Intel Core i5 vs Intel Core Duo T6600

[dbe3]

I am wondering which processor to choose for my laptop - the Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T6600 or Intel® Core™ i5-450M? I use my laptop for a home business and run access, excel and word usually at the same time. I also need the internet while using these programs. Currently I my older laptop has a Genuine Intel(R) CPU T2050 @ 1.60GHz and works for me, but is slow and freezes a lot. So tasks take quite a long time.
I hear a lot about the i5, but wonder if it's that much faster for the money?
I'm looking at the Dell Studio 15 and trying to decide between these two processors.

 

[WR2]

Hello dbe3;
They're both pretty good CPUs, with the i5 having an edge in performance. Part of the extra cost of the i5 system will be for the better video chip.
Passmark CPU benchmark scores:
T2050 @ 1.60GHz = 762
Core2 T6600 @ 2.20GHz = 1385
Core i5 450M @ 2.40GHz = 2516

What is the price differential between the two systems?

 

[WR2]

Notes and benchmark scores from NotebookCheck website:
Intel Core 2 Duo T6600
Intel Core i5-450M

 

[dbe3]

Thanks for your quick reply!
The i5 is $769 and the Core Duo is $599.
The benchmark scores are higher for the i5 but I don't know quite how to translate that into speed and multi tasking?
I don't think I need a better video chip - I don't play games or use for watching dvd's.

 

[WR2]

The heavier your multi-tasking load is the more the Core i5-450M would make a difference.
If you're just opening multiple tabs on a web browser, checking email and using MS Word it shouldn't make much difference.
If you're using multiple MS Office products like Word, Powerpoint and Excel at the same time I think the i5 450 would start to look good even with the $170 difference.

 

[karthik_11]

The intel core 2 duo t6600 is a older generation dual core mobile processor running at 2.2 ghz. it does not have

any new intel technology like intel turbo boost, hyperthreading etc.

The intel core i5 450m is a newer generation dual core mobile processor running at 2.4 ghz. Plus it has intel

hyperthreading which means each core does two tasks at same time which results in faster performance and your work

done faster,you also get a intel integrated hd gpu. As it is a mobile processor it should do work faster. in this the i5 shines

due to its hyperthreading and turbo boost which increases your clockspeed to 2.66 ghz. Both the older intel and the

newer intel has tdp of 35W. So for the same tdp you get more performance in i5. So I5 450m> intel core 2 duo t6600.

 

[dbe3]

Best answer selected by dbe3.