If you're customizing a laptop, you're going to want to consider every aspect of it to make sure that it's absolutely right for you, and that means you're going to want to think about your processor.

A computer's central processing unit, or CPU, reads the instructions of programs and then tells the operating system how to perform those tasks. Processors come in a variety of options and cover a wide range of speed and quality.

Like most aspects of your computer, deciding on your processor depends on what you'll use your computer for and how much you want to spend. A casual user who only uses their computer to check email is going to have vastly different requirements than a gamer with a taste for HD video.

You may have heard someone talking about a single-core, dual-core or quad-core processor. The difference between these is that a single core processes one instruction at a time, a dual core can do two, and a quad core can take on four. There are also high-end hexa-core processors that can take on six instructions at once.

If you use your computer for word processing, music, movies or other media, it's recommended that you make use of a dual core processor, since chances are that you're going to do a fair amount of multitasking on your machine.

Those who use their laptops to make music, program or play graphics-heavy games are likely to need a quad-core or higher. As with memory, the bigger the processor you have, the faster your computer will operate. If speed is important to you, go for the hexa-core chip.

Laptop customization leads to many questions such as this, and you might not know for sure what you need. The experts at PortableOne are here to help you every step of the way, and can make sure that you get exactly the right laptop.