All you need to know about laptop generations

Whether you’re in the market looking to buy a new laptop or someone just curious about the history of these multitasking machines, you’ve probably come across terms like 12th generation or 13th generation. What exactly do these terms mean? How does a 7th generation laptop differ from a 10th generation one? Let’s answer all these questions in today’s blog.

What are generations in laptops?

To begin with, let’s understand that contrary to popular belief, it isn’t the laptops that themselves are defined by generations, but the processors that power them. When someone says they have a 12th generation laptop, they likely mean they have a laptop that’s powered by a 12th generation processor. 

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These generations are also linear in nature. So, a higher generation laptop (with a higher generation chipset) will always be newer than laptops with a lower generation number. For instance, a 13th generation laptop is always newer than a 11th generation laptop.

Generations generally refer to Intel-based laptops

When you use generations to define the performance capabilities or specifications of your laptop, you’re also, as a result, implying that you have a laptop powered by an Intel chipset. This is because AMD Ryzen processors are not defined by ‘generations.’ Instead, the AMD nomenclature uses the word ‘series’ to define newer and older machines. A 7000 series laptop would hence, be a laptop powered by a Ryzen 7000 series chipset.

Newer generations also don't always mean better performance

Remember that generations of a chipset or laptop are not the primary indicators of performance. For instance, all 13th generation Intel laptops are newer than all 12th generation Intel laptops. However, not all 13th gen laptops will be more powerful than all 12th generation laptops. 

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A laptop powered by the Intel Core i9 12th generation chipset is going to be more powerful than one with a Core i5 13th generation chipset, even if the latter is the newer model. Keep in mind that if you’re using the difference in generation to understand which one of two machines is more powerful, you must also take into account other parameters like the exact processor, along with other specifications. Looking at the generation alone is not a good indicator of performance.

A laptop powered by the Intel Core i9 12th generation chipset is going to be more powerful than one with a Core i5 13th generation chipset, even if the latter is the newer model. Keep in mind that if you’re using the difference in generation to understand which one of two machines is more powerful, you must also take into account other parameters like the exact processor, along with other specifications. Looking at the generation alone is not a good indicator of performance.

Which generation laptop should you buy?

If you’re buying a new laptop in 2023, you can opt for 12th generation and 13th generation laptops. Anything older is also fine, but you may be giving up on newer features and performance figures that may make your new laptop more future-proof in the long run.