Question about the Intel 'M' cpu.

Question

I'm either getting a new Alienware laptop or, the new Dell Gen II. The Alienware uses the standard pentium IV chip, running up to 3.6ghz.   The new Dell Gen II has the (M) chip running at 2.0 or, 2.13ghz.   Is there some drastic difference in chip architecture that allows the M to be rated at much less ghz but, have the equivalent processing power/speed at the regular p4?   I heard someone on these boards saying that M chips are the equivalent to much higher rated ghz on the p4 chips. Is that true?   Hopefully so, otherwise these new Dell gen IIs are quite a bit behind the Alienware's cpu. As far as the Gen II's being alot easier on the battery due to it's M chip, that's not something I care about.   When buying a gaming laptop, performance is king.

ejn63 · Answer

The Pentium-M is a much more efficient processor than the Pentium-4. Figure on a Pentium-M 2.13 running near a 3.4 GHz P4 overall, while producing far less heat, allowing much better battery life, and a small, cooler-running, likely longer-lived chassis than a desktop P4 in a notebook chassis (which is what the original XPS and Alienware systems use).

Before you buy from Alienware, I'd seriously check out their reputation, which is not the best - and the reputation of the Clevo notebook systems (Clevo builds the Alienware systems, along with others for third-tier brands like Sager-Midern).

jankerson · Answer

@Painkilller wrote:

I'm either getting a new Alienware laptop or, the new Dell Gen II. The Alienware uses the standard pentium IV chip, running up to 3.6ghz.

The new Dell Gen II has the (M) chip running at 2.0 or, 2.13ghz.

Is there some drastic difference in chip architecture that allows the M to be rated at much less ghz but, have the equivalent processing power/speed at the regular p4?

I heard someone on these boards saying that M chips are the equivalent to much higher rated ghz on the p4 chips. Is that true?

Hopefully so, otherwise these new Dell gen IIs are quite a bit behind the Alienware's cpu. As far as the Gen II's being alot easier on the battery due to it's M chip, that's not something I care about.

When buying a gaming laptop, performance is king.

You mean this one? http://www.alienware.com/product_detail_pages/Area-51m_7700/area-51m_7700_features.aspx?SysCode=PC-LT-AREA51-M-7700&SubCode=SKU-DEFAULT

It uses a Desktop CPU, not a Moble so Battery life will be very short at best and it's going to run VERY HOT in a Laptop case.

@Now The new Dell with the Pent M @ 2.13GHz (About 3.13Ghz In P4 Speed) will run cooler (That means less problems), battery life will be alot longer (From pretty much none With the Alienware to Good with the Pent M). The Pent M has 2mb L2 cache vers the P4's 1mb L2 cache.

In my opinion you will be ALOT better off getting the XPS 2, as it is a much better machine all around and you will have alot less iss and failures due to heat than with the Alienware.

fenderguitarguy · Answer

I think i saw somewhere on another post, you should add 1 ghz to a (m) chip to get the desktop  equivilent.

Painkilller · Answer

Thank you for the links!!!!!

RandyB · Answer

Well; for the first time in years, it looks as if Dell has finally come up with a winner. I just wish I had the $3000CDN to buy this beast! Judging by the specs alone; the Gen2 is competition for just about any desktop machine (high-end)!:smileywink:

NemesisDB · Answer

just my 2cents, but if it's not going to be a mobile machine at all I'd prefer the p4 -- they will generally be cheaper per the power they offer and one would hope that any high-end desktop replacement would be able to cool the thing adequetly (the original and bigger XPS for instance)

jankerson · Answer

@NemesisDB wrote:
just my 2cents, but if it's not going to be a mobile machine at all I'd prefer the p4 -- they will generally be cheaper per the power they offer and one would hope that any high-end desktop replacement would be able to cool the thing adequetly (the original and bigger XPS for instance)

You have a point there. I too Like my Moble P4 I have in my 5160, the Prescott really screams and keeps up or beats alot of the desktop CPU's in the tests I have done. :smileyhappy:

ATC7 · Answer

My only hesitation when it comes to the XPS2 is the fear that we're getting pretty close to finalizing XP64 and Intel has already moved all their desktop CPUs to include 64bit support. AFAIK the Pentium M does not support 64 bit code. So here I am ready to drop down nearly 4K (CAD) on a notebook that won't be supported by windows or software that will be coming out next year. That's a little concerning to me.   Is that on anyone else's mind at all? :smileyindifferent:

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