The differences generally show up only “when the laptop has to perform complex calculations,” according to Antonette Asedillo, who oversees computer testing for Consumer Reports. Don’t assume that a pricier, high-end Intel Core i7 or Ryzen 7 is much “better” than an Intel Core i5 or Ryzen 5 simply because it has more raw power.

But the proliferation of AMD’s well-received processors shouldn’t change your thinking on how much processor you actually need.