Processor speed

[XxHeatherxX]

I've seen a laptop i like and it has a 1.67 ghz processor speed. I'm just wondering whether this will be quick enough as I've seen others which have a 1.8ghz speed. Would it make much difference?? The processor is Intel centrino core duo. Any help is greatly appreciated!! Thanks!!
Heather xXx

[vehelpfulguy]

The processor speed is only one part of what makes a PC or laptop go faster.

For example laptops often fit hard disks that spin slower than hard disks in PCs, so if you used the same processor in both machines the laptop would be slower.

Also the "bus" on a motherboard is faster on some machines than others (the bus is the route all the data takes as it flies around from one place to another inside the machine)

Also the RAM memory can be faster or slower on some machines than others.

Also note that both Intel and AMD both make CPUs, and you cannot compere one with the other just based on the "clock" speed.

But to be honest you will hardly notice the difference between a 1.67Ghz CPU and a 1.8Ghz CPU (assuming they are the same model of CPU).

If you can tell us the model numbers of both CPUs we can give you an idea how much difference there is between them.

[vehelpfulguy]

Me again. Sorry to bore you with these details, but this info below gives you an idea of how complex it is comparing processors.

Intel have two main groups of processors that they put in laptops:

Intel Core 2 Duo mobile processor

Intel Core Duo mobile processor

Note the names are very similar, but there is an extra "2" in the first name which is missing from the second name.

The ones with the "2" in the name are the better, faster processors.

Note that the processors from each "group" run at various Ghz, but you cannot really compare a CPU from one group with a CPU from the other group because they are a different design.

Here is a rather complicated chart showing how the various Intel laptop CPUs differ:

http://www.intel.com/products/centrino/compare .htm

Note the row that says "FSB" with numbers like 800Mhz. This is the "bus" showing how fast the data flows round the computer, the higher number the better.

Note also "L2 cache" with numbers like 2mb or 4Mb . This is super fast memory fitted to the CPU. The more memory the better.

So you cannot just compare Ghz.

The important thing for you is to identify the "CPU number sequence" of the CPU you are looking at.

The number will be like T5600 or T2250 or numbers begining U7 or L7.

Give us those numbers for any latop you are interested in and we can compare them.

[fo3nix]

For the average home user, you won't notice any difference and it'll be perfectly fast enough.

If you are, or if you live with, a gamer that demands the very fastest performance possible, then it will be a different story.

[ACtheTROLL]

Speed is like money - there is no such thing as enough ...

The centrino range is the "lite" version and "certain compromises have been made to keep costs down"

but .....
Fo3nx is right ... unless you are doing something like video editing - you won't notice much difference.

How will you use yours?

VHG is right also (phew!)
think of a PC like a racetrack with speed limits on different sections - each section is 1 mile
CPU = 70
FSB = 50
GPU = 45
PCIx - 40
PCI = 30
USB = 25
HDD = 20
FDD = 5
keyboard = pedestrian precinct ....
because it's a closed circuit ... however fast the CPU is
- overall it will take the same time to get all the way round ....
Increase the CPU to 80 and while there is a small increase ... all the other speeds are the same

but
if you don't edit complex graphics ... you can by-pass the CPU and the graphics streaches
. and will arrive a little faster

same for all the other devices ...

so while all the numbers do mean something
how you use the system (which shortcuts you take) that matters also.

The rule of thumb is ... don't spend more than you can afford ....
and accept
as you leave the shop you'll hear the out of date bell ringing ....
in two years ... even the cheapest machines will be twice as fast as yours ....
If it does the job .... it's good enough.