Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Computer lapetap questions

Posted on 08/16/2003 9:58:56 PM PDT by Commie Basher

Can anyone help with these questions?

ONE: Which laptop would likely be faster?

(1) IBM Thinkpad G40 with:

CPU: Pentium 4 3.0 GHz
RAM: 1 Gig
Graphics Card: Intel Extreme (which taps into the above RAM)
Harddrive: 4200 rpm

OR (2) IBM Thinkpad T40 with:

CPU: Pentium M (Centrino) 1.6 GHz
RAM: 512 Meg
Graphics: 32M 7500 Radeon
Harddrive: 5400 rmp

______________

TWO I've heard that CPUs are so fast, that anything over 1.4 GHz seems pretty much the same. The real bottleneck is harddrive speed. True?

_____________

THREE: I have a Toshiba Satellite 4080XCT which I bought in March 1999. It has a 6.4 Gig harddrive. Can anyone make a reasonable guess as to its rpm speed? I can't find it in the specs.


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: faq
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-45 next last
To: the_Watchman
The touchpad issue is another reason I'm favoring IBM. To date, all my Toshibas have used eraserheads rather than touchpads, although they've dropped that practice.

But IBM still has eraserheads on all its laptops.

For some reason, Toshiba calls its eraserheads "Accupoints" and IBM calls them "Trackpoints."

21 posted on 08/16/2003 11:29:31 PM PDT by Commie Basher
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: the_Watchman
I erase the page cache several times a day with Norton Clean Sweep. I realize I have a slow connection, a 56k dialup.
22 posted on 08/16/2003 11:31:04 PM PDT by Commie Basher
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Commie Basher
What is a "lapetop"?
23 posted on 08/16/2003 11:33:29 PM PDT by handk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Commie Basher
The bottleneck in web browsing is your connection speed, nothing else. You could use a 386SX and not know the difference. If your machine needs frequent rebooting, don't look for a machine that reboots gracefully, FIX THE PROBLEM!
24 posted on 08/16/2003 11:34:13 PM PDT by Still Thinking
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Commie Basher
When I use a laptop on the road, I always take a mouse. We have ours set up so that the mouse will override the touchpad.
25 posted on 08/16/2003 11:34:24 PM PDT by the_Watchman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: the_Watchman
That's funny to me....I've been using a touchpad for everything for so many years that I barely remember how to use a mouse. Just goes to show...each to their own.
26 posted on 08/16/2003 11:38:41 PM PDT by Buckwheats
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: Commie Basher
Do yourself a favor, get either a cable modem or DSL before you invest in a new laptop. You'll be amazed how fast pages upload, even on an older machine. Then you can focus on what you want to do for your laptop upgrade.
27 posted on 08/16/2003 11:42:59 PM PDT by BreitbartSentMe (Now EX-democrat!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Still Thinking
If your machine needs frequent rebooting, don't look for a machine that reboots gracefully, FIX THE PROBLEM!

My Norton Utilites finds no problems with my Windows 98, or anything else in my system. It's just Windows being Windows.

28 posted on 08/16/2003 11:48:22 PM PDT by Commie Basher
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Commie Basher
The trade-offs between hard disk, processor and memory depend on what you are going to use the computer for.

If you are creating video, I would not recommend anything less than a 7200 rpm drive. A lower speed drive just won't cut it. You'll also need a high end processor and at least 512M of memory.

If, however, you don't need to lay down a whole lot of data in a short amount of time to the drive, then a lower-speed drive would do. A good example of the second choice is doing still graphics like Photoshop. In a case like this, processor speed and memory are much more important than hard disk speed.

For most everyday operations like word processing and surfing the web, the most important element is memory. More memory just makes everything work a lot better, letting you keep multiple windows open at the same time, keeping the appliations from crashing, etc.
29 posted on 08/17/2003 1:17:06 AM PDT by The Radical Capitalist
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

WOO-HOO! FReeper Tech Questions!!!

What would be the best laptop that would run the soon-to-be-released DOOM III?

Alienware?

Dell?

30 posted on 08/17/2003 1:22:58 AM PDT by RandallFlagg ("There are worse things than crucifixion...There are teeth.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: RandallFlagg
The best would be whomeever comes out on Sept. 22 with a 2.4 ghz Athlon64 with a mobile radeon 9600Pro.
31 posted on 08/17/2003 3:04:44 AM PDT by Krafty123
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: Commie Basher
My son has a Dell laptop (don't know his specs, but they are comparable to mine). I have a Mac PowerBook G4 (550 MHg, 556 MB). My son says my computer is much faster than his and mine is slow compared to most PowerBook G4's. My husband's PowerBook, at 667 MHz and added memory is faster than mine.

Can't wait until Mac comes out with a Powerbook version of the G5. That machine will be awesome.

Go to a local Apple store and try a PowerBook G4 out. You'll be impressed.
32 posted on 08/17/2003 5:42:40 AM PDT by randita
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: wirestripper
I have a similar model: Inspiron 7500. Just don't expect any support from DELL; it took me almost two years to get them to correct their records identifying me as opposed to the original Canadian owner (Refurbished purchase.)
33 posted on 08/17/2003 5:56:46 AM PDT by SouthCarolinaKit
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Commie Basher
I clicked the thread solely to figure out what a lapetap was. :) I have no advice to give though.
34 posted on 08/17/2003 6:00:14 AM PDT by honeygrl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: The Radical Capitalist
A good example of the second choice is doing still graphics like Photoshop.

My Photoshop seems to take forever loading on a 4200 rpm hard drive. I've read that a step up to 5400 is noticably faster.

35 posted on 08/17/2003 6:01:15 AM PDT by Commie Basher
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Commie Basher
Never buy a laptop unless you absolutely need one. You are buying downward in performance because you have to trade performance for convenience.
36 posted on 08/17/2003 6:04:46 AM PDT by AppyPappy (If You're Not A Part Of The Solution, There's Good Money To Be Made In Prolonging The Problem.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Commie Basher
I wouldn't buy one unless I really needed mobility due to work related travel. They are too delicate. Screens are too small and they are always slower than desktops. The hard drives are always slower by 2,000 rpms. If I had to blow $700 I would go to Dell and buy a desktop with 17" LCD monitor.

Generalizations but this is how I see it.
37 posted on 08/17/2003 6:08:04 AM PDT by dennisw (G_d is at war with Amalek for all generations)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: randita
My son has a Dell laptop (don't know his specs, but they are comparable to mine). I have a Mac PowerBook G4 (550 MHg,

I've become more interested in getting a Mac. My wife wants a laptop and I'll likely get her one.
I am running a 1 yr old Dell, 2.2 gig w/ 512 mem so I won't be upgrading any time soon.
Now the question.
Can I network a Mac and a PC? Software would be a problem, wouldn't it?
My guess is that I would be better served by sticking to a PC until I upgrade , then going w/ a Mac.

Since we are on the subject... I've looked at HP, Compac, Sony, Dell. Won't buy Toshiba. Displays in XGA, SXGA, etc.
Anyone have a preference? Would be used for surfing, MINOR games ( no Doom, joystick stuff) and word processing.
My most important requisite is reliability.

38 posted on 08/17/2003 6:08:55 AM PDT by Vinnie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: Vinnie
I've got a network running with PC's and Mac's... I just use a wireless wi-fi network.
39 posted on 08/17/2003 6:36:34 AM PDT by Krafty123
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: Commie Basher
IBM is expensive. Go to this site and learn how to get ultra-cheap deals on Dell laptops and desktops. If I were in your shoes I would keep current laptop for travel and buy a desktop w/17" LCD.


http://www.gotapex.com/deals.php
40 posted on 08/17/2003 6:39:30 AM PDT by dennisw (G_d is at war with Amalek for all generations)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-45 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson