Pertinent PC Processing Power Petition.

Beest · 11-30-2010, 12:29 PM

On the hunt for Laptops for toe of the family, but the essential question is the same, is cheap going to be quick and nasty.
Being value minded I'm looking at low price, but don't want crappy that's age fast and be a burden.
There seem to be some good deals around now, I guess competing for that Xmas market.

I've lost track of processor progress, are the new processors i3 (2.4GHz 3MB Cache), so much better than the the previous Pentium T4500 (Dual Core 2.3GHz/800MHz FSB, 1MB Cache)or even I see a lot of budget laptops with Celeron 900 (2.2GHz/800MHz FSB, 1MB Cache).

For Monster one of the big issues is that her battery doesn't hold charge, a new one is going to be ~$100, and her screen has several lines, so time for a new one. She's not playing 3D intensive games or editing video, but hse may have 3 or 4 explorer windows with 5+ tabs in each open, plus Quickbooks, Excel etc.
What parameter is key to keeping all these balls in the air, processing speed, multiple cores, cache or memory.

Daughter is earning through babysitting, swim coaching assistant type jobs, currently she's email and web surfing, High School is on the middle distant Horizon. Going cheap will get her what she wants sooner, but I'd like to recommend something that's going to be value for her hard earned moolah and last into those early high school years.

monster · 11-30-2010, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beest

High School is on the middle distant Horizon.

September is not "middle distant horizon". It's up close and personal. Just saying /earthtodaddydaughtersallgrowedup

Pete Zicato · 11-30-2010, 01:10 PM

Been there.

"Dad we need to go to <local high school> tomorrow night."
"Why?"
"It's orientation. It's kind of required if you want me to go there in September."

An actual conversation in our house 4 years ago.

xoxoxoBruce · 12-01-2010, 03:03 AM

Teenage girl not wanting to upgrade soon? By high school she'll want to upgrade parents.

BigV · 12-01-2010, 10:36 AM

Meanwhile, back at the original question....

The answer is RAM. Also connection speed for internet activities, but this is outside the boundaries of laptop specifications. There is no web page on the internet that you would want to live through that can make any modern processor break a sweat. Same goes for word processing, light bookkeepping, etc.

As for Daughter... I have been through this one too. You correctly identified the two choices, cheap/replaceable versus expensive/long-service. In my experience, getting something NOW that is CHEAP (not a Toshiba though... personal bias) is a better route. It is extremely difficult to predict what the student's needs and expectations will be a couple years from now. This difficulty is compounded by the fact that a couple years will reveal great changes in your daughter and even greater changes in the technology available. Picking something now that will be a good fit in two or three years is very tough.

It is made easier by spending more, true. But this brings me to the next reason why I suggest cheap/replaceable. The kids are *hard* on the equipment. "Oops" could be the sound you hear juuuuust before you have to reach for your wallet again. Liquid damage. Falls and drops. Setting the backpack on the back of the screen. Lost it / had it stolen. The list goes on and on. Unless you're getting a specially ruggedized machine (they exist, but cost more, and offer no extra protection against being lost or stolen), having a delicate piece of gear last three years in the hands of a kid that didn't pay for it with their own money (and would therefore have a greater interest in protecting it) is practically begging for trouble. If, not when it breaks, you want the replacement/repair to cost the least possible. And while it is not broken, it will be complained about (no matter how much you spend) eventually "My computer is so slooooow!"

Next point. Whatever you get, also buy the protection plan. A rule of thumb for this is (for inexpensive gear like this) to expect to pay up to half the cost of the machine for a three year warranty. This won't prevent complaints about it being slow, but when they break it, at least you'll have a backup plan.

Wow... what a windbag. Good luck. I've been through this with three kids and even more computers. If I did it again, I'd do it this way. Just like their first car, it's gonna suffer. I'd like to pay the least possible for that sacrifice.

xoxoxoBruce · 12-01-2010, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Wow... what a windbag

Not really, you covered a lot valid turf.

Beest · 12-03-2010, 01:12 PM

some good points to consider BigV, I was talking with a friend who has teenage kids and the 'spend as little as possible since they'll only lose/break it anyway' argument resonated with him too.

I'm beginning to accept that Laptops are pretty much dipsoable on a 3 year cycle, trying to spend a little more on a faster processer to get a longer life is a fallacy since the battery will go, posibly the screen, keyboard get damaged etc. anyway. sigh.

So for daughter somehing basic will be fine, she will principally be buying with her own money anyway, another summer of odd jobbs will put her well in the market.

For monster, I don;t hink any mere silicon, processor can mutlitask like she can, how are those quantum computers soming along?

monster · 12-09-2010, 08:55 PM

you smooth-talking sob

11-30-2010, 12:29 PM	#1
Beest Adapt and Survive Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Ann Arbor, Mi Posts: 957	Pertinent PC Processing Power Petition. On the hunt for Laptops for toe of the family, but the essential question is the same, is cheap going to be quick and nasty. Being value minded I'm looking at low price, but don't want crappy that's age fast and be a burden. There seem to be some good deals around now, I guess competing for that Xmas market. I've lost track of processor progress, are the new processors i3 (2.4GHz 3MB Cache), so much better than the the previous Pentium T4500 (Dual Core 2.3GHz/800MHz FSB, 1MB Cache)or even I see a lot of budget laptops with Celeron 900 (2.2GHz/800MHz FSB, 1MB Cache). For Monster one of the big issues is that her battery doesn't hold charge, a new one is going to be ~$100, and her screen has several lines, so time for a new one. She's not playing 3D intensive games or editing video, but hse may have 3 or 4 explorer windows with 5+ tabs in each open, plus Quickbooks, Excel etc. What parameter is key to keeping all these balls in the air, processing speed, multiple cores, cache or memory. Daughter is earning through babysitting, swim coaching assistant type jobs, currently she's email and web surfing, High School is on the middle distant Horizon. Going cheap will get her what she wants sooner, but I'd like to recommend something that's going to be value for her hard earned moolah and last into those early high school years.

11-30-2010, 01:10 PM	#3
Pete Zicato Turns out my CRS is a symptom of TMB. Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Chicago suburbs Posts: 2,916	Been there. "Dad we need to go to <local high school> tomorrow night." "Why?" "It's orientation. It's kind of required if you want me to go there in September." An actual conversation in our house 4 years ago. __________________ Talk nerdy to me.

12-01-2010, 03:03 AM	#4
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Teenage girl not wanting to upgrade soon? By high school she'll want to upgrade parents. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

12-01-2010, 10:36 AM	#5
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	Meanwhile, back at the original question.... The answer is RAM. Also connection speed for internet activities, but this is outside the boundaries of laptop specifications. There is no web page on the internet that you would want to live through that can make any modern processor break a sweat. Same goes for word processing, light bookkeepping, etc. As for Daughter... I have been through this one too. You correctly identified the two choices, cheap/replaceable versus expensive/long-service. In my experience, getting something NOW that is CHEAP (not a Toshiba though... personal bias) is a better route. It is extremely difficult to predict what the student's needs and expectations will be a couple years from now. This difficulty is compounded by the fact that a couple years will reveal great changes in your daughter and even greater changes in the technology available. Picking something now that will be a good fit in two or three years is very tough. It is made easier by spending more, true. But this brings me to the next reason why I suggest cheap/replaceable. The kids are hard on the equipment. "Oops" could be the sound you hear juuuuust before you have to reach for your wallet again. Liquid damage. Falls and drops. Setting the backpack on the back of the screen. Lost it / had it stolen. The list goes on and on. Unless you're getting a specially ruggedized machine (they exist, but cost more, and offer no extra protection against being lost or stolen), having a delicate piece of gear last three years in the hands of a kid that didn't pay for it with their own money (and would therefore have a greater interest in protecting it) is practically begging for trouble. If, not when it breaks, you want the replacement/repair to cost the least possible. And while it is not broken, it will be complained about (no matter how much you spend) eventually "My computer is so slooooow!" Next point. Whatever you get, also buy the protection plan. A rule of thumb for this is (for inexpensive gear like this) to expect to pay up to half the cost of the machine for a three year warranty. This won't prevent complaints about it being slow, but when they break it, at least you'll have a backup plan. Wow... what a windbag. Good luck. I've been through this with three kids and even more computers. If I did it again, I'd do it this way. Just like their first car, it's gonna suffer. I'd like to pay the least possible for that sacrifice. __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

12-09-2010, 08:55 PM	#8
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	you smooth-talking sob __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

12-03-2010, 01:12 PM	#7
Beest Adapt and Survive Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Ann Arbor, Mi Posts: 957	some good points to consider BigV, I was talking with a friend who has teenage kids and the 'spend as little as possible since they'll only lose/break it anyway' argument resonated with him too. I'm beginning to accept that Laptops are pretty much dipsoable on a 3 year cycle, trying to spend a little more on a faster processer to get a longer life is a fallacy since the battery will go, posibly the screen, keyboard get damaged etc. anyway. sigh. So for daughter somehing basic will be fine, she will principally be buying with her own money anyway, another summer of odd jobbs will put her well in the market. For monster, I don;t hink any mere silicon, processor can mutlitask like she can, how are those quantum computers soming along?

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)