| Laptop CPUs (central processing units) in commercially | | | | multiple operating systems simultaneously. Some Intel |
| available laptops are typically manufactured by either | | | | models possess virtualization (Intel VT) as well. Other |
| AMD or Intel. A mainstream laptop usually contains a | | | | special features of business laptop CPUs include |
| 64-bit Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 processor, which has | | | | built-in security or performance boost technology |
| a frontside bus (FSB) speed of 800 MHz, a clock | | | | that increases processor speed when it's needed the |
| speed of 2.2 GHz, and a 2 MB L2 cache. Intel Pentium | | | | most. AMD Athlon X2 or Turion II and Intel Pentium, |
| T4200/T4300/T4400 dual-core processors are very | | | | Core 2 Duo, or the high-performance i5 models are |
| common as well. However, processors in laptops on | | | | the most common. If you are in the market for a |
| the market today vary widely in performance, | | | | new laptop, get a free laptop instead of paying for it. |
| features, and cost. | | | | CPUs for gaming laptops are designed with |
| Laptop CPUs can be divided into categories that | | | | performance in mind. They are always multi-core with |
| reflect the various segments of the laptop user | | | | some premium laptop CPUs containing four cores. |
| market (the mobile professional, the business | | | | The clock speeds of these processors are almost |
| professional, the gamer, or the student/general | | | | always above 2 GHz, the Intel i7 models being a |
| consumer). CPUs designed for ultra thin, ultraportable | | | | notable exception. Most i7 models operate at speeds |
| laptops generally have a clock speed under 2 GHz in | | | | over 2 GHz only as needed, which conserves energy. |
| order to conserve battery power, but their frontside | | | | Frontside bus speeds as usually higher and L2 cache |
| bus speed and L2 cache size are generally the same | | | | sizes are usually larger than average as well. A list of |
| as a mainstream laptop processor. They can be single | | | | current models of laptops is available. |
| core or dual-core. As with mainstream laptops, Intel | | | | Lastly, there are the CPUs within laptops marketed |
| processors are very common, but you can also find | | | | to the average user, a group that often includes |
| an AMD Athlon Neo X2 or Turion Neo X2 processor. | | | | students. They aren't usually designed with speed in |
| Low-power, low-speed Intel processors (Atom | | | | mind and rarely contain special features like |
| models) can also be found in netbooks, the newest | | | | vvirtualization, which keeps the total cost of the |
| type of portable computer. | | | | laptop low. Laptops containing Intel i3 models are |
| The CPUs in laptops aimed at business professionals | | | | becoming increasingly more common. There are as |
| are almost always dual-core, with some high-end Intel | | | | many single core processors as dual-core. Common |
| models containing four cores. All AMD CPUs designed | | | | clock speeds for mainstream processors are often |
| for business professionals contain virtualization | | | | under 2.3 GHz, with "entry-level" laptops having clock |
| technology (AMD-V), which allows a computer to run | | | | speeds under 2 GHz. |