Intel family chips often have low voltage versions of their high performance offerings. While these processors require up to 30 percent less electricity, they also run up to 25 percent slower. Low power name designations are not always consistent, so when choosing a processor, make sure to compare specifications of all similarly named chips.
Beware of accidentally choosing a low power chip meant for a high performance database. However, these chips may be ideal for warehouse or reporting database use, since those systems are not meant for high throughput or vast amounts of simultaneous users. They often cost less than their high-performance counterparts, making them perfect for systems expecting low utilization.
