2005-2006 Processor Guide

Specifications effective July 1, 2005

Specifications will be reviewed and updated quarterly (or more often) as appropriate (10/1, 1/1, 4/1, 7/1)

Information Systems & Computing (ISC) has developed this page to help Local Support Providers (LSPs) understand the many processor choices currently available. This guide does not discuss enthusiast, workstation, or server processors.

Windows Processors

ISC tracks seven different lines of processors for Windows workstations (processors are listed in order of performance, from low to high):

Intel Celeron (speeds of up to 2.8 GHz desktop/2.8 GHz desknote/ 2.5 GHz mobile)

Intel's older low-end processor, used in low-end desktops and low-end/low-mobility laptops. Intel does not have any plans to further revise this processor.

AMD Sempron (speeds of up to 2.0 GHz desktop/1.8 GHz mobile)

AMD's new low-end to mid-range processor, used in low-end desktops and low-end to mid-range laptops.

Intel Celeron M (speeds of up to 1.5 GHz mobile)

Intel's new low-end laptop processor (replacing the Mobile Pentium III), used in small and medium-sized low-end and mid-range laptops. Good power controls and efficiency at any clock speed - a 1.5 GHz Celeron M is slightly faster than a 1.8 GHz Mobile Pentium 4.

Intel Pentium M (speeds of up to 2.13 GHz mobile)

Intel's high-end laptop processor, used in small and medium-sized mid-range and high-end laptops. Excellent power controls and very good efficiency at any clock speed - a 2.13 GHz Pentium M is faster than a 3.06 GHz Mobile Pentium 4.

Intel Celeron D (speeds of up to 3.06 GHz desktop)

Intel's newest low-end processor, used in low-end desktops. The Celeron D moves the Celeron from the 400 MHz to the 533 MHz front side bus.

Intel Pentium 4 (speeds of up to 3.8 GHz desktop/3.46 GHz desknote/2.8 GHz mobile)

Intel's previous high-end processor, used in mid-range to high-end desktops and large (and battery hungry) desknotes and laptops.

Intel Pentium D (speeds of up to 3.2 GHz desktop)

Intel's new high-end processor, used in high-end desktops, is the first Intel chip with dual core technology.

AMD Athlon 64 (speeds of up to 2.4 GHz desktop/2.4 GHz desknote/2.0 GHz mobile)

AMD's new high-end 64-bit processor, used in mid-range to high-end desktops and large (and battery hungry) laptops.

Suggestions: ISC suggests Celeron D or Pentium 4 (533 MHz bus) processors for Value PCs, while suggesting Pentium D or Athlon 64 processors for Performance PCs. Laptop suggestions range from Celeron-Ms on the low-end to 1.6 GHz + Pentium Ms and 2.8 GHz + Pentium 4s on the high-end - almost all laptop users will be well served by the Pentium-M.

Mac OS Processors

ISC tracks two different lines of processors for Mac OS workstations (processors are listed in order of performance, from low to high):

Motorola PowerPC G4 (speeds of up to 1.42 GHz desktop/1.67 GHz desknote/1.67 GHz mobile)

Motorola's low-end to mid-range processor, currently used in Apple's mac mini, eMac, iBook/G4, and PowerBook G4 product lines.

IBM's PowerPC 970/PowerPC G5 (speeds of up to 2.7 GHz desktop)

IBM's high-end 64-bit processor, currently used in Apple's Power Macintosh G5 and iMac/G5 product lines.

Suggestions: ISC suggests PowerPC G4 processors for Value PCs while suggesting the PowerPC G5 for Performance PCs. Apple laptops are now PowerPC G4-only.

For Further Information

• AMD's Sempron and Athlon 64 pages.
• IBM's PowerPC page.
• Intel's desktop processor and notebook processor pages.
• Motorola's home page.

desktop recommendations