The Future of Gaming Laptops with NVIDIA RTX 50 Series

Introduction

The upcoming NVIDIA RTX 50 series gaming laptops may not be as exciting as expected. While there are still two months until their release, desktop RTX 50 series reviews already provide insight into what we can anticipate for laptop performance.

Desktop RTX 5090 Performance Insights

According to Hardware Unboxed, the RTX 5090 desktop GPU is:

• 12% faster than the RTX 4090 at 1440p (without ray tracing)
• 17% faster at 1440p with ray tracing enabled
• 27% faster at 4K (without ray tracing)

However, the desktop RTX 5090 has 33% more CUDA cores, 28% more power usage, and 33% more VRAM capacity compared to the RTX 4090. The performance improvements closely follow the increase in CUDA cores and GPU power, meaning the scaling is linear.

RTX 5090 for Laptops – The Limitations

The laptop RTX 5090 only has 8% more CUDA cores than the laptop RTX 4090 and retains the same maximum GPU power limit of 150W (175W with Dynamic Boost). Since gaming laptops are constrained by cooling capabilities, the lack of a power increase is a major limiting factor.

Additionally, the laptop 5090 benefits from faster GDDR7 memory and a 50% increase in VRAM capacity, which may help in extreme scenarios. However, overall performance gains are expected to be only around 10% compared to the laptop RTX 4090.

Pricing Concerns

• NVIDIA states RTX 5090 gaming laptops will start at $2899 USD.
• High-end models at Best Buy show significantly higher prices:
  • ASUS Scar 18: $4200
  • Zephyrus G16: $4000
• Comparatively, an RTX 4090 Scar 18 is $3684 on sale, making the RTX 5090 version 14% more expensive.
• A Zephyrus G16 with RTX 4090 is $3300, making the RTX 5090 model 21% more expensive.

Spending 14-21% more money for roughly 10% FPS improvement doesn’t seem like a great value proposition.

RTX 5080 – Even Less of an Upgrade

For the desktop RTX 5080:

• 6.5% faster than the RTX 4080 at 1440p.
• 14% faster at 4K without ray tracing.

The desktop 5080 has 10.5% more CUDA cores and uses 12.5% more power, but actual power consumption in games was similar to the 4080.

For the laptop RTX 5080:

• 3.5% more CUDA cores than the laptop 4080.
• Same 150W (175W with Dynamic Boost) power limit.
• 33% more VRAM capacity (16GB vs. 12GB).
• Faster GDDR7 memory.

While extra VRAM could be helpful at higher resolutions, the raw FPS gains are expected to be minimal.

Pricing

• NVIDIA claims RTX 5080 gaming laptops will start at $2199 USD.
• Best Buy listings show:
  • ASUS Strix G18 with RTX 5080: $2900
  • RTX 4080 version: $700 less (32% cheaper)

Paying 32% more for an estimated 5-10% FPS boost does not seem worthwhile. Even an RTX 4090 laptop might be a better deal.

RTX 5070 – No Performance Boost?

The RTX 5070 laptop GPU:

• Has the same CUDA core count as the RTX 4070.
• Has the same 8GB VRAM capacity, but uses faster GDDR7 memory.
• Lower maximum GPU power limit than the 4070.

Since the RTX 4070 already runs at 100W in most games, the real-world performance difference may be negligible.

Pricing

• NVIDIA states RTX 5070 laptops will start at $1299 USD.
• Best Buy only lists a Zephyrus G16 for $2000, which is the same price as the last-gen model (though it has gone on sale for as low as $1400).

Given its similar specs and possible power limitations, the RTX 5070 laptop might not be much better than the RTX 4070 in gaming performance.

Battery Life – A Silver Lining?

NVIDIA claims up to 40% battery life improvements with the RTX 50 series. While gaming on battery power is generally discouraged, this could be useful for those who prioritize longer runtime.

Should You Wait or Buy an RTX 40 Series Laptop Now?

• If you don’t care about gaming on battery and don’t need extra VRAM, a last-gen RTX 40 series gaming laptop might save you money.
• When the RTX 40 series first launched, good sales took 6+ months to appear. If RTX 50 laptops launch in March, good deals may not show up until September (back-to-school sales).

Conclusion

Early desktop GPU benchmarks indicate that RTX 50 series offers minor generational improvements. Even ray tracing gains are modest.

For laptops, performance gains appear even smaller due to:

• Limited CUDA core increases.
• No power limit increases.
• Higher prices compared to RTX 40 series models.

With RTX 40 series gaming laptops already over two years old, many were hoping for a more significant upgrade. While we’ll know more when the RTX 50 series laptops officially launch, early signs suggest they may not be worth the premium price.

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