How does the Centrino compare to the P4/P4m processors speed-wise?  I
see these new Centrino laptops but haven't seen any coparisons between
the two for speed. I need the P4 features for speed/dv editing.  Is
the Centrino just a newer P4?

Hello action-ga,

As background, here are pages from Intel on Intel Centrino mobile
technology, the Pentium M Processor, and the Mobile Intel Pentium 4
Processor - M.

"Products - Notebook Components - Mobile Technology"
Intel
http://www.intel.com/products/mobiletechnology/index.htm?iid=ipp_a2z+c_430_centrino&

"Home Computing - Intel Centrino Mobile Technology"
Intel
http://www.intel.com/home/notebook/centrino/index.htm?iid=ihc+home_menu_centrino&

"Products - Notebook Components - Processors - Intel Pentium M
Processor"
Intel
http://www.intel.com/products/notebook/processors/pentiumm/index.htm?iid=ipp_a2z+p_141_pentiumm&

"Home Computing - Mobile Intel Pentium 4 Processor – M"
Intel
http://www.intel.com/home/notebook/pentium4-m/index.htm?iid=ihc+home_menu_p4m&
 
I assume that when you say "P4/P4m", you are referring to the Pentium
4 Processor - M, rather than the Pentium M, which is a component of
the Centrino technology.  Also, I assume that you are not referring to
the regular Pentium 4 Processor (with no "M"), since that is a desktop
component.

"Products - Desktop Components - Processors - Intel Pentium 4
Processor"
Intel
http://www.intel.com/products/desktop/processors/pentium4/index.htm?iid=ipp_a2z+p_80_p4p&

According to the fourth page cited above, the Pentium 4-M is available
in speeds of 2.50, 2.40, 2.20, 2.0, 1.80, 1.70, 1.60, 1.50, and 1.40
GHz.  The third page cited above states that the Pentium M, the
processor for Centrino technology, has available speeds of 1.60, 1.50,
1.40, and 1.30 GHz, with a "low volt" speed of 1.10 GHz and an "ultra
low volt" speed of 900 MHz (0.13m).

Despite the lower clock speeds, Intel indicates that a Centrino
notebook with the Pentium M processor has better performance (and
battery life) than a notebook with the Pentium 4-M processor.  You can
click on "Compare Performance" on any of the pages I've cited to view
a pop-up that compares the Pentium 4-M 2.40 GHz with the Pentium M
1.60 GHz.

So the Pentium M is quite different from the Pentium 4-M.  Articles
from PC World and PC Magazine confirm the differences.

"First Tests: Intel's Centrino", by Laurianne McLaughlin (March 11,
2003)
PC World
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,109606,00.asp

"Centrino? Pentium M? PC Labs Looks Beyond the Name Game", by
Konstantinos Karagiannis (March 12, 2003)
PC Magazine
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,923343,00.asp

I hope that this information is helpful.

- justaskscott-ga


Search strategy:

Browsed Intel's web site

Searched on Google for:

"pentium m" "pentium 4-m"

Perfect.