Laptop GPUs vs desktop GPUs

[LordBritish]

What are the differences between desktop GPUs and laptop/mobile GPUs?

I know that nVidia makes a 8800M GTS and 8800M GTX. Note the "M" part. And I guess they still have their "go" series.

Do mobile GPUs consume less power and generate less heat?

Are they less powerful than their desktop counterparts?

 

[commodore]

Mobile GPU's usually are the best chips in that series .. for voltage/heat/power draw. Most mobile gpu's are scaled down versions of their desktop counterparts and have less processing power. The biggest drawback i see to mobile gaming is the possibility of upgrading.

 

[KennyT]

Less powerful as they are usually clocked slightly lower. Overclocking (if you can) will easily make up for this fact as the cards are the highest binned spec as commodore said. "Gaming" laptops are a money pit, especially with how fast cards have been coming out in the past year and a half. Considering the 8800M is just not coming out shows that nVidia is trying to dump surplus G90 chips, as the G92's are selling like mad.