high-performance laptops Archives

Winsage

December 1, 2024

The Ultimate Mac vs Windows Battle: Can Apple’s M4 Pro Reign Supreme?

The MacBook Pro features the M4 Pro chip and excels in CPU performance, outperforming the Asus ProArt StudioBook 16 by 50% in Cinebench multicore tests. It is particularly beneficial for creative professionals in photo and video editing due to its efficient hardware-software integration. The Asus ProArt StudioBook 16, equipped with an AMD HX 370 CPU and RTX 4070 GPU, excels in GPU-intensive applications such as 3D rendering and gaming. It offers up to 64GB of RAM compared to the MacBook Pro's base configuration of 24GB, which is advantageous for memory-intensive tasks. The MacBook Pro has three Thunderbolt 5 ports, while the Asus provides a broader array of ports, including USB-A, USB-C, HDMI, and SD card slots. The MacBook Pro operates cooler and quieter under load, while the Asus tends to run hotter and louder. For gaming, the Asus ProArt StudioBook 16 delivers higher frame rates and better compatibility with modern games. The MacBook Pro is known for its premium build quality and long-term reliability, often retaining better resale value, but it comes at a higher initial cost. The Asus offers better value for users focused on gaming or GPU-intensive workflows.

Winsage

November 27, 2024

Don’t be misled by retailers this Black Friday: Double-check for these AI specs on any Windows 11 Copilot+ PC

Consumers should be cautious when shopping for laptops during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, as retailers may use misleading marketing terms. For example, HP's entry-level devices labeled with the "Copilot" logo may confuse buyers into thinking they are purchasing a "Copilot+ PC." Similarly, Office Depot's "Cloud Enabled AI" designation for entry-level laptops can be ambiguous since any Windows 10 or 11 device can access AI services online. A laptop with a low-end Intel Pentium processor and 4GB of RAM is marketed as "Cloud Enabled AI," which could mislead consumers seeking a Copilot+ PC. To qualify as a Copilot+ PC, specific hardware configurations are required: a processor with a built-in Neural Processing Unit (NPU), such as Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Plus or Elite chips, or AMD and Intel processors with NPUs. The NPU should offer 40 Tera Operations Per Second (TOPS) or more. Additional requirements include a minimum of 16GB of RAM, at least 256GB of Solid-State Drive (SSD) storage (preferably NVMe), Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0, Secure Boot, and BitLocker encryption enabled.

Winsage

May 28, 2024

This Dell XPS still has a physical function row, sports an RTX 4080 GPU, and is over $1,000 off right now

The Dell XPS 17 (9730) is a high-performance laptop with a 17-inch 4K touchscreen, 13th Gen Intel Core i9 processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 GPU, and 64GB of DDR5 RAM. It features a premium construction with aluminum and carbon fiber materials, a physical function row, and a classic glass touchpad. Despite being phased out, it is currently available for ,949 with a discount of over ,000.