First few hours with Intel 3rd generation processor

The second generation Intel Core processors are all the rage now, making their mark in computing by being the driving force behind the Ultrabooks. Even as the second generation sets the standard, Intel has upped the ante by launching the third generation quad-core processors. We got to try the Asus N56V laptop running the brand new Intel 2.3GHz Core i7-3720QM mobile processor.

The Asus laptop is heavy and built like a Harley-Davidson, a subtle indicator that this is not meant to be used for soft work. Yes, this has to be a mean machine. This laptop we got for the test might not even be launched in India, but the new processors will soon be firing a lot of laptops within a few months.

But how good is the processor? We were not all that impressed by the 45-second start up time as the Ultrabooks are much faster. But this is also a machine twice the size of an Ultrabook.

You first notice there is something different where you click on some programme and wait for it to open. The programme is up and running before you get time to move the cursor away. That is fast.

We tried a benchmark test and realised that most of the components in the laptop were too new for the test to recognise. Then we ran a video test of our own with a full HD video file and the processor just munched though the video, running which many other laptops will easily give up. We also tried flipping through some hi-resolution pictures. Again no trouble. This amazing performance with HD content is what the new Intel processors are built for.

Wait for a full review in the June issue of Gadgets & Gizmos.