![NewsLinks - Powered by NZCity](/news/nimages/tit-newslinks.gif)
Search results for 'General' - Page: 11
| BBCWorld - 31 May (BBCWorld)Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has pledged that green energy projects would be kickstarted across the country within months.
He plans to create a publicly-owned company, Great British Energy, should Labour win the general election in July. Read...Newslink ©2024 to BBCWorld | ![](/n.gif) |
| ![](/n.gif) | | BBCWorld - 31 May (BBCWorld)Mark Logan, who is standing down as an MP, says the Tory Party is `unrecognisable` from a decade ago. Read...Newslink ©2024 to BBCWorld | ![](/n.gif) |
| ![](/n.gif) | | PC World - 31 May (PC World)If you’re in the market for an inexpensive laptop for day-to-day tasks, you’re in luck. We’ve got a list of our top picks below. That said, it’s important to be smart about your choices. Although you may need to deal with a couple of minor drawbacks like a dim display or short battery life, it’s still possible to score a sub-$500 laptop with strong performance.
Why you should trust us: It’s in our name! PCWorld prides itself on laptop experience and expertise. We’ve been covering PCs since 1983, and we now review more than 70 laptops every year. All of the picks below have been personally tested and vetted by our experts, who’ve applied not only performance benchmarks but rigorous usability standards. We’re also committed to reviewing PC laptops at every price point to help you find a machine that matches your budget.
If you can manage to stretch your budget a little bit further, check out our best laptops roundup for even more suggestions.
Updated May 30, 2024: We updated our list of recent laptop reviews to include the Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight, a remarkably thin and lightweight machine, and the HP Envy x360 14, which features a beautiful OLED display. Make sure you check those out near the bottom of the page!
The best laptops under $500
Acer Aspire 3 – Best laptop under $500 overall
Pros
Reliable performance
1080p display
HD webcam
Solid build
Cons
Speakers sound tinny when playing music
A little heavy
Best Prices Today:
$299.99 at Amazon
Why we like the Acer Aspire 3
The Acer Aspire 3 laptop is a great machine that offers solid performance and a durable build at a reasonable price. It’s plenty zippy for day-to-day tasks like watching Netflix, writing email, and so on. You’re also getting a full-sized keyboard as well as a 1080p screen.
Who should buy the Acer Aspire 3
Anyone who’s on a budget! To narrow it down some, we feel as though the Acer Aspire 3 is a good option for students and remote workers. You can’t argue with the price and the HD webcam produces “clean, crisp video” according to our review. That means you’ll always look sharp on video calls.
Read our full
Acer Aspire 3 review
Acer Aspire Go 15 – Best laptop under $300
Pros
Affordable
Decent battery life
Good display visibility
Cons
Big and bulky
Cheap build
Limited performance
Why we like the Acer Aspire Go 15
For just $300, the Acer Aspire Go 15 offers speedy day-to-day performance, good battery life, and a clear-looking 1080p display. In our testing, the 53.9 watt-hour battery lasted almost 12 hours on a single charge, which is more than a full workday. The 15.6-inch display has a resolution of 1920×1080 and a modest brightness level of 284 nits. In use, the reviewer was still able to see the screen even with a light beaming down onto it. While the Intel Core i3-N305 CPU lags a little behind other laptops in its class, it’s suitable for everyday tasks like listening to Spotify, watching Hulu, and so on.
Who should buy the Acer Aspire Go 15
Anyone that’s on an ultra-strict budget. The Acer Aspire Go 15 is about $30 cheaper than our top pick (as of right now) and offers better battery life. It also has a nice keyboard that the reviewer was able to comfortably type “around 110 words per minute” on and the trackpad is nice and smooth. There’s even a decent array of ports available. You’re getting one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 with Power Delivery and DisplayPort, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, one HDMI, one 3.5mm audio, one Kensington lock slot, and one DC barrel jack.
Read our full
Acer Aspire Go 15 (2024) review
Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus – Best Chromebook under $500
Pros
Snappy day-to-day performance
Versatile 2-in-1 design
Good typing experience
Cons
Stylus not included
Heavier than expected
What we like about the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus
The Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus packs in a lot of features for the low price. The 2-in-1 form factor allows you to flip the screen around and use it like a tablet or you can prop it up like a tent for watching movies or sharing information. You can also expect peppy everyday performance and blazing fast boot-up times.
Who should buy the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus
If you need the versatility of a convertible laptop but want to stick to a more modest budget, then the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is the one to pick. It stands apart from the rest of the pack with its durable construction, affordable pricing, and versatile convertible design.
Read our full
Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus review
Acer Chromebook Plus 515 – Best audio
Pros
Solid audio quality
Fast general performance
Includes a 1080p webcam
Good typing experience
Cons
Boring design
Thick bezels
Why we like the Acer Chromebook Plus 515
The Acer Chromebook Plus 515 has good audio for a laptop. The positioning of a laptop’s speakers can really impact the sound. Thankfully, the speakers on the Acer Chromebook Plus 515 fire upwards, which means the sound is coming at you. Highs and lows sound pretty darn crisp! This machine also provides a nice typing experience as well as fast general performance.
Who should buy the Acer Chromebook Plus 515
The Acer Chromebook Plus 515 is a good option for the casual user, especially if you like watching movies or listening to music. The audio is impressive and performance is good enough for day-to-day activities. The 15.6-inch display is quite good as well because of the 1080p resolution.
Read our full
Acer Chromebook Plus 515 review
HP Laptop 14-ep0865no – Best battery life
Pros
Compact form factor
Good everyday performance
Long battery life
Great keyboard and mouse
Cons
Screen quality is mediocre
Noisy fans
Why we like the HP Laptop 14
Although we love the HP Laptop 14’s compact form factor and comfortable keyboard, it’s the battery life that’s the real star of the show. It lasted about 15 hours on a single charge with light use, which is an incredible result for a sub-$500 Windows machine. This laptop also weighs just over three pounds, so it’s light enough to take with you from class to class or meeting to meeting. There’s even a 1080p webcam and, thanks to the Intel Core i3-1315U CPU, performance is zippy enough for day-to-day tasks. The subdued midnight blue color scheme is gorgeous, too.
Who should buy the HP Laptop 14
Anyone that needs a long-lasting, sub-$500 laptop! The 15 hours of battery life is more than a full work day (or school day), which means you don’t have to go hunting for an outlet. It’s also lightweight and slim, so you can easily stick it in a backpack or messenger bag and be on your merry way. While day-to-day performance is fine, it’s not the best machine for multimedia tasks and the fan noise is a bit annoying to deal with. That said, those are reasonable compromises given the price.
Read our full
HP Laptop 14 review
Recent laptop reviews
We’ve reviewed several new laptops recently, though many cost more than $500.
Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight: Dell’s Latitude 7450 Ultralight is the lightest and thinnest of the three Latitude 7450 models. It’s a real go-getter in the performance stakes and ideal for mobile professionals.
Alienware x16 R2: The Alienware x16 R2 is a premium 16-inch gaming laptop at a premium price. But its mechanical keyboard and the highest-end hardware will cost you extra.
HP Envy x360 14: The HP Envy x360 14 has a gorgeous OLED screen and great build quality, but performance could be better.
Dell XPS 13 (2024): The Dell XPS 13 has been a force to reckon with some years, but this isn’t one of them. It’s performance lags behind its cheaper competitors, and it doesn’t lead them in the battery department either. It may be thin and light, but by a narrow margin that doesn’t make up for its shortcomings.
How we tested
The PCWorld team puts each and every Windows laptop through a series of benchmarks that test GPU and CPU performance, battery life, and so on. The idea is to push the laptop to its limits and then compare it against others we’ve tested.
Chromebooks, on the other hand, go through a series of web-based tests. It wouldn’t be fair or possible to run the same kinds of tests on a Chromebook, as they’re Chrome OS-based machines. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of each test and the reasons why we run them. For a much deeper look at our review methodology, check out how PCWorld tests laptops.
Windows laptops
PCMark 10: PCMark 10 is how we determine how well the laptop handles lighter tasks like web browsing, word processing, spreadsheets, and so on.
HandBrake: HandBrake is more intensive than PCMark 10. It basically measures how long a laptop’s CPU takes to encode a beefy 30GB file.
Cinebench: Cinebench is a brief stress test of the CPU cores. It does this by rendering a 2D scene over a short period of time.
3DMark: 3DMark checks if 3D performance remains consistent over time by running graphic-intensive clips.
Video rundown test: To gauge battery life, we loop a 4K video using Windows 10’s Movies & TV app until the laptop dies.
Chromebooks
CrXPRT 2: The CrXPRT 2 benchmark tests a Chromebook’s battery life.
Speedometer 2.0: This test determines a Chromebook’s web browser performance. It simulates this by adding, completing, and removing a to-do list.
Basemark Web 3.0: This benchmark gauges how well a Chromebook can handle web-based applications.
Kraken 1.1: Kraken 1.1 is a JavaScript performance benchmark.
Jetstream 2: Jetstream 2 is a combination of WebAssembly and JavaScript benchmarks. This is a way to gauge how well a Chromebook runs advanced workloads.
What kind of laptop should you get?
Ah, here we are at the billion dollar question. Do you spring for a basic Chromebook or go for a Windows laptop with more features? Well, it really depends on your lifestyle and your expectations of a sub-$500 machine. At this price point, you’re not going to find a powerful workhorse. However, there are plenty of affordable laptops out there for those who need the basics.
Chromebooks, for example, are a great low-cost option and offer phenomenal battery life. I use a Chromebook as my primary work laptop, as it has everything I need for both editing and writing. If you travel for work, it’s probably a good idea to invest in a laptop that weighs less than three pounds. If you’re still unsure, don’t sweat it. I’ve put together a list of quick buying tips below.
Laptop type: There are many different laptop types that fall in the sub-$500 category: clamshells, 2-in-1’s, Chromebooks, and much more. The displays on convertible laptops (aka 2-in-1’s), for example, can swing around 360 degrees. This allows you to use the laptop like a tablet. They can also be propped up like a tent for viewing movies or participating in video calls. Chromebooks come in various shapes and sizes, and exclusively run Google’s web-focused Chrome OS. With a Chromebook, all you need is a Gmail account and, boom, you’re in.
CPU: When it comes to the sub-$500 Windows laptops, you can expect to find Intel Core i3 or i5 processors. An i5 processor obviously provides a little more oomph. That said, basic office and web work does just fine on a Core i3. As for AMD options, the Ryzen 3 is good for basic productivity and web browsing, while Ryzen 5 chips rival Intel’s Core i5 as solid all-arounders. For Chromebooks, Snapdragon and Pentium processors are more powerful than MediaTek chips.
Graphics: At this price range, you probably won’t find a laptop with a powerful discrete graphics card. Instead, you’ll encounter laptops with integrated graphics, which are integrated with the CPU and use less power as a result. This is perfectly fine for everyday tasks, especially if you’re not doing anything that’s graphics-intensive—like 3D gaming.
RAM: Always go for 8GB of RAM. That’s plenty enough for firing up applications and loading web pages. Most Chromebooks are equipped with 4GB of RAM, which is the bare minimum. You need a decent amount of memory on these machines, as they’re primarily web-based. If there’s an 8GB RAM option, I’d recommend springing for that.
Display size: If you’re a video editor or someone who does a lot of multimedia work, you’ll want a display that’s anywhere from 15- to 17-inches (but these machines usually cost far more than $500). The sweet spot for budget laptops is really anywhere from 13- to 14-inches. The bigger the display, the heavier your laptop is going to be. A 13- or 14-inch display is the best in terms of portability and value.
Resolution: I wouldn’t go for anything less than 1080p, as there’s nothing more annoying than a slightly fuzzy image. 1080p produces a picture that’s sharp enough for watching Netflix or working in Excel. At this price range, you won’t really find many (if any) laptops with 1440p resolution or higher.
Battery life: If you plan on taking your laptop anywhere with you, aim for something that can last 10 to 12 hours on a single charge. That’s more than a full work day, so it should theoretically get you through long flights or a day of classes. Obviously, more is always better. Just know that the bigger the battery, the heavier the laptop.
Price: The price really depends on your budget. If you’re strapped for cash (been there, trust me), go for a Chromebook or an entry-level business laptop. These laptops are a good choice for students or young professionals. If you shop smart, you can even find 2-in-1’s in the $500 range.
Ports: A wide array of ports is always a plus, as it eliminates the need for an adapter. I’d recommend a laptop that has both USB-C and USB-A. An HDMI port is good, too. This is especially useful for hooking up to an external monitor.
FAQ
1.
What is the difference between a regular laptop and a Chromebook?
When people talk about regular laptops they usually mean a PC or Mac. A Chromebook is still a laptop, but it differentiates itself from either of those two by using a unique operating system called ChromeOS, which was created by Google. Think of it like this: All Chromebooks are laptops, but not all laptops are Chromebooks.
Unlike other operating systems such as Windows or macOS, ChromeOS are optimized to run Google apps such as Google Drive, Google Docs, YouTube, and other Google services. Because most Google apps are online, Chromebooks generally require an internet connection to use most of their important features.
Finally, Chromebooks have historically been designed with portability, ease of use, and affordability in mind rather than top performance. They typically forego the faster high-end hardware that PCs or Macs use for a more minimalist, lightweight approach to computing.
2.
Can you use integrated graphics for gaming?
Yes, some of the latest processors with integrated graphics can run modern PC games at decent enough settings. For example, we found that in our tests, Intel’s latest Iris Xe line of processors with integrated graphics can run some of the latest games at 1080p and 30fps. Unfortunately this is not the case for all integrated graphics and your mileage may vary drastically with older tech.
Intel and AMD’s integrated graphics have made huge leaps in recent years with regard to gaming performance. If you’re on a budget or looking for an ultra-thin laptop with integrated graphics you need not worry, you can still game on. We recommend checking out Intel’s Core 12th-gen Iris Xe or AMD’s brand new Ryzen 6000 RDNA 2.
3.
What’s the difference between a budget laptop and a tablet?
More and more the line between what is a laptop and what is a tablet blurs as companies integrate the features of both into their latest devices. But there are still a few key distinctions between the two. Laptops generally are larger, come with more storage, have better performance and productivity features, and may or may not feature a touch display. Tablets on the other hand are smaller and more portable, have longer battery life, feature a touch display, and are usually a bit more affordable.
When choosing between a budget laptop and a tablet you should first ask yourself what the primary use of the device will be. Do you need something for productivity with lots of storage? Then a laptop—even a budget model—will probably be the way to go. Or do you need something that is small, travels well, and has a long battery life? Then you might consider a tablet.
4.
Do Chromebooks make good gaming laptops?
Unfortunately, if gaming is your main concern, you may want to look elsewhere. Chromebooks can handle web games and Android games without any issues. But in their current state they simply aren’t designed to handle high-powered 3D games. This mainly comes down to the fact that they don’t run Windows and most Chromebooks don’t have sufficient graphics power.With that said, cloud gaming services allow a remote PC or console to play games streamed from a remote server using more powerful hardware. But these are early days still, and the true viability of this option will depend on the health and survival of cloud gaming services, as well as Chromebook makers offering more options expressly designed with gaming in mind, like this Asus Chromebook Vibe CX43 Flip.
Budget Laptops, Chromebooks, Laptops Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | ![](/n.gif) |
| ![](/n.gif) | | PC World - 31 May (PC World)At a glanceExpert`s Rating
ProsVery thin and lightweightBattery lasts more than a full working dayThe touchscreen is very sensitive and preciseDell technologies like Intelligent Privacy and ExpressSign-In add convenienceShortcuts on the trackpad are very useful ConsIt’s expensiveThe QHD+ display is nice but not as nice as an OLED panelThe audio lacks a strong bassOur VerdictDell’s Latitude 7450 Ultralight is the lightest and thinnest of the three Latitude 7450 models. It’s a real go-getter in the performance stakes and ideal for mobile professionals.
Dell’s Latitude 7450 Ultralight is the kind of laptop that you’re really going to want if you’re a busy working professional who’s always on the run. Lightweight and thin, it’s a real satchel crammer’s dream. But the laptop’s excellent connectivity and large, spacious QHD+ touchscreen display will also win over a few PowerPoint presenter’s hearts too. Read on to find out more!
Looking for more options? Check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best laptops available right now.
Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight: Specifications
Dell’s website allows you to tailor your Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight to best suit your working needs. Mocking up different configurations, I found I could choose from up to five Intel Core Ultra processors, then select from either 16GB or 32GB of RAM and between a FHD+ non-touch or QHD+ touchscreen display. Three SSD options were available, including 256GB, 512GB or 1TB storage. The exact specifications of my review unit are as follows:
CPU: Intel Ultra 7 165U
RAM: 32GB DDR5 / 6400 MT/s
Graphics: Integrated Intel Graphics
Display: 14-inch, QHD+ (2560x1600p) resolution, touch sensitive, 60Hz refresh rate, Comfortview+ low blue light,
Storage: 512MB PCIe NVMe Gen 4 SSD
Webcam: 5MP IR Windows Hello compatible camera
Connectivity: 2 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 2 x Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, 3.5 mm audio jack, wedge-shaped lock slot.
Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.2
Battery capacity: 57WHr
Dimensions: 12.32 x 8.67 x 0.71
Weight: 2.33lbs (1.058kg)
Cost: $2,663
For me the big question around price is how the Ultralight might compare to rivals, some of which have step-up OLED panels, like the Asus ZenBook 14 Flip OLED. Just doing a quick price comparison and on Asus’s e-store you can pick up a 14 Flip OLED for a starting price of $999. Dropping all the hardware selections down to the lowest specs on Dell’s website for the Ultralight and the cheapest model I could find cost $2,000. That makes the Ultralight a bit pricey in my view.
Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight: Design and build
Dell’s Latitude 7450 is built for busy working professionals that don’t want to lug around monster-sized laptops. It comes in three model types: a flexible 2-in-1, rigid aluminum laptop, or a thin Ultralight design, each one boasting a slightly different chassis.
My review unit, the Ultralight, was the lightest and thinnest of the three. It measured just 0.71 inches across and weighed 2.33 pounds, which made it super easy to carry around my office and showoff to colleagues.
The laptop’s tall display is ideal for any modern productivity applications, spreadsheet work, browsing, and running multiple programs. The Ultralight took everything I loaded up on it in its stride, with ample space to display multiple windows at once. That spaciousness is due to the laptop’s ultrathin bezels and the taller 16:10 aspect ratio. Indeed, the display towered over my old Latitude 7330’s smaller 16:9 aspect display and I didn’t have to crane my neck down so much.
Everything else about Latitude 7450 Ultralight is a class act, too. From its sides covered in useful ports to the robust but attractive materials Dell has used in its construction, this laptop just gels together so nicely.
The Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight comes in a captivating River Blue color.
The Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight comes in a captivating River Blue color.
Dominic Bayley / IDG
The Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight comes in a captivating River Blue color.
Dominic Bayley / IDG
Dominic Bayley / IDG
Dell has incorporated recycled materials into the chassis, which I found didn’t take anything away from how tough it felt. The base of the chassis is comprised of 90 percent magnesium, yet it felt remarkably strong and supportive. The lid, although plastic, didn’t flex until I applied a ridiculous amount of pressure.
The hinges were remarkably tough, too. They bend back just past the horizontal so you can lay it flat and draw on the touchscreen like you would a tablet. Mind you the keyboard gets in the way when you do that, you don’t get a nice compact unit like you would with the 2-in-1 model.
My 7450 Ultralight came in a stunning River Blue color. It’s different enough to the sea of grey and black laptops out there to catch a few complimentary comments, but still subtle enough to not attract too much attention. If blending into the crowd is what you like to do, then this laptop is still great for that.
Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight: Keyboard and touchpad
Typing on the 7450 Ultralight’s full-sized keyboard was very comfortable thanks to its large size. It stretched almost the full length of the base, so I could relax my arms and ease into my writing.
If you’ve used a Latitude in the past, the keys will feel mostly the same as before. They’re soft, but not mushy, so typing feels quite effortless, much nicer than the Dell Vostro keys. That said, the keyboard backlighting could have been stronger. I could still see the keys in low light, but a stronger light would have made visibility even easier.
The Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight’s trackpad features some convenient shortcuts.
The Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight’s trackpad features some convenient shortcuts.
Dominic Bayley / IDG
The Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight’s trackpad features some convenient shortcuts.
Dominic Bayley / IDG
Dominic Bayley / IDG
While the keyboard has a standard configuration for a laptop this size, the extra functionality in the laptop’s Collaboration Trackpad is the showstopper. It features conferencing icons along its top, which allowed me to access Zoom and Microsoft Teams directly with just a few presses.
I could also control functions like Mic, Share Screen, and Mute, which meant I didn’t have to fuss about looking for these commands in the programs themselves. The convenience here can’t be understated – it saved me plenty of time and awkwardness fussing about in meetings.
Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight: Connectivity
With two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a HDMI port, as well as two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, and a 3.5mm audio jack on the laptop’s flanks, the Latitude 7450 has enough connectivity to confidently see mobile working professionals through busy productive days.
The Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight features a very useful assortment of I/O ports.
The Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight features a very useful assortment of I/O ports.
Dell
The Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight features a very useful assortment of I/O ports.
Dell
Dell
To prove my point, I hooked up two displays to stream a 4K video clip externally, one connection I plugged into a Thunderbolt 4 port and the other to the HDMI port. While that was going on, I began copying a 30GB file to my desktop via the other Thunderbolt 4 port. On the right side where the USB-A ports are, I hooked up a wireless mouse and a wireless keyboard.
The Latitude 7450 Ultralight handled all these varying activities effortlessly. My take away from this little experiment is that in an office environment you can easily be jumping through hoops, loading stuff up, showing off videos and have your peripherals attached all at once and the Ultralight will do just fine, it won’t make a fool of you.
Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight: Display
The Latitude 7450 Ultralight’s 2560x1600p display isn’t just tall and spacious, it’s suitably detailed and color accurate for what it’s mostly going to be used for – that is, rendering 2D or 3D images, showing videos, and displaying dashboards in programs and applications.
The display produced crisp pictures with a color saturation that’s quite decent for an IPS grade LCD panel. Admittedly though, it’s a grade below the mesmerizing colors and contrast I’ve recently seen in some OLED displays this year. Still, I came to enjoy the fine detail I saw in the changing Windows 11 desktop backgrounds when I booted the laptop up.
The Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight can easily be carried around with one hand.
The Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight can easily be carried around with one hand.
Dominic Bayley / IDG
The Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight can easily be carried around with one hand.
Dominic Bayley / IDG
Dominic Bayley / IDG
The touch sensitivity was the thing that impressed me the most about the laptop’s panel. I found it was accurate to a very fine point and responded immediately to my fingertip jabs. Quite often I find myself having to repeat a swipe on a touchscreen, but not this time. It registered my fingertips first go.
In regard to brightness, I measured 400 nits with my LUX meter. A truer test, however, was using the laptop near my sunny living room window, where I could still see the brightly colored bird in my Windows 11 background, without squinting my eyes or cranking the brightness to maximum.
Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight: Audio and webcam
The Ultralight comes with a 5MP IR camera which produces natural-looking images in meetings. I also found the microphone’s sound quality could convey sound clearly, with an absence of tinniness or static.
The camera supports Dell technologies like ExpressSign-In for hands free sign-in and screen locking and Intelligent Privacy which helps keep your image safe when others look over your shoulder. You also get a physical privacy shutter for when you want to go completely incognito.
The Ultralight’s upward facing speakers produce clear sound suitable for playing music and producing sound effects. But don’t expect the audio soundscape to be too detailed. As you’d expect in a laptop this thin, the treble and mid tones are conveyed well, but the depth of the bass won’t knock your socks off.
Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight: Performance
Intel’s Core Ultra chips are a significant advancement over the company’s 13th generation Intel Raptor Lake chips. Their 7nm hybrid architecture includes a CPU, GPU and NPU (Neural Processing Unit) the latter of which provides a range of low-power AI acceleration and CPU to GPU offload benefits.
My review unit featured an Intel Core Ultra 165U processor. Intel says this chip offers an 11 percent improvement in multi-threading performance compared to rival chips like the AMD Ryzen 7 7840U. It’s also more energy efficient than previous intel chips.
To test out how well it could handle a range of productivity tasks and applications in the Latitude 7450 Ultralight I ran PCWorld’s usual productivity benchmarks. The results were then compared against other light and thin laptops in our charts.
In the first test, Maxon Cinebench’s Multi-Threaded benchmark, the Ultralight scored 3,573. This test fires all the Cores of the laptop’s Core Ultra chip in a similar way to how a very taxing task like encoding might do the same. The Ultralight’s result infers it’s a moderate performer in similar tasks.
Dominic Bayley / IDG
Dominic Bayley / IDG
Dominic Bayley / IDG
In our HandBrake test that tasks the laptop to encode a 30GB MKV file to MP4 using the Android Tablet preset, the Ultralight finished in the task in 1518 seconds. This isn’t a bad result for a laptop with a chassis as thin as this one.
Dominic Bayley / IDG
Dominic Bayley / IDG
Dominic Bayley / IDG
It shows that despite its sleekness, the Ultralight can keep rising thermal temperatures in check and successfully power on through difficult tasks to finish them reasonably quickly, when compared to other thin and light laptops of its ilk.
Next up was PCMark’s Productivity benchmark, which provides a snapshot of how the laptop is likely to perform in different work applications. Among our comparisons the Ultralight’s performance seemed to be slightly lacking compared to our comparisons.
Dominic Bayley / IDG
Dominic Bayley / IDG
Dominic Bayley / IDG
3Dmark’s Time Spy 1.2 provided me with a snapshot of how the Ultralight should handle graphics-based tasks like 3D rendering. Ultra-books as light and thin as the Ultralight aren’t usually known for their tremendous graphics processing power, but then again, the Ultralight came second in our field of comparisons indicating that it does have some grunt for these tasks.
Dominic Bayley / IDG
Dominic Bayley / IDG
Dominic Bayley / IDG
To sum up these results, they show that the Ultralight has decent processing power and graphics performance power for tasks like video conferencing, essential apps like Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Adobe Photoshop.
As the HandBrake test shows, it will also run heavier tasks reasonably well for a laptop so thin. In other works, it’s ideal for mobile professionals that need a highly portable laptop for a range different tasks, be that general office applications, or a few heavier tasks, but that don’t need dollops of power like you’d find in a gaming laptop.
Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight: Battery performance
I ran our usual battery test that involves looping a 4K video on repeat and timing how long it took to go into standby mode. Before I started the test, I set the laptop up by turning off the keyboard backlighting, setting Wi-Fi to airplane mode and setting the sound to 50 percent. I also plugged in a cheap pair of headphones to control noise.
The Latitude 7450 Ultralight lasted for 10 and a half hours. While that’s not exceptional for a productivity laptop, it’s still enough to comfortably get you through a working day, which means that ultra mobility and portability you’re getting won’t go to waste.
Dominic Bayley / IDG
Dominic Bayley / IDG
Dominic Bayley / IDG
Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight: Conclusion
The Dell Latitude 7450 Ultralight does what it’s made for very well – it’s exceptionally thin, remarkably light and has enough power for both light applications and some heavier tasks. The connectivity is also excellent and a host of Dell technologies go a long way to making life so much easier.
Its Achillies heel, however, is its high price point compared to some rivals. Still, it does have the advantage of an Intel Core Ultra processor, which could be a worthwhile edition to your working life.
Laptops Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | ![](/n.gif) |
| ![](/n.gif) | | BBCWorld - 30 May (BBCWorld)Plaid Cymru is launching its general election campaign, promising a `positive alternative`. Read...Newslink ©2024 to BBCWorld | ![](/n.gif) |
| ![](/n.gif) | | Stuff.co.nz - 30 May (Stuff.co.nz)![NZ Located](/pimages/nzsmall.gif) Follow live coverage as rugby bosses vote on governance reform on a pivotal day for the game’s future. Read...Newslink ©2024 to Stuff.co.nz | ![](/n.gif) |
| ![](/n.gif) | | RadioNZ - 30 May (RadioNZ)![NZ Located](/pimages/nzsmall.gif) It has been billed as the most important date for the future of the game, but what does it all mean? Read...Newslink ©2024 to RadioNZ | ![](/n.gif) |
| ![](/n.gif) | | PC World - 30 May (PC World)Arm has confirmed that it will be offering actual chips to its customers as part of its next-gen Arm compute platform, called Arm CSS for Client. These chips will be first marketed at Android smartphones, but executives also mentioned that they could be used for PCs as well.
The announcement confirms an earlier report that indicated that Arm might expand its traditional business model. Arm has traditionally sold CPU designs, not silicon, to partners like Qualcomm. Those companies have the freedom to adjust Arm’s designs — depending upon their license agreement — and then ask foundries like TSMC to actually manufacture the chip.
What’s new here is twofold: First, Arm is extending its services to include working with foundries to deliver physical chips, specifically 3nm chip designs first focused on smartphones and AI. Second, Arm is launching its next client platform, CSS for Client, led by the Cortex X925 extreme core, the Cortex A725 performance core, the Cortex A520 efficiency core, and the Immortalis G925 graphics engine with ray tracing. Arm is claiming that the new cores will offer the most performance yet, with a 36 percent boost in the Geekbench SC benchmark, running on Android.
“We’re making it easier to build and deploy Arm-based solution and leaving nothing to chance, enabling new performance points, compute capabilities, and helping speed time to market,” said Chris Bergey, senior vice president and general manager of the client line of business at Arm.
There’s a twist, though. Arm is not announcing an AI core, like Qualcomm’s Hexagon. Instead, it’s providing software libraries to target the CPU for AI workloads. Normally, the NPU is seen as the most efficient way of performing AI. According to James McNiven, Arm’s vice president of product management for client, the software will be enhanced for “new features that we’ll be building into the CPUs going forward.”
Phones first, PCs second
Arm is targeting Android phones first, but executives implied that PCs are next up.
“The CPU is a natural first target for AI on Android devices,” Bergey said. “It’s performance and pervasive, and for 70 percent of third-party Android ML [machine-learning] workloads, that’s where they stay.”
Arm, of course, has been welcomed back into the limelight with the new Copilot+ PCs Microsoft just launched with its partner Qualcomm, whose Snapdragon X Elite and Plus chips power them. Nvidia and Arm have also been said to be working together, with reports surfacing last week that the two may be targeting 2025 for a launch. Arm CEO Rene Haas is scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the Computex show in Taiwan next week, where he may offer more details.
What is Arm’s new CSS for Client?
Not surprisingly, Arm says that the new CSS for Client is designed with AI, specifically generative AI, in mind. It’s an Arm V9 architecture, which was launched in 2021 with AI-specific instructions.
Arm isn’t telling us how fast its new CSS platform is, which means that most of the questions an enthusiast would have can’t be answered yet. When I asked about how many TOPS of AI power the CPU and its AI libraries would produce, company representatives demurred. (Arm CSS stands for Arm Neoverse Compute Subsystems, and Arm debuted the first chips for the platform for the data center late last summer.)
“TOPS is a high-level metric that is dependent on frequency, IP choices, and configuration,” the company followed up in an emailed statement. “We are confident that the capabilities offered by our CPUs and GPUs, when complemented with an appropriate frequency and configuration (e.g CSS for Client), can easily achieve the needs of AI PCs and next-gen AI smartphones.”
James McNiven, Arm’s vice president of product management for client, said that the X925 name was changed to show how different that the X925 was from its predecessors. (The 36 percent improvement in Geekbench is a combination of the instructions-per-clock (IPC) improvement and a faster, undisclosed frequency, McNiven said.) It has a wider design, with larger (3MB) private level-2 caches to increase the TOPS count by 50 percent over its predecessor. The time to generate a response in the tiny-Llama AI metric has become faster, with a 41 percent improvement.
The platform’s Immortalis G925 graphics engine “delivers 37 percent more performance on a wide range of graphics applications,” McNiven said.
All told, Arm is promising that the platform will perform web browsing 23 percent faster on Android (via Speedometer 2.1), process YouTube 40 percent more efficiently through software-optimized AV1 video decode, and consume 25 percent less power while gaming. Ray-tracing performance should increase by 52 percent.
The Cortex A725 will be 35 percent more efficient than the A720, McNiven said, and the Cortex A520 efficiency processor will consume 30 percent less power while gaming.
So will these new CSS for Client cores be used in laptops? “We cannot comment on specific customer engagements, and the mobile cadence is pretty well known,” Arm’s Bergey said. “Things like laptops will potentially be a different cadences. But I think there’s considerable amount of interest around Windows on Arm and we think that this is a great solution that can be applied to that market. So stay tuned.”
CPUs and Processors Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | ![](/n.gif) |
| ![](/n.gif) | | BBCWorld - 30 May (BBCWorld)Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury are scheduled to meet in a rematch on 21 December, the chairman of Saudi Arabia`s general entertainment authority says. Read...Newslink ©2024 to BBCWorld | ![](/n.gif) |
| ![](/n.gif) | | BBCWorld - 29 May (BBCWorld)Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer will face each other in a head-to-head debate hosted by ITV on 4 June. Read...Newslink ©2024 to BBCWorld | ![](/n.gif) |
| ![](/n.gif) | ![](/n.gif) |
|
![](/n.gif) |
![](/pimages/bldn.gif) | Top Stories |
![](/n.gif)
RUGBY
The All Black selectors are enjoying the challenge of picking their first match-day squad of the Scott Robertson era More...
|
![](/n.gif)
BUSINESS
A popular drinking hole in Auckland's Ponsonby has entered receivership, after failing to pay back a loan worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to its co-owner More...
|
![](/n.gif)
|
![](/n.gif)
![](/pimages/bldn.gif) | Today's News |
![](/n.gif)
![](/pimages/bldn.gif) | News Search |
|
![](/n.gif) |