| The laptop world is seeing double. The next | | | | in mind, in recent head-to-head CNET Labs |
| evolution in | | | | testing, AMD's Athlon |
| laptops is dual-core technology. Dual-core | | | | 64 X2 chip performed better than Intel's desktop |
| processors are | | | | Dual-Core chip. |
| quickly raising the laptop experience to the next | | | | probably wondering, how will all this new laptop |
| level | | | | technology be applied? And what does it mean |
| and laptop users are benefiting from the extra | | | | for the average |
| boost in | | | | laptop owner? What does it mean for gaming |
| performance.Dual-core means exactly what you | | | | laptops?Well, lets examine one sample notebook |
| think it means, you have | | | | to see what all this next |
| two processors or CPUs in your laptop instead of | | | | generation technology will do for laptops. Take |
| one. | | | | for example, |
| Theoretically this should mean twice the | | | | the Xtreme SL, a new gaming laptop designed |
| performance level | | | | by Rockdirect. |
| for all those multi-tasking chores we call upon our | | | | Rockdirect, formerly known as Rock computers, |
| laptops | | | | is a leading UK |
| to do. However, you must have ways or | | | | laptop manufacturer who introduced some of the |
| technology (the | | | | world's first |
| platform) to utilize and handle all this extra power. | | | | dual core laptops last summer (2005).Rockdirect's |
| There | | | | latest gaming offering, the Xtreme SL has specs |
| is some catching up to do but to keep things | | | | or features which are rather awe-inspiring, even |
| simple, | | | | for the non-gamer. |
| Hyper-Threading, PCI-Express and SLI are all | | | | It comes with an AMD Turion 64 ML-44 2.4GHz |
| ways of | | | | processor, sporting |
| harnessing or using this extra power.With the | | | | 1MB L2 Cache and 2 Gigs of DDR 400MHz RAM. |
| recent introduction of the new Centrino Duo | | | | More importantly, it |
| Mobile | | | | has twin NVIDIA GeForce Go 7800 GTX 256MB |
| Technology, Intel has entered the multi-core | | | | graphics cards with |
| arena. All this | | | | PCI-Express and SLI (Scalable Link Interface).SLI |
| extra dual power and Hyper-Threading will finally | | | | lets you have two graphics cards on your laptop, |
| put some | | | | working in |
| punch into laptops and especially gaming laptops. | | | | tangent to increase or double your graphics |
| Now almost | | | | performance and |
| on par with desktop PCs, laptops and notebooks | | | | visual quality. Throw in a 19 inch WSXGA+ |
| can finally | | | | X-Glass TFT Screen |
| hold their heads high when it comes to | | | | and you have a perfect example of where |
| performance. This isn't | | | | gaming laptops are |
| your last year's laptop!How quickly things change, | | | | headed with all this new technology.For those |
| Intel expects the Core Duo chip | | | | involved in gaming, this means the ultimate gaming |
| will be in 230 different laptop designs in the first | | | | |
| months | | | | experience can be best captured on a laptop |
| of 2006. Intel also claims this Duo chip will deliver | | | | with Dual-core |
| 68% | | | | processors and dual graphics cards using all the |
| more performance over the current Sonoma | | | | latest SLI or |
| processor (many | | | | Hyper-Threading technology. And it is just not |
| manufacturers say this will be around 30%) and | | | | for gamers. |
| reduce | | | | The new mobile multi-core chips are turning |
| battery consumption by another 28% (Giving 5 | | | | heads for ordinary |
| hours for | | | | laptop users who want the best performance |
| a standard battery and 10 hours for an | | | | possible in their |
| extended cell battery).Still, dual-core processors | | | | sleek shinny new laptops or notebooks.Besides, |
| coupled with Hyper-Threading | | | | why should gamers have all the fun, these new |
| technology, will and does greatly improve the | | | | technologies will greatly benefit all laptop users. It |
| multi-tasking | | | | means a sleeker, faster, and more powerful |
| functions of your next laptop. The only minor | | | | laptop for |
| hurdle, many | | | | everyone. It also means longer lasting battery life |
| of today's current video games can't use all | | | | for |
| these multi- | | | | your laptop, a much needed improvement. For |
| applications features. But as more games come | | | | the demanding |
| on stream | | | | laptop user working in multi-media authoring, |
| which can take full advantage of all this new | | | | multi-tasking |
| technology, | | | | with video editing, spread sheets, large graphics... |
| expect your gaming enjoyment to increase. As | | | | these |
| with any new | | | | dual core laptops offers a very capable |
| technology there will probably be a lag time | | | | alternative to the |
| before all the | | | | bulky and oh-so stationary desktop PC.This new |
| multi-applications can be applied to the majority | | | | multi-core technology offers ultimate performance |
| of new | | | | |
| games hitting the market.Some major laptop | | | | in a sleek, quiet package that buyers will find |
| makers now sporting the Intel Core Duo | | | | hard to resist. |
| include Dell with its new "entertainment" Dell | | | | It will draw even more potential customers into |
| Inspiron e1705 | | | | the laptop market, |
| line of high end laptops. HP with its Pavilion | | | | looking for the ultimate in style, portability, and |
| dv1000 line of | | | | performance. |
| laptops, which comes with a remote and you can | | | | Dual-core laptops may just deliver the goods.This |
| play CDs and | | | | surely is not your last year's laptop.... |
| DVDs without booting up.Nor is Intel the only | | | | The author has an unhealthy interest in all things |
| player in town with a lot of chips on | | | | laptop! Including |
| the gaming table. Intel's main rival AMD has | | | | Dual Core laptops. He also owns a modest |
| introduced | | | | website on Marketing Tools |
| dual-core into its mobile Turion 64 X2 processors. | | | | for eMarketers. |
| Also keep | | | | |