Great, but could have been cheaper
A bunch of reviewers had a go at Intel's new Arrandale and Clarkdale
CPUs, the first 32nm processors that will in all likelihood mark 2010.
In terms of performance, very few reviewers had any complaints, and
bear in mind it's their job to complain and moan all day long. (So is
yours. sub.ed.)
Anandtech tested the Core i5 540M, concluding it is "awesome"
and definitely worth the wait if you're in the market for a new
notebook. Anand also praised the IGP, which seems to be a step in the
right direction. All in all, Arrandales should offer a significant 20+
performance boost at no cost to battery life.
Tom's Hardware
also loved the new Arrandales, especially the new, massively integrated
architecture that simplifies the platform. The Tom's thinks the
integrated graphics should be enough for most punters, as they support
Blu-ray and a host of other standards.
Reviews of Clarkdale desktop parts were also positive, but there was
some criticism, too. Basically the new CPUs are state of the art, but
they are a bit pricey and the new 32nm process does mean as much in the
desktop space.
HotHardware loved them despite the price.
Anandtech
was a bit more down to earth, concluding most users would be better off
with Core i5 750 parts or AMD's Phenom II 965 Black Edition.
NeoSeeker also gave the Core i5 661 a thumbs up, but also noted that it costs more than a quad core Athlon II.
Our reviews should be up soon, but it's already clear Arrandales make
quite a bit more sense than Clarkdales. The energy efficient 32nm
process has a lot more to offer in the mobile segment. The biggest
upshot of using 32nm desktop CPUs should be good overclocking headroom,
but the new CPUs are mid range products, not high end parts aimed at
enthusiasts. Furthermore, most consumers who opt for a $200 desktop
processor already use discrete graphics, so they really don't need
Intel's integrated graphics. In the notebook market, integrated
graphics make a lot more sense.