Rest in Peace, Pentium 4

Rest in Peace, Pentium 4

As the desktop processor dies out, so will the giant desktop-replacement laptop. When the Pentium 4 desktop PC processor made its debut in laptops a few years back, it seemed like a match made in heaven. What better way to wed desktop speed with laptop mobility? Unfortunately, there were problems–big problems–with these Franken-laptops. While these hybrid machines delivered on the promise of more power, their big, internal fans, which were needed to keep the scorching processors from overheating, made them ponderous. Often weighing 10 pounds or more, these beasts marred the reputation of laptops as portable computers. Perhaps worse, the desktop processor robbed these laptops of good battery life. (Desktop processors need not conserve battery power because desktops remain plugged into an outlet. Obviously, this isn’t the case with laptops.)

Such drawbacks put the union between laptops and desktop processors on the rocks. In 2003, the appearance of the powerful and energy-efficient Intel Pentium M threatened the marriage altogether. Now in its third generation, the Pentium M–designed for mobile computers rather than bulky desktops–simply makes better use of its processing resources. For example, the chip groups certain tasks together and executes them all at once rather than one at a time. As a result, the Pentium M eats less battery power, and the laptop can run faster and cooler without a bulky fan. Intel isn’t the only one with lower-power processors on the brain: AMD recently announced plans for its new Turion chip, and we’re expecting to get our first test units any day now. Transmeta’s low-voltage Efficeon, most often seen in ultraportable laptops such as the Sharp Actius MP30, is another example of processing efficiency; its future, however, is in doubt.

With the Pentium M now popping up even on gaming powerhouses such as the Dell XPS Gen 2, the Pentium 4-laptop pairing appears destined for divorce. Intel made it official late last year when it announced the coming demise of the Pentium 4 in both laptops and desktops. The company plans to capitalize on the success of the Pentium M’s architecture by crafting a new processor, code-named Merom that will find its way into both laptops and desktops. In fact, we’ve already seen the Pentium M pop up in desktop PCs such as the PC Club Enpower Silencer, a trend that’s likely to continue.