Fastest Laptop Processor 2012
Speed is the single most important factor considered in the working of any electronic gadget and laptop computers are no exception. Of the many factors which decide a laptop's operation speed, the most important is the processor. Speedier the processor and more the cores, faster is the operation and more are the number of tasks it can handle simultaneously. If you are planning to buy a new laptop, the specification which you should first check out is the process name and its associated performance parameters. Going for the fastest mobile processor makes sense when you plan to use it for intensive 3D gaming or applications like video editing or graphic simulation.
What Makes a Fast Laptop Processor?
For those of you who are new to computer processor terminology, let me provide a brief laptop processor buying guide. The prime specification that you need to look into, for choosing the fastest laptop processor, is the clocking frequency (Specified in GigaHertz). High clocking frequency value points towards high processing speed and greater multitasking ability.
Check out the number of cores that make up the processor. More the cores, more is the parallel multitasking ability of the processor, through multi-threading. A high L2 or L3 cache size indicate that the processor has more temporary working memory, which can boost performance speed substantially. Look for a processor with high cache size. Along with these features, greater FSB frequency, high memory bandwidth and integrated GPU are the features which make a processor work fast. Another important factor is the power output of the processor, designated as TDP (Thermal Design Power), specified in watts. The ideal laptop processor has low TDP, with a high clocking frequency. A low TDP translates into lower laptop overheating and correspondingly results into better performance.
Fastest Processor From Intel
Intel launched a third generation of processors, in the form of entry-level Intel core i3, mid level Intel core i5 and the high-end Intel core i7 processors. With Turbo Boost, Hyper-Threading and Intel HD graphics technology and the shift over to 22 nm Ivy Bridge architecture, these processors offer great performance. Here are the fastest Intel processors for laptops.
| Processor Name | Clocking Frequency | Number of Cores | L3 Cache Size | Price |
| Intel Core i7-3920XM | 2.9 GHz (3.8 GHz With Turbo Boost) | 4 | 8 MB | $1096.00 |
| Intel Core i7-3820QM | 2.7 GHz (3.7 GHz With Turbo Boost) | 4 | 8 MB | $568.00 |
| Intel Core i7-3720QM | 2.6 GHz (3.6 GHz With Turbo Boost) | 4 | 6 MB | $378.00 |
| Intel Core i7-3667U | 2 Ghz (3.2 GHz With Turbo Boost) | 4 | 4MB | $346.00 |
Fastest Processor From AMD
The new AMD Llano and the recent Trinity platform based APUs (Accelerated Processing Units) have x86 chips and graphic processor fused into one. The Trinity platform is expected to provide some serious competition to Intel in the laptop space. The integrated graphic core provides an edge, when it comes to gaming. Here are some of the fastest chips from AMD, designed for laptop processors.
| Processor Name | Number of Cores | L2 Cache Size | Clocking Frequency |
| AMD A10-4655M | 4 | 4 MB | 2 GHz (2.8 GHz With Turbo Core) |
| AMD A10-4600M | 4 | 4 MB | 2.3 GHz (3.2 GHz With Turbo Core) |
| AMD A6-4455M | 2 | 2 MB | 2.1 GHz (2.6 GHz With Turbo Core) |
| AMD A8-4500M | 4 | 4 MB | 1.9 GHz (2.8 GHz With Turbo Core) |
| AMD A8-4400M | 2 | 1 MB | 2.7 GHz (3.2 GHz With Turbo Core) |
So these are the best laptop processors you can choose from. For more detailed specifications of any of the processors, visit the Intel and AMD websites. Go for any laptop processor that can provide a clocking frequency in excess of 2.5 GHz and has a cache size more than 3 MB, with dual or quad cores. They will serve you well in rendering intensive 3D games, and provide the processing power required for video and other scientific applications. Combine the fastest processor with 3 or 4 GB of RAM and an excellent graphic card and you have a high performance machine which will serve you well in the long term.
