I'm going to buy a new laptop. In order to ensure snappiness and the fastest speed possible while surfing the Internet and running programs like Dreamweaver, Flash and Photoshop, should I make it a priority to aquire a new laptop with as high a GHz number rating as possible? For example, a 3GHz machine would be snappier and faster than a 2GHz machine, correct?
If they were both dual core, then a 3.0 should be faster...but that is just the CPU (with those apps, a dual core 2.0 will be faster than a single core 3.0). You also have to consider: Hard disk speed, ram capacity and speed, and video chip.
The brand of CPU is as important as anything. An old Pentium D at 3.0Ghz would be decimated by a Core 2 Duo E8400, also 3Ghz, and both are dual cores. Likewise, there are single, dual, triple and quad core processors (Don't go for less than a dual, but a quad is widely unnecessary for most people), and on top of that, the CPU is not the only performance dictator in the system. The choice of RAM, Graphics card, and sometimes even the hard disk can affect things.
As the CPU as the sole factor, clock speed isn't the only determining factor. If you go and check, this is known as the Mhz Myth. I'd guess that speed is more or less determined clock x efficiency per clock. ie. Athlon 64 xxxx+ is usually equal to the xxxx mhz on an equivalent Pentium (3/4) or equivalent competitor processor. Usually the Athlon itself is at a lower speed; CL Athlon 3800+ is @ 2.4 GHz but theoretically should be able to compete against (equivalent power) as a 3.8 GHZ P4. Like Sam said, a Pentium D @ a high clock is usually strangled by a C2D at even half the speed. PD 3Ghz is killed by a C2D @ 1.8. This has been a determining factor these days, as clock speed hit, a wall. 6 Ghz. Instructions per clock; performance per watt... ETC. You should take a look first by the CPU family. This will further categorize the CPUs into further CPU architechures. Enjoy! GenesisX
