Is Intel Core i7 Evo good? Here’s what we think

Is Intel Core i7 Evo good? Let's find out

Jack Howarth

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In 2020, Intel introduced its new Evo certification for laptops. Evo laptops are powerful, power-efficient, and great for productivity on the go. If you’re looking to pick up a new laptop for yourself, stick around. Today, we find out: is Intel i7 Evo any good?

What is Intel Evo?

Evo is Intel’s certification for premium laptops powered by their mobile processors. The label is essentially an easy way for consumers like you to identify laptops that have a seal of approval from Intel itself. But does that really even mean anything? Knowing the selection criteria for Evo laptops can help us determine whether or not the label is actually meaningful. 

Evo laptops:

• Must be powered by an Intel Core processor 11th gen or above with integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics for powerful (and power-efficient) computational and graphical processing. 
• Must feature WiFI 6E and Thunderbolt 4 for faster-than-ever network connectivity. 
• Must have at least 9 hours of battery life (For FHD/1080p laptops) for convenience and practicality. 
• Must be able to wake up from sleep in less than a second. 
• Must work flawlessly with productivity apps such as the Microsoft Office suite and Zoom. 
• Must be lightweight and portable, with a below 1.5 Kg weight and thin screen bezels. 

Laptops that successfully receive the Evo certification tend to be high-end machines from reputable manufacturers such as ASUS, HP, Dell, and Lenovo. 

Are Evo laptops equipped with Intel i7 good?

There’s plenty to like about Evo laptops. Not only are they very powerful since they only feature high-end mobile processors released within the last few years, but they’re also incredibly power-efficient. A 9-hour battery life is well above average for laptops, especially considering the high performance offered. The connectivity, portability, and feature set of Evo laptops are also fantastic. These laptops are designed to help you be productive and efficient, even while on the go. Evo laptops currently feature mobile processors from the Core i5 and Core i7 lineups. While the Core i5 mobile processors are pretty powerful in their own right, they have lower clock speeds and fewer cores compared to their Core i7 counterparts from the same generation.

If you’re looking to get the most performance from your Intel Evo laptop, go with one that features a newer i7 processor, such as the recently released i7-1370p. Intel Evo laptops can be pretty expensive, though, and it’s clear that they’re not all about providing you with the best raw performance. 

If you’re interested in getting an Intel Evo laptop for the features it offers you but don’t want to break the bank on a $1000+ ultrabook, going with a slightly cheaper i5-powered Evo isn’t a bad call. You’ll lose some performance, but Evo laptops are more about improving your professional productivity than they are about offering you the best raw performance. Most of that improved productivity comes from the laptop’s battery life, portability, connectivity, and design – not the raw performance. It may be worth checking out our guide on the best laptops under $1000, if you’re keen on maximising bang for your buck.

Final word

Overall, Intel i7 Evo laptops are very solid, especially for working professionals who would benefit from the long battery life, powerful processing, and rich feature set offered by these laptops. They are fairly pricey, but it may be worth paying the extra if you believe an Evo laptop would help you enhance your productivity. If you’re after something a bit more powerful, check out the best gaming laptops.