Buy now or later?

Buy it when you absolutely can't wait.

For me, I was going to get one last month, but I do not need it until Septmeber so, I'll wait til mid to late August.

Keep in mind that prices rise during back-to-school season.

I agree completely.

Im in the same boat. I am waiting tell the last minute to buy so that I can get the best deal for the best tech. I am using that time to gain as much knowledge about the latest technology as I can so that my purchase is the best for the money and fits my needs.

First off, you won't see any mobile dual core processors coming out before school starts, and as of now, there are only slim benefits in choosing a 64-bit processor. In fact, 64-bit optimization probably won't happen for a few years... afterall, I'd say 95% of computer owners have 32-bit processors. That being said, the Pentium-M has shown better performance in gaming, and the Turion (AMD's mobile 64-bit processor) has shown an aptitude in workstation performance. Where each is better, there is quite a gap.

As for your plight? The current TUrions will serve you well, as they've shown strength in 2D/3D creation. Waiting out for dual cores will easily push you past this school year, and even if they were to come out tomorrow, they would be power hogs. I've posted these benchmarks in several threads already, but here's the benefits you'll be getting:

http://www.gamepc.com/labs/view_cont...urion64&page=1

By the time 64-bit computing becomes mainstream, you'll likely be needing a new laptop anyway. Like I said, however, the dual cores won't be out anytime soon, and they'll be converted over just like the Pentium 4 was--they're not going to be Turion X2s or Pentium-M Dual Cores, they're going to be desktop processors in a laptop.

So look at those benchmarks and decide what you're going to be doing. I'm also going into engineering (CS or CE), and I can tell you right now, it won't really matter what processor you go with... the Turion and the Pentium-M will serve you well, but the Pentium-M will benefit games.

Well said Red although I dont think the difference between the AMD and the P-M in gaming will be enought to really make a difference.Graphics cards and RAM have a much larger effect on game play.

If you are playing the now or later game, you will confuse yourself for life.

Buy only when you have the need to use it and a valid reason to use it. Technology waits for no one.

Copy and paste from what I wrote in another thread...

"64bit computing is almost upon us, but do not get the idea that it will wipe out 32bit overnight. Longhorn is slated to come out around holiday season 2006, if it hits no more roadblocks. That will really the beginning of your 64bit 'revolution'. By 2007 you'll have more but not all your new systems sold with 64bit enabled. Reasoning? You don't move to a whole new level of computing in 1 year. There's always several years in between which both are equally viable. If you want the benefits of 64bit right when it is available, then by all means grab a Turion or something. But to be honest, I see dual cores doing much more for performance than 64bit (in our market at least, servers and such are different) in the near future."

As for dual core, the first one that will be actually somewhat mobile would be the Yonah laptops due out in early 2006. They'll be quite an improvement if you do a lot of 3D work/multitasking. Should make overall system performance a little more responsive. If you're not in need of a laptop right now, by all means wait. But if you do need a laptop, then get what you can today. That's what I did. I wanted 64bit/Dual core/etc, but since I needed it now, I got the best I could afford that would last me as long as I could possibly make it. Obviously new things are bound to come down the pipeline. That is the way of technology. You can't catch the crest of every new tech wave. Otherwise, you'll be switching out laptops every 6 months. Just not very practical.

64 Bit isn't going to have the majority untill at least 2007, and that is being generous, especially with 99.9% of computer users having no reason to make the switch

Thats true, but for people going to school and who are going to be working on the next generations of software and hardware I think its a better Idea to be on the cutting edge. Meaning if you are working on a CS or CE degree then learning 64 Bit now is a good idea,

Do you think, then we will be able to put Yonah processors to our Centrino/Sonoma systems, or we will had to replace whole lappy?

They're probrably different chipset...

Unless you want to modify it yourself, then it's probrably a no go

It's a totally different chipset with the Yonah actually running on a 667MHz FSB and will not be compatible with the Alviso chipset. It will use the Napa chipset (i945PM/GM).

Will Yonah be extremely expensive when it comes out? I've heard a lot about it, but not prices, and I'd like to get a laptop in January. If Yonah does come out by then, I would like to have it, but if it's going to cost me over $2000 just to get a laptop with Yonah, it's not worth it. I was thinking about the 600m or the 700m anyway, so it's not like Yonah is going to do anything for those systems or their replacements. Dual-core with a bad video card just seems like a waste. Am I right?

Yonah will be replacing the Dothans at the same pricepoints. You can expect to lose a bit of raw MHz, but performance will be improved nonetheless for the same price. Here's a chart that will be probably how the Dothans will be replaced.

1.67GHz Yonah -> 1.86GHz Dothan
1.83GHz Yonah -> 2.0GHz Dothan
2.0GHz Yonah -> 2.13GHz Dothan
2.17GHz Yonah -> 2.26GHz Dothan

So essentially the 2.17GHz should take over the $650USD price point with each successive speedgrade down netting you some savings with the 1.67GHz coming in at around $240USD which is what the 1.86GHz Dothan will be priced at after the price cut coming up in late July.

Wait, so what happens to the Sonomas? As far as I know, the only Dell systems using Dothan still are the 700m and the 600m. The lower-end systems are probably using Dothan, but I have no idea, as I don't look at the lower-end systems. I'm glad to know they will be around the same price, though. Now if they come out before January, I'll be happy.

Actually, to be more correct, dual core will only be benefitcial to those who do application such as photoshop, etc.

They are able to take advantage of dual core.

However, gaming the dothan will be faster due to the higher speed.

There is an Article in the latest PC MAG i just read that talk s about it.

Remember now, Dothans are CPU core revisions. No matter if it's 400MHz FSB or 533MHz FSB, they're both using Dothans. What you really mean is the chipset, either i915 or i855.

Nope. That's not what I meant at all actually. Yonah has several core enhancements over the Dothans we currently have that will improve performance, clock for clock. Yonah (for the most part) will be faster than the Dothan even if the app is not multithreaded.

Improvements include SSE enhancements and a boost to the FPU abilities of the Dothan which were weaker points of that chip. It should prove to be a much better rounded chip than Dothan.