Q. What’s the
difference between desktop and laptop processors?
Although desktop and laptop processors are designed for
their respective devices, compact desktop PCs and AIO (All-In-One) PCs often
use laptop processors, and some large desktop replacement laptops use desktop
processors. The biggest difference between the two is that laptop processors have
much less power to work with and as a result run slower, but they support more
mobile features. For example, the Intel Core i7-2760QM laptop processor and the
Intel Core i7-2600K desktop processor are both quad-core chips, but the former
has a 2.4GHz clock speed compared to the latter’s 3.4GHz core clock. The laptop
variant also operates with a 45-watt TDP (thermal design power; the maximum
amount of power the device will need to be able to support the processor). The desktop
variant has a 95-watt TDP.
. . . laptop processors have much less power to work with and as a
result run slower, but they support more mobile features.
Q. What features do
laptop processors have that desktop processors don’t?
In the case of the desktop and laptop processors we
contrasted above, the laptop variant supports Intel’s (WiDi) Wireless Display
technology, which lets you wirelessly transmit photos, videos, and Web to your
TV for viewing (requires Intel WiDi TV adapter). Some other technologies
exclusive to mobile processors include anti-theft features that enable you to remotely
disable your notebook if it is stolen and support for 4G WiMAX, which lets your
laptop connect to a citywide wireless network for Web access. Laptop processors
also tend to have much more aggressive power-saving technologies.
QWhat can desktop processors do that laptop processors can’t?
Because they have much higher thermal tolerances, desktop
processors can support higher clock speeds and more discrete cores. Six- and
even eight-core processors are available on desktops, whereas quad-core
processors are still the peak in laptop performance. Desktop processors are
also much more tolerant of overclocking, or raising the core clock of the
processor so that it crunches numbers that much faster. That said, overclocking
a processor entails completely disregarding the rated TDP, so extra attention
must be paid to keeping the processor cool.
Q.Desktop and laptop
processors both have integrated graphics, right?
True, graphics processors have begun appearing in processors
in recent years. Laptops in particular benefit from this configuration because
separate graphics chips of older laptops require dedicated cooling and power, which
adds to the battery burden and tends to contribute to the laptop’s overall
bulk. Ultrabooks, the new wave of super-thin and portable laptops, can still be
used for light gaming thanks to graphics integrated into the processor. Desktop
processors with integrated graphics processors can also run without discrete
graphics cards or chips on the motherboard.
One of the biggest advantages for desktops, at least with
regard to Intel’s latest desktop processors, is their support for Quick Sync,
which harnesses the power of the processor’s integrated graphics processor to
transcode video. This can make a huge difference in the amount of time it takes
to prep videos for Youtube, Facebook, or your smartphone, tablet, and home
network. Incidentally, many of Intel’s latest notebook processors also support
Quick Sync.
Q. Can I upgrade my
desktop or laptop processor?
The short answer is yes, for both, but laptops are much more
difficult to upgrade. On desktops, as long as the processor fits into the
mother board’s CPU socket, and the motherboard supports the processor, then you
can upgrade with little fuss and virtually no Windows-related tweaks. The same
CPU socket and laptop motherboard requirements exist for mobile processors, but
just getting access to the processor will often void your warranty and require detailed
instructions for your particular laptop. It’s generally not advisable to
upgrade your laptop processor unless you’re very comfortable working with the
hardware.
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