The Sony Vaio VPC-CW21FX/L , one of the
laptops now in our Ratings featuring Intel's
new Core i3 processor.
Among the 22 new laptops and 11 desktops we tested for our latest
computer Ratings (available to subscribers) are a number of models based on Intel's new classes of processors, the
Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7.
Intel claims better performance for these new
processors, which range in clock speed from 2.13GHz to 3.46GHz. That was borne out for most of the laptops based on the new series. For example, the Core i3-330M showed a 17% performance gain over Core 2 Duo T6600-based laptops. As for battery life, there was no clear benefit to the newer processors.
On desktops, the Core i3 and i5 replace Intel's Core 2 Quad processors. We didn't see much performance difference between the i3 and i5 on desktops, but a Core i3 Gateway desktop cost about $200 less than an i5-based Asus with about the same performance.
Intel also added a new processor, the Atom N450, to its lineup of Atom-based netbooks. We're still testing performance compared to previous Atom processors, but we did see a boost in battery life, with N450-based netbooks averaging 8.25 hours compared to 6 hours for the older N270- and N280-based models.
If you're planning to use your desktop or laptop for gaming, you should get a
video card with at least 512MB of dedicated video memory. Intel did improve the integrated graphics on the i3 and i5 processors, and they performed two to three times better than the previous generation. That said, performance was still not as good as what you'd get from dedicated graphics.
Keep an eye out for touchscreen laptops. With Windows 7 offering touchscreen capabilities, figure more new touchscreen apps should arrive over the next few months, and with them more touchscreen computers. We'll be testing those in future Ratings.
You might still find a few Windows Vista computers for sale. If you're a fan of that OS, you might get a good deal, but don't expect to upgrade to Windows 7 later without paying: The free upgrade program is over.
—Donna Tapellini
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