Is 2.16 GhZ slow these days?

Jiniix

Well-Known Member
Not sure that really counts though, correct me if I'm wrong but aren't those 'Y' chips integrated and made for use in laptops/tablets mainly? Hence not a drop in chip / soldered on?
It's definitely designed for mobile (including laptops, it's full x86) devices, but maybe this wasn't put across, I've exclusively talked about mobile processor so far.
It will be the high end processor for the new Macbook, for example, with lower clocked i5/m3 options.
 

Darren

Moderator
Staff member
It's definitely designed for mobile (including laptops, it's full x86) devices, but maybe this wasn't put across, I've exclusively talked about mobile processor so far.
It will be the high end processor for the new Macbook, for example, with lower clocked i5/m3 options.

Now that's just sad. A 5 watt dual core chip for the "high end" on a Macbook. Yeesh. Hell it doesn't even run DDR4, but DDR3L despite having just come out.
 

Jiniix

Well-Known Member
Now that's just sad. A 5 watt dual core chip for the "high end" on a Macbook. Yeesh. Hell it doesn't even run DDR4, but DDR3L despite having just come out.
Definitely. But remember that TDP is based on the lowest clock, which is 1.5GHz. The M3-8100Y has a 5W TDP as well, but it's running 1.1GHz.
Intels TDPs are basically worthless (to me at least):
i7-7800X, 6C 12T - 140W TDP
i9-7920X, 12C 24T - 140W TDP
It's based on specific workloads only at base clock frequency etc.
 
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Darren

Moderator
Staff member
Definitely. But remember that TDP is based on the lowest clock, which is 1.5GHz. The M3-8100Y has a 5W TDP as well, but it's running 1.1GHz.
Intels TDPs are basically worthless (to me at least):
i7-7800X, 6C 12T - 140W TDP
i9-7920X, 12C 24T - 140W TDP
It's based on specific workloads only at base clock frequency etc.
I actually did not know that. Interesting.
 

Intel_man

VIP Member
Now that's just sad. A 5 watt dual core chip for the "high end" on a Macbook. Yeesh. Hell it doesn't even run DDR4, but DDR3L despite having just come out.

Definitely. But remember that TDP is based on the lowest clock, which is 1.5GHz. The M3-8100Y has a 5W TDP as well, but it's running 1.1GHz.
Intels TDPs are basically worthless (to me at least):
i7-7800X, 6C 12T - 140W TDP
i9-7920X, 12C 24T - 140W TDP
It's based on specific workloads only at base clock frequency etc.
Keep in mind the intended purpose of the TDP/ACP values are more to describe the target you should achieve when designing a thermal solution for the given processor and NOT the maximum power consumption of the chip.

Taken from Intel's white paper on TDP vs ACP back in 2011.
Thermal Design Power (TDP) should be used for processor thermal solution design targets
source: https://www.intel.com/content/dam/doc/white-paper/resources-xeon-measuring-processor-power-paper.pdf

That white paper's a good read for those interested in learning about TDP/ACP and how they are different from one another. It compares server processors that is current at the time of publication, but the general idea/concept of TDP/ACP still applies today.
 

Jiniix

Well-Known Member
I like how Intel states in 2011:
What is AMD’s ACP?
According to AMD documentation, ACP (Average CPU Power) is the average (Geometric Mean) power a processor was measured to dissipate while running a collection of 5 different benchmarks (Transaction Processing Performance Council (TPC Benchmark*-C), SPECcpu*2006, SPECjbb*2005,and STREAM.)

Why doesn’t Intel provide an ACP value for their processors?
Intel sees no value adding another specification to our processors. As noted above, ACP is not useful for system or processor thermal engineers and end users can get more accurate power consumption values by simply measuring the actual power of their server while running their specific application. In addition, AMD does not specify exactly where in their silicon process distribution they measure ACP, so it would be impossible for Intel to create an identical ACP specification.

And then in 2013 introduces SDP, which is:
Scenario design power
Intel's description of Scenario Design Power (SDP): "SDP is an additional thermal reference point meant to represent thermally relevant device usage in real-world environmental scenarios. It balances performance and power requirements across system workloads to represent real-world power usage."
 

Darren

Moderator
Staff member
I know what TDP is, just using it as a rough comparison. 5 watt TDP is low for a supposedly high performance chip, that's all I'm saying.
 
If you want to upgrade your existing laptop, you can probably replace the HDD with 240GB SSD.

If you are looking for new laptop, you can probably get something with i5-8250u with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD

Here are some example
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/acer-1...-drive-obsidian-black/6178420.p?skuId=6178420

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=1TS-000X-00SY9&ignorebbr=1

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834269979&ignorebbr=1

Why would I want to replace a 2.16 gHz computer with a 1.60 gHz? And I would rather have 16GB of RAM.
 

Jiniix

Well-Known Member
Why would I want to replace a 2.16 gHz computer with a 1.60 gHz? And I would rather have 16GB of RAM.
Well first of all those aren't 1.6GHz laptops, they're 3.4GHz. With newer CPUs they have tiered performance levels, 1.6GHz being to lowest they'll go to. These three laptops run at 3.4GHz when thermals allow it and applications are doing something. Your current CPU (Pentium N3540) doesn't always run at 2.16GHz, it has a burst frequency of 2.66GHz with the same principle.
Second, GHz aren't equal. A CPU from 2011 with 4GHz will perform worse than a CPU from 2018 at 4GHz, assuming the same number of cores etc.
 
Well first of all those aren't 1.6GHz laptops, they're 3.4GHz. With newer CPUs they have tiered performance levels, 1.6GHz being to lowest they'll go to. These three laptops run at 3.4GHz when thermals allow it and applications are doing something. Your current CPU (Pentium N3540) doesn't always run at 2.16GHz, it has a burst frequency of 2.66GHz with the same principle.
Second, GHz aren't equal. A CPU from 2011 with 4GHz will perform worse than a CPU from 2018 at 4GHz, assuming the same number of cores etc.

In that case, my 2.66 gHz isn't good enough. Unless the problem is lack of RAM.

I just want something that I don't have to worry about.

Next time it's running slow, I'll see which is maxed out... Processor or RAM.
 

Jiniix

Well-Known Member
I would equate your current CPU to the most popular quad core from 2008, the Q6600. It's pretty close in performance, however, your CPU uses like 80% less power.
But any modern CPU would run laps around it in heavy workloads.
 

beers

Moderator
Staff member
I'd just SSD and increase RAM of your existing laptop.

I use a $20 laptop that has an old i5 560m with SSD and it does everything you listed.

I can guarantee the bulk of your time spent waiting is on that slow laptop drive.
 
I'd just SSD and increase RAM of your existing laptop.

I use a $20 laptop that has an old i5 560m with SSD and it does everything you listed.

I can guarantee the bulk of your time spent waiting is on that slow laptop drive.

I also only have 4GB of RAM.

How do I know what type of RAM and SSD will be compatible with this device?
 

_Kyle_

Well-Known Member
I also only have 4GB of RAM.

How do I know what type of RAM and SSD will be compatible with this device?
Any SATA SSD should be fine. RAM however might be iffy, since you might have a 32bit version of windows, which only supports 4GB max.
 
Any SATA SSD should be fine. RAM however might be iffy, since you might have a 32bit version of windows, which only supports 4GB max.

I have a 64-bit operating system with DDR3 RAM. How do I tell how much RAM it can hold max?

Also, my DVD drive is broken. Would it be cheaper to replace that internally, or to get one that plugs into the USB?
 
Any SATA SSD should be fine. RAM however might be iffy, since you might have a 32bit version of windows, which only supports 4GB max.

If I bought a SSD to replace my current Hard Drive, that would involve having to reinstall Windows, correct? Because I don't have the disc. I only have what came preloaded on the laptop.
 
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