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AMD vs. Intel Laptops: The Battle for Laptop Battery Life

8/21/2024
Let’s dive into the fascinating world of AMD processors and their battery life compared to competitors like Qualcomm, Intel, and Apple. 🚀

AMD’s Battery Life Challenge

AMD-powered laptops have been facing an uphill battle when it comes to battery life. Recently, I reviewed the Lenovo Yoga 7 2-in-1, equipped with the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS processor. Unfortunately, it fell short, providing only eight hours and two minutes of battery life during Laptop Mag’s continuous web surfing test at 150 nits brightness.

But here’s the twist: I had previously reviewed the Intel-powered version of the same laptop, the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 (the “I” stands for Intel). Surprisingly, the Intel variant outperformed its AMD counterpart, lasting an impressive 12 hours and 57 minutes on the same battery test. Both laptops share the same 71Wh battery, leaving users scratching their heads over this nearly five-hour discrepancy.

The AMD Lineup: A Mixed Bag

To understand this disparity, Laptop Mag delved deeper. They examined a larger sample of AMD-powered productivity laptops without discrete GPUs. Out of the six laptops reviewed in the last 12 months, only one exceeded 10 hours of battery life: the Asus Zenbook S16 UM5606, which clocked in at 11 hours and 35 minutes.

Here’s the full list of those laptops, ranked by battery longevity:

  1. Asus Zenbook S16 UM5606 (Ryzen AI 9 HX 370): 11:35
  2. 15-inch HP Envy x360 2-in-1 (Ryzen 7 5825U): 9:52
  3. HP Envy x360 2-in-1 (Ryzen 7 7730U): 9:17
  4. Lenovo Yoga 7 2-in-1 (Ryzen 7 8840HS): 8:02
  5. Acer Swift Edge 16 (Ryzen 7 7840U): 7:18
  6. Lenovo IdeaPad 5 2-in-1 (Ryzen 7 8845HS): 6:26

AMD’s Graphics Performance Trade-Off

The culprit behind AMD’s battery life challenge lies in its powerful integrated graphics. Stacy MacDiarmid, Senior Manager of Public Relations at AMD, explains that AMD’s HS processors are designed for top-of-the-line performance, especially for demanding tasks like gaming and content creation. However, this focus on graphics performance comes at the cost of efficiency and battery life.

In contrast, Intel’s U series processors prioritize energy efficiency and everyday performance. So, while AMD chips excel in graphics, they consume more power, leading to shorter battery life. AMD acknowledges this trade-off and aims to strike a balance between benefits and tradeoffs in their chip designs.

The Road Ahead for AMD

AMD’s new Ryzen AI 300 series processors promise even greater efficiency than previous generations. The Asus Zenbook S16 UM5606, with its impressive battery life, aligns with these claims. However, the decision between superior graphics performance and longer battery life remains in the hands of consumers.

While gaming laptops often sacrifice battery life for power, productivity laptops face a delicate balance. As AMD continues to improve its processors, we hope to see longevity catch up while maintaining their performance edge.

So, next time you’re eyeing an AMD-powered laptop, consider your priorities: raw power or extended unplugged usage? Either way, the competition between AMD, Qualcomm, Intel, and Apple keeps the tech world exciting! 🎮🔋