Types of Laptop Processors

Laptop processors are different from their desktop counterparts due to the limited amount of power they have to run on when the laptop is not plugged into an outlet. The less power the laptop uses, the longer the system can run on the battery. Therefore, laptop processors rely on techniques like CPU scaling to adjust power usage (and thus performance) based on the tasks at hand. Most laptop users don’t need high-end processors to run productivity software. However, for PC gaming and video editing, you’ll need a powerful CPU in addition to sufficient RAM and a dedicated video card. Laptops and laptop processors can be separated into four categories; which type you buy depends on your computing needs.

Budget Laptop Processors for Basic Computing

Budget laptops typically have older processors that used to be found in high-end laptops or newer low-cost processors. All of the processors listed below are sufficient for basic computing tasks, including web browsing, word processing, sending emails, and making presentations. They are also capable of video playback. The only thing a budget processor isn’t good for is running high-end graphics applications such as PC games. Here are some of the processors to look for in this range:

AMD A6-7000 and higherAMD A6-9210 and higherAMD A8-7100 and higherAMD A9-9410 and higherAMD E1-7010 and higherAMD E2-7110 and higherAMD E2-9010 and higherIntel Celeron N3350 and higherIntel Core i3-6100U and higherIntel Core i3-7100U and higherIntel Core i5-6200U and higherIntel Pentium 4405U and higherIntel Pentium 4405Y and higherIntel Pentium N4200 and higher

Ultraportable Processors for Users on the Go

Ultraportables are systems designed to be as light and compact as possible, yet they are powerful enough for common business applications such as e-mail, word processing, and presentation software. These systems are geared towards people who travel and are willing to sacrifice computing power and peripherals for portability. Ultrabooks are a subcategory of these systems built on a specific platform defined by Intel. Here are the processors found in ultraportables:

AMD A6-9210 and higherAMD A9-9410 and higherAMD A10 Micro-6700T and higherAMD E1-7010 and higherAMD E1 Micro-6200T and higherAMD E2-7110 and higherAMD E2-9010 and higherIntel Celeron 3205U and higherIntel Celeron N2830 and higherIntel Core i3-6100U and higherIntel Core i3-7100U and higherIntel Core i5-6200U and higherIntel Core i5-7200U and higherIntel Core i5-7Y54Intel Core i7-5500U and higherIntel Core i7-7500U and HigherIntel Core i7-7Y75Intel Core M-5Y10 and higherIntel Core m3-6Y30 and higherIntel Core m5-6Y57 and higherIntel Core m7-6Y75 and higherIntel Pentium N3530 and higherIntel Pentium 4405U and higher

Thin and Light Laptop Processors

A thin and light laptop can perform almost any computing task, at least on some level. These systems vary in terms of price and performance. They tend to perform better than those in the value category or ultraportables, but they are smaller and more portable than the large media-focused desktop replacements. Here are some of the processors that can be found in this category of laptops:

AMD A8-8600P and higherAMD A9-9410 and higherAMD A10-8700P and higherAMD A10-9600P and higherAMD A12-9700P and higherIntel Core i3-6100U and higherIntel Core i3-7100U and higherIntel Core i5-6200U and higherIntel Core i5-6300HQ and higherIntel Core i5-7200U and higherIntel Core i7-6500U and higherIntel Core i7-6700HQ and higherIntel Core i7-7500U and higher

Desktop Replacement Processors for Raw Computing Power

Desktop replacement laptops are designed to have the same processing power and capabilities as a desktop system. They tend to be larger and bulkier than other laptops, but they are still designed for portability. While these laptops can’t match the graphics of high-end gaming desktops, they can run any type of software the operating system supports. They also typically feature high-end displays ideal for watching Blu-ray movies and 4K videos. Here are some of the processors that can be found in this category of machine:

AMD A8-8600P and higherAMD A9-9410 and higherAMD A10-8700P and higherAMD A10-9600P and higherAMD A12-9700P and higherAMD FX-8800P and higherAMD FX-9800P and higherIntel Core i5-6300HQ and higherIntel Core i7-4700MQ/HQ and higherIntel Core i7-4930MX and higherIntel Core i7-6700HQ and higherIntel Core i9-7900X and higherIntel Core i9-9820X and higherIntel Core i9-9900X and higher