What Is Dual Core Vs. a Core 2 Duo in a Laptop?

Intel's Core 2 Duo family of processors uses Dual Core technology.

Core 2 Duo is a brand name of a family of processors manufactured by Intel. All Core 2 Duo processors utilize Intel's Dual Core technology. Each core in a Dual Core or other multi-core processor is a processor itself. The multiple cores work together for improved performance.

Dual Core

Intel Dual Core technology refers to a processor that really consists of two (dual) processors working together in tandem in the same package and computing at the same frequency (e.g. 500 MHz). According to Intel, this parallel operation leads to faster overall processing speeds.

Core 2 Duo

The Core 2 Duo family consists of nearly 70 distinct processors. Core 2 Duo processors include technology that improves energy efficiency, speed of memory access, and processing for high definition applications, as well as enabling an overall reduction in laptop size.

Performance

According to Intel's web page on the specifications of Core 2 Duo processors, their cache size (temporary storage for data for calculations) ranges from 2 to 6 MB. Clock speed (how fast the processor processes instructions) ranges from 1.33 to 3.06 GHz. Lastly, bus speed (computer-wide computing speed) ranges from 533 to 1,066 MHz.

References

• Intel: Intel Core™2 Duo Mobile Processor
• Intel: Intel Pentium Processor
• Intel: Mobile Product Brief
• Intel: Intel Multi-Core Technology