When you're buying a new laptop, the majority of the selection in front of you will be powered by Intel processors or a combination of Intel processors and NVIDIA dedicated graphics. AMD's Ryzen APU doesn't find its way into nearly as many, and that's a shame because overall, an AMD powered laptop represents an excellent value package, especially with its Radeon Vega integrated graphics.
Top pick
HP Envy x360
Staff favorite
When going for an Envy x360 with AMD power, you get a choice between two. There's a 13- and a 15-inch model that spec-wise are basically the same, aside from their physical size. There are Ryzen 3 or Ryzen 5 APUs to choose from inside, although the 13-inch model also has a lower 15W TDP than its larger counterpart at 25W. Being an x360, it's a fully convertible laptop backed up by fast SSD storage, 8GB of RAM (which is upgradeable on the 15-inch), and a great-looking touch display good for work and play. The 15-inch is the one we recommend.
Ultimate gaming
Acer Predator Helios 500
Who said you couldn't get a beastly gaming laptop with AMD hardware inside? The Helios 500 doesn't rely on AMD's Ryzen mobile chips. Instead, it crams a full desktop Ryzen 7 2700 octa-core CPU inside with a Radeon RX Vega 56 GPU and 8GB of HBM memory. Toss in a 17.3-inch 144Hz display with FreeSync, 16GB of RAM, and an NVMe SSD, and what you have is a full-on AMD desktop gaming rig inside a laptop.
Tighter budget
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S
AMD laptops traditionally represent excellent value, and even on a tighter budget, you can get a great laptop. The IdeaPad 330S uses the excellent Ryzen 5 2500U APU with Vega 8 graphics, with enough grunt for content creators and even a spot of gaming. It's a 15.6-inch notebook with a 1080p display, 128GB SSD, and 8GB of RAM, with a stylish metallic finish on the lid. It's also incredibly affordable given its specs and makes a solid investment for budget laptop buyers.
Budget gaming
ASUS TUF FX505DT
The FX505DT comes with the new second-generation Ryzen Mobile inside in the form of the Ryzen 5 3550H or Ryzen 7 3750H. It also offers a chance to mix that Ryzen power with NVIDIA graphics such as the GTX 1650 or GTX 1660 Ti. Other notable specs include options for 120Hz displays, upgradeable RAM, and has SSD storage inside, including superfast NVMe drives.
Digital scribbling
Lenovo Flex 14
The Flex 14 is the latest in a long line of Lenovo convertible laptops, and the company is still one of the absolute best at it. In this 14-inch notebook, you get the latest Ryzen 5 3550U with Vega 8 graphics, a 1080p display, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD for storage for an attractive price. What sets it apart here is its included pen and support for digital inking. Combined with the graphics prowess you get from this APU, you have a laptop to work, rest and play with.
Ryzen Surface
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15
While a little pricey, the new Surface Laptop 3 is the first from Microsoft with AMD Ryzen. The customized chip inside has an additional GPU core over other Ryzen laptops, and retains staples like the high-resolution 3:2 ratio display with pen support, and the incredible design and build quality. It's available with either a Ryzen 5 or a Ryzen 7, with Vega 9 and Vega 11 graphics, respectively.
If we had to choose...
Ryzen powered laptops often slip under the radar, but the truth is there are some fantastic laptops out there powered by AMD. Currently, we'd happily recommend the HP Envy x360 to anyone specifically looking for a Ryzen laptop, and, frankly, anyone who wasn't that bothered with what's inside. It looks great; it's beautifully made, powerful, and quite affordable given the package it presents.
Intel and NVIDIA might still be the preferred choice for the majority of laptop gamers, but ignoring the goliath that is the Predator Helios 500 is a mistake. This doesn't use watered-down laptop parts; it instead throws a full eight-core desktop Ryzen 7 inside with a Vega 56 GPU. Don't ask what the battery life is (wise advice for any gaming laptop), but this truly is a desktop gaming PC that you can toss in your bag.
Budget buyers aren't left out either, with excellent laptops like the IdeaPad 330S delivering equal performance to much more expensive laptops, but at a price more agreeable to budget buyers, perhaps even for education or general home use with the kids.
When you're buying a new laptop, the majority of the selection in front of you will be powered by Intel processors or a combination of Intel processors and NVIDIA dedicated graphics. AMD's Ryzen APU doesn't find its way into nearly as many, and that's a shame because overall, an AMD powered laptop represents an excellent value package, especially with its Radeon Vega integrated graphics.
Top pick
HP Envy x360
Staff favorite
When going for an Envy x360 with AMD power, you get a choice between two. There's a 13- and a 15-inch model that spec-wise are basically the same, aside from their physical size. There are Ryzen 3 or Ryzen 5 APUs to choose from inside, although the 13-inch model also has a lower 15W TDP than its larger counterpart at 25W. Being an x360, it's a fully convertible laptop backed up by fast SSD storage, 8GB of RAM (which is upgradeable on the 15-inch), and a great-looking touch display good for work and play. The 15-inch is the one we recommend.
From $550 at HP
... by: Richard Devine via https://www.AiUpNow.com/
