Ctrl+Alt+Delete: We need more old processors in new laptops
Web agency » Digital news » Ctrl+Alt+Delete: We need more old processors in new laptops

Ctrl+Alt+Delete: We need more old processors in new laptops

REVIEW: There's an inescapable urge to have the latest tech in your new gadget, whether you want 4K power from your games console, an OLED panel on your TV, or a 5G smartphone.

It's no different when it comes to laptops, as we're all obsessed with the latest generation CPU and GPU components. This makes sense for high-end products, where you expect peak performance. But is it really that important for more economical options?

I started thinking about this question after reviewing the Gigabyte G5 gaming laptop. It's powered by a 10th Gen Intel Core processor, although the vast majority of gaming laptops now feature a 12th Gen Intel chip or the AMD equivalent.

Benchmark results show that its Intel Core i5-10500H chip lags the 12th Gen competition, but as our review points out, the CPU is rarely the bottleneck for gaming – the GPU has a lot more influence on performance.

With Gigabyte pairing the outdated Intel processor with an Nvidia RTX 3060, the G5 is capable of delivering excellent gaming performance at an affordable price. You can pick up this gaming laptop for just £780 – you would normally have to spend a few hundred pounds more to get a laptop with an RTX 3060 GPU.

You might say that anyone happy to settle for outdated specs could instead pick up an older gaming laptop from Currys at a discount. But then these laptops would lack modern features in other areas.

When Intel's 11th Gen laptop processors were first released in 2019, Nvidia's RTX 30-series GPUs hadn't been released yet. During this period, laptop designs also improved dramatically, becoming more portable and less garish. We also saw wider adoption of Quad HD screen resolutions and improved cooling solutions. A modern laptop with an 11th-gen processor should, in theory, be much better than the one released three years ago.

Gigabyte G5

Using an older processor isn't just beneficial for gaming laptops. Microsoft has adopted this tactic for its Surface Laptop Go line as well. The latest iteration of the 12-inch laptop features an Intel Core i5 processor. -1135th Gen 7G11, despite the vast majority of other laptops adopting 12th Gen chips in 2022.

By using an older chip, Microsoft is able to set a starting price of just £529. You normally have to pay a lot more for a Windows laptop, with the Surface Laptop Go 2 priced the same as a Chromebook.

Performance certainly lags behind the modern competition, but the Surface Laptop Go 2 is still fast enough for everyday workloads and occasional web browsing. Most people probably don't need faster speeds.

We're also at a point where laptop processors are so fast that there's no observable performance difference between generations for casual use. It's only when you start using photo and video editing apps that you start to see a clear benefit from the improved speeds. Stick to email, web browsing, and Netflix, and I'd be impressed if you could tell the difference between 11th Gen and 12th Gen Intel laptops.

Surface Go 2 Laptop

I'm not saying you shouldn't worry about the latest generation of processors. If two laptops cost the exact same price, you're likely to get better value for money by going with the laptop with the more modern processor. That's one of the main reasons I'm currently hesitant to recommend Microsoft's Surface Laptop 4, which packs an outdated 11th-gen processor despite being priced the same as a base Dell XPS 13 with more advanced components.

But if using a slightly older processor allows laptop makers to bring the price down, I think that's one avenue worth exploring. Imagine a new 12-inch MacBook with the M1 chip at a more affordable price than the MacBook Air. And wouldn't you be happy to have the option of a laptop with an outdated CPU if that offsets the cost of an OLED display?

So as tempting as it may be for manufacturers to pack the latest and greatest specs into future laptops, hopefully they'll start looking at using slightly older chips instead to deliver better value for those on a limited budget.


Ctrl + Alt + Del is our weekly IT-focused opinion column where we delve deeper into the world of computers, laptops, components, peripherals and more. Find it on Trusted Reviews every Saturday afternoon.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★