Core Duo vs. Pentium M in this scenario...???

[Crunch]

I had a T43p (Pentium M 1.86GHz) with 15" UXGA (so with IPS) for about a month, and then switched to the T60p for the Core Duo. When I had 1600x1200 pics loaded or desktop wallpaper in that resolution, I was simply S-T-U-N-N-E-D at the quality. I've said this before. It felt like I was PART of the environment that the picture represented when I had a shot of cliffs on the ocean as desktop wallpaper one time.

Soooooooo...As I would get a 2623-DDU only for the LCD, maybe I can get a T42p or T43p instead!? Please allow me to ask for your advice.

I can get the T42p's/T43p's 15" UXGA with one of the best Pentium M's for about $600 and $750 respectively, or I can get the a T60p 15" UXGA for about $1,500. Parts like HD capacity, RAM, etc. don't matter. I can get those for free. Please keep in mind that I will want to run Vista Ultimate on the machine I end up choosing.

So, if you had to choose between a T42p and a T43p, which one would you get?

Also, Pentium M vs. Core Duo. T42p/T43p vs. T60p. Let's say I get one of the fastest P M CPU's, and a medium type, such as the T2500 I have in my current T60p, what real-life difference should I expect?

This would finally resolve my wanting to get a backup PC as well as getting a UXGA LCD, as my Thinkpad is my office. I work in e-commerce and can't afford to be without a computer for even one day.

Thanks everyone!

[erik]

if you can find a 2623-DDU in new or excellent condition then i'd recommend buying it.   it gives you a newer/faster processor, newer/faster memory, SATA hard drive, 3GB max memory, better construction and layout (imo), longer warranty, an expresscard slot (although i believe the T43p has one), and can run vista better if you choose to use it.

the T43/p is known for having noise issues and, please correct me if i'm wrong, issues with hard drive upgrades because of a lock on the BIOS requiring IBM OEM hard drives.   if i were choosing between the T43p and T42p, i'd go with the T42p.   i had a T42p (2373-Q1U) for three years and it was a great thinkpad.

with that said, the decision really depends on what you need; a faster processor and SATA support or just a UXGA panel and any other hardware attached to it.   the T42p is still a respectable machine in terms of speed and usability.   the T60p, conversely, is newer/faster/better overall but costs twice the money.

[agarza]

I would recommend also the T42p, but bare in mind the T42p memory bandwidth would limit using Vista with the same performance as laptops that comes these days preinstalled with Vista.

Pentium-M's have good performance, go for the T42p

[sircas]

Ask your self, what am really wanting other than a backup /extra laptop!

Since you have a T60p 15", are you really looking at better graphics or wanting a Pentium M processor.

I would go with the T42 14.1" LCD (Pentium M 1.86GHz).

I have a Toshiba Tecra M3 (Pentium 1.86GHz) with the 14.1" LCD with nvidia.

My Toshiba (secondard machine field-office) has better graphics than my T60 14.1" (main Office)

Sircas

[ulrich.von.lich]

I just posted something like this but I want to let everyone know that T60p runs cooler, quieter and faster than T43. I don't have a T43p but from what I've heard it's even worse with a FireGL card. (max. temperature 95C)

T4 series is better looking IMO. Apart from that, T6 series is a much better choice. I'd recommend you to get the T60p because it has the potential to be upgraded and it's the last ThinkPad equipped with Flexview LCDs

[gunston]

I just posted something like this but I want to let everyone know that T60p runs cooler, quieter and faster than T43. I don't have a T43p but from what I've heard it's even worse with a FireGL card. (max. temperature 95C)

T4 series is better looking IMO. Apart from that, T6 series is a much better choice. I'd recommend you to get the T60p because it has the potential to be upgraded and it's the last ThinkPad equipped with Flexview LCDs

T42 runs cooler too~

[RonS]

Between the T42p and T43p, I'd get the T42p.

But still, I think the T60p with 15" IPS would still be better and more "future proof" for running Vista. That extra gigabyte of memory (2 on the T42p, 3 on the T60p) makes a world of difference for Vista.

[mattbiernat]

I just posted something like this but I want to let everyone know that T60p runs cooler, quieter and faster than T43.

really... i've read the opposite in here. For T43 you can use the fancontrol utility to keep the noise and heat down. For T60 you are stuck with constanly hot GPU and you can't do anything about it (unless you are willing to void your warranty).
Right now I moved out to Poland and my T60 runs cool thou (its colder here), but back in Cali the fan was always on, even with TPfancontrol.

[gunston]

here are the good information that i would like to share.
65nm Processor (Core Duo) and 90nm processor (Pentium M)

http://www.edn.com/blog/1690000169/post ... 1928555985

Please read the review.

[ulrich.von.lich]

really... i've read the opposite in here. For T43 you can use the fancontrol utility to keep the noise and heat down. For T60 you are stuck with constanly hot GPU and you can't do anything about it (unless you are willing to void your warranty).

I heard T43 was noisier and T60 was hotter. But I just found out the T60p was cooler, too. (and it's a performance model, which is supposed to run hotter than the non performance model) I don't know how to push the graphic card to its limits but I had played GTA San Andreas for several hours and the bottom of the machine only got "warm", while the T43 would get "hot". Though I didn't compare them in exact temperatures, the difference is noticeable.

The T60p's fan is always on but it's quiet enough to be ignored. I may have become more tolerant after having owned a T43 for more than 2 years. (It doesn't really bother me for the most of time. And I can always turn the fan off completely, and it idles at about 55C with lowered CPU speed)

Please read the review.

Thanks for sharing it. What are the soft errors they were talking about?

[zern]

My T43 definitely runs hotter than my T60p.

The move from a Pentium M 1.8x Ghz to a Core 2 Duo 7600 (2.2? Ghz) was pleasantly surprising. The dual core was significantly faster than the clock speed difference had me believed.

Same OS (XP Pro), same applications in use. The speed diff was particularly noticeable in Photoshop and Illustrator. And when running complex Excel macros.

If you do anything vaguely processor intensive I would suggest going for a dual core processor.

[pianowizard]

Please keep in mind that I will want to run Vista Ultimate on the machine I end up choosing.

The T60p runs Vista Ultimate much better than the T42p or the T43p. It also has the best built quality among the three.

If you were going to run Win XP, then I would recommend the T42p.