The RTX 3080 is one of the hottest graphic cards in the market today, but it’s also one of the hardest to get. Your most realistic option of even getting one right now is to buy prebuilt gaming laptops with an RTX 3080 built in.
But not all RTX 3080 gaming laptops are made equal. For the price you’re paying for these laptops it is well worth doing your research, hence why you are here. You’re getting the power of a gaming rig combined with the convenience of a laptop.
If you are in the market for a gaming laptop, then you shouldn’t be holding your punches back. These are the top 6 RTX 3080 gaming laptops that you can purchase right now. These occupy the same space as mini ITX PC too.
Name | Specs | |
ASUS Zephyrus S17 | CPU Intel Core i9 11900H Graphics Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 (100-140W) 32GB of RAM Storage 1TB SSD Screen Size 17.3” Max Refresh Rate 165Hz | Check Price » |
XMG Neo 15 E21 / Eluktronics MECH-15 G3 | CPU AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU Graphics Nvidia RTX 3070 (125-140W) / 3080 (150-165W) 32GB of RAM Storage 1TB SSD Screen Size 15.6″ Max Refresh Rate 240Hz/165Hz | Check Price » |
Razer Blade 14 | CPU AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX Graphics NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (8GB) 90-100W 16GB of RAM Storage 1TB SSD Screen Size 14” Max Refresh Rate 165Hz | Check Price » |
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 | CPU AMD Ryzen 7 5800H Graphics NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (8GB) 16GB of RAM Storage 1TB SSD Screen Size 15” Max Refresh Rate 300Hz | Check Price » |
ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo S15 | CPU AMD Ryzen 9 5900H Graphics NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 GPU (8GB) 32GB of RAM Storage 1TB SSD Screen Size 15” Max Refresh Rate 300Hz | Check Price » |
Alienware M14 R4 | CPU 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10870H Graphics NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 8GB GDDR6 RAM 32GB Storage 1TB SSD Screen Size 15” Max Refresh Rate 300Hz | Check Price » |
ASUS Zephyrus S17
The Best 17-Inch Gaming Laptop for 4K or 1440p Resolution
What Are The Specs?
- CPU Intel Core i9 11900H
- Graphics Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 (100-140W)
- 32GB of RAM
- Storage 1TB SSD
- Screen Size 17.3”
- Max Refresh Rate 165Hz
If you’re the type of person who wants to get the best resolution possible, then you can’t go wrong with a gaming laptop equipped with a 17-inch display. Combined with the RTX 3080, we’re talking about maximum gaming immersion with 4K resolution gaming.
Speaking of 4K resolution gaming, the ASUS Zephyrus S17 is the best 17-inch laptop out there in the market. We’re talking about the highest FPS framerates possible even for the most graphically demanding games, made possible with the 11th Gen Intel Core i9-11900K CPU. The MUX Switch included in the 1440P Variant also boosts FPS performance, but you don’t get this with the 4K variant.
For hardcore gamers looking to achieve the highest FPS possible, the 165Hz cap on the 1440P/QHD version might be restrictive for them but you do get higher refresh rates from a 1080P resolution instead.
But still, the 165Hz refresh rate is still very sufficient for a lot of gamers out there. As for the 120Hz 4K variant, you’re not going to be able to find a laptop with a higher refresh rate than that as of this writing. If you need this refresh rate, you might want to consider high-end prebuilt gaming PCs paired with 144Hz monitors.
Regardless of what variant you’re getting, both resolution displays have a grey-t0-grey response time of 4.8ms as long as you enable Screen Overdrive. Ghosting is not going to be an issue with a response time this quick. The 1440P variant comes with the G-Sync, but is not available to the 4K variant.
For a laptop of this size, the ASUS Zephyrus weighs about 6.21lbs or 2.82kg (excluding the power brick), which is surprisingly light.
The laptop also comes with a 720p webcam and microphone, which is expected but unfortunately, nothing out of the ordinary worth mentioning about either of them.
As for battery life, you can use the ASUS Zephyrus for 5 hours of continuous use (non-strenuous and non-gaming). Its onboard software is great and gives you full control over the fan speeds.
All in all, the ASUS Zephyrus S17 is one of the best 17-inch gaming laptops out there. Sure, there are other future brands out there, but ASUS is a leading digital publisher in the market. You can’t deny what they have to bring to the table, and in this case, they brought their A-game for making one of the most powerful RTX 3080 laptops.
XMG Neo 15 E21 / Eluktronics MECH-15 G3
The Best 15-Inch RTX 3080 Laptop For 1440p or 1080p Gaming
What Are The Specs?
- CPU AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU
- Graphics Nvidia RTX 3070 (125-140W) / 3080 (150-165W)
- 32GB of RAM
- Storage 1TB SSD
- Screen Size 15.6″
- Max Refresh Rate 240Hz/165Hz
When we’re talking about powerful RTX 3080 laptops, the XMG Neo 15 (or Eluktronics MECH-15 G3 Ultra) is considered to be a beast of a gaming laptop donning a 15-inch display. It comes with a 150-165W Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080, giving you the highest in-game FPS performance in the market.
The XMG Neo 15 is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU, which is probably one of the most powerful processors in the market. Its Intel counterparts might give you a slight boost in performance, but you are trading battery life and multi-core performance for non-gaming tasks.
Either way, you really can’t go wrong with just the AMD Ryzen 5900HX CPU. You also have access to the MUX Switch, which can be toggled through the onboard software.
Unlike other future brands out there, the XMG Neo 15 has different upgrade options for different specs. You can upgrade up to 64GB of RAM and up to 2TB of M.2 SSDs. All variants of the XMG Neo 15 gaming laptop come with an optomechanical keyboard, high quality trackpad, and an SD reader right alongside a good number of ports and sockets.
Now let’s talk about the display here. You’ll get two resolution options, each with their own refresh rates. You can go for the 1440p 165Hz variant or the 1080p 240Hz variant.
Let’s talk about the 1440p variant first, which is the best option for people who love to game, watch movies, or create videos. The response time is absolutely solid, hovering at about 7ms grey-to-grey response time. It doesn’t really eliminate ghosting entirely, but at this point, you can barely notice them. This variant has a great contrast ratio, good color accuracy, and peak brightness. This is already impressive enough as it is compared to existing laptop GPUs from other brands.
But don’t scoff at the 1080p 240Hz variant though. This is the go-to laptop for people who want to get the most FPS out of their games.
As for the battery life, the AMD or Intel version both average at about 5 hours of non-gaming and non-strenuous use at half-brightness, but the latter does hover at 4.5 hours. The build of the laptop itself is respectable, but not as good as the other brands out there on this list or in the market.
The speaker quality of the XMG Neo 15 gaming laptop is about average. It’s loud but the bass is on the underwhelming side of things. If you’re creating videos for YouTube or doing other content related tasks that require high-end audio, there are better RTX 3080 laptops out there with superb audio performance.
Fan and temperature control can be toggled through the onboard software. This should allow you to improve your battery lifespan and preserve the laptop’s components.
Razer Blade 14
The One And Only 14-Inch RTX 3080 Laptop In The Market
What Are The Specs?
- CPU AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX
- Graphics NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (8GB) 90-100W
- 16GB of RAM
- Storage 1TB SSD
- Screen Size 14” Max Refresh Rate 165Hz
A brand that needs no introduction, Razer has done some amazing things with their laptop line, the Razer Blade.
Their latest iteration, the Razer Blade 14, is one of the most underpowered RTX 3080 laptop in the market as it only comes with a TGP (total graphics power) of 90-100W. But still, it doesn’t hide the fact that it is the most powerful 14-inch gaming laptop in the market.
To make this size work, the laptop has reduced voltage and only runs on 8GB VRAM. This was a necessity due to the small design of the machine. This thin laptop, however, does not back down from a fight as it can run the most demanding games on high settings.
Unlike the first two laptops listed above, the Razer Blade 14 does not come with a MUX Switch. As of this writing, there are no other 14-inch gaming laptops out there with this feature.
The Razer Blade 14 comes with the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU, which gives you the highest performance possible for both gaming and non-gaming tasks. For people who need maximum rendering power or who need the power of a workstation that could fit in their backpack, the Razer Blade 14 is a solid choice.
Let’s go over to its display. You’re getting a 1440p/QHD panel with a 165Hz refresh rate and comes with FreeSync. Its grey-to-grey response time is 9ms, which is slower than most of the RTX 3080 gaming laptops, but you hardly ever notice the ghosting in game. Then again, you are getting a 14-inch laptop, so what more can you ask for, right?
As for the build quality itself, Razer does not cut corners here because you’re getting the best value for what you’re paying. You’re getting a metal-bodied laptop, making it a slightly heavier machine, but the ergonomics and dimensions are excellent. You can carry it inside your backpack or even your messenger bag.
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15
A Powerhouse 15-Inch Gaming Laptop
What Are The Specs?
- CPU AMD Ryzen 7 5800H
- Graphics NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (8GB)
- 16GB of RAM
- Storage 1TB SSD
- Screen Size 15” Max Refresh Rate 300Hz
Another beast from ASUS is the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15, a powerhouse 15-inch laptop. This laptop comes with the AMD Ryzen 7 5800Hz and can play most of the latest games at ultra settings without trouble.
Much like the Razer Blade 14, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar is a sleek and lightweight laptop (weighing in at 5.07lbs) with a powerful display. You’re getting a 300Hz IPS Type FHD screen that makes it the best choice for web designers and interior designers as it gives you the best visual clarity possible on a laptop.
To make sure that you’re not being slowed down here, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar’s RAM sits at 16GB DDR4 RAM and cooled by an exceptional cooling system to ensure that the machine runs as smoothly as possible at all times.
This cooling system is called the Thermal Grizzly Liquid Metal Thermal Compound and is a proprietary blend of liquids, metals, and oils for maximum overclocking potential. So if you’re thinking about ray tracing Minecraft or any of the AAA games, then feel free to do so without worrying.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo SE 15
A 15-Inch Laptop With A Lot Of Power Underneath
What Are The Specs?
- CPU AMD Ryzen 9 5900H
- Graphics NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 GPU (8GB)
- 32GB of RAM
- Storage 1TB SSD
- Screen Size 15” Max Refresh Rate 300Hz
Here we have the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo SE 15, considered one of the best RTX 3080 laptops. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo SE 15 is powered by an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX Processor with 32GB DDR4 RAM and a 1TB SSD storage.
It can handle the latest games at high settings while delivering maximum performance for non-gaming related tasks and entertainment purposes.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo SE 15 also features per-key RGB keyboard, and comes equipped with a 300Hz FHD IPS type display. On top of that, it also has the ROG ScreenPad Plus, which converts your laptop into an extended desktop with secondary touchscreen display.
Alienware M15 R4
A Beast Of A 15-Inch Gaming Laptop
What Are The Specs?
- CPU 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10870H
- Graphics NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 8GB GDDR6
- RAM 32GB
- Storage 1TB SSD
- Screen Size 15” Max Refresh Rate 300Hz
Much like Razer, Alienware jumping into the foray of RTX 3080 laptops is not breaking news. They’re known for making the most robust gaming laptops out there, and the in depth reviews on their older models are all impressive.
Needless to say, Alienware is like one of those trusted partners or brands for anything related to gaming.
The Alienware m15 R4 is their entry into the RTX 3080 gaming laptop market, and it does not hold back its punches. This laptop is made for both competitive gamers and for designers who need maximum rendering power.
Unlike previous and older Alienware laptops, Alienware m15 R4 breaks away from being traditionally heavy and weighs in at about 4.5lbs, making it super portable and easy to bring around.
For its display, you’re getting a 15.6 inch FHD (1920 x 1080) display at 300Hz with a grey-to-grey response time of 3ms. This means you’re getting the brightest and clearest display possible with excellent color accuracy and reproduction.
Powering the Alienware m15 R4 is a 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10870H processor and backed by 32GB of DDR4 RAM for better overall performance. Its 1TB SSD storage allows you to access speeds up to 128GBPS, which is insanely fast.
The battery life of the Alienware m15 R4 is also very impressive. You’re getting an average for 4 to 5 hours when streaming in FHD or when playing games at max settings.
Is It Worth Getting an RTX 3080 Laptop?
An RTX 3080 gaming is a powerful yet compact machine. Imagine lugging around a capable workstation or gaming rig right inside your backpack. But if you’re torn between getting just a RTX 3080 for your gaming rig or not, here are some points for consideration:
- Are you constantly on the move?
- Do you feel the need to bring maximum computing power for whatever purpose wherever you go?
- Are you okay with not being able to upgrade certain parts on a whim?
If your answer is YES to all of the three questions, then it might be in your best interest to purchase an RTX 3080 laptop. You can even consider it an investment, given that the specs inside a typical RTX 3080 laptop are future-proof.
However, PC gaming is still your best move if you want to get the best overall performance for RTX 3080 GPUs. But remember, you can’t bring your gaming rig around with you at all times and that it’s extremely difficult to get an RTX 3080 on its own.