Are Ryzen Laptops Good?: Unveiling the Power of Ryzen Processors
Whenever you search for a laptop, the two tech giants, Intel and AMD appear in the search results. When you compare them according to your specifications, you find the AMD laptops as a more affordable option. The very next question that would arise in your mind is, “Are Ryzen laptops good?” “Is it as good as Intel?” “Why are Ryzen laptops cheaper than Intel?”
In this post, we will try to explain why it is worth considering an AMD Ryzen laptop.
Why Choose Ryzen Laptops?
To get the answer, “Are Ryzen laptops good”, let’s begin with an example. Just as a car’s engine powers its performance, a laptop’s processor is its driving force. AMD’s Ryzen processors are the heartbeats of Ryzen laptops to get the desired performance.
Let’s see the positives of Ryzen laptops.
1. Great for Multitasking: The success behind the Ryzen’s story is its multicore design. The Ryzen processors have multiple cores, from 4 cores in Ryzen 3 to 16 cores in Ryzen 9. The higher core count does multiple tasks simultaneously at a time. Ryzen’s multicore performances are often ahead of Intel in the same category range.
2. Integrated Graphics: One of the real benefits of Ryzen laptops is that most of them come with powerful integrated Vega graphics. This powerful GPU feature provides a solid graphical performance. If you are not an intense gamer, you don’t need a separate graphics card. The power of Vega graphics suffices your requirements for a good gaming experience.
3. Excellent for Gaming: The combined effect of a higher core count and the support of outstanding GPUs make the Rayzen laptops the number one choice in the gaming category.
4. Energy Efficient: The Low TDP (Thermal Design power) ensures less work done by the cooling system to keep your laptop working for a longer time.
5. Affordable: The popularity of AMD Ryzen laptops is boosted due to their affordability. You will find Ryzen laptops more budget-friendly compared to Intel laptops.
As an example, the Lenovo V15 AMD Ryzen 5 5500U costs ₹36,990 on Amazon India whereas the Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3 11th generation i5 with almost the same configuration is available at a price of ₹51,300 on Amazon India.
Is there any issue with Ryzen Laptops?
The 2000 series Ryzen processors which use the 14nm fabrication technology, have a bad reputation for overheating issues.
AMD’s holding in the market share started growing after the introduction of Ryzen 3 processors. Though there was an initial lag with the overheating problem with the 2000 series laptops designed with 14 nm fabrication using Zen+ architecture, things settled down after the introduction of 3000 series Ryzen CPUs.
Thanks to the improved 7 nm process of the 3000 and 4000 series. The 7000 series gets it more refined with the 5 nm fabrication to match the high performance.
Are Ryzen 3 Laptops Good?
The superior 7 nm technology used in the Zen 2 architecture in 3000 series processors sorted the heating issue.
Ryzen 3 laptops are designed for performing basic tasks, like web browsing, documentation, presentation, and watching videos. The integrated graphics of these laptops are good enough for an enjoyable gaming experience. The higher core/ thread count of Ryzen 3 processors helps with simultaneous multitasking.
Take the example of the popular AMD Ryzen 3 5300U
| Total Cores | 4 |
| Total Threads | 8 |
| Clockspeed | 2.6 GHz |
| Turbo Speed | 3.8 GHz |
| L1 Cache | 512 KB |
| L2 Cache | 2.0 MB |
| L3 Cache | 4.0 MB |
| Graphics | Radeon RX Vega 6 |
| TDP | 15W |
| Fabrication | 7 nm |
PassMark’s CPU benchmark score of AMD Ryzen 3 5300U is 9734 which stands very good for laptops priced around ₹35,000. The benchmark score of the popular i5 1135G7 is 9929 which is fairly close to the Ryzen 3 5300U CPU. But the average price of i5 1135G7 laptops is ₹50,000.
This simple figure shows the worthiness of Ryzen 3 laptops against price.
Are Ryzen 5 Laptops Good?
The Ryzen 5 is the segment area where AMD really shines. The Ryzen 5 CPU is a multidiscipline performer. They can fulfill the tasks of a wide range of users. In terms of performance, the Ryzen 5 laptops are easily comparable to the i5/ i7 laptops. And in terms of budget, it is very hard to find any better deal than the Ryzen 5 laptops.
The Ryzen 5 CPU can have 4 cores to 8 cores. Taking account of 2 threads per core, a Ryzen 5 has the capability to do multiple tasks at a time. The combination of simultaneous multitasking and powerful integrated graphics make the Rayzen laptops the gamer’s choice.
Let’s have a look at the performance chart of the Ryzen 5 5500U.
| Total Cores | 6 |
| Total Threads | 12 |
| Clockspeed | 2.1 GHz |
| Turbo Speed | 4.0 GHz |
| L1 Cache | 512 KB |
| L2 Cache | 3.0 MB |
| L3 Cache | 8.0 MB |
| Graphics | Radeon RX Vega 7 |
| TDP | 15W |
| Fabrication | 7 nm |
PassMark’s CPU benchmark score of AMD Ryzen 5 5500U is 13180 which is way better than the Intel Core i7-9750H and i7-10750H with benchmarks 10,997 and 12067 respectively.
The NanoReview scores shown below also suggest that the Ryzen 5 5500U is a better performer than the i7-10750H.
In the price segment, the average cost of the Ryzen 5 5500U laptop is only ₹40,000 – ₹45,000 which is way below that of a i7 laptop. This shows the incredible value that the Ryzen 5 laptops offer.
How Good are Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 9 Laptops?
The Ryzen 7 and 9 are the top-line processors of the AMD Ryzen series.
Ryzen 7 laptops consisting of octa-core configuration are premium category laptops priced around 60K-75K.
The popular AMD Ryzen 7 5800H scores 21212, just below the Apple M1 Pro 10-core in the PassMark benchmarking platform which sounds amazing.
But if your work is not around intense multitasking, you would not be able to utilize the full potential of this super performer.
Ryzen 9, the superpower, is mainly designed for gamers. They can have up to 16 cores. The Ryzen 9 laptops have excellent animation, creative graphical works, and intense 3D gaming. These laptops also come with a dedicated graphics card. But the average price of the Ryzen 9 laptops is well above 1 lakh rupees.
Are Ryzen Laptops Good? Is It Worth Buying a Ryzen Laptop in 2023?
Yes, it is. Ryzen laptops offer excellent value for money. They stand very high on the price-performance ratio.
Lenovo V15 AMD Ryzen 5 5500U priced ₹36,990 on Amazon India, is a real example of that.
If the budget permits, it is wiser to buy the 5000 series and 7000 series laptops considering the future upgrades. You may also consider the 3000 and 4000 series if you are looking for more affordable options.
But try to avoid the 2000 series Ryzen laptops. These CPUs are not at all healthy for your laptop’s performance. You will face the issue of overheating which will deteriorate the laptop’s battery life.
Thanks for continuing till the end.
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