Should I buy an Intel or AMD laptop? That’s a question that you have been asking us for so long, one that we really couldn’t answer definitively because nobody makes identical laptops where the only difference is the processor inside of it.
Well, that is until today.
We managed to source two near identical laptops – the 12th Gen Intel Core i5-powered IdeaPad Slim 3i and the AMD Ryzen 5-powered IdeaPad Slim 1. With all things being equal, which processor really gives you the most bang for your buck?
Tale of the Tape: 12th Gen Intel Core i5 vs AMD Ryzen 5 7000
While both laptops, the IdeaPad Slim 3i and IdeaPad Slim 1, offer roughly the same specs, there are differences here to take note of. The motherboards are different of course, since the architecture of the Intel Core i5-1235U Processor and the AMD Ryzen 5 7520U are obviously different.
Two other notable spec changes here are that the IdeaPad Slim 1 has DDR5 RAM vs the DDR4 RAM on the Intel-powered IdeaPad Slim 3i. This also applies to the PCIe 4.0 SSD storage on the IdeaPad Slim 1 VS the PCIe 3.0 SSD on the IdeaPad Slim 3i.
Aside from that, both laptops have the same size, the same resolution on their 15.4-inch displays, the same amount of RAM at 8GB, and the same amount of storage at 512GB. Heck, they’re even priced the same at Php 42,995. This is one of the rare instances we actually have near identical PCs to pit against each other to see which one comes out on top when it comes to CPU performance.
Testing conditions
We ran all of our tests in an air-conditioned room that had a temperature of around 23 degrees Celsius, with both devices plugged in and running in Performance mode.
Benchmark Test 1: CrossMark
CrossMark is an easy-to-run, native cross-platform benchmark that measures the overall system performance and system responsiveness using models of real-world applications. The app uses workloads modeled on real applications to accurately gauge common user performance.
In this particular benchmark, the 12th Gen Core i5-powered IdeaPad Slim 3i managed to score a large lead over the AMD Ryzen 5 7520U-powered IdeaPad Slim 1, despite the supposed faster RAM and storage that the red team had access to.
Benchmark Test 2: 3DMark Time Spy
3DMark is a benchmark that we typically use graphics performance on desktop GPUs and gaming laptops. While neither laptop we’re testing today are “gaming laptops”, the Time Spy benchmark in 3DMark is a good tool to use to see just how well they’ll work when used in less demanding games like Valorant, League Of Legends, or CS:Go.
And like CrossMark, the Intel Core i5-1235U managed to win VS the AMD Ryzen 7520U, and by a fairly large margin too, which means the Intel-powered laptop will get more frames in the games we mentioned above.
Benchmark Test 3: Procyon Office Productivity
The Procyon Office Productivity benchmark is the most important benchmark in terms of productivity as it uses Microsoft Office apps to measure PC performance for office productivity work.
Here, the performance gap is pretty significant across Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, with the 12th Gen Intel Core i5 bagging a significant lead over the latest AMD Ryzen 5 7000.
Benchmark Test 4: Battery Life
The only benchmark that the Intel-powered IdeaPad Slim 3i didn’t win was battery life, but even then, the AMD powered-IdeaPad Slim 1 wasn’t able to get a large lead. In our punishing battery drain benchmark, the IdeaPad Slim 3i was only behind the IdeaPad 1 by 40 minutes. Translating our battery drain test to real-world hours means you’ll easily get at least 5 to 6 hours of battery if you keep your settings reasonable.
Conclusions and Recommendations
If you’re looking for a 15-inch, stylish productivity-focused laptop, it’s pretty clear that the 12th Gen Intel Core i5-powered laptop should be an obvious choice over the competitor’s latest. The 12th Gen Core i5 inside the IdeaPad Slim 3i crushes the Ryzen 5 7000 in the IdeaPad Slim 1, in all three key benchmark tests. This is despite the IdeaPad Slim 1 having DDR5 RAM and PCIe 4.0 SSD storage. Overall, the Intel Core i5-powered laptop makes the perfect laptop for anyone who wants a solid, all-around work machine.
Get your Intel-powered Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i at Gigahertz, Octagon, Silicon Valley, and VillMan stores
Learn more about 12th Gen Intel Laptops here.
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