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

  1. I learned the difference between H and K and what they correspond to. H being more higher performance focused and K specialized with gaming needs and including overclocking.

  2. I had no idea what an intel processor was let alone H and K. This is all new to me, I need to get up to date on these things….lol

  7. I didn’t know anything about the difference between H K or HK before I read the information in the article.

  9. Wouldn’t overclocking be potentially dangerous for the integrity of the electronics in the processor?

    • Modern processors will have safeties built in to prevent damage from overclocking. If you dial it in too much it will crash. If the temps are too high for your cooling it will throttle itself. So it’s safe to try some experimenting in small increments. Generally though these things will boost themselves to near peak performance- you shouldn’t feel like you’re leaving performance on the table if you don’t.

    • Yes, it could be. Most people who overclock their CPU’s will get a better cooler than the stock one that comes with the CPU. AIO coolers tend to be quieter than air coolers but I haven’t had one that lasted more than two and a half years. With air coolers it’s a good idea to keep a can of compressed air handy so that you can blow the dust out of the heat sink every couple of months. Dust build-up in the heat sink with cause over heating of the CPU…. so keep it clean.

  10. I learned that Intel Hyper-Threading Technology is a hardware innovation that allows more than one thread to run on each core. More threads means more work can be done in parallel.

  18. I learned that the K suffix means that the processor is unlocked and can be overclocked. Thanks for the contest!

  22. I learned that the numbers actually mean something. 11 in the 11900H means 11th Gen I thought it was just for a cool factor staying higher than AMD Bigger numbers means better right?

  26. I learned that the Intel model numbers have a suffixm and that two of the most important ones for fast-working laptops are H, and K. H means the processor is optimized for a high performance. As my old laptop is now getting too slow for what I need it for, this is interesting to learn. Thank you.

  27. I learned that the K suffix means that the processor is unlocked and can be overclocked. Thanks for the contest!

  28. I learned the meaning of the suffix of an Intel model number, which can help[ me to choose the right processor.

  33. I have generally had Intel processors, and it was very interesting to learn about the new ones and the different model indicators. Thanks for doing this.

  34. 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 in laptops. Most of the fastest laptops have this suffix…is interesting to learn this and remember this.
    AND am really hoping to THIS laptop prize!

  35. I learned about the difference between i5 vs i7 vs i9. My husband always wants the fastest, but I think i5 would be enough for our needs!

  38. I didn’t know what any of the digits meant, and now in do. Pretty much the higher the number on everything the better.

  39. I was start getting confused on the different features. Now there is the I factor, which generation, and H and a K factor. With limited funds which of the 3 is the one to spend extra funds on

  48. What is the difference between an intel processor and an apple processor or are they the same thing?

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