Top 10 Best Intel Core i7 12th Gen Laptop In 2022
Top 3 Best Intel Core i7 12th Gen Laptops in 2022
2022 MSI Raider GE66 12UGS-238 (i7-12700H, 32GB…
ASUS TUF Gaming F15 (2022) Gaming Laptop, 15.6”…
2022 Newest Dell Vostro 5620 Business Laptop, 16″…
Are you hunting for 2022’s Best Intel Core i7 12th Generation Laptops? Then you have just clicked on the right post. The main reason for purchasing a laptop is to have the greatest portability but that doesn’t mean you’re going to have to lose productivity.
An Intel Core i7 CPU powered laptop not only allows users to do a great deal of work on the go but you can also experience the modern and innovative technology on a laptop of your choice.
The latest generation Intel Core i7 12th Gen processors are more powerful as compared to the previous generations but at the same time, they are marginally more costly than the Intel Core i7 – 11th Gen CPUs.
Also Read: 10 Best Intel Core i9 8th – 12th Gen CPU Laptop
Top 3 Best Intel Core i7 11th Gen Laptops in 2022
LG Gram 16Z90P Laptop 16″ IPS Ultra-Lightweight,…
HP Pavilion 15 Laptop, 11th Gen Intel Core…
Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15.6″ FHD IPS Touchscreen Laptop…
Best Intel Core i7 Laptops 7th – 9th Gen
However, at the end of the day, all of these processors are top versions. These CPU’s are capable of providing the utmost strength to your computers, making it easy for you to access several excel sheets, photoshop or other taxing applications to complete projects.
Laptops have been essential over the last decade. We began focusing on feature-loaded laptops rather than the good old desktops due to the simplicity of which they can be taken around whether it’s for students, professionals or for home use.
They deliver greater durability and improved portability without compromising on accessibility or functions. That is why we have compiled a list of top 10 best Intel Core i7 laptops you can buy in 2022 with their detailed review for your ease.
Also, you can explore intolaptop.com to find out plenty of more laptops that come with different processors.
1. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Business Notebook
The Best Business Intel Core i7 Laptop
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Business Notebook: Intel 8th Gen…
- Display: 15.6″ FHD IPS, Anti Glare
- Processor: Intel Core i7-8750H 6 Core
- Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, Max-Q
- RAM & Storage: 32GB DDR4 2400 MHz , 1TB SSD
- Operating System: Windows 10
Pros
- Performs Great with Any Given Task
- Design is Luxurious
- Light Weight & Slim
- Keyboard is Very Comfortable
Cons
- Battery Life is Average
Design
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme is a 15 inch sleek, thin and lightweight business laptop, its over all build including chassis is made out luxurious materials.
The sophisticated soft-touch finish is supported by the svelte clam shell laptop’s matte black carbon fiber chassis.
Placed on the right top corner of the lid and deck is a black ThinkPad logo, with a glowing red dot. At the bottom corner of the lid Another logo, a stylish red and gray X1 can be seen.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Business Notebook laptop’s overall footprint has been reduced because of the thin bezels around the display.
It is a very compact laptop with the dimensions of 14.2 x 9.7 x 0.7 inches, it weighs only 3.8 pounds. With that and the slim design, ThinkPad X1 becomes very easier to carry a laptop.
Don’t get fooled by its slim size, since it carries more ports than some of the other bulky laptops. There are enough USB 3.1 ports, an SD card reader, an optional Smart Card reader, and a Kensington lock.
Display
You can go for the X1 Extreme’s phenomenal 4K HDR 3840×2160 touch-screen display over the 1080p matte option If battery life is not a big concern for you.
Without a doubt, this detailed and bursting with saturated and vivid colors is one of the best 15.6-inch business laptops on a consumer-grade.
You can see the tiniest details in 4k ultra HD videos and the exceptionally vibrant colors on the HDR panel leap off the screen.
However, the color saturation sometimes gets exaggerated to the point of being lurid while the white balance seems accurate.
Performance Under Workload
Whenever it comes to performance, The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Business Notebook lives up to its name. During the workload, this laptop was blazing fast.
You can run multiple YouTube HD videos and open up to 15 tabs in Google Chrome at the same time, the X1 will not even shutter. In an overall performance test, Lenovo ThinkPad was able to achieve a high score of 22,021 on Geekbench 4.1.
Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Extreme has proved itself more powerful than the average premium laptops, again with this score.
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2.
Dell XPS 9370 13.3 Inches
The Most Favorite Business Laptop According to Consumers
Dell XPS 9370 Laptop, 13.3″ UHD (3840 x 2160) InfinityEdge…
- Display: 13.3 inches 4K Ultra HD, 3840×2160 Infinity Edge
- Processor: Intel Core i7-8550U 2.2 – 4.0GHz Quad-Core
- Graphics Card: Intel UHD Graphics 620
- RAM & Storage: 16GB LPDDR3 2133MHz, 512GB PCI-E SSD
- Operating System: Windows 10
Design
The last few generations of Dell’s XPS series are so similar in looks that you hardly can differentiate them unless you watch on the deck where the CPU Sticker is. However, Dell’s XPS 13 has emerged as one of the most favorite laptops according to the consumers.
Maybe because of that Dell has added a new gold and white color scheme in their latest XPS 9370 laptop.
Despite the same physic like previous models, it has a slightly slimmer and lighter overall profile.
But if you want you can get 9370 in the traditional silver and black aesthetics of Dell’s XPS series.
Display
With the Infinity Edge display and 13.3 inches screen, the XPS 13 9370 laptop has 23 percent thinner bezels as compared to the previous XPS series model.
Images on the screen just seem to pop up because at the top and sides of the screen there is virtually no frame.
There are two variants available on this laptop. One offers 3840×2160 4k ultra HD touch screen whereas the other one has a 1920×1080 non-touch screen.
Although the 4k touch screen is noticeably better both of the resolutions provide impressive color quality, sharpness, and brightness.
Performance Under Workload
Dell’s XPS 13 9370 comes loaded with two different configurations known as high end and mainstream. Both can handle anything you threw at them without a hiccup including web surfing, working, and light gaming.
The Dell XPS 13 9370 is capable of performing better on long tasks like running a benchmark test again and again or compressing a 4k video.
The main reason for that is the new cooling system added by the company. Most laptops slow down there CPU to cool down during long tasks, but XPS 13 9370 laptop works differently.
During the compressing test of 4k video, the 9370 increased the power of CPU. Because of that, this task was completed only in 16 minutes, which means the cooling system works great on this machine.
But in any case where you experience warmer temperatures on XPS 13, by using Dell’s power management App you can configure the ultra-performance for thermal cooling.
According to our review, we recommend that you can get the best performance with balanced temperatures by configuring the optimized mode, especially during longer tasks.
Pros
- Performance is Excellent
- Slim & Light Weight
- Good Cooling System
- Great Display
Cons
- Basic Looks
- Build Wise Normal
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3.
Asus ZenBook 13
“Premium Looking Machine with Excellent Performance”
ASUS ZenBook 13 Ultra-Slim Laptop 13.3” FHD WideView,…
- Display: 13.3 inches, wide-view, Full-HD, NanoEdge Bezel
- Processor: Intel Core i7-8565U, Quad-Core
- Graphics Card: Intel HD Graphics 620
- RAM & Storage: 16 GB DDR3, 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
- Operating System: Windows 10
Pros
- Solid Performance
- Premium design
- Long Battery Life
Cons
- Dim Display
Display
Asus ZenBook 13 contains a gold color glossy logo at the center of the lid which does give it a classy look. The overall build is aluminum and the lid is in royal blue shade.
Which do look really mesmerizing but can be covered in fingerprints after holding it.
The edge of the hinge and font of the keyboard are leathered in rose gold color.
Asus ZenBook 13 weighs almost 2.7 pounds and has dimensions of 11.9 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches however it is slightly thicker than its rivals in this league.
Despite being thin and lightweight ZenBook 13 offers USB Type-A ports and even an HDMI slot, which is pretty amazing.
Whereas Thunderbolt 3.0 is missing which is kind of disappointing since this laptop has a complete selection of ports.
Display
Asus ZenBook 13 offers an almost bezel-free screen which is 13.3 inches. This glossy but rather dim panel offers 1920 x 1080 resolution.
The maximum brightness level you can get on Zenbook 13’s display is 225 nits, it is below the average but not too bad while using outdoors in direct overhead lighting.
The 13-inch panel of ZenBook 13 almost covers 115 percent of the sRGB spectrum which is not much but slightly below the premium laptop average of 117 percent.
On HD videos this display does performs well enough apart from the dim brightness issue.
Performance Under Workload
Asus ZenBook 13 offers an Intel Core i5 8th Generation processor accompanied by 8GB of RAM. Because of these handsome specs, Zenbook 13 can handle 40 Google tabs and HD 1080p videos running at the same time without any lag.
In our overall performance test, ZenBook 13 has scored excellent 15,110 on GeekBench 4. It also transcoded 13 minutes 4K video to 1080p in just 20 minutes 48 seconds.
With that, it has successfully topped the premium laptops’ average of 21:51. So performance-wise ZenBook 13 has proven itself a worthy option under $1000 budget.
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4. Omen by HP
Most Well Build Laptop Under $2500
Omen by HP 2019 15-Inch Gaming Laptop, Intel i7-9750H…
- Display: 15.6 inches, IPS, Anti-Glare, 144Hz
- Processor: Intel Core i7-9750h, 6 core
- Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, 8 GB
- RAM & Storage: 32GB DDR4 2666 SDRAM, 512GB SSD
- Operating System: Windows 10
Pros
- Superb Gaming Performance
- Well Build
- Good Speakers
- Full Sized Keyboard
Cons
- Poor Thermal Cooling
Design
The Omen 15 by HP is considerable heavy and it feels pretty sturdy.
According to the official details this gaming machine weighs about 2.23 kg’s and its thickest point it is 20mm.
Though Omen 15 is made out of the combination of Aluminium and plastic, this laptop is pretty well built.
Hp finally has said goodbye to the dual-hinge design, because the lid of Omen 15 has been attached to the chassis from the center.
This laptop is very attractive due to the angular cut design on the top and matte black dual-tone finish on the metal.
Display
The HP Omen 15 has a Full HD 1920×1080 resolution, 15.6 inch display. For smoother gameplay experience its IPS screen offers a refresh rate of 144Hz, whereas the bezels remain the same as the last year’s model.
The top and bottom bezels are irregular sized though side bezels are thin and narrow. On the top bezel there is a wide vision HD camera and on the center of the bottom bezel Silver colored Omen logo has been placed.
In this price range, Hp Omen 15 delivers best-looking visuals while the game plays, in simple words its display will not going to disappoints you.
Performance Under Workload
To ensure smooth gameplay experience with Omen 15, HP has brought together a combination of Nvidia RTX 2070 Max-Q design with a powerful chipset.
With features like real-time Ray Tracing, AI-based optimizations, programmable shaders, support for DirectX 12, RTX graphics take this gaming laptop a notch up against its competitors.
Without any apparent frame drops, the RTX graphics work together with a high refresh rate screen to ensure an experience of blur-free gaming. Even in regular use, there are no performance-related issues with Omen 15.
No matter which game, program or App you threw at Hp Omen 15, it blazed right past through it like no problem.
The only downside of this laptop is the poor thermal cooling. Despite the fact that it packs three ventilation shafts as a thermal solution, it picks up temperatures very rather quickly.
These hot temperatures can affect the performance of Hp Omen 15 in the long run, considering the price tag of this machine it is really disappointing.
The company has to solve this issue since build and performance-wise this Omen 15 laptop is pretty good.
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5. Acer Aspire E15
“Simple Design With Power Performance & Good Battery Life”
Acer Aspire E15 High Performance 15.6? Full HD Laptop (2018…
- Display: 15.6 inches Full HD, 1920 x 1080
- Processor: Intel Core i7-7500U 2.7 GHz
- Graphics Card: Intel UHD Graphics 620
- RAM & Storage: 8GB DDR4, 1TB Hard-Drive
- Operating System: Windows 10
Pros
- Good Battery Life
- Excellent Performance
- Lots of Ports
- Price is Reasonable
Cons
- Heavy & Bulky
- Older Design
Design
The Acer Aspire E15 is big in size and heavy, its deck is made out of chunky plastic and a brushed metal finish their kind of gives this laptop a premium look.
But the thing is that Aspire 15 is exactly what you would expect to be from an under $700 budget laptop.
So the manufacturers have to focus more on the hardware and practicality of this machine instead of its looks and appearance.
All over the design of Acer Aspire E15 is pretty simple and straight forward accepts the chrome trim around the touchpad.
Its dimensions are 15 x 10.2 x 1.2 whereas it weighs almost 5 pounds, which means carrying this laptop in your backpack for the whole day is definitely not a good idea.
However, Aspire 15 is a machine that is loaded with a lot of ports, there is a USB 2.0, a DVD double-layer drive, a headphone jack and a power connector on the right side.
On the left, it got USB 3.1 Type-C port, Ethernet port, VGA input, HDMI port, two USB 3.0 ports, a Kensington lock and last but not least a card reader.
Display
The 15-inch non-touch screen version of Acer Aspire 15 shows sharp but not much colorful display.
However, the 1920 x 1080p resolution is capable enough to let you experience the details in HD videos or movies. Aspire E15 only reproduce 62.3% of the sRGB color gamut though previous models of this same series were capable of reproducing double then Aspire 15 figures.
Its maximum brightness level is 227 nits, which is good enough considering that it is a budget laptop.
Despite the fact that Acer Aspire 15’s predecessors were always got liked because of there display quality and this laptop’s display is not as good, still Aspire 15 is a great option under $700.
Performance Under Workload
Acer Aspire E15 provides excellent price to performance ratio since it is powered by an Intel Core i7 processor, 52,00 RPM 1TB hard-drive and 8GB of Ram.
You can easily do multi-tasking on Aspire E15, daily typical office work is not an issue for this laptop either.
For entertainment purposes yes you can do light gaming on this machine because it offers a good cooling system with powerful GPU.
In our overall performance test Aspire, 15 scored a decent figure of 7,871.
The Core i3 variant of this laptop performed even better and scored a solid 8,543 in Geekbench 4.
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| Preview | Product | |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 MSI Raider GE66 12UGS-238 (i7-12700H, 32GB RAM, 1TB… | CHECK ON AMAZON | |
| ASUS TUF Gaming F15 (2022) Gaming Laptop, 15.6” 300Hz FHD… | CHECK ON AMAZON | |
2022 Newest Dell Vostro 5620 Business Laptop, 16″ FHD. ..
|
CHECK ON AMAZON | |
| LG Gram 16Z90P Laptop 16″ IPS Ultra-Lightweight, (2560 x… | CHECK ON AMAZON | |
Alienware m15 R7 Gaming Laptop — 15. 6-inch QHD 240Hz 2ms…
|
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| HP Pavilion 15 Laptop, 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7… | CHECK ON AMAZON | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15. 6″ FHD IPS Touchscreen Laptop | 11th Gen…
|
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| Omen by HP 2019 15-Inch Gaming Laptop, Intel i7-9750H… | CHECK ON AMAZON | |
| Acer Aspire E15 High Performance 15.6? Full HD Laptop (2018… | CHECK ON AMAZON |
Conclusion
The Latest Intel Core i7 Laptops provide you options of different sizes and are built for a variety of uses. Whether you want to use it for hardcore gaming purposes or want to use it for audio/video editing, software services, and intensive work. Asus, MSI or Razer still have some nice choices.
Dell and HP keep on giving enterprise customers the latest hardware features at a reasonable price point. They have launched a range of 2-in-1 devices featuring the best of notebooks and tablets if that’s your taste.
All of these Top 5 Best Intel Core i7 Laptops offer excellent performance thanks to the Intel Core i7 processor. Yet what separates them is the added features that improve their performance and make them better than the rest.
Even the architecture of these notebooks is some of the finest you’d find on the market. And if you are still not sure that which laptop you should opt for, then you must give a read to our detailed Laptop Buying Guide. Don’t forget to check out Laptops by CPU section at Into Laptop to explore more laptops.
That will help you in choosing the best laptop for your self according to your budget, work requirements or even personal preferences.
LAPTOP BUYING GUIDE 2022
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READ LAPTOP BUYING GUIDE |
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- Author
- Recent Posts
Matthew
Senior Editor at IntoLaptop
A Tech Geek with over a decade of expertise as a Network Engineer, System Administrator, and enjoy writing Latest Laptop Reviews.
In leisure time, I love to read books and have a cup of coffee.
Latest posts by Matthew (see all)
Last update on 2022-10-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Best i7 Laptop Deals | Core i7 Laptops on Sale
eBay · 2 days ago
Certified Refurb Apple MacBook Pro i7 15″ Laptop (2014)
$545 $2,099
free shipping
more
Features
- Intel Core i7 2.8-GHz quad-core CPU
- 15″ 2880×1800 LCD
- 16GB RAM & 512GB SSD
- NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M 2GB graphics
- Mac OS 11.
0 Big Sur - Model: MGXG2LL/A
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eBay · 4 days ago
Lenovo IdeaPad 5i 12th-Gen. i7 15.6″ Touch Laptop w/ 1TB SSD
$775 $1,145
free shipping
more
Features
- 12th Generation Intel Core i7-1255U 4.7GHz Alder Lake 10-core CPU
- 15.6″ 1920×1080 (1080p) IPS touchscreen
- 16GB RAM & 1TB M.2 PCIe SSD
- Windows 11 Home 64-bit
- Model: 82SF001PUS
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eBay · 3 days ago
Acer Predator Triton 300 11th-Gen. i7 15.6″ Laptop w/ NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
$1,000 $1,400
free shipping
more
Features
- 11th-gen Intel Core i7-11800H 2.
4GHz Tiger Lake 8-core CPU - 15.6″ 1920 x 1080 display
- 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GPU
- Windows 11 Home 64-bit
- Model: NH.QDQAA.003
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Lenovo · 2 days ago
Lenovo Slim 7i 12th-Gen. i7 16″ Gaming Laptop w/ NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti
$1,400 $1,790
free shipping
more
Features
- 12th Generation Intel Core i7-12700H 3.5GHz Alder Lake 14-core CPU
- 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD
- 16″ 2560×1600 IPS display
- Windows 11 Home
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti 4GB GPU
- Model: 82TF000LUS
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eBay · 1 wk ago
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 12th-Gen.
i7 16″ 165Hz Laptop w/ NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
$1,200 $1,810
free shipping
more
That’s the best price we could find by $200. Buy Now at eBay
Features
- 12th-generation Intel Core i7-12700H 3.5GHz Alder Lake 14-core CPU
- 16″ 2560×1600 (WQXGA) 165Hz IPS display
- 16GB RAM & 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB graphics
- 4-zone RGB backlit keyboard
- Windows 11 Home
- Model: 82RF0002US
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Lenovo · 1 wk ago
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i 12th-Gen. i7 16″ Touch 2-in-1 Laptop w/ Digital Pen
$730 $1,110
free shipping
more
Features
- 12th-Gen. Intel Core i7-1255U 3.
5GHz Alder Lake 10-core CPU - 16″ 1920×1200 IPS touch display
- 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD
- Windows 11 Home
- Lenovo Digital Pen
- Model: 82R8000AUS
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Amazon · 1 wk ago
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 11th-Gen. i7 14.4″ Touch Laptop w/ 256GB SSD
$1,597 $2,100
free shipping
more
The next best we could find anywhere else is $253 more. Buy Now at Amazon
Features
- 11th-gen Intel Core i7-11370H 2.5GHz Rocket Lake 4-core CPU
- 14.4″ 2400×1600 120Hz display
- 16GB RAM; 512GB SSD
- Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti
- Windows 11 Home
- Model: A1Y-00001
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HP · 5 days ago
HP ZBook Fury G8 11th-Gen.
i7 15.6″ Laptop
$1,745 $4,309
free shipping
more
Save $2,564 off the list price with code «10HPDAYS». Buy Now at HP
Features
- 11th-Gen. Intel Core i7-11800H 1.9GHz Tiger Lake 8-core CPU
- 15.6″ FHD 1920×1080 (1080p) IPS display
- 16GB RAM and 1TB HDD
- HP Wolf Pro Security Edition — 3-year subscription
- Windows 10 Pro
- Model: 6L5K6UA#ABA
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HP · 5 days ago
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 11th-Gen. i7 15.6″ Laptop
$1,399 $3,456
free shipping
more
Apply coupon code «10HPDAYS» to get this deal. That’s $2,057 off list and the best price we could find.
Buy Now at HP
Features
- 11th-Gen. Core i7-1165G7 2.8GHz Tiger Lake quad-core CPU
- 15.6″ FHD 1920×1080 (1080p) display
- 16GB RAM & 1TB SSD
- Windows 11 Pro (Windows 10 Pro downgrade available)
- Wolf Pro Security edition
- Model: 6W240UA#ABA
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Lenovo · 1 wk ago
Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i Gen 7 12th-Gen. i7 15.6″ 120Hz Laptop w/ NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti
$900 $1,305
free shipping
more
Features
- 12th Generation Intel Core i7-12700H 3.5GHz Alder Lake 14-core CPU
- 8GB RAM & 256GB SSD
- 15.6″ 1920×1080 (1080p) IPS 120Hz display
- Windows 11 Home 64-bit
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti 4GB GPU
- Model: 82S9003EUS
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Amazon · 1 wk ago
Alienware m15 R7 12th-Gen.
i7 15.6″ Laptop w/ NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti
$1,870 $2,170
free shipping
more
Features
- Intel Core i7-12700H 3.5GHz 14-core CPU
- 15.6″ 2560 x 1440 display
- 16GB RAM & 512GB SSD
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB GPU graphics card
- Windows 11 Home
- Model: AWM15R7-7730BLK-PUS
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HP · 2 wks ago
HP 15t 12th-Gen. i7 15.6″ Laptop
$550 $830
free shipping
more
It’s $280 off today and beats our July mention by $80. Buy Now at HP
Features
- 12th-generation Intel Core i7-1260P 3.4GHz Alder Lake 12-core CPU
- 15.6′ 1366×768 (720p) display
- 8GB RAM & 256GB PCIe NVMe M.
2 SSD - Windows 11 Home
- Model: 6P1S1AV_1
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HP · 1 wk ago
HP Spectre x360 12th-Gen. i7 13.5″ 2-in-1 Laptop
$1,215 $1,550
free shipping
more
You’ll save $335 with code «10HPDAYS». Buy Now at HP
Features
- functions as a laptop or tablet
- 12th Generation Intel Core i7-1255U 3.5GHz Alder Lake 10-core CPU
- 13.5″ 3000×2000 (3K/2K) touch display
- 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD
- Windows 11 Home
- Model: 6Z9L7UA#ABA
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HP · 1 wk ago
HP Spectre x360 12th-Gen.
i7 16″ 2-in-1 Touch Laptop
$1,260 $1,700
free shipping
more
Apply coupon code «10HPDAYS» to get this deal. That’s a savings of $440 off list and the lowest price we could find. Buy Now at HP
Features
- 12th-Gen. Intel Core i7-12700H 3.5GHz Alder Lake 14-core CPU
- 16″ 3072×1920 (3K+) IPS touch display
- 16GB RAM and 1TB PCIe NVMe TLC M.2 SSD
- Windows 11 Home
- Model: 6Z9M5UA#ABA
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HP · 1 wk ago
HP Envy 12th-Gen. i7 16″ Laptop w/ Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060
$1,260 $1,750
free shipping
more
To save $490 off the list price, apply code «10HPDAYS».
Buy Now at HP
Features
- 12th-Gen. Intel Core i7-12700H 3.5GHz Alder Lake 14-core CPU
- 16″ WQXGA 2560×1600 IPS display
- 16GB RAM and 1TB PCIe NVMe TLC M.2 SSD
- Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 6GB graphics card
- Windows 11 Home
- Model: 6P6Z8UA#ABA
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HP · 1 wk ago
HP Omen 12th-Gen. i7 16.1″ Laptop w/ NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti
$1,620 $1,970
free shipping
more
Get $350 off the list price with code «10GAMER2022». Buy Now at HP
Features
- 12th-Gen. Intel Core i7-12700H 3.5GHz Alder Lake 14-core CPU
- 16.1″ QHD 2560×1440 165Hz IPS display
- 16GB RAM and 1TB PCIe NVMe TLC M.2 SSD
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 8GB graphics
- Windows 11 Home
- Model: 6h3W0UA#ABA
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Lenovo · 2 wks ago
Lenovo ThinkPad L15 Gen 2 11th-Gen.
i7 15.6″ Touch Laptop
$1,083 $1,969
free shipping
more
Features
- 11th Generation Intel Core i7-1165G7 1.2GHz Tiger Lake quad-core CPU
- 15.6″ 1920×1080 (1080p) IPS touch display
- 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD
- Windows 10 Pro
- Model: 20X300HCUS
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Lenovo · 2 wks ago
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 11th-Gen. i7 14″ Touch Laptop
$1,412 $3,529
free shipping
more
Get this price via coupon code «THINKSUMMERCLEAR». Buy Now at Lenovo
Features
- 11th-Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7 2.8GHz Tiger Lake quad-core CPU
- 14″ 1920 x 1200 touchscreen display
- 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD
- Windows 11 Pro 64
- Model: 20XY00BBUS
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Amazon · 2 wks ago
Asus ROG Flow Z13 12th-Gen.
i7 13.4″ Touch 2-in-1 Laptop w/ NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
$1,549 $1,800
free shipping
more
That’s $59 under our last mention, the best we’ve ever seen, and a low by at least $51 today. Buy Now at Amazon
Features
- 12th-Gen Intel Core i7-12700H 2.3GHz Alder Lake 14-core CPU
- 13.4″ 1920×1200 120Hz IPS touchscreen
- 16GB RAM & 512GB NVMe M.2 SSD
- Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 4GB GPU
- Windows 11 Home
- functions as a laptop or a tablet
- Model: GZ301ZC-PS73
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ANTOnline · 2 wks ago
Gigabyte Gaming Laptops at ANTOnline
Up to $1,050 off
free shipping
more
These gaming laptops boast RTX 30 series GPUs and refresh rates up to 360Hz, among other desirable specs.
We’ve pictured the Gigabyte Aorus 17 XE4 i7 17.3″ Gaming Laptop w/ RTX 3070 Ti 8GB GPU for $1,689 (best-ever price, low by $10, $760 off). Shop Now at ANTOnline
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Core i7 Laptops: The Basics
Whether you need a new laptop for work, school, or personal use, you’ll want to check out the Core i7 laptop deals here on DealNews. We list the best i7 laptop deals, so you’ll find great savings thanks to our editors.
What to Know About Core i7 Processors
Core i7 processors are made by Intel and meant to be used in high-end builds. Currently, there are 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th generations of i7 processors available; 10th is the most recent. Architecture changes with each generation, and each processor name notes where it falls on the timeline. Deals for the latest i7 laptops refer to Comet Lake processors, while the previous generation was called Coffee Lake.
What Brands Use Core i7 Processors?
You’ll find Intel Core i7 processors in machines made by Dell , Acer , Apple , HP , LG , Microsoft , and Asus . However, note that while Apple currently uses Intel processors , it’s moving away from them and will be switching to its own processors in the near future.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Core i7 laptop?
The best Core i7 laptop changes every time a new generation of i7 processors gets introduced. However, it’s also not the only factor to consider when buying a laptop. Obviously, budget matters, but you’ll want to look into other components to ensure that your entire build matches what you need.
Is Core i7 worth the extra money?
This largely depends on what you’ll be using your laptop for. While Core i7 processors aren’t the top tier of the Intel lineup, they are intended for higher-end builds. If you don’t need a workhorse of a machine, splurging on a more powerful processor might not be worth it.
What does Core i7 mean?
Core i7 refers to a type of processor made by Intel. Multiple generations of Core i7 processors exist, and each one has a different architecture.
Do I need an i7 processor in my laptop?
To determine if you need an i7 processor in your laptop, strongly consider what you’ll be using your laptop for. If you’ll mainly be doing low-power, work-related tasks like surfing the internet, checking email, and light writing, you can probably get away with a basic build or even a Chromebook. However, if you need to run high-powered programs or if you’ll be doing more work-intensive tasks, you might need to invest in an i7 processor.
By: Julie Ramhold, Senior Staff Writer
Julie joined DealNews in 2015. Her work has been featured on MSN, Business Insider, Lifehacker, The Motley Fool, GoBankingRates, and Moneyish.
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Tested: Intel’s desktop-based Core i7-12800HX demolishes rival laptops
Earlier this month, Intel announced Alder Lake HX, a new series of 12th-generation mobile processors.
Well—not strictly mobile. These new work-focused laptop CPUs are based on the company’s desktop Alder Lake chips, but in a BGA package. (That is, it’s soldered onto the motherboard, rather than being in a standard socketed LGA package that you can swap out like in a desktop PC.)
As you might guess, these new 12th-gen Core HX chips are much beefier than their standard H-class siblings found in typical gaming laptops. Alder Lake HX are 55W chips with a max turbo power rating of 157W, while Alder Lake H are 45W with 115W max turbo power.
But what does that actually mean when you’re using a laptop with an HX CPU instead of an H processor? When we got the chance to have a preview look at the new MSI GT77 Titan, we decided to put its Core i7-12800HX to the test and find out. Spoiler alert: It’s an absolute bloodbath in several scenarios, though the HX can’t claim a clean sweep across the board. In the right scenarios, however, this desktop-based chip demolishes the competition.
The test laptops
Our particular MSI GT77 configuration bundled its Core i7-12800HX with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti and 32GB DDR5/4800 memory. Like other high-end Alder Lake CPUs, the HX series features Intel’s new hybrid architecture, packing both performance and efficiency cores. (Sorry, no all-performance-core chips.) The 12800HX features 8P/8E cores and 24 total threads (e-cores lack hyperthreading), with a max turbo clock speed of 4.8GHz on the performance cores and 3.40GHz on the efficiency cores. It’s not the top of the stack—that distinction belongs to the Core i9-12950HX—but it still can deliver quite a punch.
Intel
Going up against this beastly processor were two other Intel mobile CPUs and one from AMD, too. An MSI GE76 Raider with Intel’s flagship Core i9-12900HK (6P/8E cores, 20 threads), an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, and 32GB DDR5/4800 memory served as the tribute for Alder Lake H. The 12900HK boasts a max turbo speed of 5.0GHz on the performance cores and 3.
8GHz on the efficiency cores. Meanwhile, an older MSI GE76 Raider with an 11th-gen Core i9-11980HK, RTX 3080, and 32GB DDR4/3200 memory was brought out from mothballs to represent last-gen Tiger Lake H CPUs. Its chip sports 8 cores and 16 threads, with a max turbo speed of 5GHz.
As for our AMD representative, an Asus ROG Strix Scar G17 and its Ryzen 9 5900HX, RTX 3080, and 32GB DDR4/3200 memory was added to the mix. This chip is from AMD’s 2021 mobile processor launch—the 6900HX is the most current offering from AMD, but unfortunately, the 5900HX is all we had on hand. The 5900HX has 8 cores and 16 threads, with a maximum boost clock of 4.6GHz.
The lowdown
Getting a true apples-to-apples comparison between laptops is difficult, especially when comparing processors from different classes. A laptop’s size and specific design influence performance, so you can’t make hard and fast statements based on benchmarks as when comparing desktop CPUs.
Still, the numbers can give you a general idea of what to expect, even in this preview look at the HX series.
Here are four quick takeaways to satiate your curiosity about Alder Lake HX.
(For a deeper dive into these results, check out the embedded YouTube video below—my colleague Gordon Mah Ung discusses the MSI GT77 and his benchmark findings in detail.)
1) Mighty performance in multithreaded tasks
Intel HX processors are clearly for when you need desktop PC power in a laptop body. The Core i7-12800HX tore through encoding, rendering, and other heavily multithreaded tasks at a pace that other laptop chips couldn’t keep up with.
Gordon Mah Ung / PCWorld
Gordon Mah Ung / PCWorld
Gordon Mah Ung / PCWorld
In Maxon’s Cinebench R23 rendering benchmark, the Core i9-12800HX easily nabbed the top spot.
It outperformed the runner-up, the Core i9-12900HK, by 32.23 percent. It also crushed the last-gen Core i9-11980HK and Ryzen 9 5900HX by 68.45 and 54.61 percent, respectively. The story’s similar in our Handbrake encoding test, in which we have the program crunch down Blender.org’s Tears of Steel 4K video into a smaller HEVC H.265 format. The 12800HX finishes the task about 30 percent faster than the 12900HK, 41 percent faster than the 5900HX, and 63 percent faster than the 11980HK (oof).
Gordon Mah Ung / PCWorld
The results are even more stark in V-Ray 5, another rendering benchmark. Here the 12800HX stomps all over the laptop processors. The improvement over the 12900HK is a whopping 98.21 percent, and it posts triple-digit percentage uplifts over the 11980HK and 5900HX.
2) A CPU alone can’t win all battles
Gordon Mah Ung / PCWorld
The Core i7-12800HX doesn’t dominate in everything. A look at the results from Pugetbench’s Premiere Pro benchmark show this outcome—and more specifically, how raw CPU firepower can’t always win every round.
In Premiere Pro, which makes use of both the CPU and GPU, the Core i9-12900HK and its faster RTX 3080 Ti took the top spot.
No surprises here, but it’s a good reminder that a laptop’s graphics can influence performance outcomes. Moreover, how much a discrete GPU can stretch its legs in a particular laptop makes a difference too. For example, the 12800HX’s paired RTX 3070 Ti has a decently hefty 150W TGP, but the Ryzen 9 5900HX’s RTX 3080 gets capped at just 130W TGP. That design has real world repercussions, with that Asus Scar 17 sitting firmly at the bottom of the heap.
Incidentally, we chose to run this benchmark with the discrete graphics enabled to be more true to life. You’ll never find these CPUs in a configuration lacking a dedicated GPU. However, if you’re curious, switching off the discrete graphics wouldn’t have made for an even playing ground. The 12900HK’s integrated graphics pack 96 execution units (EU), while the 12800HX sports just 32.
3) Size can make up for might
During the HX series announcement, Intel said the Core i9-12900HK would remain the top gaming CPU—but the HX chips would still be “great gaming processors as well.
” Initial test results bear that out, even given the disparity in our test laptops’ specs. The 12800HX and its RTX 3070 Ti dipped below the 12900HK and its RTX 3080 Ti by only a handful of frames per second in two of our three gaming benchmarks, and it even took the lead in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive by about 5 percent. CS: GO tends to lean more on the CPU, which is likely how the 12800HK gains an advantage.
Gordon Mah Ung / PCWorld
Gordon Mah Ung / PCWorld
Gordon Mah Ung / PCWorld
That said, recall what we said earlier about laptop size and design. We can be sure that this 12800HX + RTX 3070 Ti laptop only slightly underperforms the MSI GE76’s 12900HK + RTX 3080 Ti, but for other laptops with similar configurations, you may not see the exact same outcome. The MSI GT77 Titan is a huge seven-pound laptop, while the MSI GE76 Raider is smaller at 6.4 pounds. Put the GE76’s components into a larger notebook and you could see a wider performance gap.
And it remains to be seen what an apples-to-apples 12900HX vs a 12900HK showdown will look like.
4) Laptop housing, desktop power consumption
Gordon Mah Ung / PCWorld
Those who are familiar with processors already knew that the Core i9-12800HX was going to guzzle more electricity than the true laptop CPUs. When we measured power consumption during Cinebench R23’s default test, which takes 10 minutes to complete, the Core i9-12900HK hovered roughly between 120W and 130W for most of the benchmark. The 12800HX hung out closer to 180W, but with bigger drops after finishing a frame compared to the 12900HK.
What’s interesting here is seeing confirmation that 12800HX falls in line with what we usually see from more power-efficient desktop processors. (We don’t currently have this exact data for Alder Lake chips, but you can have a peek at our recent Ryzen retrospective data.) And of course, with more power comes faster and higher performance—16 frames rendered vs the 12900HK’s 13, and in less time.
Final thoughts
Even without knowing what further hardware and software tuning could improve, this performance preview makes it clear that the Core i7-12800HX is a ferociously impressive CPU. Squishing a desktop Alder Lake processor into a laptop gives quite a boost to speed. Content creators and other users who need workstation-level performance should love what’s on offer here.
That doesn’t necessarily make the HX series of chips the ideal for everyone, though. As fun as high-powered hardware is, the different classes of processors exist for a reason. If your primary need revolves around portability, a featherlight PC with an Intel or AMD U-class processor (like the recently launched Ryzen 9 6800U) is the right choice. Same for gamers—unless you’re also often creating videos based on your gameplay, you can still get plenty of enjoyment out of a laptop with a standard H-series processor. What matters more is the top performers in that class, as well as the performance of the specific laptops you’re considering.
Regardless of what you most need out of a laptop, the latest releases make choosing a new PC both easier and harder. Competition is currently so fierce between Intel and AMD that each new generation offers material benefits. Anyone trying to decide between future-proofing their purchase and saving money by going with the previous gen faces a tough call. At the same time, CPUs that stink are far more rare. It’s a good problem, all things considered.
If you’re wondering which specific notebook is the best for your personal needs, be sure to check out our roundup of the best laptops. It’s loaded with concrete recommendations culled from dozens upon dozens of recent reviews, with picks for every need and budget.
The first test of a new generation of ASUS and Intel. Core i7-10750H in the slim Zephyrus M15 — Gambling
We had just talked about the AMD processors for laptops, when the ASUS knocked on the door and offered to look at … new processors from Intel .
Taking into account the fact that tests on AMD have not died down yet, it was foolish to refuse. So meet: ASUS ROG Zephyrus M15 — a thin gaming machine on a six-core Intel Core i7-10750H and part-time owner of the best keyboard in my memory.
Processors
Intel processors are a mess. The first 10s appeared last year, but only in the form of U-versions for work-office laptops. The update is purely conditional. The stones were built on the next version of Skylake, calling it Comet Lake , they were thrown at 100-200 MHz to turbo frequencies and sent for sale.
In February 2020, Intel released 11 more 10th generation processors — again for low-power work systems. Only this time it was already quite other stones. Firstly, they were made not according to 14-nm, but according to 10-nm standards. Secondly, they received new graphics cores and support for Thunderbolt 3. Thirdly, it was the new Ice Lake architecture.
I won’t lie: I didn’t manage to personally test these stones, but, according to our colleagues, they turned out to be not bad, but not outstanding.
In fact, only graphics cores were interesting, which showed a 30% increase relative to Comet Lake.
And finally, now we are talking about is the third wave of the 10th generation — high-performance processors for workstations and gaming laptops. They came out on the Comet Lake architecture and 14 nm. In total, the line includes five models. Younger — Core i5-10300H for four cores and eight threads; our i7-10750H — for 6 cores and 12 threads; and three octa-cores — i7-10875H , i9-10885H and i9-10980HK — with an unlocked multiplier, but disabled Hyper Threading. Technically, the crystals repeat the previous generation, but there are a couple of differences.
First — for i7 and i9 in a single-threaded load, 5.3 GHz is declared for the older i9 and 5 GHz for our i7. Secondly, the frequencies of RAM have increased. If earlier 98% of laptops were supplied with slats no higher than 2667 MHz, now the i5 and the younger i7 will be equipped with DDR4 at 2933 MHz, and the older three processors at 3200 MHz.
Recall that AMD also went for a similar increase in frequencies in the new Ryzen for laptops.
Testing
As I said, our laptop had a Core i7-10750H. These are six cores, twelve threads and a frequency of 2.6 to 5 GHz. ASUS paired it with an RTX 2060, a 1 TB SSD and 16 GB of RAM for 2933 MHz, but for some reason in one channel, which laptops do not like very much.
Now let’s go to work. First, the processor does not provide the promised 5 GHz. Bursts per core do occasionally happen, but they are too rare. Real performance fluctuates around 4.4-4.5 GHz with short-term loads. On rendering, 3.8-3.9 GHz is obtained. Well, under Prime 95 — 3.5 GHz. That is, in general, everything is the same as in the last ninth series.
However, if we talk about the results, then Intel is still dragging. Of course, there is no point in comparing a six-core processor directly with an AMD eight-core one. But in single-threaded tests, Intel still wins. And this means that the top i9there is a chance of winning if they are not let down by the lack of HT.
Moreover, the Ryzen 9 we tested did not stand out in terms of frequencies: in the same PR95 it kept 2.8 GHz, and in 3ds max it worked around 3.1 GHz.
Interestingly, both processors operate in approximately the same temperature range — 82-83°C. The only thing is that in the case of the M15, the cooling system worked much harder. It is clear that we have a very thin machine (only 18.9 mm with a weight of about 2 kg), but the G14 on AMD was also thin, and behaved noticeably quieter. And this despite the fact that I usually had no questions about cooling in ASUS: they make really cool systems. And in the case of the M15, we are talking about five heat pipes, fans with 83 blades and liquid metal instead of thermal paste.
However, here it is necessary to make a reservation: the fact is that several options for working are sewn into the laptop. We conducted all the tests in the most aggressive — this is Turbo. But in reality, the main operating mode is “Effective”. Frequencies in the same 3ds max drop from 4.
4 to 3.7-4 GHz, temperatures range from 80 to 90 ° C, but the fans do not beat on the ears.
Notebook
And now about the notebook itself. While there are some technical questions about the model, the M15’s chassis is amazing. Firstly, as I said, the laptop is very thin and light — even with a charger, you get only 2.5 kg. Secondly, it has a strict design: it is a clean rectangle with slightly rounded edges. Thirdly, ASUS has chosen a good case color, both outside and inside.
There are no issues with assembly either: everything fits perfectly, the bottom cover is made flush with the base. And, probably, the only complaint is a small screen opening angle. There are situations when you hold a laptop on your lap, you want to fold the screen away, but the hinge does not.
The next point in design is the proportions. In general, this is already an ASUS feature: it encloses the screen in thin frames, but makes a big tide from below. Due to this, the display is higher, you do not have to bend down to it, and the lower half of the case is larger.
This, in turn, has a positive effect on the volume of the case and the quality of cooling, and also leaves a lot of room for hands. The wrists fit completely on the panel in front of the keyboard and do not rest against the edges of the case, which is very convenient not only during the game, but also when typing. Moreover, the ASUS keyboard is excellent.
Nothing out of the ordinary, but it has a solid backing, near-silent buttons with the right tactile feedback, and crisp, color-selectable backlighting. At the same time, the keyboard supports combinations of any complexity, and the volume and mute keys are brought to the top for convenience. But the touchpad on the laptop is ambiguous. Firstly, this is a regular panel-button, which is not very convenient in games. Second, she’s pretty tough. This seems to be good, since it is always clear whether the click has passed or not, but at the same time, the finger gets tired after a while. For example, passing Yes, Your Grace without a mouse was difficult for me.
Strapping
Next is the screen. This is where ASUS surprised me: this is probably the second or third laptop in my memory that was calibrated at the factory, and with a coverage of 95.5% sRGB delta it turns out to be 0.91. Roughly speaking, for a designer, this is — got it and work. For the rest of the characteristics, this is IPS, in our case at 240 Hz with Full HD resolution. But also on sale there will be working options for IPS with 60 Hz and 4K. And also with a low delta.
ASUS also tensed up in terms of sound. At the output is an ESS Saber DAC, and it really plays in a way that even audiophiles will be pleased with. Of course, this is not Hi-End, but there are no global claims to the sound either: the power reserve is enough to pump the speakers into 64 ohms, and the equalizer settings are adequate enough to remove minor roughness. I also liked the speakers. They have a lot of middle, which has a good effect on the sound, but I would add volume to them. Moreover, the emitters look down, and it is very easy to block them.
And the last thing is a set of connectors. In general, nothing has changed with the new processor. There is a 2.5 Gb / s LAN, HDMI, a separate headset output, three USB Type-A and one USB Type-C with built-in Thunderbolt 3. This is the one that can both give video and take a charge. That is, you really can not carry a half-kilogram power supply with you and take a small USB charger on a trip. The main thing is that it should give out 65 W, otherwise the battery will not be charged during operation, and it must be borne in mind that in this mode the laptop will not reach its full power according to the graphics. You can also connect to an external Power Bank via USB, but also with the understanding that this mode is not for games, and even in office use, the main battery will also be discharged, just a little slower due to the use of an external source.
By the way, since we touched on the topic of the battery: it holds very well. Yes, in games, as usual, an hour of twenty work comes out, but in office mode, the laptop lives for almost six hours.
We won’t make unambiguous conclusions about new processors: we still need to get the previous generation for tests and update the test database. Plus, you need to look at the «thick» laptops, in which the stones will not hold back the cooling. And, of course, the system on one memory channel is severely cut in terms of capabilities. But according to the first results, the tenth generation of Intel can and will struggle with the new Ryzen, at least this year. Further, of course, as in the desktop segment, it is necessary either to completely switch to a new technical process, or to come up with something with the architecture.
As for the laptop, the M15 is almost perfect. There are two real complaints about it: I want louder speakers, and quieter fans. At full speed they are too noisy. Other than that, it’s the perfect workhorse. Lightweight, cute, easy to use and with a high-quality screen.
MSI Russia
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Most gamers know that choosing a gaming laptop starts with the mandatory choice of a 4-core Core i7 processor. What a gaming laptop! To cope with today’s demanding applications and video formats, even a multimedia laptop should have a standard Core i5. But, if you expect acceptable performance from a CPU, never go for the U-series Intel Core iX processors. This is also true for the 6th generation Core i5 (Skylake)! Therefore, MSI gaming laptops are always equipped with the best 4-core Core i7 models with the highest performance. In addition, even the GS60 and GS40 series laptops offer better performance than their direct competitors due to their more efficient cooling architecture.
Take a look at the table below, which shows the architectural differences of some of the latest generations of Intel processors.
The latest sixth generation 4-core Core i7 has a 4C/8T architecture (4 cores, 8 threads), while the sixth generation Core i5 is now 4-core with a completely new 4C/4T architecture. This greatly improved the performance of the new Core i5 compared to the previous generation i5 which had only 2 cores with 4 threads (2C/4T architecture). Also, the sixth generation i5 is much faster than the U-series Core i7/i5 processors, which have a 2C/2T architecture and 3 MB of L3 cache.
CPU performance in the 3dmark
test, if we look at the CPU performance in the 3DMark test, we will see that Core i7 6820HK got 7414 points 4, which is 4, which is 4, which is 1, which is 1, which is 1, which is 1, which is 1 i7 6500U with 3852 points. The Core i7 6700HQ received 7121 points , which is also 1.84 times faster than the Core i7 6500U.
Even the Core i5 6300HQ is 1.49 times faster than the Core i7 6500U. Thus, it becomes obvious that the most suitable CPUs for good smooth gaming are the Core i7 6820HK and Core i7 6700HQ, or at least the Core i5 6300HQ.
Cinebench R15 Multi CPU 64bit test
Let’s move on to CPU performance evaluation in Cinebench R15 Multi CPU 64bit test. Here Core i7 6820HK got 709 points , which is 2.15 times faster than Core i7 6500U which has only 329 points. Similarly, the Core i7 6700HQ processor turned out to be 2.05 times faster than the Core i7 6500U . Even the Core i5 6300HQ is 1.42 times faster than the Core i7 6500U. As a result, we conclude that the Core i7 6820HK and Core i7 6700HQ are much better at OpenGL rendering and modeling operations.
X264 Pass 1 Video Encoding Performance
If you are a professional video creator and often deal with video encoding and transcoding, the X264 Pass 1 test will show how good your processor is in this business.
Here Core i7 6820HK scored 168 points . This is 1.44 times more than the Core i7 6500U with its 116 points. Core i7 6700HQ is 1.34 times faster than Core i7 6500U. And the last one we tested, the Core i5 6300HQ, also scored 1.31 times more than the Core i7 6500U. So if you want to have better video encoding performance then at least you need a Core i5 6300HQ. However, many professional applications have long been optimized for multi-core processors, and in this case, the Core i7 6700HQ will be much faster.
Cross-Platform Test: Geekbench 32bit Multi Core Score
benchmarks for all PC and mobile devices. The numbers are as follows: Core i7 6820HK scored 13846 points , which is 2.04 times faster than the Core i7 6500U with 6785 points; Core i7 6700HQ is also 1.90 times faster than Core i7 6500U; Core i5 6300HQ is 1.
40 times faster than Core i7 6500U. For fun, you can look at the performance of smartphones: SONY Xperia Z3 — 2812 points, Galaxy S5 — 2836 points.
Use the correct 4-core Core i7 or, at worst, Core i5, but not U-series CPUs!
After such devastating results, this conclusion suggests itself. The true quad-core Core i7 6820HK and 600HQ deliver excellent performance in most tasks. Even the Core i5 6300HQ is much better than the Core i7 6500U! So what more proof do you need? Don’t hesitate to choose an MSI gaming laptop with a 4-core Core i7 or i5 that will outperform any other gaming laptop thanks to the advanced Cooler Boost 3 cooling architecture and SHIFT technology that allows you to manually bring the system from a quiet working state to maximum speed in an instant!
Core i3-12100, Core i5-12400 and Core i7-12700 / Sudo Null IT News
In this review of Intel Alder Lake Locked Processors, we’ll show you how you can make current generation processors much faster with MSI’s motherboard in development.
For example, the Core i5-12400 can be up to 50% faster in games, and we’ll show you how.
One of the few problems with processors like the Core i3-12100, Core i5-12400, and Core i7-12700 is that Intel has locked them, meaning that you can’t increase their performance by overclocking.
Their out-of-the-box performance is still remarkable, and if you’re building a new PC, the capabilities of Alder Lake’s locked-down CPUs are hard to ignore. But in fact, the increase in their productivity can be 20% or more, and in some cases even more than 50%.
How does it work?
The way to overclock locked Alder Lake processors without the K index was discovered by the famous overclocker der8auer. Just a few months after the release of the 12th gen Intel Core, der8auer was able to overclock several locked CPUs with BCLK, making them clock much higher than they normally run. For example, he overclocked a Celeron G6900 from the standard clock speed of 3.
4GHz to 5.3GHz, achieving an impressive 56% increase in performance.
This was amazing news, we began to investigate this discovery, but we were not able to achieve similar results, because it had one rather significant aspect; because of him, this method turned out to be useless for the vast majority of users. By no means do we want to underestimate the achievements of der8auer, this overclocker deserves credit for his discovery. The problem comes down to motherboard support.
As it turns out, der8auer found that BCLK overclocking was possible on the Asus ROG Maximus Z690 Apex, a motherboard with a Z690 chipset that requires DDR5 memory and costs nearly $1,000. Although the discovery is indeed wonderful, it is not suitable for most users. There were also cheaper boards with BCLK overclocking support on the market, such as the Asus ROG Strix B660-G Gaming WiFi and B660-F Gaming WiFi, but both required DDR5 memory and still cost over $200: far from an ideal company for a Core i5 processor.
12400F for $160.
These LGA 1700 socket boards can overclock locked CPUs with a PCIe 5.0 clock generator. That is why the ROG Strix B660-G Gaming and B660-F Gaming have PCIe 5.0 x16 support for the main PCIe x16 slot, while almost all other boards are limited to PCIe 4.0.
Budget Overclocking
Since both Asus B660 boards cost $310, we ignored overclocking of the locked 12th generation until recently. However, news has recently come out that MSI has been working on a special version of BCLK overclocking B660M Mortar motherboard called «MAG B660M Mortar Max WiFi DDR4». Given that the B660M Mortar is much cheaper than Asus (about half), I was very interested in this.
We asked MSI about these rumors, the company replied that the information is strictly confidential, but yes, that is what they are working on. Naturally, we asked to send us a fee; Oddly enough, the company agreed and sent us an early pre-production version of the device.
This Max model is virtually indistinguishable from the original B660M Mortar except for the Renesas RC26008 external clock and a slight improvement in the VRM where the Auxiliary MOSFET is changed from a 70A to an 80A.
Test
It’s time for overclocking; the purpose of this function is not to maximize all the possibilities of the blocked CPU we have, but to show you the following: 1) the reality of the BCLK function and 2) the minimum level of performance that you can get.
We overclocked the Core i3-12100, i5-12400 and i7-12700 to 5.1 GHz all cores and 4.1 GHz ring bus. The P-Core ratio was set to x39 with fixed mode, overclocking microcode for processors without K was enabled, the Ring ratio was set to x31, and the base clock of the CPU was set to 131 MHz.
For memory, we used DDR4-3600 CL14, which was set to x27, which resulted in a DRAM frequency of 3537 MHz; this is not a real frequency due to the peculiarities of DDR operation, but for simplicity we will accept this value.
Next, we set the load-line calibration control to Mode 2, and the CPU Core Voltage mode was set to override mode with Core Voltage equal to 1.37 V. Probably, this parameter can be reduced to 1.28-1 without compromising stability .30V, but we wanted to ensure CPU stability for all tests.
We’re sure this overclock could have been better tuned by increasing the efficiency or frequency depending on the quality of the die, but our challenge was to find an overclock that worked on all chips. We had three Core i3-12100 chips on hand, one of them marked F; for all of them overclocking worked. We also had two Core i5-12400 chips and one 12700, and overclocking worked for them too.
For benchmarks, we used DDR4-3600 CL14 memory, which was set to DDR4-3537 using CL14 timings. We used a Corsair iCUE h215i RGB Pro XT to cool the hardware, and we chose an RTX 309 for the graphics card.0 Ti. Let’s move on to the numbers.
..
Benchmarks
When testing with Cinebench R23, we found excellent results in multi-core performance, but this test is not particularly sensitive to memory, so we mainly monitored the achieved clock speeds in it. Overclocking the 12100 resulted in a 25% increase in performance, while the 12400 was 18% faster. Overclocking the 12700 turned out to be much less impressive, since this processor already has a fairly high clock speed from the start, the increase was only 15%, but again, some chips can possibly be made to work at a higher frequency of all cores.
When examining single-core performance, we see a 19% increase on the 12100, a 17% increase on the 12400, and a mere 6% increase on the 12700. Obviously, the models of the lower price range get the greatest gain from overclocking.
The 7-Zip File Manager test also showed a 23% improvement in compression performance for the 12100 and a whopping 32% for the 12400.
The 12700 results are less impressive, only 7%.
Decompression performance is pretty much the same: up 23% for 12100, 28% for 12400, and just 7% for 12700.
Overclocking 12100 reduced rendering time in Blender by 19%, i.e. increased speed by 24%. Growth was 21% for 12400 and 14% for 12700.
Energy consumption
Since we didn’t adjust the voltages for overclocking, the power efficiency is terrible, almost halved from baseline. Our i5-12400 wasn’t stable at 1.29V and the total system power consumption was still 266W, down just 11% from 1.39V, so we didn’t fine-tune the voltages for this test.
As a matter of fact, the power consumption increases significantly due to the increase in frequency. Welcome to the world of overclocking!
Gaming performance
The Factorio benchmark uses only one core and is heavily impacted by cache performance.
The 12100 saw a 26% performance boost, the 12400 a 27% boost, and the 12700 a modest 6%. The big increase in performance of the Core i3 and i5 models is mainly due to the fact that they have low clock speeds out of the box.
F1 2021 is another good example of why overclocking those Core i3s and i5s is so much fun. In the case of 12100, we achieved a huge increase of 40%, and in the case of 12400, we got 31%. These figures are much more impressive than the 4% obtained for 12700.
These results show that for many modern games, the difference between processors like the Core i3-12100 and Core i7-12700 is not the number of cores, but the huge difference in clock speeds and the difference in L3 cache size.
Riftbreaker is another example of this. In this game, the average frame rate of the 12100 increased by 45%, while that of the 12400 by 34%. When manually overclocked, the framerate at 12700 dropped slightly, resulting in a 2% drop in performance.
It is unusual to see that when the 12700 and 12100 are running at 5.1 GHz, the Core i7 processor is the fastest by 4% and we believe that this difference is mainly due to the much larger L3 cache size of the 12700 processor.
The Core i3-12100 initially performed well in Horizon Zero Dawn, but after overclocking, the frame rate increased by another 19% (to 178 fps), which is only 5% less than the 12700 without overclocking. The 12400 also achieved a performance boost of 19% (up to 190 fps) and its speed almost reached the level of the Core i7.
Far Cry 6 has little use for multi-threading, so the game relies heavily on single-core performance. Therefore, when overclocking 12100, 12400 and 12700, we got very close performance, the Core i3 and i7 models differ by only 5%.
We know that Shadow of the Tomb Raider loves core speed and cache, so the 12100 couldn’t keep up with the higher price range CPUs this time around, but the 28% performance increase is still nice, framerates never dropped below 100 during our tests.
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12400 also benefited greatly from overclocking, increasing performance by 30%. However, in this case, the 12700 again slowed down slightly and began to lose a few frames during overclocking.
Cyberpunk 2077’s performance was more limited on the 12100, but it turned out that the main bottleneck here was not clock speed, as overclocking only increased performance by 11%. At 12400 the growth was 20%, and at 12700 no improvement was achieved.
Watch Dogs: Legion is very CPU demanding, and as you can see, before overclocking the Core i3-12100, the worst performance was only slightly above 60 fps, but after overclocking, performance increased by 30%, providing 82 fps in the worst 1% and average frame rates 110 fps.
The 12400 saw a similar performance boost, with a 34% increase in the worst-case 1% frame rate and a 32% increase in average frame rate. The 12700 again saw little to no benefit from overclocking, we see little to no performance gain.
The last we checked was Rainbow Six Siege, none of the three CPUs had any issues with this fairly old game. However, overclocking our 12100 still increased speed by 33%, and for the 12400 the result was a 16% improvement.
The results of the Core i7-12700 turned out to be unexpected, because we got only a 15% increase in performance from overclocking. In most games there was almost no increase, but in RSS the increase was as much as 24%; we suspect that it is mainly caused by increased cache and memory bandwidth, since this game is very memory sensitive, so these results are logical.
What we learned
The results are impressive, we believe that the Core i5-12400 is the ideal choice of the reviewed processors, although the Core i7-12700 is also justified. We say this because the B660M Mortar is currently retailing for $160, and MSI is suggesting that the new Max version will only be slightly more expensive, so we’re hoping for $170.