Question Should I stay away from Intel CPU's?

FM5

Nov 18, 2024
2
0
10
Heya,

Could you help me please with a piece of advice?
I need to buy a laptop for uni and I will be using it to run GNS3, Kali and other VMs. I presume that I need a 7th or 9th series and at lest 16Gb of RAM. Judging by what happened with 13rd and 14th gen from Intel, should I stay away from Intel CPUs so I will not be sorry later? Is there a safe gen to look for from Intel , or should I go for AMD?

Regards
 

Ralston18

Titan
Moderator
Why do you believe or think that you should "stay away" from Intel CPUs?

Any specific objective references or other sources relevant to your concerns? There are always trade-offs and bad things can happen with any CPU or other component for that matter....

Some of your classes may require specific applications and your laptop must be fully capable of supporting those applications: for example, as mentioned, GNS3 - graphics correct?

Ask the uni (and if possible) the department of your intended major. They may have or support some particular laptop build and configuration.

Also remember that if cost is a concern some manufacturers offer hardware and software discounts via the University to enrolled students.

Many laptops lead a tough life. Especially those in a college environment. I suggest looking for reliability, stability, and ruggedness.

Think beyond the CPU.
 
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FM5

Nov 18, 2024
2
0
10
Your answer can be summed up as "don't worry about Intel oxidizing your money, prove that Intel 13th and 14th gen processors have problems!, you're going to damage your laptop in college anyway, so 1.6V is the least of your worries" ...

Therefore:
1. Laptop sellers offer cheap old generation laptops at a discount for universities to get rid of stocks. For GNS3 I need a lot of CPU and RAM. There is no laptop for such a thing through the discount offered by the university.

2. I will go to university to study, not to throw my laptop around the class. I assure you that I do not need a rugged laptop. Basically, I'm going to university, not to the football field.

3. The web is full of problems for the respective processors. I am willing to pay more than $2000 for a laptop on which I can run at least two instances of virtual machines. I'm really worried that Intel might oxidize my money.

Your advice sounded more like an Intel employee or a parent than a hardware forum moderator. Anyway, I was looking for another type of advice, not life lessons.

Regards
 
Show me any laptop gen 13 or 14 cpu that had a problem. You are reading the headlines without understanding the real problem.

The problem was more a issue with the top end parts that are designed for people that overclock and intel push the defaults a bit too far rather than let the overclocker set them this high. Most the other cpu do not even have the boost options that caused the issues.

All vendors have had issues you can't even assume that just because the old cpu were good the new ones will also will be.
 
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logainofhades

Titan
Moderator
On a laptop where I cannot change the CPU, I would rather not risk it. Hence why I went the AMD route for my current laptop. At least with my desktop, had I made the jump from my 12700k, to a 14700k, the CPU is replaceable.
 
Do you have a budget?
Is weight an issue?
Is screen brightness an issue?
Is battery run time an issue?
How much ram do you need?

Mobile processors are different from Desktop processors in that they need lower power to have decent battery life.
The root cause of the intel 13/14 th gen desktop issues has been found and fixed.
A moot point for a laptop buyer.

Look at reviews on notebookcheck:

The Lenovo units seem to be well liked.
 

Ralston18

Titan
Moderator
@fms

Fair enough.

I will concede that I put on my "parent/grandparent" hat a bit too firmly. (And, for the record, I am not an Intel employee.)

And I will also concede to you not looking for "life lessons".

However, you will still get those lessons at Uni whether or not you "enrolled" for those classes.

Other advice has been offered per the preceding posts.

This thread is in good hands.

I am out.
 

MrstimX

Distinguished
Sep 1, 2014
29
14
18,535
Your answer can be summed up as "don't worry about Intel oxidizing your money, prove that Intel 13th and 14th gen processors have problems!, you're going to damage your laptop in college anyway, so 1.6V is the least of your worries" ...

Therefore:
1. Laptop sellers offer cheap old generation laptops at a discount for universities to get rid of stocks. For GNS3 I need a lot of CPU and RAM. There is no laptop for such a thing through the discount offered by the university.

2. I will go to university to study, not to throw my laptop around the class. I assure you that I do not need a rugged laptop. Basically, I'm going to university, not to the football field.

3. The web is full of problems for the respective processors. I am willing to pay more than $2000 for a laptop on which I can run at least two instances of virtual machines. I'm really worried that Intel might oxidize my money.

Your advice sounded more like an Intel employee or a parent than a hardware forum moderator. Anyway, I was looking for another type of advice, not life lessons.

Regards
no need to be nasty. it was good advice.