Hardware question

[Elsa Bibat]

Shopping for a laptop - what exactly is the difference between a Core Duo and a Core Solo processor? What should I be looking at to know how each compares to each other on the computational front?
I'm pretty much looking for a workhorse laptop able to handle most anything I can throw at it on a work basis - which means video editing stuff and also be able to handle Civ4 (which I just have to install on every computer I have ^_^)
I'm looking at a laptop with a Core Solo 1.86 Ghz and another one with Core Duo 1.66 Ghz. I'm leaning on the Core Duo model since it has a DVD writer but I'll throw that over computing power.
Thanks and hope you guys can help.
Edit: added a few details

[kestrel404]

The Core Solo process is basically half of a Core Duo processor. I'll explain.
The Intel Core Duo processor is a chip with two processors sitting side-by-side. For some modern applications (video editing is actually a good example), the two chips can be used at the same time to double the speed of the application. For most things, only one of those processors will be in use at once. Very advanced games will also take advantage of this, but none released so far (that I know of) do yet.
The Intel Core Solo is just an Intel Core Duo chip, where one of the two side-by-side processors didn't work right during the factory tests, and was shut off intentionally. Unless you're using an application that would take advantage of the additional chip, you'd never notice the difference between the Solo and the Duo, and so Intel can get away with selling the slightly-defective Duo at a markdown price.
My advice is to go with the Duo. The difference in processing power is minimal, and it will be longer before you have to upgrade the Duo to meet the needs of more advanced software. You'll get more life out of it, and a DVD writer is very nice. Plus, if you do video editing (and you use good software for it), you'll actually get some use out of the dual processor right now.
"Not this again!" Minerva said. "Albus, it was You-Know-Who, not you, who marked Harry as his equal. There is no possible way that the prophecy could be talking about you!" - Harry Potter and the Method of Rationality, Chapter 84

[Kokuten]

There are multiple games out right now that take advantage of multithreading/multiprocessing. Supreme Commander being the big name in that field.Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979

[Elsa Bibat]

Thanks for the advice! Probably go for the Core Duo then.

[Rod.H]

My advice is go for Core Duo, perferably a core 2 duo cpu. Yet if you're going to be playing Civ4, 2GHz is a better speed for it, but the major limitation your going to encounter is graphics. Yes, graphics for I run Civ4 on both my systems and found it ran better on my laptop (core duo 2ghz, 1gb ram -Compaq nx6320) then me core 2 duo 2.4 ghz with a geForce 5200 GT pluged in. 'Cause, once I fitted 2 geforce7800s in SLI, I'd no probs.
So what ever laptop you look at better have some decent graphic processing strenght. And yeah, I know my laptop's missing some as DVD playback is still a bit grainey, Halo looks nice, BF2 won't run. Meh like who seriously FPS's on a laptop anyway...
--Rod.H

[jpub]

I'd like to reiterate that you should aim for a Core 2 Duo if possible. The second generation of the Core Duo procs has superior performance at the same clock speed, and somewhat better power consumption.
The 1.66GHz Core 2 Duo (or even the Core Duo) will play Civ 4 fine from a processor standpoint. The real thing you should be looking at is the video card.
If your laptop uses a video card that's 'integrated' or uses 'shared memory', it's not going to be any good at games, even Civ 4, which isn't the most demanding of games.
You want a full video card in there - it doesn't really matter what kind, but integrated graphics are the #1 performance killer.

[Elsa Bibat]

They both use Intel GMA 950 I checked the site and no overt mention of integrated or shared memory - but my 1337 speak is old so it may actually say that. Anyone know anying about it?

[Rod.H]

The Intel GMA 950 series chipset splits the main system ram between the CPU & video. So you can say it's shared.
Therefore, you'll be right if it uses either an Nvidia or ATi graphics chipset. Personally I'd go the nvidia route, but that's just a personal choice.