Pentium vs Centrino

Pentium and Centrino are two brands from the industry giant in microprocessor manufacturing, Intel . Although both are in the field of computing they are not the same as they deal with different types of hardware. Pentium is the brand name of a series of processors that are intended for the general market and is commonly used in desktop and laptop computers. Centrino on the other hand, is the brand name for laptop platforms that serve as the basis for laptops that are produced and released by other manufacturers. That is why you see Centrino laptops being offered by different laptop makers like Lenovo, Panasonic, Asus, and HP.

When someone talks about a Pentium, they are most often referring to the processor that is used in a certain system. There is no singular part that would identify a laptop as a Centrino as there are three main parts that are needed in a Centrino laptop; the processor, the chipset, and the wireless card. The exact parts for these three components may have changed over the years but they have always been from Intel. A lot of Centrino laptops did carry Pentium processors like the older Pentium Ms while the latest Centrinos are equipped with Core series processors. Other components like the hard drive, optical drive, memory, LCD, and many other parts can then vary depending on the design and preference of the laptop maker.

Over the years, the Pentium line has gradually waned due in part to the age of the name, although Intel seems to bank on the popularity of the Pentium name by releasing a Pentium processor every once in a while. The latest of which would be the Clarkdale based Pentium that shares the same characteristic as the i3 processor. The Centrino has been a steady offering of Intel since its introduction way back in 2003. The name has stayed and only the hardware that is included in each version of the platform has been replaced with better and faster components to keep up with the laptop industry.

Summary:

1. Pentium is a branding for Intel processors while Centrino is a mobile platform by Intel
2. Pentium concerns only the processor while Centrino is concerned with the processor, chipset, and wireless adapter
3. Pentium is seen on laptops, desktops, and even servers while Centrino is for laptops only
4. Centrinos can have Pentium processors in them

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