With Intel announcing quad core desktop and server processors at its Developer Forum in San Francisco, the obvious question is what about a quad core for notebooks? When will we see that kind of processing power?

The short answer is you're not in everyday laptops anytime soon. Quad core will attract niche markets such as gaming or mobile workstations, but not the average user. For them the hit such performance will have on battery life will be too much. But it also doesn't think most people will get much benefit from four cores in a mobile device.

The move from single core to dual core systems made a huge impact in laptop performance, but the step change when moving from two to four cores will be less so for most people. The thought of four cores diligently working away while you surf the net, or update a spreadsheet may seem attractive, but right now it's a waste of whoever's money bought the machine.

Gamers is the obvious exception, and although Intel gave no further details or timelines, we can safely assume that quad core mobile processors will appear and go into high end laptops, perhaps even in the second half of 2007. But there is also the argument that as high definition video grows, those that need to edit them will also be attracted to quad core notebooks, and may even accept the shorter battery life if they can work easier.

Ultimately though, you can be sure that Intel will be shouting about its 'energy efficient' quad core laptop as soon as it has cracked problems around power, heat and battery life, and can produce them at an attractive price point. And at that time it will be explaining in detail why the average user very much needs that kind of processing power.