What is an Intel Evo laptop?
Everything you need to know about Intel's seal of approval
Laptops aren’t created equal. Some are ultra-lightweight, while others favour top-end features. There are gaming laptops that pack a punch into a (relatively) small package. There’s pretty something for everyone at various price points, but when it comes to premium, Intel Evo has become a name to take note of.
To be Intel Evo certified, laptops have to pass key tests set out by Intel. Although the exact specifications occasionally change, the criteria for Intel Evo computers has always focused on usability and battery life, two points embraced by all users. But what sets an Intel Evo laptop apart from the others? And what does a seal of approval from the tech company guarantee? Take a look at our guide to find out.
What does it mean?
Intel Evo standards are always changing, and are now in their third edition. In its current form, to earn an Intel Evo badge a laptop must come with a 12th-generation Intel Core Processors with Intel Iris X Graphics. A laptop must also provide all-day consistent battery life, a touch-screen display, and faster-than-fast Wi-Fi 6E support.
That’s not all, though. Laptops must provide superior sound with dynamic background noise suppression. It must come with Intel Visual Sensing technology, a sensor feature that can automatically adjust the brightness of the screen, lock the computer when a user steps away, and detect gestures when playing games. Suitable models must also be able to wake from sleep in under a second, provide fast charging over USB-C, and have Thunderbolt 4 ports.
What laptops qualify?
If it’s good enough, then it can be Intel Evo approved no matter the brand. Intel Evo laptops come from most of the major manufacturers, including Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, LG, and Samsung.
The Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 comes with an AMOLED display with a 2-in-1 design. For those who want beefy sound, then the Lenovo Yoga 7i features a rotating sound bar and a Dolby Atmos system. Whatever your needs, there’s pretty much an Intel Evo laptop out there.
Intel aren’t the only ones offering this type of guarantee, though. AMD Ryzen processors and Apple’s M1/M2-powered MacBooks could be considered competitors. The former includes some of the same benefits as Intel’s product, but doesn’t typically offer greater battery life and graphics performance. Apple offers excellent battery life and performance, but is only available on macOS.
Is Intel Evo ‘the best’?
It’s important to note being an Evo laptop doesn’t mean it’s the “best” for all purposes. In general terms, Evo machines are great for business use and working on the road where battery life, fast internet, and better superior sound are important. However, they don’t make great gaming laptops. The reason? Evo laptops typically aren’t the most powerful machines on the market. Proper gaming machines require a heavy workload that inevitably consumes a lot of power.
What are Intel Evo accessories?
There are accessories marked with the Evo name, which will technically work with any Windows device. To become a supported accessory, these items must provide great experiences, seamless connectivity, and reliability. They either work with Thunderbolt or Bluetooth and include docks, hubs, headphones, Wi-Fi access points, and routers.
Anything else we need to know?
There’s much to look for when shopping for a laptop. Evo machines are deliberately designed to offer high-quality internals that must live up to high standards. As the company explains: “Not every laptop can be an Intel Evo laptop. Designs that earned the Intel Evo badge passed rigorous quality standards and thousands of real-world tests to be ready to keep up with you, giving you the reliable high performance you need without compromise.”
And yet, this doesn’t necessarily mean an Intel Evo laptop is for you. If you’re a gamer or a creative, for example, you probably need to buy a computer with more power. The same goes for anyone on a small budget. Evo machines are terrific, but they tend to cost a great deal more than Intel Core computers.
Bryan M. Wolfe
