The legendary Pentium D and Pentium 4 processors differ in special ways. They are exclusive in some categories. The Pentium D is well suited for the desktop category. On the other hand, the Penttium 4 was the perfect fit for laptops and notebook computers at one time.
Both processor families offer 64-bit technology. However, there continues to be confusion about 32- and 64-bit compatibility, number of cores, desktop and laptop models.
Pentium D Features
The Pentium Dual Core is not necessarily the same as Pentium D. Why? Because there are more than 26 dual core processors and only 13 are Pentium Ds. Pentium D processors are exclusively dual core, 64-bit technology. The bus speed is 800 MHz; L2 cache sizes are 2 and 4 MB. It uses two cores to balance out processing demands and decrease power consumption. Each core has 1 MB of cache for a total of 2 MB.
Desktop Efficiency
Just because Pentium D processor is a desktops chip, it doesn't neglect efficiency. It also employs SpeedStep technology to scale down clock speed and minimize power draw. The Pentium D 805 and D 820 do not have SpeedStep. This particular processor has high wattage and solid performance.
Pentium 4
The Pentium 4 processors come in 32- and 64-bit. Both range as high as 3.8 GHz in speed. The 521, 531, 541, 551, 561, 571 and all the 600 series are 64-bit processors. There is one Extreme Edition Pentium 4 for the desktop. It is a 64-bit model and speed is 3.73 GHz. The bus is fast at 1066 MHz.
Mobile Pentium 4
Intel Pentium 4 Processor M is a mobile CPU. It ranges in speed from 1.4 to 3.2 GHz. All the mobile processors are 32-bit processors. There are bus speeds of 400 or 533 MHz. The L2 cache sizes are 512 K or 1 MB. The Pentium 4 conserves battery life with a combination of Intel's SpeedStep technology and Deeper Sleep state. There is another slightly different category called "Mobile Pentium 4." The processor speed ranges up to 3.46 GHz; bus speed is good at 533 MHz. The level 2 cache size is 1 MB.
Differences
The dual nature of the Pentium D is a glaring contrast to the single core Pentium 4. The Pentium D processor is exclusively for the desktop. The Pentium 4 offers processors for desktop and laptops. These are huge mismatches. They are just about the same price-wise. The price has come down on both of these processors; as a result, they are extremely affordable.
Tags: Pentium Pentium, Pentium Pentium processors, Pentium processors, 64-bit technology, cache sizes, Mobile Pentium, Pentium processor