That means increase in speed is much more noticeable when you choose 2.5GHz over 2.4GHz THAN when you choose 2.6GHz over 2.5GHz.
between 2.4 and 2.5 there's 3MB on-chip memory difference BUT
between 2.5 and 2.6 there's NO on-chip memory difference.
L2 cache is a type of memory that's on the processor itself that makes the processing of the processes faster for the processor . so the bigger is always the better when it comes to L2 cache.
wikipedia always helps if you're into more details
Intel decided to cut 1 MB of it. Apple has nothing to do with it. I don't know any benchmarks about the new processors. Can't help with that. But common sense tells me overall performance was not hurt.