA Hard Drive
Network Card and Modem Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem
Adobe Software Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 6.0
Combo/DVD+RW Drives 8X CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability
Wireless Networking Cards Intel PRO/Wireless 3945 802.11a/g Mini Card (54Mbps)
Office Productivity Software (Pre-Installed) Microsoft Office Professional- Small Business Ed. plus Access database
Anti-Virus/Security Suite (Pre-installed) No Security Subscription
Primary Battery 85 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
Hardware Warranty SAVE $50 (after rebate) 4Yr Ltd Warranty, At-Home Svc, and HW Warranty Supt
Dell On Call Dell On Call, 30day, Getting started Assistance, unlimited incidents
Accidental Damage Protection (Except in Florida) Add CompleteCare Accidental Damage Service to 4Yr Lim Warranty
Dial-Up Internet Access 6 Months America Online Internet Access Included
Color Choice Cherrywood QuickSnap™ Cover
Enhanced Software for CD or DVD Burner Combo: Sonic DigitalMedia and MyDVD Plus (DVD+RW only)
Additional Battery 85 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Additional Battery
Mobile Broadband No Broadband Expresscard technology is available in the market now
Dell Recycling Free Recycling Kit
Operating System Re-Installation CD Genuine Windows® XP Professional re-installation CD
Dell Digital Entertainment Starter Entertainment Pack - Basic digital Music, Photo and Game experience

ACCESSORIES
Targus Universal Auto/Air Power Adapter Qty 1
Unit Price $70.00
Western Digital 80GB Dual-Option USB 2.0 Hard Drive w/Backup Software Qty 1
Unit Price $99.00
Kensington Flylight 2.0 Notebook Light Qty 1
Unit Price $14.00

TOTAL:$3,233.00

[roadsweeper]

OK, here are my honest, no-holds-barred opinions:

1. Go for the dual-core processor. 64-bit computing is still highly unsatisfactory since it is often difficult to obtain hardware drivers and, frankly, when yo udo get it working there are minimial advantages compared to a 32-bit system except for specialist applications. The performance of the dual-core processors is also stunning in common scenarios - I recently read an article claiming it was actually clearly better than Intel's flagship performance CPUs.

2. That's a good system, but why go for that level of performance components and then spec a 5,200rpm HDD? I specced a Dell laptop about 16 months ago and although a dual-core processor wasn't available then I went for the fastest of everything. I sacrificied 20GB of HDD capacity to get a 7,200rpm HDD which makes a big difference in regular use. Even with your 2GB RAM I still think the HDD speed could be a bottleneck for you and since you can get 300GB EHDDs for pennies these days I don't think losing 20GB is a big deal. Having said all that, maybe Dell aren't offering the 7,200rpm HDDs any more?

Cheers.

roadie.

[supersport]

Unless you are doing some serious kick ass work, 2GB RAM is a complete waste of time, and you don't need to be spending this kind of money to get the performance.

I use a lop top as my only machine, the same one for work and home and is used as development machine so runs MS Visual Studio and Net Beans and Office apps. It cost me £850 and runs an absolute dream. It was slightly cheaper as I work for a University, so we are able to get cheap kit.

Spec:
Toshiba Tecra A4
2GHz Processor
1GB RAM - even with Net Beans I still get around 3-400MB free RAM.
75GB Hard Disc - more than ample when not duel booting, and probably good for that too!

The things works an absolute treat and hopefully won't experience tha nasty memory slot faults that all of our previous vaio's suffered.

[roadsweeper]

supersport said:

Unless you are doing some serious kick ass work, 2GB RAM is a complete waste of time, and you don't need to be spending this kind of money to get the performance.

I agree with that. My machine runs 1GB of RAM and I hammer it like you wouldn't believe.

I'd sacrifice the extra 1GB of RAM in the spec posted (which is a truly top-end laptop) for a faster HDD personally.

[J1mmyD]

roadsweeper said:

supersport said: Unless you are doing some serious kick ass work, 2GB RAM is a complete waste of time, and you don't need to be spending this kind of money to get the performance. I agree with that. My machine runs 1GB of RAM and I hammer it like you wouldn't believe. I'd sacrifice the extra 1GB of RAM in the spec posted (which is a truly top-end laptop) for a faster HDD personally.

Thanks for your advice, folks.

I'll change the HD option - the faster drives are available with slightly smaller, but faster, ones available for the price of the one spec'ed.

The reason for chosing the larger memory was that the description gives it as 'shared'. To my mind that means both processors share the same RAM. If this is the case I thought it might need more memory to run efficiently ... am I wrong?

[roadsweeper]

Hmmm... shared RAM usually means the video card will be using some of it, but perhaps it does mean something different for dual-core processors? However, I can't imagine that's what it means as surely that would be blatantly obvious?
Anyway, make sure you have a decent video card specced. I have an ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 Pro Turbo since I have a 17" screen running WUXGA (1920x1200) and a 24" monitor running the same resolution. I presume you've gone for the smaller laptop screen for portability?

[supersport]

Since it has a dual core processor, it has two processors, but they share the main memory between them. This doesn't mean that they split it evenly down the middle and can only use that memory though. So even though you have 2 processors running simulataneously, you don't need to double the memory as well. You just get the ability to process two threads at the same time.

At the end of the day, you will only run the same apps and so require the same amount of memory, regardless of how many processors you have.

[J1mmyD]

Thank you, sir.

You've just explained that in half a dozen lines far simpler and more succinctly than the Dell sales rep did in half an hour. I actually understand it now.

[supersport]

You are absolutely welcome.

I am not convinced that salesmen really know what they are selling, hence those silly PC World adverst along the lines:

PCWorld: "New Intel blah with HT Technology"

Customer: (looking confused) "Oh, what is HT Technology"

PCWorld: (With knowing smile) "Its hyper threading technology"

Customer: (Looking relaxed and smiling) "Oh, brilliant now I understand"

[xiphias]

Also, pc world advertise new intel 370 processor and such forth. Being a bit of a for hardware and so forth, overclocking and stuff, even I don't know what that means. It's certainly not a reference to number of pins or anything! It took 3 sales assistants to find out whether the laptop the OH wanted had usb2 or not..

[Jinx]

xiphias said:

Also, pc world advertise new intel 370 processor and such forth. Being a bit of a for hardware and so forth, overclocking and stuff, even I don't know what that means. It's certainly not a reference to number of pins or anything! It took 3 sales assistants to find out whether the laptop the OH wanted had usb2 or not..

www.intel.com/products/processor_number/proc_info_table.pdf

The Intel 370 is only a Celeron M clocked at 1.5 Ghz