Pentium M versus Mobile Pentium 4-M

[csalsa]

I am trying to decide on which CPU I should look for in a new laptop. I am considering the performance between the Pentium M and the Mobile Pentium 4-M but I find the reviews comparing these two CPUs lacking.

In reviews that I have read, it is unclear if the Mobile Pentium 4-M is being clocked at the same speed as the Pentium M or at its full speed. Comparing with a Mobile Pentium 4-M clocked at the same speed as the Pentium M shows their comparative efficiencies but not their performance experienced by the end user using a laptop.

Can anyone assist or point me to good review between these two CPUs? I am interested only in performance for software development (mostly compiling/linking) and not battery life, laptop weight or for graphics or FPU.


From what I 'read-between-the-lines', a Pentium M (due to its more efficient architecture) has the equivalent performance of a Mobile Pentium 4-M clocked 50% faster than the Pentium M. I know Intel has just refined the Pentium M architecture in the Dothan CPU now just coming on to the market.

 

[Spitfire_x86]

Get Pentium M

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[P4Man]

Do I read you right: you are only interested in compilations speed and not in battery life, weight, ect ? First obvious question would be, do you really need a laptop ?

If you do, and really don't care about the above issues, I would choose a P4 over the Pentium M without thinking twice. It will be faster for the $ (assuming you run it mostly plugged into the AC), and faster overall. Also hyperthreading tends to help nicely reduce compile times.

An Athlon64 would be an even more interesting alternative though. If you use C++ .Net have a look here:
<A HREF="http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/print/prescott-tests.html" target="_new">http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/print/prescott-tests.html</A>. You'll notice even a cheap A64 3000+ matches or outclasses even the fastest P4's (including the 3.4 Extreme edition).

I also saw some Linux kernel compilation tests where the P4 had a slight edge over the A64, but can't find the URL anymore.

If you can wait a few weeks, Aces' should have an interesting review for you with lots of compilation benchmarks.

= The views stated herein are my personal views, and not necessarily the views of my wife. =

 

[Guest]

Laptop with a Mobile Athlon64 3000+/3200+ are about the same price as a Pentium-M 1.6/1.7 wich one would you guys suggest?.
I didnt find the P4-M VS P-M review lacking but I didnt find enough comparison betwen the Mobile 64 and the pentium-m.
Btw im waiting 1month or 2 before I buy my Laptop since dothan just got release I might end up grabing a 1.7 Dothan or if the price are too high, i'll just get a banias at lower cost... So Im just looking around right now but I like the Asus M6000 series they look like a good bang for the bucks.

Asus P4P800DX, P4C 2.6ghz@3.25ghz, 2X512 OCZ PC4000 3-3-3-8, Leadtek FX5900@450/875, 2X30gig Raid0

 

[P4Man]

>Laptop with a Mobile Athlon64 3000+/3200+ are about the
>same price as a Pentium-M 1.6/1.7 wich one would you guys
>suggest?.

Depends entirely what you expect from the notebook. The A64 will give you better performance for most things, but at the expense of battery life/weight. If you want a nice light notebook with excellent battery life and very good all round performance, I wouldnt look further than the PM. If performance is on the top of the list, and a reasonable price on number 2, the A64 looks quite a bargain.

= The views stated herein are my personal views, and not necessarily the views of my wife. =

 

[Guest]

Ok the thing is ill probably put some pretty performance and power hungry parts in it in it. Mobility 9600 maybe 9700 and maybe a 7200rpm hd too.
Now im not looking for a super long battery life but more than 2 hours would be nice hehe.
Anyhow thanks for the advice.

Asus P4P800DX, P4C 2.6ghz@3.25ghz, 2X512 OCZ PC4000 3-3-3-8, Leadtek FX5900@450/875, 2X30gig Raid0