On 05/11/2010 07:11 PM, Warp wrote:

>    I haven't really followed CPU design all that much, but I have the notion
> that laptops use special versions of desktop CPUs which consume less power
> and need less ventilation (because that's kind of mandatory in a laptop)
> at the cost of being less efficient than the desktop counterpart of the
> same CPU.

Yeah, laptops have several conflicting design constraints. Users want 
the fastest, most powerful CPU and the biggest baddest GPU and stacks of 
RAM and the fastest HD and the biggest, brightest LCD. But they also 
want the batteries to last for 8 hours straight without recharging. And 
they want it to be small, and light. And not get hot. And be quiet.

Obviously, more CPU power = shorter battery life. And more heat. You can 
have more fans and make it louder, or you can have fewer fans and roast 
somebody's lap. Craming stuff into small spaces is also hard, especially 
if it gets hot.

Jesus, I'm glad I don't design laptops! >_<

So yeah, the best desktop will out-perform the best laptop, and if you 
have a desktop and a laptop of the same performance, the laptop will be 
far, far more expensive. (But not as expensive as a Mac, obviously.)

>    Of course that doesn't mean that the fastest laptop CPU today isn't faster
> than the fastest desktop CPU of 5 years ago.

Sure.

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
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