DMala |
Sleep is overrated
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Reged: 05/09/05
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Posts: 3989
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Loc: Waltham, MA
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Re: Which processor to choose?
12/01/13 07:09 AM
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> Hello all, > > Please forgive me in advance for the stupid question. I am getting a laptop this > December. I want to make sure I get the best laptop for my budget. MAME is my main > focal point. There are 2 that I have my eye on. Both are 4th gen I7, and both have > 8gb of ram. One has a native 2.4gb with turbo boost to 3.4gb. One is 3.2gb with turbo > boost to 3.4gb. Now my question is this: would I notice any performance differences > with MAME in regards to taxing games like Ridge Racer for example? Since they both > have turbo boost to 3.4, theoretically there would be no difference since MAME would > 'push' both computers to 3.4gb, right? Or am I wrong and should I go for the 3.2gb? > Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time.
If MAME is really the main focal point, you'd be better off getting a desktop. For the same money as a laptop, you can get a desktop with more speed/space/power. You'll have better/more powerful graphics options, as well as more display options (e.g. genuine arcade monitor, TV, PC CRT, 1080p flat panel, etc.). You'll also have an easier time connecting peripherals like arcade controls, trackballs, spinners, etc.
Assuming you need the mobility, or a laptop makes sense for other reasons... In ideal conditions, I would think the performance of the two machines would be the same. Reading up on Turbo Boost, though, it looks like there are conditions where Turbo Boost can be "denied", such as power or thermal limitations. In that case, the machine with the faster native clock will be the better performer. If the price difference between the two is huge, it might not be worth it, but I'd go for the faster native machine if the price is reasonable. As B2K24 says, there may also be other factors worth considering, such has hard drive space or graphics chipset.
As an aside, processor speeds are listed in GHz (gigahertz) not gb (gigabits).
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