[ltp] Re: A30, A31 differences? A30P, A31P

[Daniel Pittman]

Bert Haskins <bhaskins@chartermi.net> writes:

> I've googled for this and searched the IBM site without much luck so
> I'll ask here.  What is the difference between the A30, A31 and the
> A30P, A31P?  

The technical specifications should have told you, but pretty much:

The 'P' designator indicates that the machine has a "higher quality"
graphics card and, IIRC, LCD panel in it, compared to the base model.

In my case, the A31p has a "ATI FireGL 7800" chip, rather than the "ATI
Radeon 7500" chip in the A31.  The difference between the two is pretty
much all in software - the FireGL driver is optimized much better than
the stock OpenGL driver, though there may have been a minor difference
in hardware as well. Also, IIRC, more graphics memory.  


Finally, the 1600x1200 extra-nice LCD panel was only available in the
A31p, not the A31, and is probably the nicest bonus of the thing.  It is
all fashionable to have "ultra-bright" or whatever LCD panels in modern
laptops; the (well, my) A31p got one of 'em way back before that was all
cool (and cheap. ;)


Er, maybe BlueTooth was a 'p' only feature as well.  I can't quite
recall now.  I believe the 'p' series also came with the 802.11 wireless
card pre-fitted, while it was optional on the non-'p' version.

Beyond that, there is not a great deal of difference between them.  

I would only choose the 'p' variants if I was specifically after the
nicer LCD panel, or I really wanted the fraction better OpenGL
performance under Windows.[1][2]

    Daniel

Footnotes: 
[1]  Really, if I wanted that I would just buy a newer laptop, but
     whatever.
[2]  The nicer OpenGL drivers are *not* available under Linux, so no
     benefit to the "FireGL" part at all. :)