Thinking About Laptop Computers (yet) Again
Sorry guys, forgery.
"Nick Brown" wrote in message
ups.com...
Robert Morein wrote:
You won't have that problem with a Centrino. CPU usage during capture is
virtually nil, the CPU throttles down to 600 mHz, and, in the case of the
CL-50, the whole laptop is either passively cooled, or at a fan speed so
slow I cannot be sure it is even running. Most of the time, a hand
against
the vent is inconclusive on that point. The CL-50 doesn't even get warm.
Centrinos have only one fan, for the CPU. However, a subnotebook such as
the
Asus does have a noisy fan, because it lacks the radiating area of a
larger
machine, and the heatsink is smaller. You can't be on top of the
performers
in a quiet location with a subnotebook.
Sadly, the laptop I'm typing this on demonstrates that the fact of a
Centrino processor doesn't guarantee silent operation. I'm sitting
about 3 feet from the laptop, in a very warm room with all the windows
open, listening to the airliner that's just gone rumbling overhead and
I can still hear the fan that runs constantly in my Dell 9300.
That machine has an Nvidia 6800 GPU. It uses a lot of power, and may be at
least partly responsible for the fact that your laptop's fan runs all the
time.
It's not
that it's particularly loud, but it's definitely there. It's a 1.4GHz
Centrino machine. Other than that and a potential issue with the USB
power that Mike and I have kicked around here before, I'm happy with
it.
I am not familiar with that issue. Inadequate?
I don't have experience of any other laptop for audio duties, but a few
more general comments on laptops:
-Toshiba Tecra M2. Solidly built, rather heavier than most of their
users would like. Very durable, with the exception of the internal
modems. The same characteristics apply to other members of the Tecra
family that I've seen and worked on. Not that it will concern Mike
greatly, but I'll add that from a UK point of view, the keyboard layout
is horrific.
We had a Toshiba that developed a GPU defect. Yours has a modem defect. Out
of six laptops in this household, this is the only defect we've had, and
Toshiba's warranty service failed to fix it and dumped it on us. I am not
impressed by weight in a laptop. Usually, this is the result of extensive
use of sheet steel inside. Durability in laptops is acheived by use of
carbon fiber composite, not weight.
- HP Evo (can't think of specific model numbers off the top of my
head). A real mixed bag, in some cases they're a long way away from
what Compaq Evos used to be - an 18 month old HP Evo has the
distinction of having the worst keyboard I've ever typed on. If I
hadn't seen it myself, I just would not have believed it was possible
to buy an HP with such a poor keyboard. You have to press really hard,
or else somtimes the kys just don't regiter at all. Apparently, it's
not a fault, because all they keys are that poor.
Interesting. Our Pavilion's keyboard is fine.
My conclusion is just what I'm sure you already know: buying unseen is
a gamble. I hope you get lucky.
Seeing it in a store doesn't help much either.
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