Which laptop should I choose?

**sayakb** · July 10th, 2008

I am buying a second hand laptop (I have an excellent deal for both). The prices for the two aren't much different and the configurations are:

1. HP nx6110
Pentium M processor 1.8GHz (2MB L2 Cache)
4GB DDR RAM
Intel 915GM mobo and onboard graphics
80GB HDD

2. HP nx6320
Intel Core2 Duo T5500 1.66GHz (2MB L2 Cache)
1GB DDR2 RAM
Intel 945GM mobo and onboard graphics
60GB HDD

Hard drive isn't much of a factor since I have quite much of free space in my other computers. Also, as you see, the first one has a Pentium M processor which would not support a 64-bit Ubuntu. Will 32-bit Ubuntu address 4GB of RAM? Also, which would be a better choice?

**rolnics** · July 10th, 2008

I'm sure i've seen a similar question before and just recently about 32bit Ubuntu addressing 4Gb of ram, and if memory serves right I'm sure someone said yes, but you have to get a special kernel, PAE support rings a bell or something like that.

Oh, and i'd go for the 2nd option of laptop, ram is so cheap at the moment it wouldn't cost much to upgrade

**silkstone** · July 10th, 2008

32-bit operating systems will only be able to use just over 3GB RAM. If you wanted to upgrade the second machine, 2GB should be quite enough.

Either machine looks OK, but I'd go for the T5500 rather than the Pentium M, and I'd stick with 32-bit Hardy.

**sayakb** · July 10th, 2008

At the moment, I use 64-bit Ubuntu on all my computers and I have no problems. Also, I may not be able to upgrade any of these, so I may have to accept the above mentioned config. So if you suggest either of these, please don't consider the fact about upgrading

Ty for reply
Sayak

**sydbat** · July 10th, 2008

I'd go for the Core2 Duo. A gig should be fine with an appropriate swap partition (if you can't upgrade RAM). Then you'd be able to go full 64-bit.

**sayakb** · July 10th, 2008

Btw, sorry for the typo in the poll title

**ET!** · July 10th, 2008

i will go with the second option because
1-core 2 duo is FAR better than pentium -M
2- there is no real use for 4 gigs of ram if you are using the pentium -M as your processor
3-you can always upgrade your 1gb ram(upgrading to 2 gigs is recommended)

**gn2** · July 10th, 2008

No mention of the prices of each which is a major factor.....?

If you can afford it get the Core 2 Duo.

As for 32-bit Ubuntu, yes it can utilise 4gb RAM, with some adjustment it can be made to address 3gb per process up to a total of 64gb.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physica...xtension#Linux
However 400mhz FSB Pentium M CPU's do not support more than 4gb.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_Address_Extension