Intel’s Mobile Core i5 And Core i3: Arrandale Is For The Rest Of Us

Features
By Chris Angelini
published

Test Setups And Software

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Test Laptops
ModelAsus K42FHP Pavillion dv4-1555dx
ProcessorIntel Core i5-540M (Arrandale) 2.53 GHz, PGA988, 3MB Shared L3, Hyper-Threading, Power-savings enabledIntel Core 2 Duo P8700 (Penryn) 2.53 GHz, PGA478, 3MB Shared L2, Power-savings enabled
GraphicsIntegrated Intel HD GraphicsIntegrated GMA 4500MHD Graphics
Memory4GB DDR-13334GB DDR3-1066 @ 7-7-7
Hard DriveIntel SSDSA2M160G2GC 160GB SATA 3 Gb/sIntel SSDSA2M160G2GC 160GB SATA 3 Gb/s
Software And Drivers
Operating SystemWindows 7 Ultimate 64-bitWindows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
Platform Driver9.1.1.10209.1.1.1025
Graphics Driver15.16.4.64.200815.16.2.64.1986
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Benchmarks and Settings
Audio Encoding
iTunesVersion: 9.0.2.25 (64-bit), Audio CD ("Terminator II" SE), 53 min., Default format AAC
Video Encoding
TMPEG 4.7Version: 4.7.3.292, Import File: "Terminator II" SE DVD (5 Minutes), Resolution: 720x576 (PAL) 16:9
DivX 6.8.5Encoding mode: Insane Quality, Enhanced Multi-Threading, Enabled using SSE4, Quarter-pixel search
XviD 1.2.2Display encoding status=off
MainConcept Reference 1.6.1MPEG2 to MPEG2 (H.264), MainConcept H.264/AVC Codec, 28 sec HDTV 1920x1080 (MPEG2), Audio: MPEG2 (44.1 KHz, 2 Channel, 16-Bit, 224 Kb/s), Mode: PAL (25 FPS), Profile: Tom’s Hardware Settings for Qct-Core
HandBrake 0.9.4Version 0.9.4, convert first .vob file from The Last Samurai to .mp4, High Profile
Applications
Autodesk 3ds Max 2010 (64-bit)Version: 2009 Service Pack 1, Rendering Dragon Image at 1920x1080 (HDTV)
WinRAR 3.90Version 3.90 (64-bit), Benchmark: THG-Workload (334 MB)
7zipVersion 4.65, Built-in Benchmark
Adobe Photoshop CS4Radial Blur, Shape Blur, Median, Polar Coordinates filters
AVG Anti-Virus 9Virus scan of 334MB of compressed files
Synthetic Benchmarks and Settings
3DMark VantageVersion: 1.02, GPU and CPU scores
PCMark VantageVersion: 1.00, System, Memories, TV and Movies, and Productivity benchmarks, Windows Media Player 10.00.00.3646
SiSoftware Sandra 2010CPU Test=CPU Arithmetic/MultiMedia, Memory Test=Bandwidth Benchmark
Games
World of WarcraftLow Quality Settings, No AA / No AF, vsync off, 1024x768, Patch 3.3, Dalaran circuit, FRAPS
Chris Angelini
Chris Angelini
Chris Angelini is an Editor Emeritus at Tom's Hardware US. He edits hardware reviews and covers high-profile CPU and GPU launches.
20 Comments Comment from the forums
  • burnley14
    Well played, Intel. You've been knocking it out of the park lately, keep up the good work.
    Reply
  • I'm looking forward to getting an HP laptop with the Arrandale Core i5 processor in the near future.
    Reply
  • It's going to be interesting to see the performance/battery time of the LM and UM processors as I'm in the market for a thin-and-light myself.

    Performance is good but I'm hoping for a viable update to the CULV offerings of yesterday.
    Reply
  • Computer_Lots
    Looks like there are finally some replacements for the Atom, at least in efficiency anyway. Too bad the price is currently too high for the UM versions of these processors to make their way into netbooks. I would guess that even the i5-520UM would destroy the Atom in every benchmark, except maybe power consumption.
    Reply
  • HansVonOhain
    C2D was one of the longest living platforms. But newer tech will replace slower processors.

    Keep it up intel. I do hope that AMD will release some new chips that will be able to compete with intel offerings.
    Reply
  • jasperjones
    ^^^ true that. arrandale will further diminish AMD's role in the mobile processor market. and there's nothing coming up before may.
    Reply
  • Luscious
    Chris, the dv4 series from HP has a 12-cell extended battery available as well rated for 94Wh 2.2A. Once HP makes the transition to Arrandale, all else being same, you can expect the dv4 to hit 8-10 hours easy.
    Reply
  • cangelini
    Thanks for the tip Lucious. I didn't have the higher-capacity battery available to test, but I'd absolutely love to see 8-10 hrs. real-world from an Arrandale-based machine.
    Reply
  • Reynod
    Good bye NVidia ...

    That chops them completely out of the mobile graphics market for the masses ... Intel will pay the RIGHT OEM's some "adjustment" just to make sure their "Strategy" is right to ensure AMD's mobile market is thin and restricted to the backwaters of Bejjing.

    Reply
  • spydercanopus
    Wish you would have compared it to Intel Extreme Graphics 2 or something.
    Reply