Is Centrino the smart choice for all laptop purchases?

Is the Centrino the smart choice for all of us who are buying a laptop these
days?
Does it make a laptop purchased today with an older processor obsolete
before its time?

Or is it just appropriate for the Mobile segment of the market, not the
Desktop Replacement segment?

I'm confused.
I got conflicting advice yesterday from Gateway. I stopped in a store to see
their models and a salesman said I didn't need Centrino -- that was just for
travelers. He may have had an inventory there to sell. I came home and
looked up the model (500) on their website, but it's gone, replaced by a
similar model with a centrino. Gateway's Online Chat sales rep recommended
centrino.
Along the same lines, 12 days ago I ordered a Dell 8500 -- then right after
it shipped I noticed that it no longer exists in their Sept & Oct
catalogues, replaced by the 8600 -- same chassis with centrino.

What is a smart purchase today?
Nan