[From DNA]
Portability and power consumption have become the buzzwords for laptop computers off late. This explains why netbooks have enjoyed runaway success: With 10-12inch screen and processors such as the Intel Atom which consumer lesser power, netbooks are light and last longer on a single charge. On the other hand, their processing power is much lower than mainstream laptops that employ dual core processors. And because of this, the screen size of a netbook too can’t be increased to more than 12inch.
But what if you need more processing power and a bigger screen size? You can opt for laptops that are more expensive than netbooks, in the mid price range (Rs35,000 to Rs50,000), that are powered by dual core processors. But unfortunately at this price point, the laptops available in the market are quite heavy. Moreover, dual core processors consume more power – meaning your battery would drain out faster. So, though these laptops give better processing performance, they score low on portability and power consumption.
Enter the consumer ultra low voltage (CULV) processors, which Intel mentioned recently in its technology roadmap. CULV processors are essentially based on dual core processors, but their size is much smaller. So while they are more powerful than, say, the Intel Atom which powers netbooks, CULV processors are not as powerful as dual core processors. Similarly the power consumption of a CULV processor is higher than the one used in netbooks, but significantly lower than mainstream dual core processors. Their smaller size also allows manufacturers to build thinner laptops.
Acer is one of the first companies to launch a CULV-powered laptop in India. Available in 13-, 15- and 17-inch sizes, we tried out the 15-inch model, Timeline 5810T.
We immediately appreciated how thin this laptop is. Though it does not compare to the MacBook Air, for its price range, it sure is a sweet looking laptop. On turning on the charger, a thin mysterious red light started glowing along the frontal edge of the laptop accentuating the thinness. With a matte finish that didn’t attract fingerprints, the 5810T holds its ground against more expensive laptops.
Also, the laptop has a slightly longer 15.6inch screen. The longer length also lends more room for the keyboard – enough to fit in a numerical pad as well. This is indeed great news for number crunchers who use spreadsheets a lot. At the same time, the bigger size adds to the weight, which could have been reduced.
But how well does it perform? CULVs were developed around performance versus power paradigm. There are three power modes: Power saver, Balanced, and High performance. In the first mode, the processor will give decreased performance and save power. In the High performance mode, the battery will run out faster, but the processing power will be higher. Balanced mode is a blend of the two.
In the balanced mode, the battery lasted for 5hours in our test. This is laudable because our test conditions – screen is kept on in full brightness and a continuous loop of music keeps playing – are harsher than normal usage patterns.
But what are the performance differences between the modes? As a simple test, I encoded a 14-track audio CD into mp3 format using iTunes. In the balanced mode, the process took 6.39min, while in the power saving mode the same process took 9.26min.
After using the Acer Timeline 5810T, the advantages of a CULV-powered laptop became apparent. Though you can get a better performing laptop for the same price, CULV-based laptops are lighter and give a better battery life. If you can live with slightly lower performance, then the lighter, and energy efficient CULV might be worth your attention.
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[...] » Diet-top Source: traveldonkey.in – Sunday, 23rd August 2009, 9:42 GMT This explains why netbooks have enjoyed runaway success: [...]