Laptops, especiallygaming laptops, that feature the latest generation of Nvidia GeForce GPUs, the RTX 40-series family, are capable of delivering incredible performance today that previously seemed impossible. The efficiency of the new CPUs and GPUs has allowed for compact gaming and productivity machines that have sophisticated cooling solutions, impressive high refresh rate displays, and solid build quality. While the RTX 4050 andRTX 4060 laptopsare capable of handling most day-to-day tasks and running most games at medium to low settings (depending on the game) with ease, for a more immersive experience, RTX 4080 laptops are the way to go.
Nvidia’s lineup of laptop GPUs includes the RTX 4050, RTX 4060, RTX 4070, RTX 4080, and the RTX 4090. While theNvidia RTX 4090 laptopswill deliver the best gaming and productivity experience, they also cost a lot more than the RTX 4080 laptops, but the performance difference is not that significant. The better laptops allow for a full 175W of power to the GPU and that’s the same maximum wattage for both the RTX 4080 and the RTX 4090. So, the RTX 4080 seems to be the sweet spot between no-compromise performance and a premium price tag.
The Best Nvidia RTX 4080 Laptops
Acer Predator Helios 16
The Predator Helios 16 from Acer is a great performer with its Core i9-13900HX CPU, Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. It features a 16-inch 2560x1600 IPS panel with 240Hz refresh rate. The laptop comes with a 90Wh battery and a 330W power adapter.
The Predator Helios series from Acer offers great value and the Predator Helios 16 is a prime example of that. The laptop, though advertised as a gaming machine, does not have a flashy exterior with gamer branding, sharp angles, and RGB lights everywhere. There is a subtle lightbar at the back that can be turned off for a more productivity-based setup. Of course, the laptop is powered by the Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU which gets a maximum of 165W of power. While it is not the full 175W that the RTX 4080 can handle, it is more than enough for most tasks as well as for gaming.
The CPU inside the Helios 16 is the Intel Core i9-13900HX which, even though a generation old at this point, still holds up really well among the current gen competition. Going with an older generation CPU also helps to bring the price down and increase this laptop’s value. You also get 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, along with a per-key RGB lighting enabled keyboard. The Helios 16 is backed by a 90Wh battery and ships with a 330W power adapter.
Coming to the display, the 16-inch screen is a2560x1600 IPS panelwith 240Hz refresh rate and support for Nvidia G-Sync. The Acer Predator Helios 16 is a powerful productivity and gaming machine that comes with Bluetooth 5.1, Wi-Fi 6E, as well as Gigabit Ethernet. Acer has decided to keep the frequently accessed ports to the side and put the HDMI, charging port, and the two USB Type-C ports at the back.
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 16 (2024)
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 16 (2024) is a gaming beast with its Core i9-14900HX CPU and the Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU. Along with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, the ROG Strix Scar 16 comes with a respectable 90Wh battery. It features a 16-inch ROG Nebula HDR display that has QHD+ (2560x1600) resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, and 3ms response time.
If you are looking for the absolute best gaming performance, look no further than the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 16 gaming laptop with theNvidia RTX 4080 GPU. Being a gaming beast, the laptop can deliver up to 175W to the GPU, allowing it to reach its peak performance. Coupled with the Core i9-14900HX CPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage, the ROG Strix Scar 16 can crush any game thrown at it. And it does so, staying cool and quiet thanks to the intelligent cooling solution.
There are three fans and vents all around the chassis to help move the air more efficiently. The laptop has seven heat pipes and uses the Conductonaut Extreme liquid metal as the thermal interface which, as per the company, leads to up to 15 degrees Celsius cooler temperature for the CPU and GPU.
ASUS uses its ROG Nebula HDR display, which is a 16-inch Mini-LED panel, has QHD+ (2560x1600) resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, under 3ms response time, and supports Dolby Vision. You also get G-Sync support for a tear free gaming experience at high refresh rates. Along with the beautiful display comes the equally vibrant keyboard with per-key RGB lighting and gaming hotkeys. The trackpad can double as a numpad which adds to the ease of use.
ASUS has implemented a few other gaming forward features like Overstroke technology, several performance modes, a four-speaker setup with Dolby Atmos, and it ships with a 330W power adapter that charges the 90Wh battery.
Gigabyte Aorus 17H
Powered by the Intel Core i7-13700H, Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU, 16GB RAM, and 1TB storage, the Gigabyte Aorus 17H is a great value option. The laptop features a 17.3-inch FHD 1920x1080 display with a 360Hz refresh rate. It is backed by a massive 99Wh battery and comes with a Thunderbolt and RJ45 port.
Those on a tight budget who still want to experience the power of the RTX 4080 should consider the GIGABYTE AORUS 17H. Like the Acer Predator Helios 16, it does not scream gaming laptop from the outside but has some gaming forward features. For under $2000 (under $1900 if you’re lucky), the Aorus 17H packs the Intel Core i7-13700H CPU that is coupled with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.
It should be noted that the Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU present here is capable of up to 150W of peak power, which does limit its maximum performance output, but considering this is a1920x1080 display, the gaming and productivity experience will not be compromised. The Aorus 17H does make up for the lack of GPU power with its massive 99Wh battery, dual 2.5W speakers, an RGB Fusion keyboard with per-key lighting, and an impressive 360Hz refresh rate.
For a budget friendly laptop, the Aorus 17H comes with solid build quality, Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 for connectivity, and there is also an Ethernet port. You also get Thunderbolt 4 support for even more expansion options. Being a laptop with a 17.3-inch display, it can impede portability a bit, which is also affected by its 2.7kg weight.
Regardless, the GIGABYTE AORUS 17H cuts the right corners to bring the price down and,for under $2000, you’re able to’t get any better than this.
Alienware m16 (AMD)
The Alienware m16 (AMD) is powered by the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX CPU and the Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU with 12GB of VRAM. The gaming laptop features a 16-inch QHD+ (2560x1600) 240Hz, 3ms, 100% DCI-P3 coverage display. There are two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports with DisplayPort support as well.
Powered by the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX CPU and the Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU, the Alienware m16 is a great mid-range option. It does carry a more gamer aesthetic on the outside and the inside, with a relatively large m16 branding and a light-up logo, along with the titular protruding butt that houses all the major I/O ports and vents. On the inside, there are hexagonal vents all across the top with an RGB keyboard right below.
Looks aside, the Alienware m16 features a 16-inch QHD+ (2560x1600) display with 240Hz refresh rate, 3ms response time, and 100% DCI-P3 coverage. It comes with 32GB RAM and 1TB storage, and ample connectivity options. Because of the AMD processor, there is no Thunderbolt 4 or 5 port here, which may be a deal-breaker for some. You do get an RJ45 Ethernet port and two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports with DisplayPort compatibility.
Even though it is a 16-inch laptop, Dell has managed to fit only an 86Wh battery, but it ships with a 330W power adapter. There are two 2W speakers that are nothing special, but most users stick with headphones while working on their laptops. The Alienware m16 is on the heavier side, coming in at over 3kgs (3.3kg), so it is not the most portable.
Alternatively, if you prefer an Intel CPU instead and more storage, theLenovo Legion Pro 7iis a good option in the same range. It also comes with a 16-inch display but 2TB of storage and the Core i9-13900HX processor.
Razer Blade 18 (Mini-LED)
The Razer Blade 18 is a big screen gaming laptop that is powered by the Core i9-14900HX and the Nvidia RTX 4080 (175W) GPU. It has a QHD+ 300Hz Mini-LED panel that boasts 1000 nits brightness, 100% DCI-P3 coverage, and Nvidia G-Sync support,
For those with deep pockets and a no-compromise attitude, the Razer Blade 18 brings top-of-the-line performance and elegant design into one expensive but premium package. First and foremost, the Razer Blade 18 is a big laptop, so portability will be questionable. The good part of the bigger chassis is more power-hungry components and more efficient cooling. The Blade 18 comes with the Core i9-14900HX CPU, 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.
The Nvidia RTX 4080 here is a full 175W GPU, which means it can deliver the best possible performance that can be expected from a mobile RTX 4080. What enhances the user experience is the 18-inch QHD+ (2560x1600) Mini-LED display that supports 300Hz refresh rate and under 3ms response time, making it one of the fastest displays on a laptop.
Razer is the best at making its powerful laptops look sleek, elegant, and minimalistic. You would be surprised to see how much performance has been packed into a machine that is just 21.9mm thick and weighs just over 3kgs. On top of that, the CNC aluminum body with an anodized black finish gives the laptop a sleek and unassuming look which works great in both professional and gaming setups.
If 18 inches is too big for you, Razer also ships the RTX 4080 in the 16-inch form factor and theRazer Blade 16 with its Dual Mode Displayis arguably an even more premium offering than the Blade 18.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (4080)
Featuring the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU and the Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is a unique laptop that is compact and lightweight while offering uncompromising performance thanks to its internals. With a 14-inch QHD+ (2560x1600) display that refreshes at 165Hz, the ROG Zephyrus G14 offers a great gaming experience.
Laptops these days have reached the 18-inch display form factor, which impedes portability to some extent. If portability is key to you, the ROG Zephyrus G14 from ASUS should be the laptop to look at. Not just compact, but it is one of the few models that come in white rather than the standard black color. As the name suggests, the laptop features a 14-inch display with a 2560x1600 resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate. At this size, the display is extremely sharp and vibrant.
The smaller form factor does come with its own drawbacks, however, as the Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU inside is only rated for 125W of power as opposed to its maximum 175W capability. Even though it is a smaller display, it is still high resolution and the 125W of power may hold back some games from reaching peak performance. But that’s not to say that the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is lacking on the performance front. It is still more than capable of efficiently taking on any workflow, be it editing, media consumption, or gaming.
With the base model, you get the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU, 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. There is a well-laid out keyboard with a single RGB zone which pops more thanks to the white chassis. Adding to the unique aesthetics is the set of LEDs on the cover, which ASUS calls the AniMe Matrix display. You can customize this array of LEDs to show various animations, system notifications, text messages, and more.
How to Choose the Right Nvidia RTX 4080 Laptop
There are a few factors that you can consider to make the purchase decision a bit easier:
Display Size: Laptops that feature the Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU can be found in 14-inch to 18-inch sizes. The smaller form factor will be more portable and lightweight, but it will make some compromises on performance, especially with such a power-hungry GPU inside. The 16 to 18-inch form factor laptops will be able to pull the maximum performance out of the RTX 4080.
CPU: Laptops come with either an Intel or an AMD CPU, both of which are equally capable. However, if you absolutely need Thunderbolt support, you will have to stick with an Intel CPU which in most cases is slightly more expensive than its AMD counterpart. Intel is currently on its 14th generation of CPUs while AMD is on its Ryzen 8000 series of laptop chips. However, you may even go with an older generation laptop as those chips are still very capable.
RAM and Storage: Generally, you should look for as much RAM and storage as possible. The more the RAM, the better the performance. While most laptops don’tallow you to expand the RAMand storage after purchase, there are some that come with extra RAM slots and storage mounting options. Typically, 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage is considered as standard.
Portability: While some users have a permanent desk setup for their laptop, others still use their laptops on the go and for them, portability is an important consideration. Of course, the smaller the laptop, the more portable it will be. But there are also some bigger 16 and 17-inch laptops that are thin and lightweight.
FAQ
Q: Is the laptop 4080 good?
Depending on how much wattage can be sent to the RTX 4080 GPU, the performance can vary quite significantly. If the use case involves gaming and heavy productivity, it would be ideal to get a laptop with an RTX 4080 that supports the full 175W power limit. Smaller laptops are unable to dedicate that much power to the GPU which makes the existence of the RTX 4080 questionable.
Q: Can an RTX 4080 laptop run 4K?
The laptop RTX 4080 is capable of delivering a decent gaming experience at 4K, depending on the game and the visual settings. There are very few laptops that come with a 4K display, so most likely users will be using an external display, and while the laptop RTX 4080 cannot deliver the same performance as the desktop counterpart, it can drive games at that resolution. You may have to adjust the settings to get a solid, stable FPS.
