JULY 2020 PCWorld 11YOU USE SOFTWARE
THAT FAVORS INTEL
We’ve tested enough Ryzen
4000 CPUs to say safely that in
general, AMD offers better
multi-core performance, and
reasonably close (and sometimes
better) single-core performance,
compared to Intel’s best Ice
Lake parts.
All that doesn’t matter if you
use software that is highly tuned
for Intel’s CPUs. Occasionally
we’ve seen problems with
software looking for a feature Intel has but
AMD doesn’t, such as DL Boost or
QuickSync.
So yes, before you drop a wad on a
laptop, poke around and see if the
particular application you use favors a
certain CPU design.
YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT
PERFORMANCE THAT MUCH
While PC enthusiasts can never have too
much performance, the reality is most
people don’t need much horsepower—not
for using Microsoft Office, Google Chrome,
and Zoom. In fact, for a lot of people a Core
i5 or Ryzen 5 is more than enough CPU. It’s
probably equally important to consider
weight, size, keyboard, trackpad, screen,
ports and price than to obsess over the CPU
choice.
YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT
BATTERY LIFE
We’re feeling pretty bullish on AMD battery
life after seeing Asus ROG Zephyrus G14’s
battery performance (go.pcworld.com/
ag14). That said, we have yet to see
definitive proof that laptops based on
AMD’s U-series can achieve the stupendous
battery life we’re already seeing from some
Intel-based (and Qualcomm-based) thin-
and-light laptops.
A laptop’s battery life isn’t solely the
responsibility of the CPU. The power
consumption by the screen, the audio
subsystem, the size of the battery, and many
other parts in a laptop also play a role. If you
care a lot about battery life in a laptop,
Intel-based laptop designs have proven
themselves many times. The jury is still out on
AMD in an ultraportable.We’re feeling pretty bullish on AMD battery life after seeing
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14’s performance.