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Laptop Processor Buyer's Guide

Know a CPU's performance before buying a laptop PC

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Updated on July 2, 2021

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When shopping for a new laptop, one thing to consider is the processor or CPU. Laptop processors vary in performance, so make sure yours is powerful enough for your purposes.

Information in this article applies to a broad range of laptops and processors. Check individual product specifications before making a purchase.

Laptop buying guide — Scott Olson / Getty Images

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

Some Chromebooks use processors typically found in tablets, which are not as fast as most laptop processors, but they are decent enough for basic tasks like browsing the web.

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 higher
AMD A9-9410 and higher
AMD A10 Micro-6700T and higher
AMD E1-7010 and higher
AMD E1 Micro-6200T and higher
AMD E2-7110 and higher
AMD E2-9010 and higher
Intel Celeron 3205U and higher
Intel Celeron N2830 and higher
Intel Core i3-6100U and higher
Intel Core i3-7100U and higher
Intel Core i5-6200U and higher
Intel Core i5-7200U and higher
Intel Core i5-7Y54
Intel Core i7-5500U and higher
Intel Core i7-7500U and Higher
Intel Core i7-7Y75
Intel Core M-5Y10 and higher
Intel Core m3-6Y30 and higher
Intel Core m5-6Y57 and higher
Intel Core m7-6Y75 and higher
Intel Pentium N3530 and higher
Intel 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 higher
AMD A9-9410 and higher
AMD A10-8700P and higher
AMD A10-9600P and higher
AMD A12-9700P and higher
Intel Core i3-6100U and higher
Intel Core i3-7100U and higher
Intel Core i5-6200U and higher
Intel Core i5-6300HQ and higher
Intel Core i5-7200U and higher
Intel Core i7-6500U and higher
Intel Core i7-6700HQ and higher
Intel Core i7-7500U and higher

As ultraportable processors continue to improve, many systems in this category are beginning to use processors found in the ultraportable category for extended battery life.

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: