Most $1,000 ultraportables use Intel Core processors or, less commonly, AMD Ryzen CPUs. All of these offer plenty of power for everyday computing tasks, but remember that higher CPU model numbers in a given family of chips typically indicate more processor cores, higher maximum clock speeds, and sometimes even multithreading. With multithreading, each CPU core can run two sets of software instructions simultaneously instead of just one. Modern software is designed to take advantage of as many CPU cores as possible so it can run faster on multithreaded chips.

Meanwhile, budget laptops typically use AMD Ryzen 3 processors, or Core i3 or newer Core 3 chips in Intel's case. These typically have just a few individual cores. At the other end of the spectrum, high-end powerhouse laptops have workstation-class Intel or AMD CPUs with double-digit core counts. However, expect to see many new Intel-based machines employing Core Ultra processors; these are the firm's successors to the Core i series, with an increased focus on AI processing.

Regardless of which CPU a laptop has, it’s typically designed to use less power and generate less heat than its desktop counterpart. In the latest mainstream, lightweight laptops, Intel laptop CPUs typically consume 15 watts (W) of power (or less) up to as much as 45W for the highest-end mobile chips.

Gaming laptops and mobile workstations typically feature higher-powered CPUs, usually denoted by an "H," "HS," or "HX" in the CPU's model name. These require more cooling hardware and consume more energy, but they drive performance closer to that of a desktop PC. You’ll find H-series CPUs from both AMD and Intel.

Apple is in its fourth generation of M-series silicon for MacBooks. Apple's MacBook Pro laptop models contain some variation of its M4 processors. Meanwhile, you can get the basic M4 chip in the latest 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air laptops.

Getting into laptop-processor specifics can get you pretty deep in the weeds, but for a decent overview that doesn't overwhelm you, check out our guide to choosing a laptop CPU that fits what you do. As a rule of thumb, though, Core Ultra-family chips are Intel's latest, while the Ryzen AI 300 and Ryzen 8000 series are AMD's newest offerings. Chips with a "U" in the model number are typically lower-powered CPUs for thin machines, and the "H" chips indicate power-user machines. A newer CPU variant is the Snapdragon X Elite and Plus family from Qualcomm, powering some recent AI-equipped models that run a special Arm-based version of Windows. (See more about these in What Is an AI PC?)

Let's start with a rundown of the main types of laptops on today's market.