[ad_1]
A laptop branded “Intel Evo” has complied with Intel’s Evo certification process. Requirements include an Intel CPU, at least 9 hours of battery life, waking from sleep mode in less than a second, charging via USB-C. Intel’s Evo platform also requires hardware features like Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 6E, and an FHD camera.
If you’ve been looking to buy a new laptop, you may have seen a sticker on some of them that says you’re getting an Intel “Evo” i5 or i7 CPU instead of an Intel Core CPU. What is the Intel Evo platform, anyway? We explain it to you.
What is Intel Evo?
Intel’s Evo mark essentially acts as a certification to ensure that an Intel laptop, equipped with a recent Intel CPU, is performing to a set of standards mandated by Intel. The company calls it a “platform.” If you see a laptop with an Evo label, it simply means that it meets a set of minimum requirements in addition to being powered by an Intel CPU.
The requirements change with each generation of Intel CPUs. If you see an Evo label on a 2022 computer, you can expect that laptop to meet the following criteria, as Intel will award that certification to a computer after verifying the following areas:
- Constantly responds when not plugged in
- You can achieve 9 hours of battery life or more with an FHD (1080p) display
- Can wake up from sleep mode in less than a second
- You can get at least 4 hours of battery life from a 30 minute charge
- Can be charged via USB-C
- It is compatible with Thunderbolt 4 and Wi-Fi 6E
- It supports dynamic suppression of background noise.
- It has a FHD camera
There are a number of other requirements, but those are the most notable ones that users need to be aware of. That’s not to say that a non-Evo-certified Intel laptop won’t have the things we mentioned above, but certification ensures they’ll be at least the bare minimum.
Evo certification was first launched in 2020 with Intel’s 11th generation line of chips. Since then, both Chromebooks and Windows laptops have received the certification, including laptops from multiple brands including HP, Lenovo, and ASUS.
Intel Evo requirements may differ depending on the specific needs of your PC. For one, if it’s an H-class CPU designed for higher performance, Intel Evo certification may require the PC to be equipped with a discrete Intel Arc GPU.
Should you get an Intel Evo laptop?
Being Intel Evo certified is certainly a good thing and ensures that a PC will deliver on certain promises. Many of today’s best laptops have this certification, as long as they are powered by an Intel chip. Some popular Evo-certified models include the new Microsoft Surface PCs, the Dell XPS line, and some HP Specter and Envy models. However, it is not an absolute must when you buy a laptop.
An Intel Evo laptop won’t be cheap: Many models start at $1,000, and while you can find them cheaper, it won’t be an easy test. You can still get awesome laptops that are cheaper and don’t have Intel Evo. And many categories, including most gaming laptops, are not eligible for this certification. Many manufacturers won’t bother to get certified for many good laptops either. At worst, the lack of Evo certification will only mean that the laptop will be slightly slower or have slightly worse battery life. And even then, most of that information will show up on that laptop’s spec sheet.
It might be good to keep in mind if you’re looking to buy a balanced laptop for working on the go or doing more casual things, but it shouldn’t be your only deciding factor by any means, and in some cases, it shouldn’t be one at all. It’s great to have, but it’s not a must, and your experience won’t be radically changed by not having it.
[ad_2]
