[accesscomp] Fw: Guide To Laptop processors, Dn's tip for June 5 2013
- From: "Bob Acosta" <boacosta@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "tektalk discussion" <tektalkdiscussion@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "access comp" <accesscomp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 11 Jun 2013 08:10:12 -0700
----- Original Message -----
From: dan Thompson
To: dan Thompson
Sent: Wednesday, June 05, 2013 8:52 AM
Subject: Guide To Laptop processors, Dn's tip for June 5 2013
Guide To Laptops
http://www.guide-to-laptops.com/
This page covers Everything you ever wanted to know about laptops. Types of
laptops, processors, docking stations, batteries, gaming laptops and more.
This day’s article focuses on Laptop Processors.
Tomorrow I will have a post on buying a cheap laptop.
Specifications of laptop processors compared to their desktop equivalent are
very similar but overall are designed with battery operation and reduced heat
output in mind. Important differences include slower clock speeds, less power
consumption, and will commonly have fewer cores.
Laptop Processor Speed
While there are a few general categories a laptop processor can be assigned to
it’s important to know the main difference in day to day use is how fast they
can execute your software and the extra hardware or lack thereof on each
processor is transparent to the user(you) but affects primarily execution speed
rather than software compatibility.
The general categories are also considered an overall category for the entire
laptop so determining what you will be using the laptop for will already narrow
down the processor selection you have to sift through.
・ High End ? Performance, Enthusiast, 3D Gaming, Workstation, and
Multimedia (including encoding, transcoding, content creation)
・ Mainstream ? Email, Web Browsing, Office Apps, Multimedia, Gaming,
and Workstation (mediocre 3D capabilities.. usually)
・ Budget ? Email, Web Browsing, Office Apps, Multimedia
・ Ultra Low Voltage ? Email, Web Browsing, Office Apps
Many feature a “turbo” mode where the clock speed is ramped up to meet more
demanding games and applications. This turbo mode has limitations based on
several operating variables, according to Intel’s implementation the variables
include:
o Number of active cores
o Estimated current consumption
o Estimated power consumption
o Processor temperature
More information on Intel Turbo Boost Technology.
Several Intel processors also include Hyper-Threading technology which, in a
nut-shell, creates a second “virtual CPU” on each physical core of the
processor so a dual core CPU with hyper-threading will appear as four CPU’s on
operating systems that support it. This won’t double the performance but it
does have the benefit of executing more instructions in the same space of time
as a CPU running at the same clock speed without Hyper-Threading. Not all
software will benefit from this but it does help with the heavy lifting in
multimedia and content creation projects.
Laptop Processor Confusion
The two major manufacturers of laptop processors are Intel and AMD, both use a
model number system to differentiate their own processors from one another. The
problem with this is the sheer number of meaningless letters and numbers you
are faced with while looking for a decent laptop to buy. Perhaps “meaningless”
is a bit unfair since they do have meaning but unless you are prepared you can
be at the mercy of the salesman!
Then there are laptop processors with integrated graphics on the same chip, AMD
calls these APU’s (Accelerated Processing Unit) while Intel just added more
model numbers to choose from.
Some laptops even use desktop processors which give the advantage of speed in
exchange for heat and shorter battery life. The extra speed is due in part to
higher clock speeds and usually more of everything CPU related such as cache
and/or cores not available on the laptop specific processors.
Intel manufactures a broad range of laptop processors for all levels of
performance. The major brands or mobile series from this company include:
Core iSeries
Core 2
Core
Celeron
Pentium
Atom
The “Core” name covers a few generations of processors based on different
micro-architectures which doesn’t help with the already vague model numbers
assigned to each mobile processor.
Here’s a rundown from newer to older of what is or was available and their
major characteristics.
Intel Core i3, i5, i7 Mobile Processors (~2010 ? today)
Intel’s latest Core series is currently the performance king and found in the
majority of laptops on the market. The number in the series, such as i3/i5/i7,
represent performance expectations with i3 being at the bottom and i7 at the
top.
There are also a few generations of processor micro-architecture’s within this
series which may add more confusion to the buying process. You may have seen
ads showing 2nd Gen Core i7 or 3rd Generation Core i5 and wondered how many
generations there are or why do they have 2nd and 3rd gen side by side?
Here is a quick non-programmer overview:
・ 1st Generation ? Nehalem Micro-Architecture ? released 2008
o the return of hyper-threading!
o integrated on-chip memory controller
・ 2nd Generation ? Sandy Bridge Micro-Architecture ? released January
2011
o hardware assisted video decode and encode via Intel Quick Sync Video
o integrated on-chip graphics (HD 3000)
・ 3rd Generation ? Ivy Bridge Micro-Architecture ? released April 2012
o die shrink of Sandy Bridge to use less power and run cooler
o integrated on-chip graphics (HD 4000)
Intel Core 2 Mobile Processors (~2006 ? 2009)
The Core 2 line of CPU’s were a step up from the Core Duo and Solo, the major
new feature being a 64bit processor instead of 32bit. At this point due to
model number ambiguity the feature list of laptops were beginning to look
ridiculous (ex: Centrino 2 Mobile Core 2 Duo T7300… what?).
To add to the confusion there were three flavors available which denoted how
many processing cores were on the chip:
・ Core 2 Solo (1 core)
・ Core 2 Duo (2 cores)
・ Core 2 Quad (4 cores)
Intel Core Duo and Core Solo Mobile Processors (~2006 ? 2007)
The Core Duo is a dual-core 32bit processor based on the Pentium M. The Core
Solo is basically the same processor as the duo with one of the cores disabled
to provide a broader range products priced for different levels of performance.
Intel Mobile Celeron (~1999 ? today)
Celeron as a name spans many generations of processors and indicates low-cost
entry level performance. A Celeron processor of today would be much faster than
a Celeron from 7 years ago despite running at a similar or lower clock
frequency.
The reason for this is because the underlying technology is frequently
refreshed with each new major micro-architecture release to keep the
performance expectations in line in regards to the other offerings of the
generation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Outdated Series
Intel Pentium M
Part of the Centrino package, this mobile processor from Intel is quite an
improvement over the other Mobile Pentium 4 processors.
There are many variations of this Pentium M currently available, the earliest
models have 1 MB of level 2 cache, the second generation has 2 MB of level 2
cache, and the latest has added 533 Mhz front side bus support.
Pentium M processors may run at slower GHZ operating speeds than the Pentium 4
counterparts, but they still perform as good or better while providing superior
battery life savings.
Before this processor it was common to use desktop CPU’s with optimized power
and thermal properties to function effectively in laptops. The 32bit Pentium M
was designed from the beginning to be a mobile processor allowing it to have
great power saving ability without sacrificing performance.
Mobile Intel Pentium 4 518, 532, 538
Based on the prescott core, these can be considered a small evolutionary step
above the below mentioned processor. Besides the new naming convention(532,
etc), these processors include SSE3 instruction support and increased level 2
cache of 1 MB (previously 512KB).
Mobile Intel Pentium 4
Laptops with these CPU’s are usually used as replacements for bulkier desktop
computers, they’re great for video editing, 3D gaming, or any other task that
requires hefty processing power.
The main difference from a desktop Pentium 4 would be somewhat better thermal
properties and lower power consumption. The speeds are similar to desktop P4
processors so the easiest way to currently determine if a laptop is using a
desktop P4 or the Mobile P4 is to check the FSB(front side bus) speed. 800 MHZ
FSB = desktop P4 (currently), 533 MHZ = Mobile P4 (harder to tell at CPU speeds
below 2.8 GHZ due to older desktop P4′s not supporting 800 MHZ FSB).
The higher end models above 2.66 GHZ support Intel Hyperthreading technology.
Mobile Intel Pentium 4-M
The Pentium 4-M is available at speeds up to 2.6 GHZ. The difference between
Mobile Pentium 4 and the Pentium 4-M is the 4-M does not support
Hyperthreading, uses less power, and runs cooler.
Laptops based on this processor perform in the mid-range between the Celeron
based laptops and the Centrino and Hyperthreading enabled laptops. The
Pentium’s mentioned above are recommended over this one since they offer better
performance or battery life at equal or better prices.
Mobile Intel Pentium 3-M
Found mainly in older, used, or refurbished laptop computers, the mobile
Pentium 3-M processor is still VERY capable for most users needs. Most laptops
based on this CPU are quite small, lightweight, and have a fairly good battery
life.
Highest speed is up to 1.33 GHZ but 1.2 GHZ is more common.
Verse of the week
My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no
enemy can reach me
--Psalm 62:7, NLT
“Lord Jesus, your word is life and truth. Instruct my heart that I may grow in
the knowledge of your truth and live according to your word”.
Psalm 19:8-11
8 the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of
the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever; the ordinances of the Lord
are true, and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also
than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great
reward.
Below is how to subscribe to Dan's Tips or a daily devotional as well as some
uplifting reading for the day.
To receive emails regarding Dan's daily Tips or the Daily HotSpot Devotional,
send an email to dthompson5@xxxxxxxxx with "subscribe Dan's Tips" or "subscribe
Hotspot Devotional" in the subjectline. “Lord Jesus, your word is life and
truth. Instruct my heart that I may grow in the knowledge of your truth and
live according to your word”.
Psalm 19:8-11
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