Intel Computers,15.6" Review

Let's be real upfront: this Intel laptop is a budget machine. It's built around a dual-core Intel 6500Y CPU, which lands in the 10th percentile for performance. That means it's slower than 90% of the laptops we track. You get 16GB of DDR3 RAM and a 256GB SSD, specs that sit in the 32nd and 16th percentiles respectively. It's a basic package for a basic price.

The 15.6-inch 1080p IPS screen is decent for the money, scoring in the 29th percentile. It runs Windows 11 and has a backlit keyboard, which is a nice touch. But with a weight of 2.5kg and unknown battery life, it's not winning any awards for portability. Our scoring says it's best for compact use, entertainment, and student work, but those scores are all below 30 out of 100.

Performance is this laptop's biggest weakness. That dual-core Intel 6500Y is a very old, low-power chip. In our benchmarks, its CPU score is in the 10th percentile. For everyday tasks like web browsing and document editing, it'll be okay, but don't expect it to handle more than a few browser tabs or any kind of multitasking smoothly. The integrated graphics are even weaker, sitting at the 18th percentile. Gaming is a non-starter, with a score of 6.9 out of 100.

The 16GB of DDR3 RAM is a surprising bright spot in a sea of low scores. It's in the 32nd percentile, which is enough to keep the system from choking on memory. But that old CPU and slow storage (16th percentile) will be the bottlenecks you feel every day. It's a system that feels its age.

At $324, this laptop is undeniably cheap. The problem is, you get what you pay for. You're buying very old, slow hardware. The RAM and screen are okay for the price, but the ancient CPU, tiny storage, and terrible reliability score make it a risky purchase. For just a bit more money, you could find a used or refurbished laptop with a much more modern processor that will feel significantly faster and last longer. This price only makes sense if your budget is absolutely locked at $300 and you need a Windows machine today for the most basic tasks.

Comparing this to the listed competitors isn't fair—they're in a completely different league. The Apple MacBook Pro M4 or Lenovo Legion Pro 7i are performance powerhouses. A more realistic comparison is with other budget Windows laptops. Here, the Intel 6500Y's 10th percentile CPU is a huge disadvantage. Many modern budget chips, like Intel's N-series or older Core i3 processors, offer 4 cores and much better performance for similar prices. This laptop's main 'advantage' is its low sticker price, but that comes with major compromises in speed, storage, and long-term reliability that cheaper modern alternatives often don't have.

I can't recommend this Intel laptop for most people. The core specs are just too old and slow. The 10th percentile CPU and 3rd percentile reliability score are deal-breakers. It might work as a bare-bones web terminal or for typing documents if you have no other option, but it will feel sluggish quickly. For a student or anyone needing reliability, it's a poor choice. If your budget is $324, I strongly suggest looking at the used or refurbished market where you can find laptops with quad-core CPUs from the last 5 years. They'll be faster, more reliable, and a much better value in the long run.