Have you heard about Intel’s new powerful processors that came out this year? Take some time to familiarize yourself with some of the details during Intel gamer days. That’s right, Intel gamer days are here again with great savings on Intel powered laptops and desktop computers that’ll make everything you do go more smoothly: school, work, and especially gaming! Learn some facts about Intel’s new processors, then enter for a chance to win an amazing Intel powered laptop.

Which Intel processor will you choose

Shopping for a laptop isn’t easy for most of us. Part of the problem is that Best Buy has an incredibly large selection. A good first step is to read the Laptop buying guide and narrow down your choices a little. You can also narrow it down by deciding what kind of processor you want: on the Best Buy laptops page you will see a set of facets on the left hand side of the page for processor type. If you want one of the new Intel processors, then you would select one with “Intel” at the beginning. After that, you’ll want to choose the processor that matches your needs and budget. Here is a short primer that should help:

  1. i5 vs i7 vs i9: this is the first main differentiator for Intel processors where a higher number means better performance and usually a higher price too. If you are doing basic computing tasks (for work or school) and play simple games then an i5 may be perfect for your needs and will likely save you some money. If you want a laptop capable of playing complex games, processing large video files, or other demanding tasks then pay a little extra for a machine with a higher numbered processor.
  2. 11th gen vs 12th gen: as with most technologies, newer will be faster and more versatile. This is especially true for Intel processors released this year. We discussed the 11th generation processors in last year’s Intel gamer days article. They are still amazing processors, capable of handling the most complex tasks and demanding games very well. This year Intel released a major leap in processor design with the 12th gen processor as we discussed in an article last spring. Read that article and you’ll understand why “11 is good, but 12 is a lot better.” Again, if you want to save money, then last year’s model will be excellent for your needs. If you want maximum flexibility and performance then you’ll be leaning toward the newest models.
  3. H vs K vs HK: Intel model numbers have a suffix and two of the most important ones for fast laptops are H and K. H means the processor is optimized for high performance in laptops. Most of the fastest laptops have this suffix. The other suffix, K, is especially useful for very serious gamers or computing enthusiasts who want to push their machines to their absolute limits. The K means the processor is unlocked, and can be configured to go beyond the fastest specifications set by the manufacturer: the term for this is overclocking. People who desire an extra edge in gaming, or want to process very demanding computing task will often turn to a K processor.

What questions do you have about Intel processors

Those three points above will likely help most computer buyers but I know they won’t answer all of your questions. Intel actually has a quite a range of processors and it can be confusing. One of the things I hope you get out of Intel gamers days is a little more knowledge that will help you make a more informed decision on your next laptop purchase. As such, the methods of entry for this contest are designed to help. And just by asking or answering a question below, you’ll have a chance to win a great prize from one of the sponsors of this contest. Carefully read the instructions below for the best chance. You never know, you might win one of these four amazing laptops.

We will also give away a digital code for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (PC) to each prize winner because from August 25th, you will also receive a copy of the game if you purchase a qualifying device equipped with Intel i7 or i9 processor at Best Buy!

How to enter

Entering this contest is easy and you can enter in two different ways

  1. In comment below, help our readers learn about Intel processor by either
    1. asking a question about one thing you don’t understand about Intel processors; or
    2. answering a question that someone else posted in these comments about Intel processors; or
    3. telling us one thing you just learned about Intel processors that you think is interesting.
  2. For up to two (2) additional entries, create a public post on a social media channel (one entry per channel!) sharing with your friends and followers one thing you like about Intel Core 12th Gen processors; include the hashtag #BbyIntelgamerdaysContest, so we can find your post, and include one of the pictures showing on this article. Then return here and tell us in a comment below on which channel you posted it and the name of your channel (since many people use pseudonyms) so that we can check and verify your entry. You can use any two social media channels (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, etc.), but the post must be public so we can verify it is there.

What you can win

At the end of this contest we will randomly select four winners from all eligible entries to win one of these prize bundles: HP OMEN 16″ gaming laptop and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (PC), Acer Nitro 5 15.6″ gaming laptop and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (PC), Dell Alienware m15 R7 15.6″ gaming laptop and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (PC), Gigabyte Aero 16 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (PC).

This contest runs from August 25th until Sept 4th. 

Remember you can enter in two different ways. Everyone needs a great computer so you know many people who would benefit from the information in this article, and would love to win a new Intel powered laptop. Share this article with all your friends and family!

Win a laptop during Intel Gamer Days Contest Rules and Regulations

Good Luck

Martin Renaud
Martin Renaud
Editor in Chief
Martin loves working with the talented editors and writers on the Best Buy Blog as Editor-in-Chief. During his spare time he is either working on his next novel, cooking up a masterpiece in the kitchen, or adding some smart tech to his new home on Mayne Island in British Columbia.
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651 COMMENTS

  2. I learned that the latest generation of Intel processors have suffixes H, K, and HK. H means the processor is optimized for high performance, and K means the processor is unlocked.

  4. I learned about the Intel model number suffixes and that two of the most important ones for fast laptops are H and K.

  14. I learned that the prefix is the generation number! I honestly had no idea and thought the entire set of digits were just a CPU name. Now that I learned about the generation prefix, it makes it easier for me to do comparisons.

  19. What I don’t understand about Intel processors isn’t really a question about CPUs, however, Intel has never had a release with anywhere near as much untapped overhead potential as the inadvertently awesome i7-9x0s, yet in here we are in 2022 and PCMR and every cheesy PC bro Intel sponsors during #IntelGamerDays is also shilling AIOs and ridiculously lit liquid cooling loops. If I’m still running an i7-930 at 4GHz 24/7 for close to 12 years with not even Noctua’s top air cooler, AM I TAKING CRAZY PILLS?

    Don’t answer that, it was a rhetorical question. Incidentally, for accuracy, heat pipes inside air coolers also contain liquid. /rant

  21. I didn’t know the difference between the H and K suffix in Intel model numbers and now I do….thank you.

  24. Is there a performance difference when an Intel processor is used in an HP, Lenovo, Acer, Dell or any other brands?

  26. Like many of the other posters, I wasn’t aware of the H and K suffix designations. I’ve never overclocked before, so an H processor would be more my cup of tea.

    I do have one question. I know the cores increase as the modifier increases (e.g. i7 has more cores than an i5). If the number of cores were the same, would an i5 perform the same as an i7 or i9? In other words, is the main difference the number of cores, or do the i7 and i9 have additional features that would still lead to better performance (if the core count were the same)?

  27. Can you give examples of current games that can be played smoothly on each of the different processor types?

    That would be super helpful

  28. One thing I learn is it’s better to optimize the Intel processor with a k version vs h version for demanding tasks.

  35. Learned about the Intel model numbers suffix – H vs K vs HK. H = the processor is optimized for high performance in laptops. K= the processor is unlocked, and can be configured to go beyond the fastest specifications set by the manufacturer: the term for this is overclocking.

  36. One thing that I just learned about Intel processors that is interesting to me is that .i5 vs i7 vs i9 is indicative of better performance but also a higher price. That is important depending on your processing needs.

  38. I would love to learn more about the processes that are used in the Intel processor manufacturing. I have always found manufacturing to be very interesting.

  39. What I learned from this article that I wasn’t fully aware of previously is the processor model numbering scheme used by Intel under their identifiers H vs K vs HK. I had used to do overclocking on my desktop PC but I have not been able to do so since moving into mainly laptop usage now and days. I would love to get back into trying my hand at overclocking on a laptop with a Intel processor that can support upon it under either a K or a HK identifier.

  45. I already knew K in the processor meant its overclockable (my desktop rig has a i7-7700K. Never fully knew the H for laptop processors was high performance. Very cool! Wish everyone the best of luck in the contest!

  46. I learned that Intel model numbers have a suffix and two of the most important ones for fast laptops are H and K. H means the processor is optimized for high performance and the K means it can be configured to go beyond the fastest specifications set by the manufacturer

  47. I dont understand why the naming system appears to say the same every generation. i3 i5 but different versions each few years. It is confusing for people.

  48. I did not what H and K meant…high performance and K is an unlocked processor. I’d heard of overclocking and sort of understood what it meant, but way clearer now! Thanks!

  49. I learnt that “H means the processor is optimized for high performance in laptops.” which is good to know for sure!

  50. I have learned that the term overclocking means configured to go beyond the fastest specifications set by the manufacturer, which is for the k processor

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