Chips, Chipsets and Damned Chipsets

Okay, so the first thing to understand is that an Intel brand, like Core 2 or Core i7, actually refers to a whole bunch of different processors. Although they generally have the same basic microarchitecture (in other words, chip design), the brand envelopes both desktop and mobile chips, chips with radically different clock speeds, that use different motherboard sockets, etc.

Because of these differences, each particular chip is given a codename, chosen for obscure geographical locations (seriously, plug just about any codename into Google Maps). For instance, the original mobile Core 2 Duo processor was Merom, and it was replaced after about two years by Penryn, which was manufactured using a new 45-nanometer process to be more efficient. Quite different, these two, but Intel pimped both as Core 2 Duos nonetheless.

View Intel in a larger map
Although Intel doesn't market chips according to their codenames, the individual chip gets a model number that gives you an idea of how it compares, spec-wise (clock speed, cache size, etc.), to other chips in the same group. So, a Core i7-950 is gonna be faster than a Core i7-920, and a Core 2 Duo P8600 isn't going to quite stack up to a Core 2 Duo P9600. The difference between a P8400 and P8600 is obviously less than the difference between a P8600 and a P9600. To match a particular chip codename to a particular model number, though, you probably have to do some Googlin' (or Bingin').

In some cases, Intel pushes chips with a ULV designator for "ultra-low voltage," which doesn't mean anything in particular in terms of chip design, since it includes several brands of chips, from Core 2 to Celeron. The point is that these chips power notebooks that are almost as portable at netbooks, but are more expensive, so computer makers (and Intel) make more money.

While we're at it, I might as well explain what the hell Centrino is. It's not a single chip, it's a platform. That is, it's a combo meal for notebooks with a mobile processor, a chipset (essentially the silicon that lets the processor talk to the rest of the computer) and a wireless networking adapter. Typically, Intel releases a new combo meal every year, though they're all been called Centrino, with the most recent making the leap to being called Centrino 2.

The reason we decided to tell you all this stuff now is that Intel is gradually phasing out the Core 2 family, like Pentiums before that, and is moving Core i7, Core i5 and Core i3 up to take its place. This is how all the families relate to each other...

Nehalem Rising: Core i7, Core i5 and Core i3

Core i7 systems use a totally new microarchitecture called Nehalem, and it's badass.

The first set of Core i7 chips, codenamed Bloomfield, launched in November 2008 for high-end desktops. They're the most outrageously fast Core i7 chips, with triple-channel memory (meaning they're able to use memory sticks in triplets rather than pairs) and other blazing accoutrements.

The new Core i7 chips, launched last month, are for desktop and mobile. The desktop variant is codenamed Lynnfield, and it more closely resembles its mobile equivalent, codenamed Clarksfield, than it does the Bloomfield monster—dual-channel memory, not triple, for instance.

You'll be seeing a lot more Clarksfield in the next couple weeks, like in the HP Envy 15, since most computer makers were holding off for Windows 7 to drop their new laptops. All of the Core i7 processors are quad-core, even the mobile Clarksfield, so you're not gonna see it in anything like Dell's skinny Adamo.

Core i5 is going to be Intel's more mainstream Nehalem-microarchitecture chip brand, and as a broader brand, the chip differentiation gets a little more confusing. Core i5 actually includes some, but not all, of the desktop Lynnfield processors. For now, the only Core i5 chip is quad-core, but you're going to start seeing dual-core Core i5 chips, and soon enough they will make up the bulk of Intel's mainstream processors. In English: Unless you're looking for a crazyfast new computer, your next machine will probably run an Intel Core i5 CPU.

Eventually, dual-core Core i3 chips will come out, and as you can guess by the number, they won't be quite as fast—or expensive—as the Core i5 or i7 chips.

Netbook's Best Friend: Atom N and Z

Atom is probably the Intel chip you hear about second only to Core 2 Duo: It's essentially the CPU that goes inside of netbooks. There are a couple of different variations out now, the N series (codename Diamondville) and the Z series (codename Silverthorne). The Diamondville chips are for nettops and netbooks (though as pointed out, nettop don't use the N prefix, just the chip number), and can handle full versions of Windows Vista and 7. Silverthrone is used in netbooks but was designed for smaller connected devices like UMPCs and MIDs. (This is why Sony shoving an underpowered Atom Z in the Vaio P, and trying to run Windows Vista on top of it, was retarded.)

The next generation of Atom is more interesting, and more confusing, in a way. The CPU is codenamed Pineview, and it's actually got the graphics processor integrated right onto the same chip, precluding the need for a separate GPU tucked into the netbook's overall chipset. The benefit is longer battery life, since it'll take less energy to crunch the same visuals. We'll start seeing Pineview netbooks sometime early next year, most likely.

Oldies But Goodies: Core 2 Duo, Quad and Extreme

Intel's Core 2 chips have been out three years now, an eternity in computer years. Because of this, and because they're the main ones used in most personal desktop and laptop systems, there is a metric shitton of different Core 2 chips.

It's also more confusing because there are way more codenames to wade through. Let's start from the top: Core 2 Solo has one core, Core 2 Duo two, and Quad has four (as does Extreme). From there, you have two distinct generations of chips within the Core 2 family.

In the first generation of Core 2 Duos, the main desktop chip was Conroe (with a cheaper variant called Allendale), while the main mobile one was called Merom. There was also a branch of Core 2 Quads called Kentsfield.

The next generation (that is, the current generation, unless you're already on the Core i7 bandwagon) arrived with a new process for making chips with even smaller transistors. Among other more technical differences, they were more energy efficient than their predecessors. With this generation of Core 2s, the mainstream desktop chips are Wolfdale, the desktop quad-cores are called Yorkfield, and the mobile chips are Penryn—if you've bought a decent notebook in the last two years, it's probably got a Penryn Core 2 inside of it.

Ancient History: Pentium and Celeron

Pentium is dead, except it's not, living on as a zombie brand for chips that aren't as good as Core chips, but aren't as crappy as Intel's low-end Celeron processors. If you see a machine with a sticker for Pentium or Celeron, run.

Okay, I hope that helps, at least a little—you should probably thank me for staying away from clock speeds and other small variations, like individual permutations of Core i7 Bloomfield processors, to hopefully give you a broader overview of what all's going on. Intel told me it'll all make more sense once their entire road map for the year is out on the market, but I have a feeling it's not gonna help my mom understand this crap one bit better.

Top image via soleiletoile/Flickr

Thanks to Intel for helping us sort all this out!

Still something you wanna know? Send questions about sweet potato chips, pumpkin pie or turduckens to tips@gizmodo.com, with "Giz Explains" in the subject line.

Aside from a few from MSI, all of these ultraportables are from ODMs, meaning they're waiting for a larger company to snap them up and rebrand them (they're ready to go to market now, so you could start seeing them very soon). But they're all working prototypes and all very svelte and usable, with a focus on affordability. Sure, my 2009 MacBook Pro is very nearly as thin as a lot of these laptops, but it also cost twice as much. My favorite has to be the little white 10-incher with the blue flower design.

It's easy, really: Black is for high-end (except, uh, the weak Atom also uses a black background, oops); blue is for mainstream, white is for cheaper chips like Celeron and Pentium (expect when it's Centrino and Centrino 2). Okay, not so great on the colors. Let's move on!

Just like your favorite restaurant, now they have star ratings. Five stars is for high end like Core i7, one star is for not-so-great like Celeron. The issue for regular people is that the star rating appears on a computer's sales card (not the chip logo itself) and only describes the chip, not the whole computer. "Hey this computer's got four stars? That's pretty good!" Anyone else feel a Microsoft ad coming on? [PC Mag]

1. Trying to saw a two-by-four alone looks awfully stressful: our moustachioed French hero has grown three heads in his panic. But recruiting a team of builders gets that barn made like they were Amish (though we all know the lazy French are incapable of such efficiency).
2. If you link arms, you can make kick-ass birdhouses. But watch out for the ghostly silhouettes inching ever closer.
3. Tools required to make birdhouses/barns/Core 2 Duo processors include: a chainsaw, a syringe, multiple dustpans, and a pastel scarf rakishly knotted around the neck. Optional but strongly recommended: party hats.
4. Doing basic arithmetic makes French barnbuilders very content.
5. OH GOD they've grown multiple heads again! At least people seem to be buying their barns, which apparently have shrunk into shoebox-sized models somewhere between here and the first panel.
6. Something awful has happened. Our heroic Frenchmen are now plugged directly into electrical outlets, with internal temperature monitoring. Is this some kind of Shyamalanianian twist and they were robots the entire time? This narrative ends on such a disturbing note. [Sony, thanks Christopher!]

Lenovo's X301 and HP's 2530p already use the new chips. The SL9400 and SL9300 running at 1.8Ghz and 1.6GHz, respectively, both have a 1066MHz FSB and appear to be the Core 2 Duo Low Voltage (LV) chips with a TDP of 17W, while the SU9400 and SU9300 are the ULV variants, clocked at 1.4GHz and 1.2GHz with a 10W TDP.

While the clock speeds of the LV chips are the same as the MBA's, the switch to the 45nm process and faster front-side bus should yield both performance gains and power savings. More importantly, their ready availability for all-comers could make the ultra-thin market a lot more interesting, though we're kind of afraid at this point of what Asus will do with them. [Ars Technica]

Indeed, the Core 2 Duo E8500 was comparable in performance to lower clocked quad-core chips, proving the viability of the Wolfdale architecture. The chip is likely to retail at the +$300 mark and that seems to be the only drawback—it is a little on the steep side. Regardless, the Hot Hardware fellows were still willing to give the Core 2 Duo E8500 the highly coveted "Recommended" badge, and if their test results ring true, we would not disagree. Hit the link to check out the extensive testing [Hot Hardware]

A chain partner revealed to us that a new model of MacBook is coming out as soon as next week, which is pretty ridiculous if we do say so ourselves. However, since PC makers are making the transition to Santa Rosa very soon, it's not out of the question that Apple will as well—maybe as soon as WWDC. After all, it's been more than a year since the switch to Intel, and they should be pretty good with this stuff by now. What do you think? – Jason Chen

• MacBook 1.83GHz Intel Core 2 Duo - White for $1099 - $150 instant savings = $949 shipped. 13.3-inch Widescreen Glossy LCD, 512MB RAM, 60GB hard drive, Combo Drive, iSight Camera, iLife software.
• MacBook 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo - White for $1299 - $200 instant savings = $1099 shipped. 13.3-inch Widescreen Glossy LCD, 1GB RAM, 80GB hard drive, Super Drive, iSight Camera, iLife software.
• MacBook 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo - Black for $1499 - $200 instant savings = $1299 shipped. 13.3-inch Widescreen Glossy LCD, 1GB RAM, 120GB hard drive, Super Drive, iSight Camera, iLife software.

As always, the Apple Special Deals store has Dual Core systems of all types, but we need SPEED baby! The discounts are available while supplies last. –Travis Hudson

Product Page [Via Dealhack]

Yes, it's a new-but-not-really Sony notebook, the upgraded VAIO C series with chic and totally superfluous new colors like "espresso black, shell white, coral pink, summer sky blue, urban grey and fresh green," probably chosen by Hello Kitty and the Teen Girl Squad while on tour in Japan, where they will be available in April.

Thankfully, there's more than colors in the air and they have refreshed processors too, starting with the Celeron M 430 at 1.73 GHz and reaching up to the 2.16 GHz Core 2 Duo T7400. Sadly, the new versions have the same 1.280 x 800 pixels 13.3-inch display, although this time the top of the line is powered by the NVIDIA GeForce Go 7400 card instead of the previous (and lame) Intel GMA 950 chipset. And of course, they all come with yet another license of Windows Vista Home Premium, so Steve can get his cake and eat it too. – Jesus Diaz

Press release (Japanese) [Sony via Akihabara News]

I chose my favorite up top made by team BICOM. It has a laser-cut touch-sensitive front panel that provides force-feedback when your fingers come close to the buttons (hit the jump for a vid on how it was made). The others, to me, are looking a little fugly. What do you guys think?

– Louis Ramirez
Voting Page [via Reg Hardware]

It's actually pretty cool, that is unless you're this guy. Just kidding we're not particularly good dancers here at Gizmodo, that's why you didn't see us dancing.– Ben Longo and video by Richard Blakeley

P.S. Any green screeners out there want to take a crack at this? Let us know Ben@gizmodo.com

All this durability comes at a price, though: depending on configuration, you'll spend around $4000 for the 10.4" screen Toughbook-19, and around $4500 for a fully-equipped Toughbook-30 (pictured above) with its 13.3" screen. Still, it's probably worth it if you're taking your laptop along when you go bungee jumping. – Charlie White

More luminous TOUGHBOOKs! [Akihabara News]

AMD [Press Release]

The Pursuit goes for $999, and has a 15.4-inch screen, 80GB hard disk, 1GB of RAM, DVDRW, Intel Extreme Graphics 2, a 1.3-megapixel webcam, and a 1.66GHz Core 2 Duo T5500. Good for your home office or for your kids as Christmas presents, seeing as they're tired of bumming laptops off their dorm-mates because you were too cheap to buy one for back-to-school. – Jason Chen

Update: Not the first Core 2 Duo under a grand. Thanks Xavier.

Product Site [Systemax via Mobile Mag]