centrino help

[dv13]

was looking for a laptop with a 3.2 ghz processor..
but have found that the centrino's tho rated at like 1.4 ghz actually go at 2.4

can anyone explain this more in depth? I am confused..is this something like the amd + idea?

I had an inspiron 8200 1.6ghz P3 and it was way to sloow for what I do...digital photography... and that was why I was looking for a 3.2ghz.....and was not looking for a centrino as they only went to about 2ghz..am I reading this whole thing wrong? can someone explain or point me to a resource? thanks..t

[dv13]

what is the difference between a p4 3.2, an p4 M 3.2, and a centrino?
Is the centrino and the M not the same? is the M and the regular p4 3.2 the same? I am all mixed up now...thanks...t

[BoWevil_abx]

According to some of ther discussion threads here the Centrino processors are much faster (and cooler running) than their rated speeds would indicate. These same threads explained the difference between a p4 and A P4 M. I'll see if I can find the discussion threads.

Check these out.

Can someone explain Centrino to me?

Pentium M or Pentium 4M?

Pentium-M Centrino

[KingTermite]

Check the other threads that BoWevil posted, but quick answer is that no it is not a concept like AMD uses for processor naming. It uses a different architecture (e.g. not "pentium") which is apparently better because they get the same "performance" of higher clocked pentiums.

It's just how when pentiums first came out and people didn't understand why a P-60 (60 MHz) was faster than a 476 DX4 100 (100 MHz). A centrino outperforms pentiums of the same clock speed because of a better architecture.

The second benefit is that it seems to be an extremely low-power architecture. A laptop with a regular pentium processor would last about an hour, a Pentium-M (mobile) would last in the 2-3 hour range where centrino would last in the 5 hour or so range.

[bajo]

also, I'd go for the new centrino dothan, 2.0ghz/755chipset - much more power & 2mb l2cache(!), less power usage...

[dv13]

ok after researching and discussing here and elsewhere, I understand more about the centrino, M's and so on..
But a question still lingers and I just thought of how to phrase it so it comes out as I mean it to..



what are the, if any, performance advantages of the centrino 2.0ghz(I assume this is the dothan) over the P4 3.2ghz?
battery time, or the heat aside and I know the centrino uses 3 components and all of that.


I guess what I am asking is if you multiply the centrino by whatever factor, 1.4, or 1.6 to get the equivalent of the P4 model, let's say the 2.0 is the equivalent of a P4 3.3ghz, then why not call it a centrino 3.3ghz or p4 M 3.3ghz instead of a 2.0 ghz? there has to be some loss or something it can't do that the 3.2ghz p4 can or some reason it is called a 2ghz instead of 3.3ghz..HT aside...
And doesn't, (and if so, how) how much affect does the lower 400mhz FSB have vs the 800?
thanks..t

[yamawho]

Originally Posted by KingTermite

Check the other threads that BoWevil posted, but quick answer is that no it is not a concept like AMD uses for processor naming. It uses a different architecture (e.g. not "pentium") which is apparently better because they get the same "performance" of higher clocked pentiums.

It's just how when pentiums first came out and people didn't understand why a P-60 (60 MHz) was faster than a 476 DX4 100 (100 MHz). A centrino outperforms pentiums of the same clock speed because of a better architecture.

The second benefit is that it seems to be an extremely low-power architecture. A laptop with a regular pentium processor would last about an hour, a Pentium-M (mobile) would last in the 2-3 hour range where centrino would last in the 5 hour or so range.

I was wondering about the differences myself ... good post king

[Mark_Venture]

Originally Posted by dv13

....I guess what I am asking is if you multiply the centrino by whatever factor, 1.4, or 1.6 to get the equivalent of the P4 model, let's say the 2.0 is the equivalent of a P4 3.3ghz, then why not call it a centrino 3.3ghz or p4 M 3.3ghz instead of a 2.0 ghz? there has to be some loss or something it can't do that the 3.2ghz p4 can or some reason it is called a 2ghz instead of 3.3ghz..HT aside...

Well, intel has pushed and promoted using the REAL internal clock speeds (Hz or cycles per second) of the chip when naming/advertising them. So a 2.0Ghz Intel chip runs at 2.0Ghz inside no matter how it performs. Unlike AMD who has been using "processor ratings" which relate more to the chip's real world performance and then keeping the internal clock speed of the chip in the background of the ad.

So you can have two intel chips running at different (clock) speeds inside that get the work done about the same time frame. After reading about the P4 2.8C vs P4 2.8E, you would agree these are Both 2.8Ghz Pentium 4 chips, but we know their insides are slightly different (cache size, pipeline, etc) yet the results of bench mark testing show they perform differently. You would probably also agree that a Celeron running at a particular clock speed does not get things done as fast as a a Pentium 4 running at that same clock speed, right? But yet they are each described by their internal clock speed.

Because of the different internal design of the Pentium-M processor, it can do the same amount of work in the same time without having to work as "hard". So it can work with less cycles per seconds (Hz or clock speed), and get the same work done as the P-4M.

In the past, Intel dismissed and even spoke out against AMD's "processor rating" type description, but now they are now starting to see the light and will be chaning how they label their chips in the future. They are not exactly going to use the same way as AMD does, but they are going to rely less on actual internal clock speed when naming/numbering their chips.

[izibo]

also, it is worth noting that centrino actually refers to the chipset of the notebook... just like the intel 875 which is in the p4c800-e. the pentium M is the actual processor which can be used by the centrino chipset

[sammy2066]

its actually plain and simple .....

pentium 4 3.2Ghz = Desktop Chip in a Laptop with same power consumption = good performance but low battery life

pentium 4 -m 3.2ghz = handpicked pentium 4 3.2ghz procs which can do 3.2ghz @ a lower voltage thus reducing the heat dissipation and power consumption.

pentium - m centrino = very refined and efficient processor architecture + higher performance @ lower clock speed + lower heat dissipation

in short ...... pentium m can very efficiently do what you want to do .....

[KingTermite]

Originally Posted by sammy2066

pentium 4 -m 3.2ghz = handpicked pentium 4 3.2ghz procs which can do 3.2ghz @ a lower voltage thus reducing the heat dissipation and power consumption.

They aren't just the same as the regular processors hand picked that are able to operate at lower voltage. They are also different processors that are designed to run with lower power. It's the same processor.

[sammy2066]

ooh .... ok .... now i get it ...

thnx for enlightening me ..... Lord KT :wave2:

[KingTermite]

Originally Posted by sammy2066

ooh .... ok .... now i get it ...

thnx for enlightening me ..... Lord KT :wave2:

I just wanted to make clear that they are "designed" that way.

I also hear people sometimes think that companies like Intel and AMD made a CPUs that are the same and then "test" them to see what clock speeds they can support and label them that way.

This too is FALSE....they are "designed" for the clock speed they are run at...engineering is a science, not guesswork. They know before the chips are ever processed what clock speed they will run at.

[sammy2066]

ook ....

[pointreyes]

The procs to consider are the following at newegg:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...111-159&depa=0
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...111-160&depa=0

These are the Dothan cored procs. GamePC now has a review on the Dothan here: http://www.gamepc.com/labs/view_cont...othan20&page=1

Centrino is not really a processor, it's the Pentium-M 7xx series that are the Dothans. The P4 line that consist of the Northwoods and Prescott I believe will be the 5xx series.

I wonder what will be 666?