Top 10 FAQs for Notebooks

As a student, we are told that there is no such thing as a stupid question. Yeah, right. Obviously the person who thought of that cliche never attended a debate between presidential candidates. Nonetheless, only by asking does real learning take place. Which is why we have our Ask Us forum.

However, there is only so many times we can answer the same "Should we get Windows or Mac" query before we start looking for a nice high-rise hotel to jump off. So before the streets are littered with the remains of poor CNET writers, take a look at the most commonly asked questions and see if you can find your insight here.

1. Dual core vs. single core

Q: Given the same application, will a single-core 2.0GHz CPU perform faster than, say, a Core Duo 1.86GHz CPU?

A: Unfortunately, it's not that simple. The performance depends on the type of application and how it was programmed. In order to take full advantage of the dual-core platform, the program must be written to permit multithread processing.

But even for single-thread applications, the faster 667MHz font side bus speed of the Core Duo chipset may give it an advantage over the older 533MHz FSB platform if the program involves frequent data transfer. However, for single-thread number crunching tasks, a faster single-core processor may trump a slower dual-core chip.

2. AMD Turion 64 x2 vs. Intel Core 2 Duo for a laptop

Q: I want to buy a laptop. Which processor should I pick? The AMD or the Intel? I'm an engineering student. I intend to use it for my school assignments as well as to play games like WoW or C&C.

A: Though some have reported that the Core 2 Duo chip performs faster and uses less power than an equivalent AMD processor, you will need to consider the graphics card as well. AMD laptops have the lead in terms of pricing. Hence, in the end, it may make more sense to select a Turion-based system with a discrete graphics card that costs as much as a Core 2 Duo portable with an integrated video chipset.

Whether desktop or notebook, the question of processor or RAM persists.

3. Processor speed vs. RAM

Q: Simply put, which is better? Should I go for an Intel Duo Core processor 1.6GHz or 1GB RAM?

A: On the technical level, applications which involve massive amounts of computing power, like scientific calculations or physics computation, would love a faster processor. Programs that need to frequently transfer large amount of data from the hard disk, such as database maintenance or file transfers, will benefit from more RAM.

Of course, gaming and multimedia editing are processor and memory intensive tasks that will benefit from increasing both clock speed and RAM.

On the retail level, go for a system with a faster processor. You can always upgrade the RAM with third party options later, but your warranty may mean you are stuck with whatever processor you choose at the point of purchase.

4. What is HyperMemory? TurboCache memory?

Q: I'm getting confused with all these laptop specs. I'm inclined to buy a laptop with dedicated video memory, not just shared (example, Intel GMA).

What if it's just written like this: "ATI Mobility Radeon X1400 with 256MB HyperMemory." Does it mean ALL the 256MB memory is just shared? No real dedicated video memory?

A: HyperMemory and TurboMemory are features of discrete graphics cards to boost video RAM by taking memory from system RAM. However, discrete graphics memory is still much faster. Hence, the more a video card has, the better it will perform (assuming both are the same card). You got it right with the example of the ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 GPU.

In the case of the X1400 card example, it simply means the specification did not state the amount of discrete memory, though in the case of ATI HyperMemory it's normally in the ratio of 1:1.

5. Improving battery duration

Q: I have a Fujitsu LifeBook N6410. It has low battery life and I was wondering if I could do anything to improve the battery life like maybe reducing the LCD screen brightness and so on? If possible, please tell me how.

A: Reducing screen brightness is a start. You might also want to turn off wireless devices such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when not in use. Another power drain is the optical drive. Instead of accessing files off a CD, copy them to your hard disk and work from there.

Fujitsu also offers a second battery that can be swapped with the optical drive for longer uptime away from the outlet. You can check with your local distributor on the price and availability of this option.

Remove the battery if you always keep the notebook plugged in.

6. Problems with always plugged battery?

Q: I have a VAIO FE690-P08 and its battery is always connected while I use the AC adaptor. Does it harm the battery?

A: Though most modern batteries will go into trickle mode when it reaches close to 100 percent charge, the Lithium-ion cells will still continue to heat up and result in a shortened lifespan. It is advisable to remove the battery if the notebook is hooked into the power socket for extended periods. If you wish to store the power cell for a long time, it should be discharged to 40 percent capacity as this will prevent the cell from deteriorating over time.

7. HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray

Q: Can we watch HD-DVD in a Blu-ray drive or a Blu-ray disc in an HD-DVD drive? Are both the same?

A: Unfortunately, both formats are incompatible with each other, so you need a dedicated Blu-ray or HD-DVD player to read respective discs.

Update: Recently a hybrid drive for the desktop which can read both standards was announced and HP's latest desktop may be the first to incorporate it. We are sure that, in time, this hybrid optical hardware will turn up in portables as well.

8. Vista vs. XP

Q: Do I need to be apprehensive in any way as far as Vista is concerned? Have read about problems in it like instability, etc., and in compatibility with previous versions of MS Office.

Is it prudent to go for the laptop with Vista and then have the OS removed completely and install MS XP? I just want a stable system that works always. I travel a lot and I will not be able to afford any OS instability during my customer presentations, etc.

A: Changing the OS from Vista to XP does not require a BIOS update. However, check if Windows XP drivers are available for the model you are eyeing.

Frankly, unless you want to use the advanced features in Vista or have purchased MS Office 2007, you will do better to have Windows XP installed instead. Though Vista is able to run most XP applications, there are reports of bugs which still need to be worked out in Vista. Moreover, some offices have VPN or other software written specifically for the XP platform.

Apple's Boot Camp can handle the 32bit version of Vista.

9. How to run Windows Vista on MacBook?

Q: How to run Windows Vista on MacBook?

A: You're in luck. The latest Boot Camp 1.2 supports installation of Windows Vista on a dedicated partition. You can download the application from Apple's Web site.

However, note that though your MacBook may have a 64-bit Core 2 Duo chip, Apple's program allows you to only install the 32-bit version of Vista. Also, make sure your system meets the minimum requirements of the Vista operating system.

10. Windows or Mac OS?

Q: I've seen many articles about both these OSes and I seem to not be able to make up my mind which one to choose to get. I am a long-time Windows user but I wonder if the Mac OS is better?

A: That is a little like asking which is better, chocolate or strawberries? Both operating systems have their pros and cons, with rather different interfaces. Suffice to say, on the consumer level, both OSes offer equivalent applications. However, certain business programs like VPN software may only be available on the more widespread Windows platform. On the other hand, Mac comes not only with OS X, but also iLife that offers increased functionality.