custom building a laptop, need help with cpu

[nitrag]

Okay so i am building a laptop for college next year(more like choose parts and this company builds for me). I decided i need a reliable computer that can handle all apps with a good speed (intel based) but i want it to replace my desktop so it would need to be able to handle games with decent graphics settings (amd based). Also i want it to be able to handle for the next 4 or more years, nothing that will go obsolete. All the pc's have similar config and all have mobile radeon 7000

But i need help choosing between:
1) AMD 64 3400+ @ 81.5W (good for gaming, killer on battery, little hotter than P4, prob faster?, whats 81.5w mean?)
2) Intel Centrino 755 Dothan(don't know much about so i might not cosider...little more expensive)
3) Intel P4 3.2ghz prescott ( killer on battery, probably well rounded processor, runs real hot?)

I have done some research and from what i have found amd is for games and intel is more for applications. I have a xp 1700+ that i built and it runs the desktop programs fine.

1) how does the centrino compare to the P4?
2) how do the p4 and athlon 64 compare speed wise
3) if i go with the 64, i have the feeling ill be able to do everything fine, as long as it works 10min of encoding isn't going to make the difference to me...
4)which will give me the best all around performance, reliability, longest life?

thanks

 

[Leonidas]

the athlon64 is much better than the p4 in just about everything that isnt able to support hyperthreading(games, some apps), but the p4 will win in windows applications. the pentium M however found in more recent laptops will compete quite well and give you great battery life... i explain the difference between p4 and p-M here.
http://www.techist.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=35679

if you want games however the radeon 7000 is gonna kill your performance no matter the processor, so look first to the graphics card you are getting in it.

 

[nitrag]

right..so this basically narrows it down to the centrino (lets say 2.0ghz) and the athlon 64 (3400+)...

would the extra $200-300 for the centrino be worth my money?
In your opinion, and my situation, (college computer that can handle the games when thrown at them) what would you choose?

...the only downfall to the 64 i see is battery life.

 

[Leonidas]

id say go 64, unless you plan on using through long classes, and save the money however listen carefully to my next sentence:
the RADEON graphics in your notebook will destroy gaming for you... that graphics card is horrible.

 

[nitrag]

really? really? but i read the benchmark and review at tomshardware or whatever and it was comparable to a 9600xt desktop card. what are your reasons?

 

[GageMW]

ya, get either a ATI MOBILITY™ RADEON™ 9700 with 128MB DDR, or a NVIDIA GeForce™ FX Go5700 with 128MB DDR

 

[nitrag]

o shit...i mean 9700...i kept changing first paragraph and i must have confused myself

 

[GageMW]

because you must be reading the wrong thing or the 9700 mobility would equal an x800

 

[GageMW]

lol that'd explain it, there's a BIG difference between a 7000 and a 9700

 

[nitrag]

that clears it up...thanks for the help guys