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Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
Fastest Cost-Is-No-Object Laptop
MSI Titan 18 HX
Pros & Cons
Unmatched gaming performance
Plenty of power (and memory) for professional workloads
18-inch 4K 120Hz mini LED display
Haptic glass touchpad with customizable lighting
Mechanical Cherry MX keyboard
Prohibitively expensive
Big and heavy
Short battery life
Specs & Configurations
Class
Gaming, Desktop Replacement
Processor
Intel Core i9-14900HX
RAM (as Tested)
128 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
4 TB
Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested)
Screen Size
18 inches
Native Display Resolution
3840 by 2400
Panel Technology
Mini LED
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Graphics Processor
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
Graphics Memory
16 GB
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)
1.25 by 15.9 by 12 inches
Weight
7.93 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
2:53
Why We Picked It
This selection is pretty straightforward: MSI’s Titan 18 HX is the fastest laptop around. Packing an Intel Core i9-14900HX, 128GB of memory, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 GPU in a massive 1.25-inch-thick frame, it made mincemeat of our benchmark tests. Even if one or two laptops performed slightly better in one or two trials, none could stand up to its overall superiority on most processing and graphics tests.Of course, we have to stress the “cost-is-no-object” part of this pick. Acquiring the configuration we tested is a different proposition than appreciating it from afar; our unit was priced at an eye-watering $5,399 at the time of review. The 18-inch, 4K-resolution, 120Hz mini LED display and 4TB of storage are major contributors, too, but what a full package it is.
Who It’s For
The Titan 18 HX is a near-theoretical option for most shoppers, but you asked us to answer the “fastest laptop” question. Naturally, it’s overkill for your average (and even enthusiast) gamer; you can readily find less expensive options even if you’re intent on snagging a Core i9 chip and an RTX 4090 GPU. We expect those seriously considering the Titan to conduct demanding data, editing, or other strenuous professional work. If you know your workload can take all the muscle and memory you can throw its way, and your laptop will largely stay put on your desk, this MSI could be your ideal workhorse.
Learn More
MSI Titan 18 HX Review
Fastest High-End Gaming Laptop
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 9 16
Pros & Cons
Exceptional performance
Gorgeous gaming display
Sturdy build and quality design
Respectable battery life
Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 are MIA
No biometric login options
Heavy and bulky
Specs & Configurations
Class
Gaming
Processor
Intel Core i9-14900HX
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Secondary Drive Type
Hard Drive
Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Screen Size
16 inches
Native Display Resolution
2560 by 1600
Panel Technology
IPS
Variable Refresh Support
G-Sync
Screen Refresh Rate
240 Hz
Graphics Processor
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
Graphics Memory
12 GB
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)
1.01 by 14.3 by 10.3 inches
Weight
6.17 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
8:04
Why We Picked It
While the fastest overall laptop is naturally a good choice for gaming, Lenovo’s Legion Pro 7i Gen 9 16 is our pick specifically for gamers. It’s still strictly a high-budget item, but this is the rare laptop over $2,000 that’s actually a great value. It costs less and performs better than many premium competitors, delivering top performance with its Intel Core i9-14900HX CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 GPU. Its performance is legitimately great—closer to the MSI Titan 18 HX than other laptops, even—and its flashy build and brilliant display are icing on the cake.
Who It’s For
This Lenovo is for gamers with fat wallets who still want to get a semblance of value. Affordability often goes out the window once you budget over $2,000, as such shoppers would often rather get the best of the best than save a few hundred bucks. But the Legion Pro 7i Gen 9 16 is the rare machine that accomplishes both. It’s a seriously impressive notebook, though not the most portable in the 16-inch class if that’s a priority.
Learn More
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 9 16 Review
Fastest Value-Priced Gaming Laptop
Acer Nitro V 15 (ANV15-51-59MT)
Pros & Cons
Attractive price
Suffices for 1080p gaming
Wide selection of ports
Lengthy battery life
Lagging processor performance
Limited 512GB SSD
Specs & Configurations
Class
Gaming
Processor
Intel Core i5-13420H
RAM (as Tested)
8 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
512 GB
Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested)
Screen Size
15.6 inches
Native Display Resolution
1920 by 1080
Panel Technology
IPS
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
144 Hz
Graphics Processor
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU
Graphics Memory
6 GB
Wireless Networking
802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6), Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)
1.06 by 14.3 by 9.4 inches
Weight
4.66 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
9:51
Why We Picked It
The words “budget” and “high performance” are rarely found in proximity, but a few laptops stand above the economy crowd. Considering our test configuration’s reasonable price, the Acer Nitro V 15 (ANV15-51-59MT) is an impressively capable gaming rig. You can find quicker laptops for a bit over $1,000, but the Nitro really lives up to the idea of budget pricing while delivering enjoyable 1080p gaming. It’s difficult to find anything less expensive that can push frame rates like this Acer can.
Who It’s For
The Nitro V 15 is meant for gamers seeking the fastest laptop for as little as possible. Its starting price is even lower than our test unit’s, though we can’t vouch for the base model’s performance. Parents buying a laptop for a kid, college students, and first-time gamers on tight budgets looking to get the most capable gaming machine they can will appreciate the Nitro.
Learn More
Acer Nitro V 15 (ANV15-51-59MT) Review
Fastest Compact Gaming Laptop
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024)
Pros & Cons
Elegant, compact redesign with metal chassis
Powerful all-around performance and gaming speed
Brilliant 1800p 120Hz OLED panel with G-Sync support
Wide selection of ports
Long battery life
Specs & Configurations
Class
Gaming
Processor
AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested)
Screen Size
14 inches
Native Display Resolution
2,880 by 1,800
Panel Technology
OLED
Variable Refresh Support
G-Sync
Screen Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Graphics Processor
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU
Graphics Memory
8 GB
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)
0.64 by 12.2 by 8.7 inches
Weight
3.3 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
11:52
Why We Picked It
Today’s 16- and 18-inch systems are naturally more powerful, but the more portable 14-inch category has blossomed in recent years. While bigger machines usually offer more bang for the buck, Asus’ ROG Zephyrus G14 is our favorite quick compact. Our review config packed an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS processor, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU into its slim frame, worthy of the extra-mobile speed crown.The G14 comfortably achieved frame rates in the hundreds at 1080p resolution and can sustain 60fps even at its native 3K resolution. Since it’s also made to be taken in public and shown off, this performance comes in a chic, high-quality chassis that weighs only 3.3 pounds, starring a 120Hz OLED panel with Nvidia G-Sync support. It’s a long-lasting system in terms of battery life, too, increasing its travel-friendly appeal.
Who It’s For
Gamers looking for the snappiest laptop they can take on the road should snap up the G14. Alienware and Razer offer similar alternatives, but this Asus machine is the best of all worlds. If our review unit pushes your budget envelope, a more affordable base model lets you enjoy the slick design, though we can’t give it the same performance acclaim. The Zephyrus is the best bet for mobile general users and gamers looking for performance and portability.
Learn More
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) Review
Fastest Ultraportable Laptop
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED Touch (UM3406)
Pros & Cons
Peppy performance
High value
Long battery life
Lots of ports for its size
Just a 1200p display
No WWAN option or SD card slot
Face login only—no fingerprint reader
Specs & Configurations
Class
Ultraportable
Processor
AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS
Processor Speed
3.3 GHz
RAM (as Tested)
16 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
512 GB
Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested)
Screen Size
14 inches
Native Display Resolution
1920 by 1200
Panel Technology
OLED
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Graphics Processor
AMD Radeon 780M Graphics
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Dimensions (HWD)
0.59 by 12.3 by 8.7 inches
Weight
2.82 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
19:56
Why We Picked It
As the name suggests, ultraportables are generally more concerned with mobility than anything else, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have both. Their thin designs inevitably limit the upside at some point, but some still push out higher performance than others, and the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED Touch got our attention with its results. The AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS processor and Radeon 780M graphics inside pushed this machine to snappy overall performance, plus this chip is AI-ready. Between its speed, long battery life, and attractive price, this is the best zippy ultraportable for most users.
Who It’s For
If you’re not looking for a media editing workhorse, gaming system, or workstation of this size, this is one of the best deals around. We would have other suggestions for those more specialized use cases, while the UM3406 model prioritizes portability. This is an excellent pick for shoppers trying not to spend too much; those with huge budgets have many of our other “fastest laptops” to choose from, especially if mobility isn’t your top concern.
Learn More
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED Touch (UM3406) Review
Fastest Mac Laptop
Apple MacBook Pro 16-Inch (2023, M3 Max)
Pros & Cons
Fiery M3 Max processor
Beautiful Liquid Retina XDR display
Ample configuration options
Abundant ports and connectivity
Superb battery life
Expensive, particularly for higher configurations
Inconsistent GPU performance in testing
No touch screen
Specs & Configurations
Class
Workstation, Desktop Replacement
Processor
Apple M3 Max
RAM (as Tested)
128 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
8 TB
Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested)
Screen Size
16.2 inches
Native Display Resolution
3456 by 2234
Panel Technology
Mini LED
Variable Refresh Support
ProMotion
Screen Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Graphics Processor
Apple M3 Max (40-core GPU)
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Dimensions (HWD)
0.66 by 14 by 9.8 inches
Weight
4.8 lbs
Operating System
Apple macOS
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
27:53
Why We Picked It
In a sea of Windows laptops, we want to recommend a solution for Mac users, too, and the 16-inch Apple MacBook Pro with M3 Max processor is the clear winner. Apple’s in-house silicon is blistering fast, and the Max tier even more so than the base M3 chip. Naturally, the fully loaded model we reviewed is an incredible performer, with 128GB of memory on top of the colossal CPU. Your MacBook Pro needn’t be nearly as expensive, but as a showcase contender for the fastest laptop, it’s tough to beat Apple’s flagship.
Who It’s For
Of course, those who prefer or must use macOS don’t have as many options as Windows customers, but users who want a desktop-style experience with as much power as possible should gravitate toward this 16-inch MacBook Pro. The M3 Max variant isn’t a must for all users, by any means, but it is if performance bragging rights are your top priority. As it ever was with MacBook Pro laptops, media professionals and content creators will find a lot to love here.
Learn More
Apple MacBook Pro 16-Inch (2023, M3 Max) Review
Fastest Business Laptop
Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 2
Pros & Cons
Gorgeous 4K OLED display
Speedy performance
Ample battery life
Quality build
No HDMI or USB-A port
Inputs not quite up to ThinkPad standards
Specs & Configurations
Class
Business, Desktop Replacement
Processor
AMD Ryzen 9 Pro 7940HS
Processor Speed
4 GHz
RAM (as Tested)
64 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested)
Screen Size
16 inches
Native Display Resolution
3840 by 2400
Panel Technology
OLED
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Graphics Processor
AMD Radeon RX 6550M
Graphics Memory
4 GB
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)
0.63 by 14 by 9.4 inches
Weight
3.99 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11 Pro
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
10:44
Why We Picked It
Business users need a notebook that can help them keep several windows open simultaneously, multitask at any given moment, and keep up with lengthy spreadsheets and conference calls. Lenovo’s ThinkPad Z16 Gen 2 is one of the fastest non-workstation business laptops to do all that and more, touting an uncommon AMD Ryzen 9 Pro 7940HS processor and Radeon RX 6550M graphics. While the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 is our perennial favorite ThinkPad (and overall business laptop), it doesn’t top the performance charts like the Z16 and lacks a discrete GPU. On the other hand, the Z16 has a couple of connectivity shortcomings rare among ThinkPads, so check the fine print for compatibility with your needs. However, on the basis of high-speed productivity, it’s a winner.
Who It’s For
Professionals whose apps require more muscle than the average office word processor or spreadsheet jockey will appreciate the performance on display here. Big datasets and similarly onerous workloads will run much better on a Ryzen 9 Pro chip than the usual alternatives, and our test model even boasts a generous 64GB of memory. Not every 9-to-5’er needs to pay for this much speed, but if you know who you are, you’ll be well served by this ThinkPad’s performance.
Learn More
Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 2 Review
Fastest Big-Screen Productivity Laptop
Lenovo Slim Pro 9i (16-inch)
Pros & Cons
Powerful performance
Excellent 16-inch, 165Hz mini-LED display
Versatile port selection
Long battery life
Durable all-aluminum build
Limited configuration choices
Hefty at nearly 5 pounds
Reflective display
Specs & Configurations
Class
Desktop Replacement
Processor
Intel Core i9-13905H
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested)
Screen Size
16 inches
Native Display Resolution
3200 by 2000
Panel Technology
Mini LED
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
165 Hz
Graphics Processor
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU
Graphics Memory
6 GB
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1
Dimensions (HWD)
0.71 by 14.27 by 9.64 inches
Weight
4.92 pounds
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
10:11
Why We Picked It
The class of so-called “desktop replacement” laptops is meant to do just that: deliver performance similar to a bulky tower PC’s, plus a big enough screen to make you feel like you’re working on a desktop monitor. The 16-inch Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is one of the fastest in this segment, combining an Intel Core i9 H-series CPU with a roomy, sharp, and bright mini LED display. This combination achieves real productivity, especially given its long battery life (even if this laptop’s not the lightest).
Who It’s For
If your main concern is power with a screen that won’t cramp your style, this is the laptop to get. Unlike many general-use laptops, the Pro 9i even provides a discrete GPU. (Our test unit carried an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050.) Not everyone needs a dedicated GPU, but it does enable moderate gaming and can really help with image or video editing or media workloads, making the Slim Pro an even better fit for demanding professional users.
Learn More
Lenovo Slim Pro 9i (16-inch) Review
Fastest Content-Creation Laptop
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra
Pros & Cons
Potent CPU and GPU combo
Gorgeous 3K AMOLED display
Svelte design
HDMI, USB-A, and USB-C ports
Pricier than rivals with sharper screens
Enormous AC adapter
Keyboard includes numeric pad but skimps on cursor controls
Preinstalled apps favor Galaxy smartphone owners
Specs & Configurations
Class
Desktop Replacement
Processor
Intel Core Ultra 9 185H
RAM (as Tested)
32 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested)
Screen Size
16 inches
Native Display Resolution
2880 by 1800
Panel Technology
AMOLED
Variable Refresh Support
Dynamic
Screen Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Graphics Processor
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU
Graphics Memory
8 GB
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Dimensions (HWD)
0.65 by 14 by 9.9 inches
Weight
4.1 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
17:06
Why We Picked It
If our big-screen productivity pick is for the general user who could use a bit of power on a big screen, the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra is for the pros. This is a pricey laptop, but it provides a feature set rivaling Apple’s best. The Samsung’s beautiful 3K AMOLED display is backed by an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU. The Galaxy Book4 Ultra is super slim and fairly light, and it includes USB-A, USB-C, and HDMI ports. It’s not perfect (its sub-4K-resolution screen could be a deal-breaker for some media pros), but there aren’t many non-gaming laptops with this much power in this class.
Who It’s For
Shoppers who’d otherwise eye a MacBook Pro but prefer Windows should love this machine if they can afford it. A fast, AI-ready processor, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, a sophisticated screen, and super-long battery life make the Galaxy a dream for creative professionals. Really, only the fastest gaming laptops and mobile workstations are faster, and most are not as portable or as nicely made.
Learn More
Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra Review
Fastest Workstation Laptop
HP ZBook Fury 16 G10
Pros & Cons
Leading speeds from top-flight silicon
Highly configurable and upgradable
Picture-perfect HP DreamColor 4K display
Customizable keyboard with RGB backlight
Superb-looking 5MP webcam
Robust aluminum chassis
Short battery life
Bulky design
Cramped arrow keys
Specs & Configurations
Class
Workstation
Processor
Intel Core i9-13950HX
RAM (as Tested)
64 GB
Boot Drive Type
SSD
Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested)
1 TB
Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested)
Screen Size
16 inches
Native Display Resolution
3840 by 2400
Panel Technology
IPS
Variable Refresh Support
None
Screen Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Graphics Processor
Nvidia RTX 5000 Ada
Graphics Memory
16 GB
Wireless Networking
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth
Dimensions (HWD)
1.13 by 14.3 by 9.9 inches
Weight
5.3 lbs
Operating System
Windows 11 Pro
Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes)
3:13
Why We Picked It
All mobile workstations are fast by default, but the HP ZBook Fury 16 G10 stands above the rest. Its Intel Core i9-13950HX processor, 64GB of RAM, and Nvidia RTX 5000 Ada enterprise-class GPU ensure chart-topping performance, and that’s not where the positives end. The Fury flagship is also highly configurable, features a fantastic 4K display and sharp webcam, and is packed into a sturdy aluminum chassis. It’s a winner among inherently beastly, cost-no-object data crunchers.
Who It’s For
Only the most demanding professionals can justify a fully loaded mobile workstation, but some applications and workloads demand this much muscle. If you run strenuous software, plow through massive datasets, edit complex multimedia files, or create visual or CGI content, you’ll be mad about the aptly named Fury 16 G10.
Learn More
HP ZBook Fury 16 G10 Review
Buying Guide: The Fastest Laptops for 2024
What Does ‘Speed’ Really Mean in a Laptop?The idea of speed in a laptop can be sliced in many ways. In practical terms, you can look at it as a blend of two factors: (1) CPU processing power and (2) graphical prowess for tasks such as gaming, 3D rendering, or graphics-accelerated content creation. The two are very different things, and we benchmark all the systems we review with both kinds of speed in mind.Some of the fastest laptops are strong in one area and not the other. For example, it’s possible to have a notebook with a top-end processor packing lots of cores and threads but paired with a minimal graphics solution (perhaps just the CPU’s integrated graphics, historically no match for a discrete graphics chip). Such a laptop can deliver outstanding performance for programs and workloads that take advantage of lots of CPU resources but little power for gaming or applications that rely on graphics acceleration.
((Credit: Joseph Maldonado))
Likewise, having a dedicated graphics processing unit (GPU)—the beefier the better—is the key to speed in games. Most of the time, CPU speed will contribute to the gaming equation only insofar as it isn’t a limiter or bottleneck for the graphics chip.Now, the prescription for either need—speed for processing or speed for graphics—is to pack in as potent a CPU or GPU as possible. But when you do that, it illustrates the interplay of three key elements of laptop design: cost, power consumption, and thermals.Higher-powered silicon tends to (1) cost more, (2) require more electricity when fully engaged, and (3) run hotter when taxed to the max. That’s why buffed-up gaming laptops or high-powered mobile workstations tend to be thick, heavy, and expensive. Their high-end chips cost more and require more space and weighty thermal hardware to keep cool. The best of all possible worlds—maximum graphics and CPU power, maximum battery life, and thin, light design—is a goal ever out of reach. Instead, laptop design is always a tradeoff of these factors, where it’s not possible to turn all three knobs to 10 simultaneously.Which CPU Type Is Best for a Laptop?From a raw CPU perspective, the fastest laptops tend to fall into four classes. The first comprises business machines with high-end processors but integrated graphics. You’ll find them under top vendors’ business brands such as Latitude for Dell, ThinkPad for Lenovo, and EliteBook for HP.Second are high-end gaming laptops that pair a powerful mobile GPU, chosen to blaze through the latest games at a level appropriate for the system’s screen, with a CPU that is at least sufficient not to hamper the graphics chip. (That malady, when it affects PC gaming, is often dubbed being “CPU-limited.”)Third are mobile workstations, productivity-minded laptops designed for professional content creation and data analysis and often optimized for the specialized and demanding applications they use. (Workstation marketing lingo frequently refers to independent software vendor or ISV certification; these laptops cost a premium partly because of it.) You can identify these machines by brand, such as HP’s ZBook and Dell’s Precision, or by Nvidia’s RTX A series (formerly Quadro) GPUs.Finally, some notebooks (see the Asus ProArt, MSI Creator, and Gigabyte Aero lines) target creative pros such as video editors and game designers. These machines overlap with mobile workstations but often lack those systems’ ISV certifications for specialized apps. (For instance, they may feature Nvidia’s civilian GeForce rather than professional RTX GPUs.) Stunning high-resolution screens are common here.
(Credit: Charles Jefferies)
Most Intel CPU names end in a capital letter or two, which tells you about their identities. Any Core chip ending with an H or HX is a maximum-power mobile processor with many threads that your software can tap via a feature known as Hyper-Threading. Not all CPUs support Hyper-Threading, but this will be a big plus if the programs you run are fully multithreaded (that is, able to take advantage of all available computing threads when performing demanding tasks).You’ll see H-series chips only in weighty models meant for heavy calculation work or data analysis in business laptops. However, you’ll find the H-series in almost all gaming laptops and many mobile workstations. A few high-end workstations use Intel’s Xeon processors, which are at heart server chips specially designed for the demands of accelerating specialized advanced calculation and content-creation programs and running flat-out for extended periods. But a Core i7 or Core i9 H-series is more common and the sign of a legitimately high-end configuration.CPUs ending in U (or G3, G5, or G7) signify an ultramobile processor. These lower-power chips are designed for slimmer, lighter laptops with limited thermal headroom. These can be perfectly fine CPUs, depending on what you do with your laptop. You’ll have no trouble handling everyday business or office tasks on a Core i5 or Core i7 of this type, and often even multimedia content creation tasks will see no painful delays. It’s easy to remember: The H-class is where the real muscle is in laptop land.
((Credit: Joseph Maldonado))
With its 12th and 13th Generation Core CPUs, Intel introduced a P series of laptop chips that fall between the U and H families. These are for mainstream performance systems and employ a hybrid architecture, with high-performance and efficiency-minded cores (P-cores and E-cores) coexisting in the same chip. Most Intel laptops currently run 13th Gen “Raptor Lake” chips, which use this same structure to blisteringly fast effect. Team Blue most recently launched Core Ultra “Meteor Lake” chips with onboard AI processing and 14th Gen “Raptor Lake Refresh” processors at the start of the year. Today, you’ll see many machines with these processors, too. The latter, in particular, will be seen in some “fastest laptop” picks. For much more about the nuances of laptop CPUs, see our deep-dive article on how to choose the best laptop processor.What about Intel’s rivals? AMD’s Ryzen and Ryzen Pro mobile processors have historically tilted more toward office apps and moderate gaming (with integrated graphics that often top Intel’s) than the all-out gaming and workstation prowess of the best separate CPU and GPU combinations. However, AMD’s Ryzen 7000 and 8000 mobile processors can slug it out with Intel’s best and are used in many creative and professional laptops. AMD chips like the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX and the Ryzen 9 8945HS go toe-to-toe with Intel offerings.Qualcomm may soon be a factor in speedy Windows machines. We’ve tested a few of the first Arm-based Snapdragon X chips to see how they perform versus Intel Core Ultra and AMD Ryzen 8000 series alternatives in the real world. They won’t rival the very fastest Intel and AMD H-series offerings, but they show promise. (Check back for more on how these perform.) The next generation of Intel’s AI Core Ultra processors, “Lunar Lake,” is coming later this year, too, with some bold claims around AI chip efficiency.Finally, we come to Apple’s MacBooks and their house-brand processors, with the M2-based MacBook Air and now the newest M3 line in the MacBook Pro models. The 16-inch Apple MacBook Pro with M3 Max, for instance, is the king of the macOS mobile castle.
(Credit: Brian Westover)
In a way, Apple’s switch from Intel to its own processors takes the decision out of your hands if you go with a Mac because you’re choosing within a much smaller set of CPUs from a single maker. Apple’s chips do show some variations: the M1 Pro and M1 Max are boosted versions of the M1 base chip, and that proved true again with the M2 Pro and M2 Max and with the M3 Pro and M3 Max. The real decision is whether to stick with a Windows system and the processor options above if you’re already in that ecosystem, or to jump over to macOS.Understanding Laptop Graphics Performance: Power for Play and Content CreationIf you’re after speed for PC gaming, you need a laptop with a dedicated graphics chip or GPU. Most leading-edge gaming laptops these days use various flavors of Nvidia’s GeForce mobile silicon, with the RTX 30 series (model numbers in the 3000s) pushed aside by the RTX 40 series (model numbers in the 4000s) in the latest machines.If your laptop has a 1080p (1,920-by-1,080-pixel) display, then a GeForce RTX 3050 or 4050 or higher chip will generally suffice to play modern games at high image-quality settings. The GeForce RTX 3070 and RTX 4070 are usually fitting matches for a resolution of 2,560 by 1,440 pixels and below, while an RTX 3080 Ti, 4080, or 4090 will be overkill for 1080p resolution but a good bet starting point for gaming on a 4K (3,840-by-2,160-pixel) panel. Nvidia’s latest GeForce RTX 40-series chips can help make 4K gaming and fancy ray-traced lighting smoother than ever, thanks to DLSS rendering technology supported by a growing number of recent games.
((Credit: Joseph Maldonado))
If you use your gaming laptop with an external monitor or monitors with a higher resolution than the notebook’s built-in screen, you might consider a GPU that’s several steps ahead of the laptop’s screen. Otherwise, you’ll want to match the GPU’s performance with the upper limits of the laptop’s panel.One wrinkle to all this is the emergence of high-refresh-rate laptop displays. A typical 60Hz laptop display (which redraws the screen 60 times per second) can’t show much benefit from framerates above 60 frames per second (fps). If your high-powered GPU can play a game at a consistent 100fps, you won’t see much added smoothness. However, the latest gaming laptops offer high-refresh panels capable of rewriting at 120Hz, 144Hz, 165Hz, 240Hz, or even 300Hz. These screens can use those extra frames for smoother gameplay and justify a high-powered GPU. (For more on the topic, see our explainer: Does Your Gaming Laptop Need a High-Refresh-Rate Screen?)
((Credit: Joseph Maldonado))
On a related note, laptops with screens that support Nvidia’s G-Sync technology are worth looking out for. In these, the screen rewrites at the same rate that the GPU churns out frames, adjusting the refresh rate dynamically. This reduces screen artifacts and “tearing” (in which parts of the screen misalign for a beat as they are rendered). With a high-refresh screen, a top-notch GPU will be better leveraged; with G-Sync, a marginal one will be enhanced.Another factor, if you’re shopping for a maxed-out laptop, is virtual reality compatibility. It’s best to opt for the proper GPU now if you might want to explore VR later, as you can’t upgrade the GPU after the fact. (See our guide to the best laptops for VR.) The recent RTX line should also suffice for VR, from the RTX 3050 and RTX 4050 on up.Does Storage or Memory Make a Computer Faster?Assessing storage speed is more straightforward than weighing CPUs or GPUs. The storage solutions in today’s laptops fall into three classes: hard drives, SATA solid-state drives (SSDs), and PCI Express SSDs. That sequence is a fair summary of their relative speed (slowest, faster, fastest) and relative cost (least to most expensive, in terms of cost per gigabyte).These days, the fastest laptops all use PCI Express SSDs, and indeed, this class of drive is taking over the field. These are either implemented as M.2 drives (see our guide to the best M.2 solid-state drives) or soldered down to the motherboard, and top out in most configurations at 1TB or 2TB of capacity. PCI Express describes the bus pathway that your data takes when using these drives, and is associated nowadays with the term NVMe, a protocol for making the most of PCI Express speeds. Both are good buzzwords to look out for. The alternative to a PCI Express SSD is Serial ATA or SATA, which is perfectly serviceable but is yesterday’s interface and fading out of relevance in new laptops now.
((Credit: Joseph Maldonado))
If you want to maximize real and perceived speed in a laptop, the boot drive should be an SSD; it will almost certainly be a PCI Express/NVMe one. However, SATA is still relevant for hard drives; if the laptop has a hard drive, it should be implemented as a secondary drive for bulk storage. You’re more likely to see such dual-drive arrangements in larger laptops.As for assessing the RAM in the system, it’s an exercise to ensure you get enough for your typical tasks without overpaying or underestimating. 8GB is the barest minimum for which we’d settle in any Windows laptop, with 16GB a far better baseline for a machine you’ll hit with applications more demanding than word processing or email. Getting even more can make sense if you use RAM-hungry content-creation apps like Adobe Photoshop or Premiere Pro. If you’re outfitting a gaming laptop, 16GB ought to do, with 32GB recommended if you’ll also use it for heavy content work.Ready to Buy the Fast Laptop That’s Right for You?The laptops in our detailed breakout chart are ideal places to start looking if absolute speed is your key concern. We reviewed Cinebench and HandBrake benchmark scores to measure raw CPU speed and multithreaded power; these tests tax a CPU to its limits on all cores and threads. We also checked out 3DMark scores to measure graphics processing capability and PCMark 10 results for office productivity and overall system performance. (See the reviews linked for details and much more performance talk.)Use these as launching points for your laptop search. Remember, many models can be bought in lesser or brawnier configurations than the ones we happen to test. Hence, the limit tends to be how much money you have and how much hardware a laptop maker can stuff in the chassis size of your choice, within thermal and practical limits.Our roundups of the best gaming laptops and mobile workstations offer more speedy, powerful choices. Other top performers include our roundups of the best ultraportables and the top 2-in-1 convertible laptops.
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