Is it worth upgrading from a X21 to a X24?

[atx-88]

I own a very nice X21 that I use when I am out of the house or when travelling. It has served me well but is a little pokey with XP and got me thinking whether it would be worth upgrading to an X24. The main attraction of the X24 for me, aside from the affordibility, is the extra capacity for RAM since an X21 can only run 384 MB if I remember correctly. I usually need at least 512 MB RAM to get XP to run the way I like. Would an X24 with 512 Megs be a worthwhile upgrade over an X21 with 384 MB or do I need to jump to the X30 series to make it worth my time? On a different level, I really like the rubberized feel of the X20 series and am not a big fan of the X30 plastic but you can't have everything, right?

[rkawakami]

From personal experience, I can compare an X22 (800Mhz) with an X24 (1.13Ghz) with one adjective: "hotter". The 24 is significantly warmer even when idling. While the jump in processor speed and maximum memory (640MB) would give XP a boost, you might want to consider skipping the X24 and going with the X31 (the X30 still uses the same PIII-M as the X24). That means you'll be getting a Pentium M, maximum 2GB of memory and USB 2.0. But as you say, one of the drawbacks is the price increase that the X31 seems to command. I don't have an X31 (yet) so I can't vouch for it's performance (or temperature). Maybe somebody with chime in with their thoughts on the X31 vs. an X2 system.

As an aside, the 800Mhz X22 I have running XP (with 384MB) doesn't seem all that bad. What are the specs of your X21 (CPU speed and HD speed) and what kinds of programs are you running?

[qviri]

Maybe somebody with chime in with their thoughts on the X31 vs. an X2 system.

My X31 is hotter than my X21 unless the CPU is undervolted (which is not hard to do in XP).

Hardware wise, I prefer X21's casing in all but two aspects: the lid and the hinges. The X31 has a more solid screen lid and I am unable to cause ripples by pressing on the back of it. This was not the case in X21. Also the X20 series' hinges are notorious for looseness. Lack of that made my X31 feel much more solid.

The performance jump is awesome, of course. More than twice the CPU power and USB 2.0 are hard to miss.

[Quattro]

I went from an X20 to an X24 to an X30 and now a X31. All significant jumps in performance. I thought the X30 had a more modern look and feel compared to the X24. I second the recommendation for the X31 though, cheap on ebay these days, and very quick.

[ajkula66]

I'd beg to differ. X31s perform well, but run A LOT hotter than their older siblings. And they're still commanding somewhat high prices...

If you want to jump that far, go to X40. You might be surprised by some of the deals you can get for these on fleabay.

As for X2 series, yes, X24 will run hotter than X21. But X2s are way more durable in my opinion than X3s for everyday (ab)use.

If I were on a budget, and needed an X series to bang around, X24 would be my pick, especially later ones with integrated wi-fi.

[underclocker]

It all depends on cost. The X22 was the first X to feel fast. This was due to the increased bus speed (133Mhz vs. 100Mhz) and use of Pentium III-m CPU's. I've had X20, X21, X22, X23, X24, X40 and X41's.

X22's were also available with internal wifi. X24's are very fast, but did run a little hotter than the X22 and X23's.

As far as the X2x line goes, the X23's are the most uncommon model (I think), but they are the fastest and coolest, I believe. Most run at 866MHz.

With any of the X2x's with internal wifi, a Broadcom b/g card will upgrade them to G speeds without any issues or need for the no-1802 hack.

As noted above, the X40's are now becoming available at excellent prices on eBay. For me, these are the ultimate X. They weigh nearly 1 lb. less than the X2x's and they have USB 2.0, Pentium M CPUs, plus they are noticably faster. Some are still under warranty.

I gave up a mint X24 when I picked up my first X40. At 2.7 lbs., there is no looking back.

So, for a nominal difference in cost, any X greater than the X21 is a good move. However, if the cost is significant, I'd hold out for an X40.

[pianowizard]

I agree that unless you can find an ultra cheap X2*, it's better to get an X40. It's not only much lighter than the X2* (the two X40's I had weighed 2.76 and 2.77 lbs), but also much smaller. The 4200rpm drive is a problem for some, but I personally didn't find it that bad. There are really only two things that I don't like about the X4*: 1) The hard drive makes frequent clicking noise; 2) The display resolution is only 1024x768. Of course, the latter is a limitation of the entire X series.

[underclocker]

1) The hard drive makes frequent clicking noise

A recent firmware update addressed this issue. Also, shutting off the APS software silences the drive completely. No more constantly parking heads.