A bunch of reviewers had a go at Intel's new Arrandale and Clarkdale CPUs, the first 32nm processors that will in all likelihood mark 2010. In terms of performance, very few reviewers had any complaints, and bear in mind it's their job to complain and moan all day long. (So is yours. sub.ed.)

Anandtech tested the Core i5 540M, concluding it is "awesome" and definitely worth the wait if you're in the market for a new notebook. Anand also praised the IGP, which seems to be a step in the right direction. All in all, Arrandales should offer a significant 20+ performance boost at no cost to battery life.

Tom's Hardware also loved the new Arrandales, especially the new, massively integrated architecture that simplifies the platform. The Tom's thinks the integrated graphics should be enough for most punters, as they support Blu-ray and a host of other standards.

Reviews of Clarkdale desktop parts were also positive, but there was some criticism, too. Basically the new CPUs are state of the art, but they are a bit pricey and the new 32nm process does mean as much in the desktop space.

HotHardware loved them despite the price. Anandtech was a bit more down to earth, concluding most users would be better off with Core i5 750 parts or AMD's Phenom II 965 Black Edition. NeoSeeker also gave the Core i5 661 a thumbs up, but also noted that it costs more than a quad core Athlon II.

Our reviews should be up soon, but it's already clear Arrandales make quite a bit more sense than Clarkdales. The energy efficient 32nm process has a lot more to offer in the mobile segment. The biggest upshot of using 32nm desktop CPUs should be good overclocking headroom, but the new CPUs are mid range products, not high end parts aimed at enthusiasts. Furthermore, most consumers who opt for a $200 desktop processor already use discrete graphics, so they really don't need Intel's integrated graphics. In the notebook market, integrated graphics make a lot more sense.