Processors for power users - also decent future proofing
Ryzen 5 5600H - 45W, 6 core from 2021 (Zen 3). The high-wattage Zen 3s gave the best of both worlds at the time, with high sustained speeds when required and excellent battery life when not stressed. 17055/2952
i5-12450H - 45W, 4 P-cores and 4 E-cores, 2022. Oddly, its implementation in Acer Aspires still nets decent battery life for low-power use.
i5-1240P, i7-1260P - 28W, 4 P-cores and 8 E-cores (Note: identical scores for i5 and i7). Found its way into expensive thin and lights with middling results - less battery life than the previous generation though doubling performance (or better). Unless it is a great deal, get 13th gen or Core Ultra with your XPSs, GalaxyBook Pros, MSI Prestige, or LG Grams. 17245-17296/3288-3323
Core 5 120U, Core 7 150U, Core Ultra 5 125U - 15W, 2 P-cores and 8/10 E-cores but nearly identical processors from Q1 2024. The sample count is still low on these but you can consider them not particularly exciting. They'll do the job but are currently overpriced mostly. You are better off saving money if a Zen 3 is cheaper. 17413-17757/3469-3885
Ryzen 5 PRO 7535U - 28W, 6 cores. Zen 3+ (6000 series) refresh with higher wattage from Q1 24. Still very efficient in battery life. 17930/3296
Core Ultra 7 165U - 15W, 2 P-cores and 10 E-cores. Probably also overpriced and expect the score to go down. 18123/3597
Ryzen 5 PRO 7540U - 30W, 6 cores. Q3 2023. Zen 4 debut shows especially in the high single-thread score, and pricing seems to undercut Core 5/7's similar scores by $150. The non-PRO gets better scores. 18192/3560
Ryzen 7 5825U - 15W 8 cores, 2022. Refresh of AMD's best 15W Zen 3 processor. Scores so high because it was often implemented in computers with great cooling, allowing it to run at 3+ GHz for long periods (thus rivaling performance of 45W processors). Unlike Intel, AMD's 15W and 45W processors are identical except for clock speed settings (and cooling implemented). 18388/3059
Ryzen 5 7535HS - 35W 6 core, Q2 23. This is the higher-wattage version of 7535U above (Zen 3+), though in practice it is close to the PRO 7535U. That it matches an 8-core Zen 3 with two less cores is amazing. 18431/3190
Ryzen 7 7730U - 15W 8 core, Q1 23. The 5825U updated (Zen 3 second refresh) with DDR5 support. Stupendous value in $400 laptops. 18787/3073
i5-13420H - 45W, 4 P-cores and 4 E-cores, Q2 2023. Surprisingly efficient but not like Zen 3. 19005/3495
i5-1340P - 28W, 4 P-cores and 8 E-cores, Q1 2023. If you can save money getting a premium laptop with this instead of Core Ultra H, you should be happy for the life of the computer. 19091/3547
Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H - 45W 6 core, Zen 3+, 2022. 19094/3203
Ryzen 5 7540U - 28W 6 cores, Zen 4, Q2 2023. Basically achieves 6650H performance with less power (and that single-thread score due to the newer tech). Also has better integrated graphics. Get it in the HP Pavilion Plus with 16GB RAM for $550 - metal build, battery life, and performance all in one. 19213/3722
Core Ultra 5 135U - 28W, 2 P-cores and 10 E-cores. Q1 2024. Score is an anomaly compared to its own generation. 19351/3501.
i7-1360P - 28W, 4 P cores and 8 E-cores. Q1 2023. More likely to see this in premium laptops but at this price, Core Ultra H is a better buy due to the generation leap in integrated graphics. Still, a good processor. 19465/3600
The next levelRyzen 7 5800H, 5800HS, Ryzen 9 5900H - 35W (HS) / 45W (H) 8 cores Zen 3, 2021-2. The Ryzen 9 has better integrated graphics. All these are efficient when the processor is not being stressed. Scores are close because it's the same processor. 20171-21086/2977-3049
Ryzen 7 6800U, PRO 6800U - 28W 8 cores Zen 3+, 2022. Notable for a leap in integrated graphics more than processor capability. Also more efficient, somehow - they run at 28W yet match the previous entry. A rare processor spotted almost nowhere (for six months it was just the Swift Edge - a cool computer). 20646-20869/3212-2338
i5-12500H - 45W, 4 P-cores and 8 E-cores, 2022. Power it has, efficiency not so much, but a good deal for use on a desk is fine for those who need all that power. 21232/3483
Ryzen 7 7735U - a refreshed 6800U (see above) with DDR5 support. Q2 2023. 21372/3282
Core Ultra 5 125H - 28W, 4 P cores and 10 E-cores. First Meteor Lake (Q4 2023) hits hard with both power and efficiency, as well as greatly improved graphics (better in the CU7H). 21572/3569
Ryzen 5 7640U - 28W, 6 cores, Zen 4, Q3 2023. Scores probably an anomaly, but can't be worse than the 7540U above. 21592/3542
Ryzen 7 7736U - 28W, 8 cores, Zen 3++, Q1 23. Scores probably an anomaly - only four samples from this but I saw it in two HP laptops. (May be a custom processor. Overpriced IMHO.) 22195/3338
Ryzen 7 6800HS - 35W, 8 cores, high wattage version of 6800U above (2022). Mostly found downclocked in Zenbooks and upclocked in Zephyrus G14s. 22870/3208
Ryzen 5 7640HS - 54W, 6 cores, high wattage version of 7640U (7540U) above. In Zen 4, most processors seem to be running higher wattages, at the cost (based on reviews) of the efficiency that Zen 3 and 3+ had when doing low-powered tasks. 22983/3639
i5-13500H - 45W, 4 P-cores and 8 E-cores, Q1 2023. Surprisingly efficient but not like Zen 3. 22976/3542
Ryzen 9 6900HS - 35W 8 core Zen 3+. A better 6800HS. 23705/3297
Core Ultra 5 135H - 28W, 4 P cores and 10 E-cores. First Meteor Lake (Q4 2023) hits hard with both power and efficiency, as well as greatly improved graphics (better in the CU7H). Upclocked 125H. 23765/3501
Ryzen 7 7735H/ 7735HS - 54W, 8 core Zen 3+ refresh (Q1 2023) of 6800H/HS, but far more common than the former. (Cheaper, too!) If you want efficiency, this is a better choice than Zen 4, but Core Ultra H is just as good and more powerful. 24196-24220/3312-3371
Core Ultra 7 155H - 28W, 6 P-cores, 10 E-cores, Q3 2023. This processor seems to have nailed the performance/efficiency/integrated graphics crown for the current generation. Some need more power, or more graphics, or more efficiency, but this is the best balance. Catch sales - it's been as low as $850 already. 24822/3543
Ryzen 9 6900HX - 45W 8 core (Zen 3+ 2022). Basically a super up-clocked 6800H. 24851/3443
Ryzen 7 7840U - 30W, 8 core Zen 4 (Q2 2023). Notable for integrated graphics surpassing the RTX 3050 in most metrics. A poor graphics professional could do worse than be stuck with this. It also surpasses the best Zen 3+ with less wattage. 24949/3594
Arbitrary break i5-13450HX - 55W, 6 P-cores and 4 E-cores. Q2 2023. Performance on a budget (these are often in laptops for less than $600). 25453/3578
Ryzen 7 8840U - a 7840U with AI (Q2 2024). 25646/3806
i7-13620H - 45W, 6 P-cores and 4 E-cores. Q1 2023. The 13450HX is probably an upclocked version of this, or a price-drop. But this is in better implementations so scores slightly better. 25815/3703
i7-12700H - 45W, 6 P-cores and 8 E-cores, 2022. Gets here on raw power and no efficiency. A bargain price for someone using this at a desk? Grab it. See 13700H below. 26253/3593
Ryzen 5 7645HX - 55W, 6 cores, Zen 4 (Q1 2024). Probably better to get a Ryzen 7 than to settle for this. 26868/3915
i7-13700H - 45W, 6 P-cores and 8 E-cores, Q1 2023. Much more efficient than 12th gen and with more power than the 155H. (Probably cheaper, too.) 27472/3665
Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS - 28W 8 core, Zen 4 (Q2 24) - a 7840HS plus AI. Score probably anomaly. 27510/3771
Core Ultra 7 165H and Core Ultra 9 185H - 28W/45W, 6 P-cores, 10 E-cores, Q4 2023. Rarer but higher clocked than the 155H, probably too much money. 28164-28236/3758-3780
Ryzen 7 7840H/ 7840HS - 54W, 8 core upclocked 7840U (Q3 2023). The integrated graphics also benefit from a higher clock. 28486-29027/3729-3793
i9-13900H - 45W, 6 P-cores and 8 E-cores, Q1 2023. Sure, if as cheap as similar processors. 29238/3869
Ryzen 7 8845H/8845HS - 45W 8 core Zen 4+ (Q1 24). The 7840H/HS for a new generation. 29370-30037/3796-3880
Ryzen 9 7940H/7940HS - 54W 8 core Zen 4 (Q2 23). Upclocked 7840H/HS. The latter clears the 4000 single-thread mark. 30512-30710/3911-4028
Ryzen 9 8945H - 45W 8 core Zen 4+ (Q1 24). The 7940H for a new generation. 31671/4017
i5-14500HX - 55W, 6 P cores and 8 E cores, Q2 24. The 14th gen in laptops exists only in 55W form and with insane clock speeds for those who need power at all costs. (This is a 13th gen refresh and does not use the Meteor Lake tech found in Core Ultra H. But neither does Core 3/5/7 or Core Ultra U.) Even this low-core i5 gets insane scores. 32345/3760
Ryzen 7 7745HX - 55W 8 core (Q2 23) upclocked 7740H. 32816/3957
What did you say that you need this for, again?
i7-14650HX - 55W, 8 P-cores and 8 E-cores. Q1 2024. 38873/3871
i7-14700HX - 55W, 8 P-cores and 12 E-cores (!). Q4 2023. 37959/3805
i9-13900HX/ 13950HX - 55W, 8 P-cores and 16 E-cores, Q1 2023. 44532-44662/4070-4159
Ryzen 9 7845HX - 55W, 12 cores, Zen 4 (Q1 23). 46085/3991
i9-14900HX - 55W, 8 P-cores and 16 E-cores, Q1 2024. 46854/4293
Ryzen 9 7945HX - 55W, 16 cores, Zen 4 (Q1 23). 54938/4069