15. Conclusion: High Clock Speed Is Not Always The Best Choice

As this comparison of mobile Pentium 4-M processors of various clock frequencies shows, the choice of the "right" processor should be based mainly on the applications the notebook will be running.

People who use mostly office applications such as Word, Excel and Outlook, and who are also planning to enjoy the occasional DVD video on their notebooks, will be perfectly happy with a relatively lower clock speed of around 1 GHz.

Users who want to work primarily with processor-intensive applications such as video and audio encoding or picture editing will find that they have no choice but to take the fastest CPU. In these application areas, every single megahertz represents a savings in time.

For smooth gaming, you don't necessarily need the fastest processor in your notebook. If your notebook is to serve as the basis for games, you should make sure, above all, that you also have the latest in mobile graphics card technology and plenty of video memory on hand. Simply aiming for CPU speed is not always the best solution.

Finally, whether mobile Pentium 4-M processors are really that expensive is a matter for debate. But one thing is certain: if you stick to our recommendations, you won't be needlessly spending so much money when you buy your next notebook.