How can a Mac Book accomplish so much with Core 2 Duo?

The MacBook and the MacBook Air run on Intel Core 2 Duo processors and many other netbooks or laptops such as the Sony VAIO E Series and the Z Series run on Intel core i3 or i5. But when these are more powerful than the Intel Core 2 Duo processors, a MacBook can just about do anything. Right from acting as the perfect music production system to the best NetBook. How does it do this? Are there any specialized drivers for the Mac Intel Core 2 Duo Processors?