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Lucid softens full-year production forecast as EV maker misses second-quarter estimates

Lucid softens full-year production forecast as EV maker misses second-quarter estimates

CNBC05-08-2025
Lucid Group on Tuesday softened its production outlook for the rest of the year as it reported second-quarter earnings that missed Wall Street expectations.
The electric vehicle maker now anticipates producing between 18,000 and 20,000 vehicles for the year after previously projecting a goal of 20,000.
Shares of Lucid fell more than 6% in after-hours trading Tuesday.
Here's what the company reported in the three-month period ended June 30 compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG:
The company reported a net loss for the quarter of $855 million, or 28 cents per share, compared with a net loss of $790 million, or 34 cents per share, in the same period last year. Excluding restructuring and other one-time costs, the company posted an adjusted loss per share of 24 cents for the quarter.
Lucid's total costs and expenses were up roughly 7.5% from the same period last year, at $1.06 billion.
The automaker said it ended the quarter with roughly $4.86 billion in total liquidity.
Last month, Lucid announced that Uber would invest $300 million in the company as part of a partnership to deploy more than 20,000 robotaxis over the next six years. It's also been trying to build its brand awareness, in part by tapping actor Timothée Chalamet to star in a new ad campaign.
But Lucid has been burning through cash as it works to ramp up production of its Gravity SUV, its second vehicle after the Air sedan.
"We are focused on business fundamentals to achieve our near-term goals: disciplined cost management, brand building, and continuing to execute our Lucid Gravity launch ramp," CFO Taoufiq Boussaid said in a release.
Lucid said in July that it delivered 3,309 vehicles in the second quarter, a 38.2% increase compared with the same period in 2024, but short of analyst expectations.
Demand for pure electric vehicles has been slower than expected, and consumers have been gravitating toward cheaper hybrids.
The industry is also bracing for the impact of President Donald Trump's new tax-and-spending bill, which he signed into law on July 4. That legislation is set to end the $7,500 tax credit for new electric vehicles and $4,000 credit for used EVs after Sept. 30.
Lucid stock has fallen nearly 19% so far this year as of Tuesday's close.
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Best MacBooks We've Tested (August 2025)
Best MacBooks We've Tested (August 2025)

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Best MacBooks We've Tested (August 2025)

We've been reviewing MacBooks since the very first polycarbonate MacBook appeared in 2006 -- and we covered Apple's PowerBooks and iBooks before that. Apple's current laptop lineup is split between the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, and the differences between the two lines are significant. The current MacBook Pros are great for those who need higher-level processing and graphics performance for content creation, graphic design, advanced STEM work and gaming. The Air is more of an everyday laptop that favors portability over performance, though it has power to spare and a long battery life, according to our tests. That's why the MacBook Air is CNET's pick for the best MacBook for most people. What is the best overall MacBook? With the release of the M4 MacBook Air earlier this year, both the MacBook Pro and Air lines now feature Apple's latest silicon. The 15-inch MacBook Air acts as the bridge between the 13-inch MacBook Air and MacBook Pro line, providing a bigger display without the MacBook Pro premium. With Apple dropping the price by $100 for the M4 MacBook Air models, the price gap between MacBook Air and MacBook Pro is even bigger than it was before. Starting at $1,199 at Apple (and regularly discounted at $999 at Amazon), the 15-inch Air sits in the sweet spot, making it the best MacBook for most people. As I sit here in August, the larger MacBook Air is my favorite MacBook for its roomy display, trim design and reasonable price. The smaller and cheaper 13-inch Air remains a great pick for students (especially when it's on sale for $799) and others with busy lives and slim wallets. The older MacBook M1 is still available as a Walmart exclusive for just $599 for budget shoppers, and the 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 provides the added power for graphics pros but at a greater expense. For more, please read my MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro comparison and you can also check out the new look and features of the next version of Apple's Mac operating system, MacOS Tahoe. Read more: Best VPN for Mac Best MacBooks of 2025 Most recent additions The new M4 versions of the MacBook Airs are the newest additions to the list. The 15-inch Air acts as the bridge between the 13-inch MacBook Air M4 and MacBook Pro line and offers fans the best of both worlds: a larger display without the MacBook Pro premium. Since Apple has dropped the price by $100 for the M4 MacBook Air models, the price gap between the Air and Pro has grown. Factors to consider when buying a MacBook The first fork in the road you'll come to when shopping for a MacBook is whether to follow the Air path or head down the Pro road. For people who are looking for an everyday home laptop or a work laptop for running basic office apps, a MacBook Air will suffice. An Air is also a better pick for students on tight budgets. For creative types who need the added processing and graphics muscle of Apple's new M4 Pro and Max chips, a MacBook Pro is worth the added cost. To help you find the right MacBook for your needs and budget, here are the main considerations to keep in mind. Price The entry price for a MacBook is $649. That gets you the M1 MacBook Air that was released in 2020, but that offer is exclusive to Walmart. If you are shopping at Apple, pricing starts at $999 for the13-inch MacBook Air M4 and $1,199 for the 15-inch MacBook Air M4. Stepping up to a MacBook Pro model starts at $1,599. Here are the starting prices of Apple's current MacBook lineup: 13-inch M4 MacBook Air: $999 15-inch M4 MacBook Air: $1,199 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro: $1,599 16-inch M4 Pro MacBook Pro: $2,499 Size and display If you'll be taking your MacBook with you to class, work or even down to your local coffee shop most mornings, an Air is the better choice. The 13-inch MacBook Air models weigh less than 3 pounds, and the roomier 15-inch Air weighs only 3.3 pounds, which is still lighter than the 14-inch MacBook Pro. The flip side to portability is screen size. The 16-inch MacBook Pro gives you ample room to work and multitask, while the 14-inch MacBook Pro tries to hit the sweet spot between roomy display and travel ease. Unless you need Pro-level performance, we feel the 15-inch Air does a better job of hitting that target. 13.3-inch M1 MacBook Air: 13.3-inch display (2,560x1,600 pixels), 2.8 pounds 13.6-inch M4 MacBook Air: 13.6-inch display (2,560x1,664 pixels), 2.7 pounds 15.3-inch M4 MacBook Air: 15.3-inch display (2,880x1,864 pixels), 3.3 pounds 14.2-inch M4 MacBook Pro: 14.2-inch display (3,024x1,964 pixels), 3.4 pounds 16.2-inch M4 Pro MacBook Pro: 16.2-inch display (3,456x2,234 pixels), 4.7 pounds Processor The processor, aka the CPU, is the brains of a laptop. MacBooks have used Apple's own processors since the introduction of the M1 processor in 2020. The M1-based MacBooks were clear improvements over Apple's earlier Intel-based machines in terms of overall performance, efficiency and battery life. The M1 MacBooks were more powerful, boasted longer runtimes and operated more coolly and quietly. The latest lineup of MacBook Airs feature Apple's latest M4 chip, and the MacBook Pro line offers a choice of M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max processors. The M4 MacBook Air models offer slightly better performance than the M3-based versions, but the jump in performance is not nearly the same as going from Intel CPUs to the M1. Graphics The graphics processor handles all the work of driving the screen and generating what gets displayed, as well as speeding up a lot of graphics-related (and increasingly, AI-related) operations. Apple's M-series CPUs integrate the GPU. The more processing cores the GPU has, the better the graphics performance. Here's the breakdown: M1: 7-core or 8-core GPU M2: 8-core or 10-core GPU M3: 8-core or 10-core GPU M4: 8-core or 10-core GPU M4 Pro: 20-core or 32-core GPU M4 Max: 32-core or 40-core GPU Memory Memory (or RAM) is where the operating system stores all the data for currently running applications, and it can fill up fast. After that, it starts swapping between RAM and SSD, which is slower. With the exception of the older M1 Air sold at Walmart, MacBook Air models now start at 16GB of RAM along with the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro. The minimum on the M4 Pro MacBook Pro models is 24GB, and the M4 Max MacBook Pros serve up 36GB or more. You can't upgrade the memory on recent MacBooks post purchase, so you'll need to get all of the RAM you'll need up front. MacBooks are able to smoothly run MacOS and the preinstalled apps with the minimum RAM offered, but doubling the RAM will make your MacBook feel faster and likely lead to a longer life of the laptop. Storage MacBooks feature solid-state drives, or SSDs. MacBook Air models start with a 256GB SSD, and MacBook Pros offer a 512GB SSD at minimum. If you use cloud storage for your files, music collection and photo library, then you might be able to get away with a 256GB SSD without filling it up before too long. We were happy to see the 13-inch MacBook Pro with its paltry 256GB SSD go away -- Pro users need 512GB at the very least. How we test laptops The review process for laptops consists of two parts: performance testing under controlled conditions in the CNET Labs and extensive hands-on use by our reviewers. This includes evaluating a device's aesthetics, ergonomics and features with respect to price. A final review verdict is a combination of both objective and subjective judgments. Our benchmark tests consist of a core set we run on every compatible system, including several we can run on both MacOS and Windows PCs. There's also an extended set of tests for specific use cases, such as gaming or content creation, where systems may have more powerful GPUs or higher-resolution displays that need to be evaluated. For the hands-on portion of the reiview, the reviewer uses the laptop for their work during the review period, evaluating how well the design, features like the screen, camera and speakers) and manufacturer-supplied software operate as a cohesive whole. We also place importance on how well everything works given the cost, and where the manufacturer has potentially made upgrades or trade-offs for the price. The list of benchmarking software and comparison criteria we use changes over time as the devices we test evolve. You can find a more detailed description of our test methodology on our How We Test Computers page. Other laptops we've tested HP OmniBook X Flip 16: While it has a handful of appealing features, this midrange 16-inch convertible ends up being a clumsy assemblage of disparate parts. Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition: It offers a cheap path to an OLED ultraportable, but is a ThinkPad a ThinkPad without the little red nub in the middle of the keyboard? HP OmniBook X Flip 14: This two-in-one laptop offers style, value and configuration options abound, including a 3K OLED display for only an extra $100. Microsoft Surface Laptop (13-inch): It's compact, solidly built and great for travel, but the 13.8-inch version is the better choice as your daily driver. Dell 14 Plus: Skip the two-in-one and opt for the clamshell laptop I tested, when it goes on sale. Acer Swift Go 16 (2025): Built around a beautiful 16-inch OLED screen, the latest Swift Go 16 improves on its predecessors without significant price inflation. 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For many people, deciding between a MacOS laptop and a Windows machine will come down to personal preference and budget. Apple's base model laptop, the M4 MacBook Air, starts at $999. You can sometimes find it discounted or you can get educational pricing from Apple and other retailers. In general, it'll be at least $1,000 for a new MacBook, and the prices just go up from there. For the money, you're getting great hardware top to bottom, inside and out, but you're limited to just Apple laptops. With Windows and Chromebooks, you get an amazing variety of devices at a wide range of prices. Software between the two is plentiful, so unless you need to run something that's available on only one platform, you should be fine to go with either. Gaming performance is definitely an advantage for Windows laptops, though. What's the difference between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro? On the whole, MacBook Pro models are more powerful and more expensive, while also being slightly thicker and heavier than their Air counterparts. The MacBook Air is available with a 13.6-inch or a 15.3-inch display. The 13-inch Air starts at $999, and the 15-inch Air starts at $1,199. The MacBook Pro is available with a 14.2-inch or 16.2-inch display. The 14-inch Pro starts at $1,599, and the 16-inch Pro starts at $2,499. The 16-inch model has such a higher starting price because it has a more powerful M4 Pro chip, while the base model of the 14-inch Pro features a regular M4 chip. The M4 Pro chip in the 16-inch MacBook Pro is truly a pro-level processor, with 14 CPU cores and 20 GPU cores, while the M4 chip in the baseline 14-inch model has 10 CPU cores and 10 GPU cores. If you don't need the power of a MacBook Pro, you can save on weight with an Air. The 13-inch MacBook Air weighs 2.7 pounds, and the 15-inch Air weighs 3.3 pounds. The 14-inch MacBook Pro weighs 3.4 pounds, and the 16-inch Pro weighs 4.7 pounds. For more, check out my MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro article. Which Macs support Apple Intelligence? The current generation of MacBook Air and Pro models as well as the previous generation allow you to use Apple Intelligence features. Both the M3 and M4 chips feature a 16-core neural engine that supports Apple Intelligence, but Apple claims that the M4 is twice as fast as the M3 with AI workloads. What are the best MacBook alternatives? The two Windows laptops I've tested that come closest to a MacBook's mix of solid build quality, streamlined design, strong performance and long battery life are the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 and HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14. Based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon X CPU, the Surface Laptop 7 offers strong application and AI performance along with outstanding battery life. It was the first Windows laptop I've tested with a longer runtime than that of the MacBook Air. The OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 doesn't offer as long a runtime but supplies a high-resolution OLED display that detracts from battery life, but is beautiful to look at.

Best Laptops We've Tested (August 2025)
Best Laptops We've Tested (August 2025)

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Best Laptops We've Tested (August 2025)

I review all types of laptops at CNET, from budget models for everyday tasks to high-performance laptops for PC gaming and content creation -- and everything in between. With decades of experience, I conduct rigorous performance tests and supplement the benchmarks with extensive hands-on use to get a sense of a laptop's design and features in addition to its performance. And I always keep price and value in mind when evaluating a laptop. I have favorite MacBooks and I also have many Windows laptops to recommend for a variety of uses. No matter your budget or whether you need a laptop for home, school or work, I'm confident there's a laptop here that's perfect for you. Let's dive in. What is the best laptop overall? Apple's already fantastic laptop is now faster and cheaper. The MacBook Air recently received a jolt with an update to Apple's latest M4 silicon and its price dropped by $100. The 13-inch MacBook Air M4 starts at $999 and the 15-inch MacBook Air M4 starts at $1,199. Each provides a ton of value for the money. The larger Air is still thin and light while supplying a roomy 15.3-inch display. It's the best laptop for most people. The smaller and lighter Air sacrifices some screen size for increased portability, making it the best student laptop. A Windows rival to the MacBook Air has arrived in the form of Microsoft's first Copilot Plus PC. Based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon X CPU, the Surface Laptop 7 offers strong application and AI performance and outstanding battery life. It was the first Windows laptop I've tested with a longer battery life than that of the MacBook Air. With a design that's on par with the Air's, the Surface Laptop 7 is one of the best laptops. So is the Asus Zenbook A14, which is a lightweight laptop with an even longer battery life than the Surface Laptop 7. Read more: How We Test Computers" target="_self Best VPN for Windows" target="_self Best VPN for Mac" target="_self Best laptops of 2025 Most recent additions The HP EliteBook Ultra G1i is the most recent addition to the list. With its trim design, excellent build quality and high-res OLED display, it's our pick for the best business laptop. The new M4 versions of the MacBook Airs are the next-newest additions. The 15-inch Air acts as the bridge between the 13-inch MacBook Air M4 and MacBook Pro line and offers fans the best of both worlds: a larger display without the MacBook Pro premium. Because Apple has dropped the price by $100 for the M4 MacBook Air models, the price gap between the Air and Pro has grown. Other laptops we've tested HP OmniBook X Flip 16: While it has a handful of appealing features, this midrange 16-inch convertible ends up being a clumsy assemblage of disparate parts. Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition: It offers a cheap path to an OLED ultraportable, but is a ThinkPad a ThinkPad without the little red nub in the middle of the keyboard? HP OmniBook X Flip 14: This two-in-one laptop offers style, value and configuration options abound, including a 3K OLED display for only an extra $100. Microsoft Surface Laptop (13-inch): It's compact, solidly built and great for travel, but the 13.8-inch version is the better choice as your daily driver. Dell 14 Plus: Skip the two-in-one and opt for the clamshell laptop I tested, when it goes on sale. Acer Swift Go 16 (2025): Built around a beautiful 16-inch OLED screen, the latest Swift Go 16 improves on its predecessors without significant price inflation. Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1: This big-screen, mini-LED convertible laptop certainly has some positives, but there are a few too many negatives to give this Plus a full-throated recommendation. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition: It's a great business laptop, but it can get pricey fast with upgrades. Acer Swift 14 AI: This midrange Copilot Plus PC offers incredible battery life but is missing one key feature. HP EliteBook X G1a: X does not mark the spot for this biz laptop when the Ultra version costs roughly the same and supplies a far better display inside a slimmer, more compact design. Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 Gen 10: It's ultrastylish and ultracompact, but maybe don't hide the camera behind the display next time? Acer Chromebook Plus 516: The 16-inch display provides plenty of room to work but Acer has a similar model that offers more for less. HP Pavilion Plus 14 (2025): Parts of the HP Pavilion Plus 14 are great but there's one poor-quality feature that totally ruins the experience. Acer Swift 16 AI: It's thin. It's light. It's long-running. And it boasts a big, bright 16-inch OLED display. So what's holding this Copilot Plus PC back from being more than just a big-screen productivity machine? How we test laptops The review process for laptops consists of two parts: performance testing under controlled conditions in the CNET Labs and extensive hands-on use by our reviewers. This includes evaluating a device's aesthetics, ergonomics and features with respect to price. A final review verdict is a combination of both objective and subjective judgments. We test all laptops with a core set of benchmarks, including Primate Labs Geekbench 5 and 6, Cinebench R23, PCMark 10, a variety of 3DMark benchmarks (whichever can run on the laptop), UL Procyon Photo and Video (where supported) and our own battery life test. If a laptop is intended for PC gaming, we'll also run benchmarks from Guardians of the Galaxy, The Rift Breaker (CPU and GPU) and Shadow of the Tomb Raider. For the hands-on, the reviewer uses it for their work during the review period, evaluating how well the design, features (such as the screen, camera and speakers) and manufacturer-supplied software operate as a cohesive whole. We also place importance on how well they work given their cost and where the manufacturer has potentially made upgrades or tradeoffs for its price. The list of benchmarking software and comparison criteria we use changes over time as the devices we test evolve. You can find a more detailed description of our test methodology on our How We Test Computers page. Best time to buy a laptop Amazon Prime Day is a great time to find a laptop at a great price, and you might be able to nab some remaining Prime Day deals from last week's big event. Other times of the year when you can find the best laptop deals are during back-to-school sales in late summer or early fall and a bit later in the year during Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. You can find discounts on laptops throughout the year but, if you're looking for the best deal and can afford to wait, these are typically the best times to buy one. Best laptop brands Apple's MacBooks are the most popular laptops and for good reason. They offer excellent build quality and leading performance and battery life ever since Apple introduced its M series processors in 2020. The top two brands on the Windows side are Lenovo and HP. Both offer a wide variety of models, from thin-and-light ultraportables to larger, more powerful models for gaming content creation. Lenovo's ThinkPads have long been a favorite among business laptops and its Yoga models are usually highly rated two-in-one laptops. HP is in the middle of a branding transformation. It's ended its Pavilion, Envy and Spectre laptop brands in favor of OmniBook consumer models and EliteBook business models. Its Omen brand will continue as the home for its gaming laptops. I liked the first OmniBook laptop I reviewed and look forward to testing more. For a budget laptop, Acer and Apple have great options -- each dominates our best budget laptop list. Acer makes great low-cost laptops and budget gaming laptops and Apple's MacBook Air can usually be found for less than $1,000 where it's a great deal. And the older M1 model costs even less. Factors to consider when shopping the best laptops There are a ton of laptops on the market at any given moment and almost all of those models are available in multiple configurations to match your performance and budget needs. If you're feeling overwhelmed with options when looking for a new laptop, it's understandable. To help simplify things for you, here are the main things you should consider when you start looking. Price The search for a new laptop for most people starts with price. If the statistics that chipmaker Intel and PC manufacturers hurl at us are correct, you'll be holding onto your next laptop for at least three years. If you can afford to stretch your budget a little to get better specs, do it. That stands whether you're spending $500 or more than $1,000. In the past, you could get away with spending less upfront with an eye toward upgrading memory and storage in the future. Laptop makers are increasingly moving away from making components easily upgradable, so again, it's best to get as much laptop as you can afford from the start. Generally speaking, the more you spend, the better the laptop. That could mean better components for faster performance, a nicer display, sturdier build quality, a smaller or lighter design from higher-end materials or even a more comfortable keyboard. All of these things add to the cost of a laptop. I'd love to say $500 will get you a powerful gaming laptop, for example, but that's not the case. Right now, the sweet spot for a reliable laptop that can handle average work, home office or school tasks is between $700 and $800 and a reasonable model for creative work or gaming is upward of about $1,000. The key is to look for discounts on models in all price ranges so you can get more laptop capabilities for less. Operating system Choosing an operating system is part personal preference and part budget. For the most part, Microsoft Windows and Apple's MacOS do the same things (except for gaming, where Windows is the winner), but they do them differently. Unless there's an OS-specific application you need, go with the one you feel most comfortable using. If you're not sure which that is, head to an Apple store or a local electronics store and test them out. Or ask friends or family to let you test theirs for a bit. If you have an iPhone or iPad and like it, chances are you'll like MacOS, too. In price and variety (and PC gaming), Windows laptops win. If you want MacOS, you're getting a MacBook. Apple's MacBooks regularly top our best lists, the least expensive one is the M1 MacBook Air for $999. It is regularly discounted to $750 or $800, but if you want a cheaper MacBook, you'll have to consider older refurbished ones. Windows laptops can be found for as little as a couple of hundred dollars and come in all manner of sizes and designs. Granted, we'd be hard-pressed to find a $200 laptop we'd give a full-throated recommendation to but if you need a laptop for online shopping, email and word processing, they exist. If you are on a tight budget, consider a Chromebook. ChromeOS is a different experience than Windows; make sure the applications you need have a Chrome, Android or Linux app before making the leap. If you spend most of your time roaming the web, writing, streaming video or using cloud-gaming services, they're a good fit. Size Remember to consider whether having a lighter, thinner laptop or a touchscreen laptop with a good battery life will be important to you in the future. Size is primarily determined by the screen -- hello, laws of physics -- which in turn factors into battery size, laptop thickness, weight and price. Keep in mind other physics-related characteristics, such as an ultrathin laptop isn't necessarily lighter than a thick one, you can't expect a wide array of connections on a small or ultrathin model and so on. Screen When deciding on a screen, there are a myriad number of considerations: How much you need to display (which is surprisingly more about resolution than screen size), what types of content you'll be looking at and whether you'll be using it for gaming or creative work. You really want to optimize pixel density; that is, the number of pixels per inch the screen can display. Although other factors contribute to sharpness, a higher pixel density usually means a sharper rendering of text and interface elements. (You can easily calculate the pixel density of any screen at DPI Calculator if you don't feel like doing the math, and you can also find out what math you need to do there.) I recommend a dot pitch of at least 100 pixels per inch as a rule of thumb. Because of the way Windows and MacOS scale for the display, you're frequently better off with a higher resolution than you'd think. You can always make things bigger on a high-resolution screen, but you can never make them smaller -- to fit more content in the view -- on a low-resolution screen. This is why a 4K, 14-inch screen may sound like unnecessary overkill but may not be if you need to, say, view a wide spreadsheet. If you need a laptop with relatively accurate color that displays the most colors possible or that supports HDR, you can't simply trust the specs -- not because manufacturers lie, but because they usually fail to provide the necessary context to understand what the specs they quote mean. You can find a ton of detail about considerations for different types of screen uses in our monitor buying guides for general purpose monitors, creators, gamers and HDR viewing. Processor The processor, aka the CPU, is the brains of a laptop. Intel and AMD are the main CPU makers for Windows laptops, with Qualcomm as a new third option with its Arm-based Snapdragon X processors. Both Intel and AMD offer a staggering selection of mobile processors. Making things trickier, both manufacturers have chips designed for different laptop styles, like power-saving chips for ultraportables or faster processors for gaming laptops. Their naming conventions will let you know what type is used. You can head to Intel's or AMD's sites for explanations so you get the performance you want. Generally speaking, the faster the processor speed and the more cores it has, the better the performance will be. Apple makes its own chips for MacBooks, which makes things slightly more straightforward. Like Intel and AMD, you'll still want to pay attention to the naming conventions to know what kind of performance to expect. Apple uses its M-series chipsets in Macs. The entry-level MacBook Air uses an M1 chip with an eight-core CPU and seven-core GPU. The current models have M2-series silicon that starts with an eight-core CPU and 10-core GPU and goes up to the M2 Max with a 12-core CPU and a 38-core GPU. Again, generally speaking, the more cores it has, the better the performance. Battery life has less to do with the number of cores and more to do with CPU architecture, Arm versus x86. Apple's Arm-based MacBooks and the first Arm-based Copilot Plus PCs we've tested offer better battery life than laptops based on x86 processors from Intel and AMD. Graphics The graphics processor handles all the work of driving the screen and generating what gets displayed, as well as speeding up a lot of graphics-related (and increasingly, AI-related) operations. For Windows laptops, there are two types of GPUs: integrated (iGPU) or discrete (dGPU). As the names imply, an iGPU is part of the CPU package, while a dGPU is a separate chip with dedicated memory (VRAM) that it communicates with directly, making it faster than sharing memory with the CPU. Because the iGPU splits space, memory and power with the CPU, it's constrained by the limits of those. It allows for smaller, lighter laptops, but doesn't perform nearly as well as a dGPU. There are some games and creative software that won't run unless they detect a dGPU or sufficient VRAM. Most productivity software, video streaming, web browsing and other nonspecialized apps will run fine on an iGPU. For more power-hungry graphics needs, like video editing, gaming and streaming, design and so on, you'll need a dGPU; there are only two real companies that make them, Nvidia and AMD, with Intel offering some based on the Xe-branded (or the older UHD Graphics branding) iGPU technology in its CPUs. Memory For memory, I highly recommend 16GB of RAM (8GB absolute minimum). RAM is where the operating system stores all the data for currently running applications and it can fill up fast. After that, it starts swapping between RAM and SSD, which is slower. A lot of sub-$500 laptops have 4GB or 8GB, which in conjunction with a slower disk can make for a frustratingly slow Windows laptop experience. Also, many laptops now have the memory soldered onto the motherboard. Most manufacturers disclose this but if the RAM type is LPDDR, assume it's soldered and can't be upgraded. Some PC makers will solder memory on and also leave an empty internal slot for adding a stick of RAM. You may need to contact the laptop manufacturer or find the laptop's full specs online to confirm. Check the web for user experiences because the slot may still be hard to get to, it may require nonstandard or hard-to-get memory or other pitfalls. Storage You'll still find cheaper hard drives in budget laptops and larger hard drives in gaming laptops but faster solid-state drives have all but replaced hard drives in laptops. They can make a big difference in performance. Not all SSDs are equally speedy, and cheaper laptops typically have slower drives; if the laptop only has 4GB or 8GB of RAM, it may end up swapping to that drive and the system may slow down quickly while you're working. Get what you can afford and if you need to go with a smaller drive, you can always add an external drive or two down the road or use cloud storage to bolster a small internal drive. The one exception is gaming laptops: I don't recommend going with less than a 512GB SSD unless you really like uninstalling games every time you want to play a new game.

1 High-Risk, High-Reward EV Stock to Buy, and 1 Money Pit to Avoid
1 High-Risk, High-Reward EV Stock to Buy, and 1 Money Pit to Avoid

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1 High-Risk, High-Reward EV Stock to Buy, and 1 Money Pit to Avoid

Key Points Lucid has recorded six consecutive quarters of record deliveries. VinFast failed to break into the U.S. and European markets. Over $14 billion has been invested in VinFast, and it's still losing money. 10 stocks we like better than Lucid Group › When looking for an investment that can completely change your returns for the better, you need to have an eye on the future. But that's far easier said than done. When thinking about the future, it's an exciting time to contemplate where the automotive industry is going. The future for this sector has some pretty interesting things in store, including driverless vehicles, ones that are software-defined, and a slew of new and highly advanced electric vehicles (EVs) that are almost certainly the eventual future of the industry. If you want to jump into the EV industry, here's a look at one high-risk, high-reward EV start-up and another that investors should avoid. Steer clear of this EV stock VinFast Auto (NASDAQ: VFS) is a unique and intriguing EV start-up. The automaker is based in Vietnam, is backed by an extremely wealthy founder named Pham Nhat Vuong, has state-of-the-art production, and thoroughly dominates its home market. VinFast decided its next move would be to enter the U.S. and European markets, two of the most important globally. The problem: It is always going to be a foreign automaker with no customer base, attempting to get its foot in the door. Not an easy task, and not cheap. After losing billions of dollars to try to become a real player in the U.S. and Europe, Vietnam's richest man is steering the ride in a different direction: focusing on Asian markets such as India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. But VinFast already looks like a money pit. Consider that at least $14 billion has been poured into it from Vuong himself, his conglomerate Vingroup JSC, its affiliates, and external lenders. Yet in 2024, the company booked a $3.2 billion loss. Making matters worse, Chinese EV start-ups are beginning to expand globally and are finding much more success winning over consumers due to their advanced technology and more affordable pricing. If VinFast can't get a foothold in Asian markets before brutal Chinese competition moves in, it could leave the company playing in only its home market. While it's tempting to invest in young EV start-ups in the hope of them becoming major industry players, the truth is the automotive industry is ruthlessly competitive, and VinFast hasn't cracked the code so far. An accelerating start-up Similar to VinFast, Lucid Group (NASDAQ: LCID) is a high-risk, high-reward EV start-up. The automaker, based in California, says it produces the world's most advanced EVs. Unlike VinFast, however, the company has been able to gain traction in the U.S. market and is starting to emerge as a viable player in the industry. Its sales volume is still low -- Lucid delivered 3,309 vehicles in the second quarter compared to rival Rivian's 10,661 -- but it's gaining momentum with the second quarter representing the sixth consecutive period of record deliveries. The good news is that the trend is likely to continue. The automaker is slated to rapidly accelerate production of its newly launched Gravity electric SUV during the second half of the year. With a price tag far lower than the company's Air sedan, the vehicle is expected to expand the company's addressable market considerably. Another vote of confidence for Lucid, as well as an exciting development in general, was the automaker's recent deal with Uber Technologies and Nuro that is expected to launch later in 2026 in a major U.S. city. The three companies plan to develop a new robotaxi service that combines the leading software-defined vehicle architecture of Lucid's Gravity SUV, the Nuro Driver Level 4 autonomy system, and Uber's global network and fleet management. Uber plans to deploy 20,000 or more Lucid vehicles over the next six years. The ride-hailing company is also putting its money where its mouth is with a $300 million investment in the automaker. Winners and losers There are going to be some serious winners and losers as the automotive industry gears up to evolve more over the next decade than it arguably has over the past century. Some EV start-ups will certainly close their doors, some already have, while some will become small niche players, and others may grow into the next Tesla or something even more impressive. These are high-risk investments and should remain a small position in any portfolio. Lucid is also burning cash at a rapid rate and will likely have to raise more. All that said, it shows far more upside than foreign rival VinFast. Do the experts think Lucid Group is a buy right now? The Motley Fool's expert analyst team, drawing on years of investing experience and deep analysis of thousands of stocks, leverages our proprietary Moneyball AI investing database to uncover top opportunities. They've just revealed their to buy now — did Lucid Group make the list? When our Stock Advisor analyst team has a stock recommendation, it can pay to listen. After all, Stock Advisor's total average return is up 1,070% vs. just 184% for the S&P — that is beating the market by 885.55%!* Imagine if you were a Stock Advisor member when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $668,155!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,106,071!* The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of August 13, 2025 Daniel Miller has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Tesla and Uber Technologies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 1 High-Risk, High-Reward EV Stock to Buy, and 1 Money Pit to Avoid was originally published by The Motley Fool

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