How to Choose a Laptop Processor

Do you want to know how to choose a laptop processor? You are on the right spot to know the answer of this question.

A laptop processor, like other components such as SO-DIMM RAM, does not always have the same characteristics as one intended for desktop or high-performance computers.

These processors are designed to sacrifice some performance for consumption. In this article you will be able to understand what their particularities are, how to identify them and choose the best one.

Particularities of Processors for Laptops

Laptop processors have some quirks over their desktop counterparts as they have a low consumption version, more efficient.

They designed not only to perform at their best, but also to extend the battery life of these devices as much as possible and that means having to sacrifice some performance compared to the higher consumption version.

See Also: How much does an Apple Laptop Cost

On the other hand, not everything is a matter of efficiency, they must also have a lower TDP. This dissipate less power, since they are intended for integrated equipment where there is little space to install the elements.

So there is a high density of them in little space. And, what are worse, large cooling systems cannot be installed.

Therefore, from processors with powers greater than 50 or 100W of TDP, we go down to 10-30W for laptops, approximately. That is, they consume several times less energy, and dissipate less heat.

Something should also be noted, and that is that laptop processors also usually have the GPU integrated, since in many cases, when they are convertible computers, 2 in 1, or Ultrabook’s, they do not usually include a dedicated GPU.

And, to conclude, they don’t use the desktop platform socket either, but are BGA-type, that is, they are soldered to the motherboard. Therefore, this prevents them from being expanded, and makes it difficult to replace the component.

To repair this type of component, a rebelling soldering station is needed, and it is not the most recommended method.

Since the high temperatures that must be applied to the board can damage other components close to the chip that is being replaced.

SKUs for Laptops

The SKU or serial number and the final letter say a lot about the laptop processor. They can indicate whether it is a product designed for this market segment or not.

In addition, it must be said that processors for laptops are not only intended for this type of equipment. Many miniPCs, Sticks and AIOs also use them.

As for the SKUs for portable equipment, we have:

• You can find Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, Core i9, as well as Ryzen 3, Ryzen 5, Ryzen 7, or Ryzen 9 for laptops. So you can choose which one according to your performance needs.
• As for the SKU itself, always look at the ones ending in U, G or M, which are intended for conventional laptops (some computers such as portable workstations or gaming laptops may have more powerful desktop versions, since these computers tend to be thicker in profile and can house more powerful cooling systems).

If you look at those letters, U is the one that is marking those low-power processors, for laptops. While G/H usually indicates that the graphics card is integrated, that is, the CPU includes an IGPU.

While in the case of the M, it is usually a very low consumption version for equipment where extending battery life is the most important thing.

See Also: How to Clean your Laptop Fan and Avoid Overheating

Before settling this point, it is important to also know about the Arm family, which are also available in some Ultrabook’s, convertibles or 2-in-1s, Chromebooks, etc.

These chips are very efficient, like those found in mobile devices, but enough to run even a Windows operating system.

How to choose a Laptop Processor

Let’s see how you should choose a portable laptop processor for your next laptop:

1. Web browsing, chatting, office Automation, Video or Streaming

These types of applications do not usually require a large amount of resources. It is better to have a good RAM memory if you are going to open multiple tabs in the web browser, than a powerful processor.

In this way, you do not invest a single euro more in something that you are not going to take advantage of, since with an Intel Celeron, Intel Pentium, Intel Core i3, or with an AMD Athlon, or AMD Ryzen 3 is enough (entry-level range ).

2. More Generic Use

For other more generic uses where the above implies, but also other tasks such as editing, gaming certain triple AAA titles, etc., it is best to go for the mainstream range, such as the Intel Core i5 or the AMD Ryzen 5.

3. Gaming, Programming, Virtualization, and Design

For heavier tasks like running certain AAA titles, compiling large source code, virtualizing with multiple virtual machines at once, design and coding, etc.

Ideally go for a more powerful processor, such as Intel Core i7 or Intel Core i9, or AMD equivalents, such as Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 9.

Now you know a little more about laptop processors, something very important to know which laptop to buy. Which one will you select for your next laptop?