Laptop Upgrade, is it worth it

[Martin_89]

im thining about getting 2x 256MB sticks of PC133 laptop ram for my laptop. it currently has 2X128MB sticks and its running a little sluggish.

its running Windows XP Professional SP2 and usually has the following software running:

Symantec Antivirus corporate
MSN messenger
Wi-Fi Software
Winamp 5
1-3 Internet Explorer 6 windows
IBM Software for power management, hotkeys & Battery monitor.

so would upgrading from 256MB to 512MB make it worth it at the current prices for SD Ram?

[jimbo1763]

I went from 256 to 384 with PC133 on my Toshiba laptop, and to be truthful I cannot tell you that I notice any difference at all, and I run about the same load that you do.

I run W2K, not XP, for whatever the difference there may be.

[DanceMan]

Given the price of the ram, unless you can find a screaming deal on used PC133 sodimms, I'd be more inclined to back down to W2K. The cost of the ram relative to the value of the older laptop is the issue.

[Dr. Data]

Well while we are on the topic, how about upgrading my 512 to 1024 for $179.00??

I hear that with the A64s on die low latency memory controller, that extra ram can almost be used as a giant cache for games...

True or no??

[Martin_89]

well i ran 2000 on it a couple of months ago and to be honest i found it slower!

see i posted this because on a desktop you see their is lots of HDD activity etc and you can tell a RAM upgrade is needed but on the laptop it seems ok, theirs alot of hdd activity when windows is loading the desktop, would extra ram help this? or would i be better with a 5400RPM 8MB cache samsung hard drive for it? as it currently has a 4200RPM IBM TravelStar

their is also the option of a CPU upgrade, it currently runs a PIII-M 800MHz / 256KB L2 / 100MHz bus and it can support up to a 1GHz PIII-M but only the ones with 100MHz bus as 256KB K2 cache would that be a better idea going the 200MHz extra, which when you think of it is an extra 25% CPU power

[jimbo1763]

I don't think that you are going to get much bang for the buck (or pound, in your case!) from a RAM or a CPU upgrade.

I have myself thought about getting a new HDD with higher rpm's to improve things, but like DanceMan says, it is a question of cost-justification on an older laptop, and I have not been able to justify it to myself.

[DanceMan]

Around here the Samsung Spinpoint M 5400rpm 8Mb drive is relatively cheap. Only 1 year guarantee. It better be reliable, cause I've bought two of them. Review of it here.

I'd be inclined to do the hard drive first. I'm surprised to hear you thought 2K was slower. I hear the boot process is faster in XP. Is this what you're basing that perception on?

[Martin_89]

i know what you mean, i remember when i replaced my 5400RPM Seagate 40GB HDD in my desktop with the 60GB 7200RPM ExcelStor i was blown away with the performance gains so im thinking about going for the hard drive, also the power consumption of the Samsung 5400RPM is the same if not slightly better than my IBM drive.

it is an old laptop (about 3 years i think), but its still great, does anything i want it to do, is the lightest and thinest laptop ive ever used so i think spending a little more for some more performance is worth it.

[Leoslocks]

Well, spend a little extra and get this IBM/Hitachi Travelstar 60GB 7200RPM 9.5MM 8MB Buffer 2.5" Notebook Hard Drive: 08K0939

I have an old Gateway mmx200 with 384 ram in it running W2K. I was considering this jewel till I can afford a new laptop. I think my money will stay in my pocket till I get a new laptop.

[DanceMan]

Here in Vancouver, that Hitachi would be $249Cdn vs. $96 for the Samsung, which will be quieter, cooler and draw less current. The much lower cost of the Samsung makes the upgrade for an older laptop more viable.

[Martin_89]

ahh yea i bassed that on the boot up sorry forgot to mention that.

and yes i did look at 7200RPM drives but this laptop has wi-fi and i like to use it in the garden when its nice during the summer or downstairs, thats why i got a new battery for it.

plus with the laptop being 3 years old i dont know if its bios would recognise a 60GB drive ( i know it recognises a 40GB)

[DanceMan]

ahh yea i bassed that on the boot up sorry forgot to mention that

I do think you'd notice a bit of an improvement after startup with 2K because of leaner ram usage. If you put a new drive into it, it might be worth giving it a try, though plowing through all the updates for 2K is a royal pain, and just ghosting your XP over would be far easier.

[Martin_89]

well if i remember 2k wasnt much faster when in windows thats why i put XP back on.

plus, is their many updates after SP4 because my disk has SP4 slipstreamed.

[DanceMan]

Originally posted by Martin_89
is their many updates after SP4 because my disk has SP4 slipstreamed.

Are there many? Well over 20 at last count.