How to choose a laptop: Processor

First lets go over different components of a laptop:
I will not discuss netbooks in this post

Processor aka CPU (Central processing unit): The processor is the heart, workhorse ... of any computer. The faster, the better but these days almost all processors are fast enough for an ordinary user (email, movies, music, light gaming ...). So if you are on a limited budget (who isn't) you shouldn't be fixated on getting the best processor. But you should make sure that your processor has at least two cores.

Avoid any single core models. How do you know it has only one core?
If it is an Intel processor: it has "SOLO" in its name or it has "Celeron" but not "dual core" in its name.
If it is an AMD processor: Multicore (with more cores than 1) AMD processors usually have have an X2, X3, or X4 or more at the end of their name. If they lack this or they just say "X" then they are singlecore.
Exceptions are AMD Turion II which is dualcore, and AMD Athlon II which is also dualcore.

How do you actualy know which one is the processor when you look at a specs sheet?
It either says processor next to it, or if it doesn't then look for Intel or AMD and whatever follows that.


What about processor speed?
GHz/MHz (1GHz = 1000Mhz)
Don't get fixated on this either. But it doesn't hurt if the number is higher.



If you want to know more, go to notebookcheck.net
and check out their processor benchmark list
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Processors-Benchmarklist.2436.0.html