Is the laptop, desktop, or book you plan to shop for ashore with a last-gen CPU? That may be a acumen to delay -- or a way to get a abundant deal. Here's how to tell.
While summertime breach has aloof started for acceptance beyond the country, that agency that the all-important back-to-school arcade division is not far behind. And with it
comes a flood of fresh or adapted systems -- aggregate from acceptable laptops and desktops to tablets and hybrids.
But afore annexation your acclaim agenda on a fresh ultra book, all-in-one, or convertible, you're activity to appetite to dive a little added into the blueprint sheets. That's because the best recent Intel CPU advancement -- cipher called Haswell, but clearly accepted as "fourth-generation Core i series" -- is alms cogent array activity improvements in the aboriginal beachcomber of laptops we've activated so far. So, clashing the added blah Intel updates we've apparent in years past, there's a real-world adjustment in gluttonous out a Haswell-equipped laptop.
On the added hand, if array activity isn't a big affair -- if you're activity for a desktop PC, or if you accept a "desktop replacement" laptop that you don't tend to abstract from the ability bond -- you could account a nice abatement on the abounding pre-Haswell PCs that will accordingly accomplish their way to the abatement bin.
How do you acquaint which is which? That's the catchy part.
The accepted laptop mural
As we move into the Haswell era, the bazaar is in flux. Abounding "new" laptops and hybrids, such as the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S, Acer Aspire R7, or the Toshiba Kirabook, all still address with processors from Intel's third-generation Core i series, the aforementioned genitalia that accept been activate in best PCs back bounce 2012. Alone a scattering of more-forward-looking systems already accept Intel's just-released fourth-generation Intel Core i-series Haswell processors.
Need a 14-hour laptop? Get the fresh 13-inch MacBook Air.
Normally that wouldn't be a big deal, because any accepted laptop will accept added than abundant processing ability for accustomed tasks, such as Web surfing, HD video playback, amusing media networking, and alive on basal appointment documents. For that reason, in years past, accepting the best recent and greatest processors wasn't abnormally aerial on my priorities list. Frankly, the boilerplate customer wouldn't feel abundant of a aberration in surfing the Web on a laptop with a budget-minded Intel Core i3 against one with a high-end Core i7.
But with alone a scattering of Haswell PCs (and Macs) activated so far, the array activity after-effects from them so far has been absolute impressive. The Haswell-equipped PCs additionally action Intel's added acceptable chip graphics, either the HD 5000, HD 4600, or HD 4400, rather than the now-outdated Intel HD 4000 cartoon activate in third-gen Core i-series systems.
Case in point: the 2012 adaptation of Apple's 13-inch MacBook Air ran for 7 hours and 27 account in our video playback array cesspool test. The 2013 adaptation of the 13-inch Air, with a Haswell CPU, assault that out of the water, with an amazing 14 hours and 25 account on the aforementioned test. Sony's Haswell-powered Vaio Pro 13 ran for about 9 hours, and alike the gaming-oriented Razer Blade, currently still ability criterion testing in the CNET Labs, seems to accept an continued active time compared with earlier gaming laptops, acknowledgment to its current-gen CPU.
How to accept
The accustomed catechism this raises is: Should you authority off on affairs a accurate PC if it still has a third-generation Intel Core i-series processor and delay for the Haswell version? That ability beggarly cat-and-mouse for a continued time absolutely in some cases, potentially missing the back-to-school window. Some accepted laptops, including the Lenovo Yoga band and Toshiba U alternation of ultrabooks, accept not appear any close affairs to action Haswell versions (though it's safe to accept they'll be bustling up eventually).
Sony's Haswell-powered Vaio Duo 13.
I advance abutting with caution, although I'm not cardinal out affairs a non-Haswell arrangement altogether. Beneath are some guidelines that represent my accepted cerebration on the subject; feel chargeless to add your own suggestions and account in the comments area below.
Desktops and beyond laptops: Shop for now
Considering the bashful assets in absolute appliance achievement (including the HD 5000 graphics), if you're captivation off for achievement reasons, don't. For a acceptable desktop or all-in-one with no battery, the last-gen processor isn't a big deal. The aforementioned goes, to a bottom extent, for beyond 15-inch and up laptops, which by their attributes absorb best of their time tethered to a board and ability outlet.
The high-end Toshiba Kirabook costs added the $1,500, but has last-gen processors.
Ultrabook-style systems: Seek out a Haswell adaptation
Some of the best ultrathin laptops, namely the Apple MacBook Air and Sony's fresh Vaio Pro (both of which are accessible in 11- and 13-inch models), are amid the aboriginal laptops to get the fresh Intel CPUs. Array activity on these is amazing, and I'd be hard-pressed to shop for a exceptional ultrabook (or fauxtrabook) with beneath non-Haswell array life. It would absolutely be aching to absorb added than $1,600 on a Toshiba Kirabook or Lenovo Helix and not get the best recent processors (and the consistent addition in array life).
Budget shoppers: Delay if you can, or seek out bargains if you can't
Some of our admired analytic priced laptops, such as the Toshiba U-series ultrabooks and Sony's almost fresh Vaio Fit 14, are not accessible with fourth-gen Intel Core i-series CPUs yet, nor is there an estimated date for them. The fresh Core i3 CPUs for account and midprice systems are the aftermost account on Intel's antecedence account (the highest-end quad-core Core i7 chips came out first, followed by Core i5 versions), and more-modest array activity expectations are congenital into affairs a sub-$800 laptop. That said, we're already seeing some acceptable deals on pre-Haswell PCs, as retailers and manufacturers activate alarming out account to accomplish allowance for those fresh Haswell models. So this summertime see a lot of $800 to $900 PCs activity for as little as $600. Keep an eye on those Sunday bi-weekly circulars and Internet deals.
Tablet/hybrids: Delay for Haswell
Tablets are advised for all-day on-the-go use, but to date, Windows models -- from the fresh Lenovo Yoga 11S to the Acer Aspire P3 to the Microsoft Surface Pro -- aloof haven't yet hit that iPad candied spot. Well, it's time to stop compromising. Every Windows 8 accessory that's either a slate-style book or laptop/tablet amalgam could account from the continued array activity offered by Haswell. (That additionally goes for Intel's next-gen Atom CPU, dubbed Bay Trail -- additionally due soon.) The 14-hour array activity on the fresh MacBook Air proves it: it's accessible to get abundant added acceptable array activity on tablets than we're accepting now, and we should appeal it. In added words, if you like the attending and feel of a accepted Windows tablet, authority out for the Haswell version.
Bonus advice: Don't anguish about Windows 8.1 or Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks
Savvy tech shoppers apperceive that Microsoft and Apple are both afterlight their operating systems afore the end of the year, to Windows 8.1 and Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks. The acceptable account is that the Microsoft advancement will be chargeless (for absolute Windows 8 users), and the Mac advancement is acceptable to be absolute bargain (Apple hasn't appear pricing, but the aftermost few Mac versions accept been alone $20). Any computer active the accepted OSes should be calmly upgradeable to the accessible versions; there's no acumen to delay for them to be appear afore buying.
