comp processors + such Options

[Toyoca]

hey guys i might get a new pc and im kinda confused about the new processors out there nowadays. i want a pc that could play the newest games for a while and just do everyday internet browsing of course and play movies. im looking @ a xps m1710 that comes with an Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T7200 (2GHz/667MHz/4MB). is that fast nowadays? i know theres 3.8+ghz computers out there but hows a mere 2ghz duo processor? 2ghz seems low to me but i guess the stats are different. could someone explain. or do you guys recommend some laptop better less than 2500$? ty

[jess_i_74]

Guys, remember that processor speed is relative to the chip you are using. See, Core Duos are faster per clock cycle than the old P4's. While direct comparisons are hard, a dual-core 2ghz core duo most likely will be faster than a 3ghz P4. Also, since they have two cores on one chip, they excel at multitasking.

I bought a Dell E1705 with a 1.83 ghz core duo and the go7800 graphics. Gig of RAM. It set me back about 1300. I am quite satisfied with the performance; I'm playing two-year-old games at 1600x1200 (Deus Ex, ROTK, Lego Star Wars) with no framerate issues. I'm not a huge gamer, but I wanted to be able to play some. I imagine that newer games would be playable by losing some eye candy and lowering the resolution.