Intel new quad-core processors for desktop PCs are also substantially more energy efficient. They can be identified by the letter "s";after the model number. We already got a chance to test them, as opposed to the new laptop CPUs. Both the Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550s and the Core 2 Quad Q9400s have a TOP of 65 watts instead of 95 watts. In contrast to that, AM D's new mid-range triple-core processor Rs 7,500 it's not a better deal due to its average performance. However, the Athlon 64 X2 7750 Black Edition tells a completely different story. Our purchase recommendation for this issue is available for only Rs 3,600. This dual-core processor based on Phenom offers sufficient power for HTPC and games, and can be overclocked without any hassles. It is clocked at 2.9 GHz and features an unlocked multiplier. Simply bump the multiplier to push it beyond 3 GHz without adjusting RAM settings.

Three new mobile CPUs also made their way to our Test Center. The Intel Atom N280 with a slightly faster clock speed of 1.66 GHz and the VIA nano U2250, which has 1 MB L2 cache-both typical netbook CPUs rank low on the top 50 list. The 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9300 is the leader of the pack. It features a massive 12 MB L2 cache and outperforms all other mobile processors. It obtained top scores in all our benchmarks. However, top-notch performance commands a heavy price. Even our purchase recommendation, the Intel Core 2 Duo T9500 falls in the group of top-end laptop processors. It's one of the most reasonably priced among the 11 best mobile processors and it beats theT9600 in the PCMark 05 benchmark.