Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile Processor Review – T7600

The Core 2 Duo Mobile Line-Up and Test Setup

With the NDA expiring today, we’re finally able to release details on the Core 2 Duo mobile product line along with the initial MSRP. Also being announced today are three other mobile CPUs which we previously had no information on and the following table summarizes the line-up.

At the top end, you have the T7600 at 2.33 GHz for $637 which we are examining today. Below that is the T7400 which we looked at earlier and included in today’s tests. The ‘bang for the buck’ CPU without sacrificing performance will be the T7200 and the T5600 processors. The T5500 will fit budget system builders and consumers.

Because all the frequencies following logical speed increments, you’d expect a sequential numbering of models, but as you can see this is not the case. But since when has marketing product names followed logic?

All of the above CPUs are genuine Core 2 Duo CPUs complete with 4MB L2 Cache, 667 MHz FSB, and low power thermal design of just 34 W. Operating voltages are 1.0375 to 1.3V. The model numbers in the 6000 range are omitted probably to avoid confusion with the desktop E6000 and X6000 series Core 2 Duo CPUs (see here for our look at the Core 2 Duo desktop CPUs).

Test Setup

Our test setup is rather simple: we have a Asus Z96J barebones laptop which we are using as our test bed, and three different mobile CPUs to drop into place. Everything else is held constant: hard drive, graphics, and even the operating system.

If you’ve read our previous articles on the mobile Core 2 Duo, you should note that our test platform has changed slightly. We are now using two 512MB SODIMMs and a 60GB SATA 7200 RPM drive.