Prebuild 13" laptop CPU options

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I'm looking to replace my very aged A8-5550 laptop (The lap burner - Its unusable without a cooler) and my wife's little typing machine (11" HP Stream x360 Celeron® N3060) with a new single small (13"ish) probably refurb laptop.

I've been doing my best to get a good understanding of the different CPU options but wondered if anyone could add practical experience given benchmarks don't equal usage?

From what I can tell:
1) 10th gen intel i.e. i5-10210U - Basically a rehashed 8th gen and 14nm++++++++.
2) 11th gen intel i.e. i7-1065G7 - A lot better (10nm finally!) but not great iGPU
3) 12th gen intel i.e.i5 1135G7 - Latest and greatest but expensive and probably out of my budget
4) 3000 Series Ryzen i.e. 3500U - About the same as a 10th gen intel (Does it run cooler?)
5) 4000 Series Ryzen i.e 4500U - About the same as a 11th gen intel but better multithreading
6) 5000 Series Ryzen - Out of my budget and rare
(7) The new intel big.Little style CPUs i.e. Core i5-L16G7 - I think I want to avoid these and I've no idea where to slot it in to this list.)

I'm really looking for something I can use on my lap without burning myself, with enough iGPU performance to handle heavy web browsing/tinkerCAD/very light gaming/coding on the cheapest budget I can (and meet Windows 11 requirements).

I was initially looking at this HP Envy 13.3 with a mx350 GPU for £470 - https://www.stockmustgo.co.uk/produc...6e699a0a&_ss=r

But wondering if I'm better spending more for a 4500U (£530) - https://www.stockmustgo.co.uk/produc...6e699a0a&_ss=r
(However it has half the storage and no dedicated GPU)

Or go up to 14" so I have RAM upgrade options - https://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/refu...on.asp#!#specs

I've got to be honest this has been a lot more complex than the previous generations thanks to Intel's new scatter gun approach to naming hence why asking how people are finding these mobile chips. It also also found it really hard to determine the GPU performance of these iGPUs and that's as important to me as the CPU (I'm not looking to run the latest games at all. Just a few older titles/indies but 5% at the bottom end can mean a lot.)

[Xlucine]

Option 7 is vapourware, and I'd be impressed if you found one - it was used in 2 designs and is now EOL. Samsung made an overpriced very thin&light and lenovo made a folding screen thinkpad

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I did find a few Samsung options with it in (I have access samsung discounts) but I've no interest anyway. What's the point in one average core stuck to an atom when you could get a decent 4 or 6 core in 15w tdp package.

I think my concern with choosing a cpu is just how poor thermally the a8-5550 was. It hits a package temp of 100c. The exhaust temps are about 60c. The crazy thing is if you disable boost on the cpu it's only a little slow and temps are usable. I try and keep my laptops for 5+ years so don't want to screw up so badly this time.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Have you tried repasting the CPU to see if it helps? Also cleaning out the cooling solution of any dust??

[DanceswithUnix]

TLDR: We went option 5 and would again


Everyone I know with a 4500U or 4700U laptop have been delighted with them. My son does some light gaming on his 4700U

The AMD 3000 series are not as good for performance or battery life. That might be OK for your usage, but I would get the 4000 series if possible.

My son has an HP Envy X360, albeit the 4700U version, and he loves it. They have upgradable ram and SSD which was one of the factors on that for me (there is a youtube video of some guy upgrading one I think to 32GB + 1TB).

[cheesemp]

Have you tried repasting the CPU to see if it helps? Also cleaning out the cooling solution of any dust??

Cat I've tried everything. To be honest the laptops never been good. I think lenovo made the cooling system for the base amd a4 which that model was more normally sold with. I've had some luck taking the bottom off and using a cooler but it's still warm!

[cheesemp]

TLDR: We went option 5 and would again


Everyone I know with a 4500U or 4700U laptop have been delighted with them. My son does some light gaming on his 4700U

The AMD 3000 series are not as good for performance or battery life. That might be OK for your usage, but I would get the 4000 series if possible.

My son has an HP Envy X360, albeit the 4700U version, and he loves it. They have upgradable ram and SSD which was one of the factors on that for me (there is a youtube video of some guy upgrading one I think to 32GB + 1TB).

Cheers dances. Is that the 13" model with the upgradable ram? Upgradable ram seems pretty rare in smaller laptops. I think a 4700u is out of my price range.

[DanceswithUnix]

Cheers dances. Is that the 13" model with the upgradable ram? Upgradable ram seems pretty rare in smaller laptops. I think a 4700u is out of my price range.

Yes, that was the 13" model so he can carry it easily to lectures. At the time the 4700U was £100 off rrp and the 4500U wasn't which closed the gap, but yeah the price still stung quite a bit. But it came with 16GB of ram out the box which seemed a good idea when we don't know what his course will require him to run and saves me the aggro of opening the machine up on day one. If it turns out he only needs Notepad I shall be mildly miffed

TBH I was originally looking at 4500U for him, it should be enough.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Cat I've tried everything. To be honest the laptops never been good. I think lenovo made the cooling system for the base amd a4 which that model was more normally sold with. I've had some luck taking the bottom off and using a cooler but it's still warm!

That sounds a load of fail! A mate has a Zenbook 14 with a Ryzen 7 4700U and it has been fine so far,although it probably is still abover £600 currently. But definitely one of the 6/8 core AMD APUs would be worth looking at.

There are some 4700U based laptops for around £500~£600,but most are 14" at that price range.

Dell Inspiron 14(2020?):
https://www.dell.com/en-uk/shop/lapt...laptop/cn54503

User review:
https://www.reddit.com/r/AMDLaptops/...05_with_4700u/

Refurbished 2021 model:
https://outlet.euro.dell.com/Online/...8%2fMbym69jGyo

The 6C/12T Ryzen 5 5500U is available for less.

Both have dual RAM slots,but it is apparently a plasticky chassis.

This Medion:
https://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/medi...52/version.asp

Can't find any reviews of it.

Asus Vivobook 14:
https://www.box.co.uk/M513IA-BQ483T-...2_3554015.html
https://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/asus...4r/version.asp

Display is apparently a bit dim.

[cheesemp]

Thanks guys. Looks like the AMD 4000 series is the winner.

I did see the vivobook too CAT and was tempted. I might go 14" as it just seems a little cheaper but we'll see I need to ponder some more. (My wife has a bluelightcard and just found out we can get good discounts on some new Dells). At least I now know what to look for. Its not the simple case of just picking the most high numbered i5 or equivalent AMD anymore. Just glad AMD CPU numbers make more sense than intel.

[DanceswithUnix]

I found this LTT video on HP laptops quite interesting when buying my son's HP:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhHOpWFNq68

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Thanks Dances - That's interesting.

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FYI I have had to put this on hold for a month or two while we finalise our bathrooms costs (they where a lot higher than expected). Had a lot of help from CAT via messages.

Currently tempted with the 5700u version of this:
https://www.lenovo.com/gb/en/laptops.../p/88IPF501453

My wife can get a bluelightdiscount on it bring it down to just over £600 new with £50 cashback. Only down sides are soldiered RAM (which seems standard on these low powered devices to get LPDDR) and 14" not 13.3". I shall ponder for the next few weeks and might well be back.

[cheesemp]

Just for the record I went for the Dell Inspiron 14 (5415) with the 5500U (Looks like you recommended right CAT):
https://www.dell.com/en-uk/shop/lapt...ptop/cn51101sc

Its got upgradable RAM and had a 14% off voucher which means I can get it and a further 8Gb for £500. I would have preferred a slightly better display and maybe bigger storage but for £500 new I can't complain.

The 5500U is basically a rebadged 4600u and it gets pretty close to my desktop Ryzen 3600 - https://nanoreview.net/en/cpu-compar...d-ryzen-5-3600 - Its rather crazy how good mobile is getting now.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Just for the record I went for the Dell Inspiron 14 (5415) with the 5500U (Looks like you recommended right CAT):
https://www.dell.com/en-uk/shop/lapt...ptop/cn51101sc

Its got upgradable RAM and had a 14% off voucher which means I can get it and a further 8Gb for £500. I would have preferred a slightly better display and maybe bigger storage but for £500 new I can't complain.

The 5500U is basically a rebadged 4600u and it gets pretty close to my desktop Ryzen 3600 - https://nanoreview.net/en/cpu-compar...d-ryzen-5-3600 - Its rather crazy how good mobile is getting now.

I saw on HUKD,you missed that cheap HP X360 refurbished deal!

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I saw on HUKD,you missed that cheap HP X360 refurbished deal!

Yes that was rather cruel. I'd almost bought it twice at £500. Still apart from screen I think this dell is a better device being new and ram upgradable (If I'd paid £500!).