Among the most vehement PC gamers and computer connoisseurs, it is often stated as fact that the laptop computer has much less power than your typical desktop computer. While to an extent this may be true, as the most powerful computer parts can take years to be shrunk down to laptop sizes, the consumer today doesn’t need to sacrifice power for mobility.

The key in getting a laptop with the power to perform the tasks that a gamer or speed monger desires is in the processor, and with all of the processor choices to upgrade to out there, it is easy for the consumer to get overwhelmed. If your laptop is acting up, or could be moving faster for your tastes, consider the following when thinking about a processor swap.

The first step in upgrading your processor is to take a look at the socket form your laptop has. This can be accomplished by numerous free programs on the web, such as Everest by Lavalys. The most common are the Socket P or Socket M, so chances are it will be one of these. While the slot type will not affect performance, knowing it will help you to determine what processors are compatible with your laptop.

For the sake of the article, let’s assume that you have a Socket M machine. You still have a plethora of processors available to you, and all of the tech specifications are making your head spin. However, there are only a few important specs that you need to look at to determine which is best for you. First, there’s the brand of the processor. Within Intel, there are many types (Pentium, Celeron, etc.). As a laptop owner, you will normally be working with either Celeron, Pentium M, or Core 2 processors. Core 2 processors are normally the more superior, so keep your eyes peeled for them. Secondly, there’s the clock speed. They range today between 1 and 3 Gigahertz (GHz), and the higher that number, the better! The clock speed is the actual speed of the processor itself. Keep in mind, however, that there are other factors at work; for example, there are cases when a Core 2 processor will perform much better than a Celeron processor with a faster clock speed.

Among the other factors at work include the Cache and the Core count. A dual core processor essentially doubles whatever the written clock speed is on the box. So, if you were to buy a Core 2 Duo Mobile T7400 with a 2.17 GHz clock speed, the actual speed of the processor would be 4.34. Keep in mind, however, that not all programs (or games, for gamers out there) support dual-core yet, so for some it may not be the best investment. For those looking for power, however, you can’t go wrong with a dual core. There are also Quad Core processors available, but they are still much more expensive than the average dual. The Cache is essentially a buffer between the Processor and your RAM (which runs at slower speeds), so the faster your Cache is, the faster your laptop will run. /p>

In the current economy, price is likely a huge factor for any consumer. Just remember these simple facts about processors and don’t let the higher price of some processors fool you, when in fact they may only be .2 or .3 GHz faster than the lesser chip for over double the price! It’s possible to find speed for your laptop; you just need to know how to look.



By: Henning M

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