Top 5 Best Laptop Processors 2023:
A slow laptop is a stupid laptop. Stupid, like your neighbor’s dog. Yeah, the one that’s always barking up that lamp post for no apparent reason.
There’s no helping that dog, but there is a way to make your laptop smarter – get a better processor. This component is the computer’s brain, and it dictates how fast the machine operates.
Like your mom, we want only the best for you, and today we’re going to help you find the best laptop processor for your needs. We’ve compiled and reviewed some of the top dogs (see what we did there?) on the market, and presented them in a list for your convenience.
Ch-ch-check it out!
Best Laptop Processors – Comparison Table
| Product | Intel Core i7 8750H | Intel Core i7-10710U | Intel Core i7-1065G7 | AMD Ryzen 7 3700U | Intel Core i7-9750H |
| Cores | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| Base clock speed | 2.2 GHz | 1.1 GHz | 1.3 GHz | 2.3 GHz | 2.6 GHz |
| Turbo clock speed | 4.1 GHz | 4.7 GHz | 3.9 GHz | 4.0 GHz | 4.5 GHz |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 630 | Intel UHD Graphics | Intel Iris Plus | RX Vega 10 | Intel UHD Graphics 630 |
| Power requirements (TDP) | 45W | 15W | 15W | 15W | 45W |
5 Best Laptop Processors In 2023: Detailed Reviews
The world of PC hardware is a jungle. It is an utterly merciless, dog eat dog environment where updates are frequent, and the race for betterment is endless.
You can find the best CPU of all time one day, and the next day it may already be outdated. This puts a lot of pressure on us researchers, you know.
Nevertheless, we did our best and put together a list of the top 5 laptop processors on the current market. It’s right below!
1. Intel Core i7 8750H – Best for Gaming and Video Editing
Intel Core i7 8750H is one of the most potent CPUs for laptops that have been made so far. It is found in high-end laptops, which aren’t the cheapest, but their performance is top-notch.
This processor is an integral part of gaming or content creation computers, and now we’re going to give it a close inspection.
If you do a bit more research, you’ll see that many people can’t decide between 8750H and it’s older brother, 8850H. The two have very similar specifications, with the latter being a tad more robust.
Despite this, we’ve opted for 8750H for one main reason – it’s more power-efficient. Just a bit less power, but longer battery life is a trade-off that’s worth making.
The i7 8750H has six cores with a base frequency of 2.20 GHz and a 4.1 GHz turbo boost. The base frequency is not the greatest, but turbo makes up for it. Such clock speed is more than enough for demanding software as used in gaming, engineering, or graphic design.
One of the main downsides of this CPU has to be the price. Don’t get us wrong, the laptops that have this component aren’t the most expensive ones, but they can sure put a hole through your pocket.
Pros
- Includes six cores
- 4.1 GHz turbo boost
- More energy-efficient than similar models
Cons
- Relatively expensive
2. Intel Core i7-10710U – Best For Business Use
This processor belongs to the “U” series, which, as some of you may know, is mostly found in Ultrabooks. These are thin, lightweight, work-oriented notebooks (laptops) with extremely long battery life. If that sounds like something you need, then don’t stop reading!
People who use their laptops for business often have to do a lot of multitasking. This is where i7-10710U’s six cores and the many threads jump in. The work will be spread evenly across the cores, and you won’t feel it slowing down when you’ve got a bunch of tabs and a software open.
As for the frequency, this CPU has a 1.1 GHz base, which doesn’t look like much, but it’s enough for the mentioned purpose. In case some operation requires a little extra boost, this model can turbo up to 4.7 GHz.
If you’ve owned business-oriented laptops before and you decide to upgrade to this processor, trust us, it’ll take you to another dimension speed and performance-wise. Before this line of CPUs, Ultrabooks had much slower models. We hope the likes of i7-10710U become the “new normal”.
Pros
- Includes six cores
- Excellent for multitasking
- Light and thin
- Doesn’t heat up a lot
Cons
- Expensive
- Base frequency not very high
3. Intel Core i7-1065G7 – Best For Everyday Use
Someone who uses their laptop for everyday tasks like browsing the internet and non-demanding software like the Microsoft suite might want to read about this processor.
Intel Core i7 – 1065G7 achieves the optimal balance between energy efficiency and power, so let’s see its secret.
This tenth generation Intel CPU isn’t the most powerful in its category, but it is no joke either. It contains four cores and has a clock speed of 1.3 GHz and a turbo frequency of 3.9 GHz. Obviously, it lags behind some of the other i7 cores on the list, but it has certain advantages too.
A characteristic that gives this model an edge over some pricier competitors is the Intel Iris Plus graphics. In other words, it’s graphics processing unit is good and better than what’s the norm for this kind of CPU.
Another cool thing is how low its thermal design power is (15W). This means that the battery lasts for a long time, and it doesn’t heat up as quickly. It is a cheaper option, which makes it accessible to more people.
Pros
- Relatively affordable
- Solid clock speed
- Excellent for everyday tasks
- Low thermal design power
Cons
- Not as powerful as some other i7 CPUs
4. AMD Ryzen 7 3700U – Best Budget Option
AMD’s processors might have had a bad rap once, but their Ryzen series has made all the difference. Today, we’re exploring the Ryzen 7 3700U, a CPU commonly found in (relatively) budget laptops for everyday use.
First things first, this is a quad-core processor. Its base clock speed is 2.3 GHz, and the turbo is 4.0 GHz. As you can see, this isn’t bad at all, especially for the cheapest model on the list.
A neat bonus is included with this CPU, and it is the RX Vega 10 integrated graphics. This solution cannot handle the vast majority of modern games, but surprisingly, it’ll do a better job than many Intel’s CPUs for the same price. Older games like Diablo 3 run smoothly on it, so classic game fans will have no issues with this processor.
Battery life is another area where Intel excels over AMD. However, people make a bigger deal out of it that it actually is. Ryzen 7 3700U will not cripple the battery life, and the most it’ll do is shorten it from, say, 7 to 6 hours.
Even though this processor might not be the best solution on the market, it will perform as well as many of its Intel counterparts, but you’ll get it at a lower price.
Pros
- An affordable option
- Great base clock speed
- Cheaper that same level Intel CPUs
Cons
- Slightly less energy efficient than Intel
5. Intel Core i7-9750H – Best High-End Processor
Last but definitely not least, we’ve got another Intel Core i7, and it goes by the name 9750H. It is an upgraded version of 8750H with improved clock speed and a few other things too.
This model has six cores, an amazing base frequency of 2.6 GHz and a turbo boost of up to 4.5 GHz. Gaming and other CPU-intensive tasks should not be a problem for this component. Its multi-threading ability enables it to handle several operations at once without hiccups.
A fantastic feature of this product is the addition of the integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 iGPU. The latter creates a base for solid graphics performance.
Now, one of the biggest setbacks of the i7-9750H is the amount of power it requires. Namely, it sucks out 45W, and such a device is only suited for big laptops with sufficient cooling. This sucks if you want to be portable, but hey, you can’t have it all.
All in all, this CPU is if not the most sought after model on the market, and if you’ve got the cash, we say go for it.
Pros
- Includes six cores
- Very powerful
- High base clock speed
Cons
- Very expensive
- Requires a lot of power (45W)
What Is A Laptop Processor?
A laptop CPU (central processing unit), or simply processor, is the computer’s centerpiece. It receives all the input and provides an adequate output, which isn’t an easy task by any means.
Today’s processors contain multiple cores, and we know you’ve heard that term, but do you know what it means?
Cores can be defined as individual processors stacked in a single physical unit. In terms of function, more cores equal more processing power, which translates to a higher operating speed.
OK, enough of that technical language, we don’t want to make you yawn. Let’s proceed to the next section and where we’ll discuss the really important stuff.
What To Know Before Buying A Laptop Processor?
Friends, this is the really important stuff. You don’t have to be a computer whizz to buy a processor, but you do need to have some basic knowledge.
We’ve selected the most critical pieces of information, and chopped them up for you into bite-sized chunks. In the following paragraphs, you can read about processors’ vital features, which will help you make an informed purchasing decision.
1. Intel Or AMD
This is the first choice you’ll make once you decide to get a new CPU for your laptop. Intel and AMD are both companies that need no introduction, and in case you didn’t know, they are fierce rivals.
Intel currently holds about 80% of the market, and AMD is usually associated with cheaper laptops. However, AMD’s Ryzen series has gained a good reputation, and it’s the only model from this company that we’ve included in the article.
No, our article is not biased in favor of Intel, but it just happens that they’re more popular and have more high-quality CPUs.
2. i3, i5, Or i7
We’re sure you’ve seen these labels with Intel’s processors. Intel Core CPUs come in a few different versions, including i3, i5, and i7. All of them have very different capabilities, so it’s crucial to choose the right one for you.
- Core i3 is the least powerful member of the group. However, it’s not a weak processor in the general sense of the word. If you mainly use your laptop for browsing the web and streaming movies, then i3 should suffice.
- Core i5 is a step up, and it can take a heavier workload than i3. For example, people who do a lot of online research and have many open tabs need a processor like this one. It’ll allow you to play songs on YouTube while going through all those unread tabs.
- Core i7 is the most powerful one, the big brother, if you will. This baby is built for video editing, gaming, 3D modeling, and other very taxing operations.
3. Y, U, Or HQ (HK)
An Intel Core processor’s name contains the letters Y, U, and HQ, sometimes HK, and they indicate the product line of the unit. The line is important because it tells us about the CPU’s wattage, which has an impact on speed, but also battery life and weight.
- Y processors are the ones found in slim laptops, and they’re not as powerful, but they don’t heat up as much and don’t need cooling fans.
- CPUs with the label “U” are the most common type in laptops for everyday use. They provide relatively long battery life and mid-level productivity.
- The HQ or HK line is the highest performing one, and it’s found in gaming laptops and other high-demand computer operations.
4. Cores
Quad-core, octa-core, what in the world does “core” mean!?
As we mentioned earlier, a core is a processor within the processor. In other words, while you may have only one physical unit, it can contain several functional processors within it.
This enables the computer to divide the tasks between the cores and thus run more smoothly. When it comes to laptops, the number of cores ranges from two to six.
5. Clock Speed (Frequency)
Clock speed, expressed in gigahertz (GHz), is a factor that determines how many operations a processor can run per second. It’s vital to understand that clock speed isn’t the star that it used to be.
Let us explain.
In the past, more GHz meant better performance, but things have changed. While this characteristic is still relevant and you should get as many gigahertz as you can, don’t let it be the determining factor for which processor you buy.
6. Turbo Boost
Higher-end models like i5 or i7 include a feature called Turbo Boost. It enables the processor to temporarily raise the frequency (clock speed) in order to finish a given task more rapidly.
You’ll know that a CPU has this feature if it includes two frequencies in the specs – base frequency, which is the normal operating one, and turbo frequency.
Conclusion
That’s all that we’ve had in store for you today, and we hope it’s not too much to process. That was a pun. Did you get it?
But, there’s one more thing left for us to do, and that is to present our favorite three picks.
The first place goes to Intel Core i7 8750H. It is a potent device capable of running demanding programs like video games and 3D modeling software. This processor is quite expensive, but it’s not the priciest we’ve seen.
Intel Core i7-10710U is the runner up, and this model is made for business folks who like thin and light laptops. We doubt that you’ll find a better CPU for the job.
Our third pick is Intel Core i7-1065G7, which optimizes a laptop for everyday tasks like web browsing. Oh yeah, it doesn’t cost as much as the previous two.
The world of CPUs is vast and incredible. If you haven’t found anything suitable for you on our list, then do your own research, and we guarantee you’ll succeed.
