Choosing Between 16GB or 32GB RAM for Intel Ultra 7 vs Snapdragon X Elite for Travel and Work

Student Laptops
1

I have a powerful gaming and work setup at home, but I travel frequently for business, usually carrying multiple devices including my corporate and personal laptops, an iPad, and accessories. On a recent holiday work trip, managing all these devices became overwhelming, so I’m looking to consolidate to one personal laptop. I’ll use it mainly for light video editing, gaming, word processing, emailing, and web browsing. I’m considering a convertible 2-in-1 laptop under 14 inches.

I’m torn between the Surface Pro 11 with a Snapdragon X Elite and a 2-in-1 like the Lenovo 9i with an Intel Ultra 7. Is 16GB RAM enough for these models, or is it worth it to invest in 32GB for over $500 more?

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I’d suggest going for the Ultra 7 with 32GB RAM. The Snapdragon might struggle with compatibility for your needs like light gaming and video editing.

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Presley said:
I’d suggest going for the Ultra 7 with 32GB RAM. The Snapdragon might struggle with compatibility for your needs like light gaming and video editing.

Thanks for your advice!

4

For work and compatibility, choose the Intel Core i7. ARM-based systems like the Snapdragon have notable compatibility issues with many Windows applications. As for RAM, 16GB should be sufficient now, but upgrading to 32GB could be a good future-proofing strategy.

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@Blue
That’s very helpful, thank you!

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Check software compatibility for your video editing and gaming needs with Windows on ARM here: https://windowsonarm.org/. Many applications, especially from the Adobe suite, don’t run well on Qualcomm CPUs.

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Avoid Snapdragon for non-Microsoft software; it tends to be glitchy. For the Intel Ultra 7, 32GB of RAM is ideal, but 16GB is workable for now.

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Vale said:
Avoid Snapdragon for non-Microsoft software; it tends to be glitchy. For the Intel Ultra 7, 32GB of RAM is ideal, but 16GB is workable for now.

Good to know, thank you! I was worried about the ARM64 issues. Do you think the Ultra 7 with 16GB is sufficient for my needs?

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@Uma
Yes, 16GB should be sufficient for now, especially for light tasks and some future-proofing.

10

Choose the Ultra 7 for better overall compatibility, especially if you’re considering doing video editing. 32GB would be preferable for that kind of task.

11

Definitely go for the Ultra 7 to avoid the common compatibility issues with Snapdragon processors.

12

Consider a Core Ultra 5 if you find a model that saves you money without a significant drop in performance. The performance difference between the Ultra 5 and 7 isn’t substantial for most tasks. https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/

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@Lennon
That’s an interesting point. I’ll consider the Ultra 5. How crucial do you think upgrading from 16GB to 32GB RAM is for longevity?

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Uma said:
@Lennon
That’s an interesting point. I’ll consider the Ultra 5. How crucial do you think upgrading from 16GB to 32GB RAM is for longevity?

For light tasks and some future-proofing, 16GB is currently adequate, but 32GB would extend the usability of your laptop, especially for more demanding tasks down the road.

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With Snapdragon’s known compatibility issues, I’d recommend an Intel-based system with at least 16GB of RAM, though 32GB would be ideal for longevity.