It depends what “enough” means. You can game decently on an i3 with a properly matched GPU.
The following criteria will each progressively add a “no” answer to the question of an i3 being “enough”:
-1080p to 4k gaming at 60+ fps? (but monitor and GPU dependent)
-no micro stuttering?
-all settings max?
-Other tasks running in the background like live streaming, torrenting, rendering, password cracking and all kinds of crap?
-all this and more on a virtual machine?
When you get to the last item, even an AMD Threadripper Xeon-equivalent might be brought to it’s knees.
First, you need to determine what your needs are. As long as that is clear, it will be possible to find the company that best meets your demands. Here are a few key points to help you make a more informed decision:
To start with, look for the top software engineers you can find. A truly great company will provide you with a talented and diverse team of developers. Look for a software outsourcing company that has access to world-class IT talent and isn’t bound to specific countries and can work in your time zone. Keep in mind that they should be fluent in the language of your choice, always keep communication lines open, and match your workflow.
Without the processor a dedicated graphics card is just a really, really expensive paperweight.
They’re both equally important, but you’d want to have a processor that has the capacity to handle any processing requests from the GPU in a way that doesn’t hinder performance.
Ever heard of CPU bottleneck? It’s when your GPU is kick-ass, but the CPU has a bit of a tough time processing the requests it received from the GPU, thus causing drops in performance.
Ideally, you’re better off having the best processor available, with at least 16GB of compatible RAM, and a decent graphics card. If you’re not dependent on competitive gaming (you don’t earn a living from playing games) a mid-to-high range card, like a GTX 1070, is more than enough for most games available today.
Focus on a decent processor for gaming first. Then the compatible RAM that works with the CPU and the motherboard. Basically any graphics card is guaranteed to work provided the BIOS is configured correctly. The card you get should depend on the games you want to play. Again, if you don’t earn a living from playing games, anything above a 1070 is basically unnecessary, unless you’ll also be doing CAD work or animation/3D rendering that utilizes CUDA cores.
Well, the straight-up obvious answer is a Ryzen 9 or Core i9, latest gen. Technically you can get some in desktop variants, but those laptops tend to be barely portable.
If you care about using it for productivity and actually want reasonable battery life, I’d recommend a Ryzen 7 H-series. It’s plenty powerful enough for any modern game and doesn’t use too much power.
I see everyone here got the answer wrong, as he asks for the Best *Laptop* Processor.
THE BEST Laptop Processor right now is the Intel Core i9 8950HK, the cheapest laptop with it is the Acer Predator Helios 500
If you want something lower, still extremely powerful you can go with an,
i7-8850H or i7-8750H in the 8th Generation
OR
An i7-7920HQ, i7-7820HQ or an i7-7700HQ* in the 7th Generation.
Hope this Helped.
*goes from most to least powerful, the least being still a lot powerful comparatively
Here Top 5 Budget CPUs for gaming laptops –
1) AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Processor
Best for fast FPS performance.
AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Processor :>
The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Processor is one of the best devices if you require an expressive performance from a processor. This product comes with DDR4 3200 support that allows you to get decent overclocking support. The option of having an AMD wraith stealth cooler always helps to limit the max temperature. It allows you to get decent support from the heat sink design for the PC to perform better.
Features:
Ultra-fast 100+ FPS performance
6 cores and 12 processing threads
2 GHz max boost unlocked
Technical Specifications:
CPU Speed- 4.2 GHz
Processor Count- 6
Cache Size- 35 MB
Wattage – 65 Watts
Verdict: Most consumers claim that the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Processor is an advanced CPU. When this device was launched, the Ryzen 5 became one of the most preferred core processors to purchase for most gamers. It provides a fast FPS performance which seemed to be the key factor. Having a 3 MB game cache helps to boot up much faster than most other processors available.
Price: $209.99
2) AMD Athlon 3000G Processor
Best for HD gaming.
AMD Athlon 3000G Processor1 :>
The AMD Athlon 3000G Processor is a great choice if you are looking for a dual-core processor and a decent Zen processor architecture to help play games for the highest performance. It comes with 2 cores and multiple processing threads that make this device perform better. The silent cooler included with this product makes it a better choice for any processor.
Features:
Cutting-edge Zen processor architecture
2 cores and 4 processing threads
Advanced AMD Radeon graphics
Technical Specifications:
CPU Speed – 3.5 GHz
Processor Count- 2
Cache Size – 5 MB
Wattage – 35 Watts
Verdict: According to consumers, the AMD Athlon 3000G Processor is a powerful processor with overclocking option. It includes the Athlon 3000G manufactured to provide a brilliant cover for overclocking needs. Most people find this device to be a great choice for playing games with dynamic GPU support. It can easily support the 1080p gaming requirements even while reducing the lag time.
Price: $115.94
3) AMD Ryzen 7 3700X Processor
Best for max boost performance.
AMD Ryzen 7 3700X Processor :>
The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X Processor consumes a max boost performance that is ready to provide you with the best results. This product comes with 8 cores and 16 processing threads that are capable of multi-tasking requirements. The involvement of the AMD Wraith Prism cooler allows the processor to stay cool even when you are going through extreme pressure. It supports Razer Chroma as well.
Features:
4 GHz max boost unlocked
8 cores and 16 processing threads
AMD Wraith Prism cooler
Technical Specifications:
CPU Speed – 4 4 GHz
Processor Count – 8
Cache Size – 36 MB
Wattage – 65 Watts
Verdict: As per customer reviews, the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X Processor comes along with advanced socket support. It can easily configure with an AM4 platform that can support almost any PCIe board. This product consumes meager power, which makes it much more efficient for performance with instant cooling. The product comes with an ultra-fast 100+ FPS performance for the best result.
Price: $308.99
4) Intel Core i5-9600K Processor
Best for multi-tasking.
Intel Core i5-9600K Desktop Processor
The Intel Core i5-9600K Processor can successfully run on the Windows 10 platform to get decent accessibility. This product comes with 6 cores supported by 6 threads to support overclocking. For performance, the base clock speed of the Intel Core i5-9600K Processor is around 3.70 GHz. It can easily rise above 4.60 GHz to provide decent max boost support available with them.
Features:
Intel Optane memory supported
70 GHz up to 4.60 GHz
Compatible with Intel 300 Series Chipsets
Technical Specifications:
CPU Speed – 3.7 GHz
Processor Count – 6
Cache Size – 9 MB
Wattage – 95 Watts
Verdict: According to reviews, the Intel Core i5-9600K Processor is a bit highly-priced in nature compared to the features that it provides. However, most people feel that having 6 cores allows the product to support a better multi-tasking option. This product comes with the support of Intel UHD Graphics which can be a decent choice for watching movies or some videos.
Price: $245.98
5) AMD YD200GC6FBBOX Athlon 200GE
Best for video editing.
AMD YD200GC6FBBOX Athlon 200GE
The major benefit of having the AMD YD200GC6FBBOX Athlon 200GE is the 3.2 GHz Clock Frequency. It makes video editing much easier with this central processing unit. Also, the option of having a 5MB cache along with DDR4 2667 support, gives an amazing result for your PC requirements as well. This product features multiple boosters that allow you to get immediate boost results without even an upgrade.
Features:
2 Cores/4 Processing threads
2 GHz clock frequency
Platform upgradable to Ryzen
Technical Specifications:
CPU Speed – 3.2 GHz
Processor Count – 2
Cache Size – 5 MB
Wattage – 35 Watts
Verdict: People often consider the AMD YD200GC6FBBOX Athlon 200GE as an ultimate budget-friendly model with a decent platform and a significant result that gives amazing performance. Professional video editors might fancy this device as one of the best tools for their regular usage.
With the option of having Vega 3 graphics inbuilt with the processor, the AMD YD200GC6FBBOX Athlon 200GE is a decent choice for professionals.
Price: $114.95
Now with the announcement of AMD Ryzen mobile being available to the general public by April 2018 you’ll still need to wait a couple of months.
There is: Ryzen 3 / R3, Ryzen 5 / R5 and R7.
You can also get a desktop grade R5/R7 inside the Asus ROG. Its max config. will set you back by INR 100K.
For an AMD Ryzen mobile APU, the R5–2500U is a sweet spot. Not too slow just good for the average quick session of “catch the flag”.
The big brother; R7–2700U would be ideal for gamers who spend 3–4 hours at the screen.
Performance of Intel’s iGPUs fall by a whopping 30%+ so, don’t worry about the naysayers.
Add a dedicated GPU (RX 560/580) to either APU to increase FPS and a relevant drop in CPU workload.
The R3-2200U and 2300U are not aimed at gaming but, daily workloads of browsing, coding, light photoshop and entry-level video editing/VFX/rendering. Gaming on such devices will be a drag.
Below are a few laptops announced by prominent brands. They will be available to the consumer in a few months. Some are listed on websites for pre-order.
PS. Ryzen 2 mobile (Gray Hawk) will arrive in 2019 with navi not vega architecture so, expect a prominent boost in iGPU performance across multiple workloads.