If you're the kind of person who's always looking for the perfect balance between power and performance, then it's likely you follow the Intel/AMD rivalry closely.
It's a debate that is, as always, ongoing – and can't be resolved here.
Apart from anything else, the various victories occasionally claimed by one side over the other are, ultimately, less important than the ebb and flow of the various product cycles across both ranges, and the bargains that can be had.
The 14th generation of Intel's desktop chips has just dropped, so anyone wanting the very latest cutting edge tech can now, well, have it. See below for some particularly fine examples of Intel 14th gen chips teamed with perfectly-paired motherboards from the likes of ASUS, MSI, GIGABYTE, and ASRock.
And for all fans of that sweet, sweet spot where power and price meet in perfect harmony, the HP Victus laptop and its 13th generation Intel Core i5-13420H processor is still the cream of the crop when it comes to portable computing, and comes with an RRP tag of just $899.99.
The Intel Core i5-13420H features eight cores while certain other equivalent chips feature six, and it's built on PCIe 5.0 as opposed to the twelve month old tech you might find elsewhere.
The Intel flavor of the HP Victus also ships with an Nvidia Geforce RTX 3050 (as opposed to the AMD version’s RTX 2050). The 3050 delivers 84.3% more FPS compared to its rival, representing a pretty fine balance of power in its own right, and elevating the HP Victus to proper Gaming Laptop status, with even the latest AAA titles running in effortless lag-free FHD on the 15.6” 1920x1080 screen.
That's the science. What's the finance? Well, as mentioned, on a normal day the HP Victus is already a bargain at a mere $899.99, just $100 more than the equivalent AMD model – money extremely well spent for gamers and video editors alike.
But right now the decision’s even easier, as the HP Victus Intel Core i5-13420H model can be had for just $650 at Best Buy, so what was until very recently the cutting edge of CPU tech can now be yours for the price of roughly 100 Big Macs.
It’s an unprecedented price for an Intel Core i5-13420H and Nvidia RTX 3050 combo, and a superb engine for top notch, FHD gaming performance.
As for the rest of the specs, you've also got a full keyboard with number pad, 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD for super-fast loading times.
And of course all this tech isn't just for gamers. The HP Victus is equally happy serving as a portable multimedia powerhouse – Nvidia hardware being the weapon of choice for demanding AI apps and intricate video edits alike.
Now you should never judge a laptop by its cover, let alone its weight – but since you ask, the Victus comes in at a sleek 0.93 inches deep, dressed in a stately blue finish with that imposing 'V' logo on top (like it's a superhero).
Tipping the scales at just a hair over five pounds, it's also plenty portable for a desktop replacement. And speaking of desktops, gamers can now get their hands on a rig with one of Intel's 14th generation chips.
The classic CPU/MOBO combo is beloved by home-rig builders (like Henry Cavill) for a reason. It's the easiest part of the build to screw up and the hardest pair of components to match perfectly, so it’s best to get someone else to do that bit and then you can get on with plugging in an entire spectrum of LED lights to illuminate enough cooling fans to airlift a Chieftain tank.
Now of course there are myriad questions to answer when building your own rig – cable management, PSU headroom, airflow, which tanktop best shows off your triceps (hi Henry!). The list goes on. But right here, right now you should keep things simple and focus on the pre-built heart of a bleeding edge system using Intel's brand new 14th generation tech.
So when you absolutely, positively, 100% have to have the biggest and baddest rig in the room, consider the 14th gen Intel Core i9-14900K, accompanied by the awesomely named 'ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero' LGA 1700 motherboard.
You can probably get a better CPU/MOBO combo. Just not yet.
Alternatively, you can dial things back ever so slightly with the Intel Core i7-14700K, here teamed with the GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS PRO X. Throw either of these beauties into the case of your choice and you'll have the rock solid heart of a future-proof system.
Or if you want power and savings? Look no further than the Intel Arc A750 GPU at just $250.
Power or value? Some people will always insist you have to choose.
Intel's here for everyone else.
