Performance

• Processor operation is synchronized with the computer's internal clock. The faster a processor's capability, the faster the computer's clock can be set and the more calculations per second it can execute. The RM-70 is rated at 2 GHz, meaning that it can run at 2 billion clock cycles per second. It is also a dual core processor, meaning that it consists of two processors on the same chip. This allows it to split certain calculations into a number of smaller calculations. Each core then works simultaneously on its piece of the operation, completing it faster than a single core processor could.
  
  

Competition

• AMD released the RM-70 roughly three months after Intel released its T5800 Core 2 Duo mobile processor. The two processors instantly found themselves in direct competition. They both have two cores, a 2 GHz speed rating and comparable prices. One major difference is in their cache memory. Cache memory is the fastest type of memory used in most PCs, providing the processor with immediate access to the data most relevant to its current operations. The RM-70 contains 1MB of cache, whereas the T5800 has 2MB. Independent CPU reviewer CPU Benchmark gave the T5800 higher performance ratings over the RM-70.
  
  

History

• In 2004, AMD's line of laptop processors consisted of the Athlon and the Sempron CPU families. These were single core processors with speeds starting at 1.6GB. The Athlons had the performance edge as they used a 64-bit technology, compared to the Semprons' 32-bit, allowing them to address more memory at a given time. The Turion CPUs, when released in 2006, were the first laptop processors to use dual-core and 64-bit technology combined. The RM-70 is an updated version of these initial Turion mobile processors.
  
  

Improvements

• As of 2010, the RM-70 is among the slowest of AMD's dual-core laptop processors, and the slowest of the Turion series. The Turions have passed the torch as AMD's flagship laptop CPU family to the Phenom II series, which come in 2-, 3-, and 4-core versions and operate at speeds between 1.6 and 3.1 GHz.
  
  

Cost

• As a laptop processor, the RM-70 is not as easily available for purchase as comparable AMD desktop CPUs. One reason for this is that laptop processor upgrades often require more work than desktop upgrades, if they are possible at all. However, as of 2010, it is possible to find the RM-70 for between $80 and $120. It is more common to find laptops with the RM-70 already installed.