Basic question that I need a yes or no simple kind of answer to.  Is a laptop with a pentium 4 better than an athalon or centrino (sp)?  I am looking at laptops and I know I want at least 512 ram, 100GB hard drive, DVD player (not recorder), and have it be fast enough to search the internet without bogging down.  

I have found one like this or a little more with a pentium 4 that I think is a 2.8 or 3.0 speed.  Basically all I will use it for is internet, emails, and dvd player while I am remotely stationed.  It also has satelite internet capability installed and I am wondering if that will work in Korea?

No, The Centrino (Pentium M) is by far the best laptop processor you can get.  Clock for clock, it will annihilate the Pentium 4 and Athlon64 with ease.  And has better battery power.  Definately try to find a centrino laptop that you like, you wont be dissappointed.

Thanks.  I know what the terminology means but I don't know what specifics are better than others.  I always thought the pentium 4 with HT technology was the best?    Does it outperform the Centrino or just use less power from the battery pack?

Quoted: Thanks.  I know what the terminology means but I don't know what specifics are better than others.  I always thought the pentium 4 with HT technology was the best?    Does it outperform the Centrino or just use less power from the battery pack?

It might outperform some of the lower end centrinos, but not the faster ones.

The Pentium M (Centrino) uses a different architecture than the Pentium 4.  A 2.0 Ghz Pentium M will run circles around a 3+Ghz Pentium 4 all day.  

I wouldn't want another laptop with a Pentium 3 or 4 in it.
Too hot.  Just about boils the boys when it is actually used
on a lap.

Pentium M or Centrino are the ones to get.  Note that
Celeron is different than Centrino.

DanM

The Centrino Technology/Pentium M are P4 based, but designed for laptops to use less energy, which causes less heat, and uses less battery power. The whole idea behind the Centrino is that it was designed to work much better with wireless services, where laptops excel much better than desktops.

I would NEVER buy a laptop with ANY amd  processor.  JMO

Well I just went to the BX/PX and Best Buy to window shop and I was surprised that the Centrino processor laptops are $200-$300 cheaper than the Pentium 4.

I guess I am looking for a Centrino 2.0 Ghz with 512-1064mb ram, 80-150GB hard drive, that can handle watching DVDs and CDs, and accept my digital camera so I can email pictures home.

I guess I am looking at about $1000-1200 new.

The "M" will give better battery life; the full blown P4 will run hot in a laptop.

Quoted: The Centrino Technology/Pentium M are P4 based.

Wrong.  The Pentium M is based on the Pentium III version of the P6 core, just with a few more stanges in the pipeline.

The Pentium 4 is based on the entirely different Netburst architecture.