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View Full Version : Getting a new laptop -- anyone up on Santa Rosa?


daroga
03-21-2007, 07:29 AM
Hey all,

I'm looking to get a new laptop. This is a bit of a precautionary measure rather than a necessary. My current computer is at the 3 1/2 year mark and now out of warranty. It still works fine, but as the computer is so vital to my work and schooling, and next year my budget is likely going to be way tighter, I simply can't afford to not have a computer that's under warranty. So sooner rather than later I'd rather retire my current computer to being out TV/Media computer, and getting a new one with a warranty to take the bumps and bangs of being the "carry everywhere" machine.

In posting around and reading up on things, I'm stumbled across the info that Intel is rolling out the Santa Rosa platform this May. What I can't quite get a handle on is how much of a difference it would make for me. My gaming is all console anymore, so being able to run the latest and greatest on my new machine isn't something I'm looking for in the least. Would Santa Rosa make a noticable improvement over the current Core 2 Duo and chipset for just the word processing, internet, Photoshop, music, videos, etc?

Currently, with the $400 Dell coupon, I can get a machine that would be great for me for aobut $1200, including a 2 year warranty that covers accidents as well as defects, whcih would take me well past the end of my schooling. I'm tempted to bite now as I'm getting a free upgrade to Vista Home Premium, free upgrade to a 120 gig hdd upgrade, etc.

Just wondering on what others' take might be who are more knowledgeable about this stuff than I am. Thanks!

paddlefoot
05-05-2007, 05:48 PM
I am in the same boat, but might do a little gaming on my new laptop. From what I can gather you might see a slight upgrade over most stuff. The only big difference with Santa Rosa will be the introduction of DX10 video cards and Vista performance.