Anandtech tests six $600 notebooks

[DanceMan]

Test is here:http://www.anandtech.com/mobile/showdoc.aspx?i=2625

They had to buy them. The manufacturers make so little on these bottom end models they were reluctant to promote them by supplying review units.
They tested 3 Compaqs, including near identical models with Celeron M and Sempron, and a Dell and a Gateway. Alas no Acer.
Perhaps the most surprising result was the lack of any advantage in battery life for the Sempron with PowerNow against the Celeron M which lacks Speedstepping. It could be partly lower overall cpu power consumption and partly lower power consumption from the chipset. Which is why I'd like to see an Acer tested and see how much worse the SiS chipset is than the Intel. Acer's bottom end models use SiS chipset for both Cel M and Sempron. But they all seem to include wireless, unlike the Dell and Gateway tested.
Overall it's a very thorough test, as usual from Anandtech.

And that's five notebooks, but it will be six when Anandtech does a promised followup with the newly released low end model from Dell.

[Hoyle]

Compaq could do themselves a huge favor if they stopped using those fujitsu HDDs, IMHO. Comparing the Celeron M systems, there isn't a whole lot else that could account for the lower performance (since the platforms were all identical Centrino).

Perhaps the most surprising result was the lack of any advantage in battery life for the Sempron with PowerNow against the Celeron M which lacks Speedstepping.

I think that, with these low-speed CPUs, they are drawing SO LITTLE power to start with that other factors in the build are washing out the effects of throttling the CPU. The wireless solutions, for example, make a HUGE difference - making the difference in CPU power consumption pretty much moot.

Another thing to note is that Anandtech did a pretty poor job in one respect. They seem to think that these batteries are interchangable.

Did anyone notice that the Dell is using a (cheap, but totally obsolete) Nickle metal hydride battery? Think that might have something to do with it's lousey battery scores?!?

Compaq and Gateway were both using somewhat lighter, but much better 6 cell Lithium Ion batteries, but I'd guess Gateway is using a better battery with a higher amp hour rating. That's probably going to be a bigger difference than ANYTHING that happens inside them.

[ThreeOnTheTree]

Yeah, and I always recommend the 12 cell upgrade if you have the option. Mobility time almost doubles, making all but the hottest DTRs 4+ hour notebooks.