When an ordinary user comes to an electronics store to buy a laptop, he’s simply lost from the assortment and price range. Which processor is better for a laptop, how to navigate in the technical specifications and choose the best option - let's try to figure this article out.
What is a processor
This is the main character of any computer - he receives various commands and executes them, controlling the basic functions and systems of an electronic machine. For laptops, special mobile processors with increased energy efficiency have been created, which can run on battery power for a longer time. In addition, mobile processors perform well in office tasks and in the field of multimedia. The only negative - they have a higher price than processors for conventional PCs.
CPU specifications
- The number of cores (single or multi-core);
- Cache memory (L1 or L2);
- Clock frequency (GHz value).
Accordingly, the higher the performance of each of the characteristics, the more powerful the car you get.
To understand which processor is best for a laptop, you need to figure out for what purpose you will use your purchase.
Office laptop
This is the most budget option, designed to work in standard office programs (such as Microsoft Office) and access to the Internet. In this case, you can save on the processor. Even the cheapest models will do their job perfectly. But remember that complex programs for such laptops will not be able to.
Multimedia laptop
If you make high demands on video quality, use professional graphic editors, play modern computer games, and generally expect high power, then this is the type of laptop you need. Most likely, only the most productive and, therefore, the most expensive processor models can satisfy all the requirements.
Gaming laptops
Modern games require the machine to be equipped with the most functional components. Which processor is best for a laptop - the most expensive? No, in this case you can not buy the latest top model. It often happens that it is better to spend less money on the processor, but buy a powerful video card.
Notebook for image
This option is for those who appreciate the design of the case, thought out to the smallest detail: color, texture, spraying, drawings. Processors are placed most often from an average price category and average performance. You will get just a comfortable laptop without the support of particularly complex programs.
If you decide which processor is best for a laptop, then you have to make a choice between the most popular models: Intel and AMD. At the same time, Intel shows a higher speed, while AMD has better power consumption. But this is not the most important question, because during normal work you will not feel the difference.
To summarize: which processor to choose for a laptop?
Clock frequency: 1.6 GHz is enough for the office version, and if you plan to work with graphics, you will need it above 2 GHz.
Number of cores: multi-core processors increase the speed of the laptop, allow you to run several "heavy" applications at the same time without loss of performance. But if in principle there is no such need, then a single-core processor will be sufficient. This will significantly save financial costs.
Cache: for office and fashion laptops, the first level (L1) is enough, and for multimedia and gaming laptops you need the second level (L2).
Degree of heating and power consumption: these parameters show how much the cooler fans will make noise in the laptop, and how long it will be able to run on battery power.
Which processor is the best in all of these areas? It is impossible to answer unequivocally, but among Intel Core i7 and Xeon stand out, and from AMD it is AMD Phenom and AMD FX. The average level is shown by AMD Athlon and Core i5 processors, and the initial level is shown by AMD LIano, Core i3, Pentium and Celeron.