You can save $1,000 on a truly high-end gaming laptop that, for many, is way over the top for the average user in both hardware and price. But if you want the most powerful laptop gaming setup, or a portable desktop replacement, then this Lenovo Legion 9i gaming laptop from B&H Photo, priced at $5,799, is something you should check out. It's certainly not your average gaming laptop, as it comes with the top-tier halo components from Intel and Nvidia, and is absolutely massive at 18 inches.
Gaming laptops have always been more expensive than desktop gaming PCs with comparable components, even with the comparable components not being as powerful as their desktop counterparts due to the size, power, and heat limitations of stuffing hardware components into a smaller laptop chassis.
This model of the Lenovo Legion 9i contains the most powerful laptop graphics card available, Nvidia's RTX 5090 with 24GB of GDDR7 VRAM, and Intel's Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus 24-core processor, plus a massive 64GB of DDR5 RAM (2 x 32) with four RAM slots available, able to support up to 192GB of total RAM. For storage, there is a 2TB SSD, with Windows 11 Home edition pre-installed.
The luxurious 18-inch display features a detailed 3840 x 2400 resolution with a 3ms gray-to-gray response time. The display can reach up to 240Hz at native resolution and up to 440Hz when set to an FHD resolution. The display uses an IPS panel with 520 nits of brightness and a color gamut of 100% DCI-P3
Play your favorite PC games with high frame rates and smooth gameplay with an Intel Core Ultra 9 24-Core processor, RTX 5090 laptop graphics card, 64GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 2TB SSD.View Deal
The Lenovo Legion 9i also uses the latest Thunderbolt 5, WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and 2.5GbE Ethernet. The keyboard is fully RGB backlit with chiclet-style keys. This is a very powerful gaming laptop that you can also use for some serious creative work and go hard on some smaller local LLM models if you want to dabble with some AI workloads.
It is a very expensive laptop, made more costly by the price of RAM and NAND in the current economy. Still, it's also $1,000 cheaper than the usual price, so if this kind of laptop is something you're interested in, then head to B&H Photo and check out the RTX 5090-powered Legion 9i available for $5,799.
It's that time of year when you need to start thinking about prepping for starting a new semester or heading off to college. One of the handiest items to get a hold of is a competent laptop computer for doing lots of your coursework on. If that same laptop also happens to be able to play games, well, that's a big bonus. Shaving a massive $900 off the list price, HP's HyperX Omen 16 gaming laptop is now just $1,099.99. That's a superb price for a laptop that packs an RTX 5060 mobile GPU and a crisp 16-inch 2K display.
The HyperX Omen 16 packs some seriously good components for the price tag, as finding a capable RTX 5060 gaming laptop for near $1000 is a rarity in today's computer market. Inside the chassis of this model of the Omen 16 is an AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 laptop GPU with 8GB of dedicated GDDR7 VRAM, 16GB of RAM, and a small 512GB SSD. The display measures 16 inches diagonally and has a crisp 2K (1920 x 1200) resolution with a max refresh rate of 165Hz and a 3ms gray-to-gray response time. The IPS panel has a micro-edge display, anti-glare, low blue light emissions, a brightness of 400 nits, and 100% sRGB for the color gamut.
HP's HyperX Omen 16 features an AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 laptop GPU with 8GB of dedicated GDDR7 VRAM, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. It's a capable gaming laptop with a crisp 16-inch IPS display and a fast 165Hz refresh rate. View Deal
We haven't had the opportunity to review this particular model of the HyperX Omen 16, so we can't fully use our Omen 16 review as a fair comparison. Our review unit used the much more powerful RTX 5080 GPU and Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU. The components that are included in this model, though, are very familiar, so we do have a good idea how they will run, and the chassis, screen, and features of the Omen 16 will overlap.
The RTX 5060 will be able to run games smoothly on the 16-inch 1920 x 1200 display, and will be able to make use of Nvidia's DLSS software to increase framerates for a smoother experience on more taxing titles.
So if you're looking for a competent laptop for heading back to school, you can't go far wrong with this $1,099 deal on the HyperX Omen 16 for both work and play.
For that, you get Nvidia's punchy mobile RTX 5070 GPU, 32GB of RAM for gaming and multitasking, 1TB of storage, and a nifty 2560 x 1600 WQXGA display. Given the current prices of RAM and storage, getting a laptop of this spec at this price is pretty much unheard of these days. We actually covered the HX 350 version of this laptop at $1,389 earlier this month. This deal gets you a snappier HX 370 CPU for just $10 more.
Get the Gigabyte Aero X16 with RTX 5070, 32GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and AMD's Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, a 12-core CPU. View Deal
We've actually reviewed the aforementioned 350 version of this laptop, where we praised the Aero's excellent productivity performance, good battery life, and scope for upgradeability. However, it was let down by its display and performance given the price. At the $1,399 discount, however, it becomes a much more enticing prospect. As you can see, it sails past rivals in our battery test, scoring nearly an hour longer usage compared to its next-closest rival.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
As you can see from our gaming benchmarks, the Aero X16 can easily deliver over 100 fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1080p, or 64 fps at its native 2560 x 1600. It's not the most potent gaming laptop on the market by any means, but it's one of the best-value options given the sub-$1,400 price point on offer here.
Our productivity testing is based on AMD's Ryzen AI 7 350 processor. This 8-core CPU delivered decent Geekbench 6 scores, so expect the 12-core 370 in this model to offer better performance still and also give gaming a much-needed boost, with 24 threads and boost clocks of up to 5.1 GHz.
The other specs of this laptop, notably the 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD, are also impressive. 32GB of DDR5 is worth nearly $400 these days, and that'll get you all the multitasking and performance you need for work and play. While this isn't an OLED laptop, the 2560 x 1600 display offers a refresh rate of up to 165Hz.
As the 'Aero' moniker suggests, the X16 is also thin and light. It measures just 0.65 inches in thickness and weighs 4.18 lbs, making it a very portable option. You'll also be pleased to know that the laptop can be upgraded in the future, with two SODIMM memory slots and two M.2 drive slots offering you headroom to add RAM or storage later in life.
This laptop is not only fantastic for gaming, but the powerhouse Core Ultra 9 290HX is Intel's flagship laptop processor, with a massive 24 cores, including eight performance cores and 16 efficiency cores. That makes it great for all manner of productivity tasks, no matter what you're studying.
Get a 16-inch laptop with a 2K OLED display, Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX, 32GB of RAM, RTX 5070 Ti, and 1TB SSD. View Deal
The HP Omen Max 16 laptop is a model we've reviewed, and we like its general premium feel thanks to its aluminum enclosure, good audio, and decent webcam. The headline here is that Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX CPU. This flagship Arrow Lake Refresh CPU features boost clocks of up to 5.5 GHz. Below is a selection of laptops we've tested running this CPU, and as you can see, it delivers very impressive Geekbench 6 scores.
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That CPU is backed up by the punchy RTX 5070 Ti GPU. While it doesn't have the coveted 16GB of VRAM of the desktop variant, it does have 12GB, getting you more than the 8GB configurations you'll mind on the lower end of Nvidia's scale. This Blackwell GPU has 5,888 CUDA cores and should provide ample power at the laptop's native resolution of 2560 x 1600 at 240 Hz. That display is also really notable because it's an OLED panel, rather than IPS, offering much better contrast and response times for gaming and watching content.
Alongside the potent CPU and GPU combo, you get 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD. The former is crucial for multitasking and gaming, while the latter should be fine to get you started with a few Steam games and your studies.
As always with the Omen Max, you get two USB-A ports, two Thunderbolt 4 with USB-C, a 3.5mm headphone jack, an Ethernet port, and HDMI 2.1.
If you'd like to compromise a little, you could get a 5080 version of this laptop for a little more. Priced at $2,949 ($1,070 off), this model comes with a slightly less potent Core Ultra 9 275HX (still 24 cores), a 2TB SSD, and the aforementioned 5080. That gives you more storage and a better GPU for $150 more.
As you can imagine, the focus here is on the RTX 5080, a 16GB VRAM beast, which even in its mobile format will chew through any title at the 2,560 x 1,600 resolution the display offers. However, the rest of the specs are also noteworthy, including the 12-core AMD Ryzen 9 HX 375, 32GB of DDR5, and the 1TB SSD.
Get an HP Omen Max laptop with an RTX 5080 GPU, Ryzen 9 HX 375, a 1TB SSD, and 32GB of RAM, all packed into a 16-inch chassis with a 2560 x 1600 240Hz display. View Deal
We haven't reviewed this exact spec of laptop, but we have tested the more potent RTX 5090 version of this model. As you can read in our HP Omen Max 16 laptop review, it's a little on the heavy side (5.99 lbs), but that's a trade-off for the premium look and feel of the aluminum enclosure. We also liked the excellent audio and sharp webcam.
Our testing data from other laptops shows the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 chip easily bests Snapgradon's X Elite and Intel's Core 7 Ultra 258V in Geekbench 6 scores. With a 5.1 GHz max boost clock, 24MB L3 cache, and 12 cores, this is a solid processor.
As mentioned, the headline feature is the RTX 5080. With 16GB of VRAM and 7680 CUDA Cores, it will easily run any game at 1080p or the laptop's native resolution of 2,560 x 1,600. That display is a 16-inch WQXGA IPS panel (so no OLED, sadly), with a 3ms response time and 500 nits of brightness.
You also get the coveted 32GB of DDR5 5600 RAM, as well as a 1TB Gen 4 M.2 SSD, plenty of storage for your Steam library. Other features include Bluetooth 5.4 and Wi-FI 7, as well as battery fast charge, which gets you around 50% charge in just 30 minutes.
In terms of connectivity, the Omen Max features two USB-A ports, HDMI 2.1, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and two USB-C ports. There are also a further two M.2 SSD expansion slots, so you can open it up and increase your storage with a bit of DIY tinkering in future.
To put the value of this deal into perspective, HP is also currently selling an Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus version of this laptop. Although the processor is a little better, you only get a 5070 Ti with 12GB of VRAM, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD, for $1,999. So for the extra $199, you're getting double the storage, double the RAM, and a 5080 instead of the 5070 Ti, which is a sizeable GPU performance jump.
The Razer Blade 16 has long been leading contender among the best gaming laptops, thanks in part to its careful component selection and strong style. In this case, our review unit comes equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H processor and a flagship RTX 5090 GPU.
While the chassis remains the same as the Razer Blade 16 that we tested a little over a year ago, the 25W processor in our new review unit enabled some impressive runtimes that eclipse the competition. You’ll have to pay a considerable sum for the luxury, but the Blade 16 makes as strong a case as a compelling premium gaming laptop.
Design of the Razer Blade 16
We were impressed with the design of last year's Blade 16, and luckily, Razer hasn’t altered the formula for this year’s model. You get the same matte-black chassis that measures just 0.69 inches at its thickest point (0.59 inches towards the front). Build quality remains excellent in true Razer fashion.
The overall design is minimalist, with a minimal amount of RGBs and no obvious ventilation slats along the sides for heat management. Instead, the clean design would look at home sitting on your desk while you're gaming with an Xbox controller, or sitting on your desk in a cubicle at work. The only bit of flash that you’ll find is the RGB Razer logo on the lid.
You’ll find thin bezels around the glossy 16-inch OLED display, below which you’ll find the full-size keyboard and a large trackpad. There’s also a small status LED at the front right of the chassis (just below the Intel Core Ultra sticker on the deck). It pulses white when the laptop is in standby mode.
There’s a healthy assortment of ports on the laptop, including three legacy USB 3.3 Gen 2 Type-A ports. There’s also one Thunderbolt 4 port, one Thunderbolt 5, an SD card reader (UHS-II), a full-size HDMI 2.1 port, and a 3.5 mm combo audio jack. There’s also a proprietary power port.
The Blade 16 measures 13.98 x 9.86 x 0.69 inches and weighs 4.71 pounds. For comparison, the MSI Raider 16 HX also packs an RTX 5090, but measures 14.29 x 10.62 x 1.14 inches and weighs over a pound more (5.73 pounds). The Alienware 16 Area-51 is heavier still at 7.49 pounds, with dimensions of 14.37 x 11.41 x 1.12 inches.
Razer Blade 16 Specifications
CPU
Intel Core Ultra 9 386H
Graphics
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 (24GB GDDR7, 1,597 MHz Boost Clock, 175 W Max TGP)
Memory
32GB LPDDR5X-9600 (2x 16GB)
Storage
2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
Display
16-inch, 2560x1600, 240 Hz, 16:10
Networking
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0
Ports
1x Thunderbolt 5, 1x Thunderbolt 4, 3x USB 3.2 Type-A Gen 2, 1x HDMI 2.1, 3.5 mm headphone jack, SD reader (UHS-II)
Camera
1080p IR webcam
Battery
90 Whr
Power Adapter
280 W
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Dimensions (WxDxH)
13.98 x 9.86 x 0.69 inches
Weight
4.71 pounds
Price (as configured)
$4,899.99
Gaming and Graphics on the Razer Blade 16
Our Blade 16 review unit is equipped with a Core Ultra 9 386H processor, which has 16 total cores (4 performance, 8 efficient) and a maximum performance turbo frequency of 4.9 GHz for the performance cores. There’s also 32GB of LPDDR5x memory and a GeForce RTX 5090 GPU (1,597 MHz boost clock, 175W max TGP).
This combo generally performed well across our gaming benchmark suite, with a few exceptions. While playing Battlefield 6 at native resolution in Overkill detail mode, with DLSS Quality and Frame Generation enabled, I was comfortably getting between 110 and 120 FPS, even with a lot of action happening on the screen.
For this review, the competitive set consists of last year's Blade 16 (Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 at 28W, RTX 5090 at 160W TGP), MSI Raider 16 Max HX (Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus at 55W, RTX 5090 at 175W TGP), and the Alienware 16 Area-51 (Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus at 55W, RTX 5080 at 175W TGP).
As usual, we start our gaming benchmarks with the Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Highest setting) benchmark, where the Blade 16 delivered 182 FPS at 1080p. Performance at 1600p scaled down to 133 FPS. The 2025 edition of the Blade 16 was 16 FPS behind at 1080, but at the resolution that most would play at, 1600p, the older model was nearly 30 FPS faster (162 FPS versus 133 FPS).
Cyberpunk 2077 (Ray Tracing Ultra settings), the laptops were pretty evenly matched, with most running between 65 and 70 FPS at 1080p and at around 40 FPS at 1600p. For the Razer Blade 16 specifically, it achieved 65 FPS at 1080p and 42 FPS at 1600p.
Far Cry 6 (Ultra settings) saw the Blade 16 running in third place ahead of its predecessor (106 FPS at 1080p, 108 FPS at 1600p). The Alienware 16 Area-51 and Raider 16 Max HX were a few FPS ahead at each resolution, but it was still a relatively close fight among the top three.
Red Dead Redemption 2 (Medium settings) proved challenging for the Blade 16, as it lagged behind with 94 FPS at 1080p and just 71 FPS at 1600p. For comparison, last year's model eclipsed those numbers at 121 FPS and 94 FPS, respectively. The 25W CPU simply couldn’t keep up with the 28W Ryzen and 55W Intel HX chips
However, the Blade 16 was back to its fighting form in the Borderlands 3 (Badass settings) benchmark, easily slipping into second place behind the Raider 16 Max HX with 175 FPS at 1080p and 126 FPS at 1600p.
Metro Exodus is still our preferred benchmark for gaming laptop stress testing. Our review unit averaged 133.39 FPS at 1080p across 15 loops using the RTX benchmark preset. The CPU performance cores averaged 3.96 GHz, and the efficiency cores averaged 3.5 GHz. The RTX 5090 GPU also ran at 1.95 GHz.
One item of note is that the two system fans are incredibly loud while gaming, which may force you to use a pair of the best gaming headsets to block out the added noise.
Productivity Performance on the Razer Blade 16
The Razer Blade 16 uses a 16-core Intel Core Ultra 9 386H processor, 32GB of memory, and a 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD. With some of the competition sporting upwards of 8 additional cores, the Blade 16 didn’t really break through in the multi-threaded benchmarks.
The synthetic CPU benchmark Geekbench saw the Blade 16 lag slightly behind its predecessor in single-core (2,895 versus 2,922), but pull ahead in multi-core performance (16,971 versus 16,025). However, neither Blade system was a match for the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processors in the Alienware 16 Area-51 and Raider 16 Max HX; the latter of which pulled numbers of 3,231 and 20,656, respectively.
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In our 25GB file transfer test, the Blade 16 took second place by the slightest of margins, hitting 1,735.09 MBps. However, this result was still 1,000 MBps behind the first-place Alienware 16 Area-51.
The multi-threaded performance shortfall crept up again in our Handbrake test, where we transcode a 4K video file to 1080p. The Blade 16 pulled up the rear in this group, even falling behind the Blade 16 with the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370. It took 3 minutes and 17 seconds to complete the task compared to just 1 minute and 51 seconds for the Raider 16 Max HX.
Display on the Razer Blade 16
As Tom's Hardware's resident monitor editor, I’m absolutely smitten with OLED panels. Thankfully, the OLED display on the Blade 16 doesn’t disappoint: it’s a 16-inch panel with a 2560 x 1600 resolution and a native refresh rate of 240 Hz.
We found that color volume was 90 percent for DCI-P3 and 127 percent for sRGB. Brightness levels were also fairly impressive, earning second place behind the Raider 16 Max HX at 408.2 nits.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
Although the instrumented tests show some regression compared to last year’s Blade 16 in the sRGB and DCI-P3 color spaces, the display looks amazing in a vacuum. The gritty visuals while playing Battlefield 6 in Overkill mode were a delight to my eyes, with sunlight glinting through windows and concussive bomb blasts kicking up debris all around me.
Keyboard and Touchpad on the Razer Blade 16
The keyboard on the Blade 16 uses scissor switches with 1.5 mm of travel. The key presses are slightly clicky, and my fingers had no trouble getting used to typing on the keys.
I used my standard keyhero.com typing test and scored 89 words per minute with 97 percent accuracy, which is about par for the course for me.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
The touchpad is absolutely massive, measuring 5.9 inches wide and 3.8 inches tall. It’s one of the largest trackpads you’ll find outside of Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pros. What isn’t Apple-like is the insistence on using a mechanical linkage for trackpad actuation instead of the steadier, more consistent presses made possible by a haptic touchpad. For a laptop with a sticker price of nearly $5,000, I don’t think it’s too much to ask for some haptics here.
However, if you’re using this laptop primarily for gaming, you’ll likely be using one of the best gaming mice for your competitive sessions.
Audio on the Razer Blade 16
The six-speaker audio system on the Blade 16 is THX-optimized, and the audio quality is good, if not quite price-appropriate. While playing Battlefield 6, in-game dialog, explosions, gunfire, and vehicle noise generally sounded good, but the effects were competing with the turbine whine of the dual system fans. Cranking the volume to near-max levels helped drown out the fan noise, but at that point, I was experiencing a bit of aural overload, so I opted to put on a pair of headphones.
When the CPU and GPU weren’t heavily taxed, I was able to better enjoy the speakers, such as by playing Dave Matthews Band’s album Before These Crowded Streets for the 300th time. I cruised through the album with the volume set to a comfortable 50%, savoring the acoustic and bass guitars on “Dreaming Tree,” which always results in a relaxing frisson for me.
Similarly, I watched the Mel Gibson-helmed The Patriot to get into the mood for the Fourth of July, and reveled in the heavy dialogue, flintlock musket blasts, and cannon bursts.
You can make adjustments to the audio using the Razer Synapse software,
Upgradeability of the Razer Blade 16
Accessing the interior of the Blade 16 involves removing 10 Torx screws. Once all screws are removed, the bottom panel lifts off with minimal force. You’ll find the large 90 WHr battery at the bottom front of the chassis, and above are two M.2 slots that accept full-length 2280 SSDs.
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The right slot was populated with a 2TB Lexar NM790 PCIe 4.0 SSD, while the left slot was empty, allowing for future upgrades. Also accessible is the PCIe Wi-Fi 7 network adapter (Intel BE213).
Battery Life on the Razer Blade 16
One thing to keep in mind is that the Blade 16 maintained competitive gaming performance among its peers, while its multi-threaded performance took a back seat. However, those compromises were fully redeemed in terms of battery life.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
The Blade 16 uses a 90 WHr battery, which delivered shockingly long endurance (for a gaming laptop) in our battery test, consisting of web browsing, video streaming over Wi-Fi, and OpenGL testing with the screen brightness set at 150 nits. The system lasted a staggering 12:46, besting the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370-equipped Blade 16 by over 5 hours and the Alienware 16 Area-51 by over 9 hours. Even the Raider 16 Max HX was no match, falling short by over 4 hours.
That is a fantastic result for such a thin and light 16-inch gaming laptop, and it is a testament to the miserly energy consumption of the Panther Lake processor.
Heat on the Razer Blade 16
While running the Metro Exodus stress test, we measured the temperature of Blade 16's aluminum-alloy chassis in various spots. The keyboard measured 102 degrees Fahrenheit (F) between the G and H keys, while the touchpad was 92 F.
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The hottest part of the laptop was near the rear center of the bottom of the chassis, where we measured 130 F. So it’s best to keep the laptop firmly planted on your desk while gaming, lest you roast your legs.
During the Metro Exodus stress test, the CPU measured 75.3 degrees Celsius (C). Meanwhile, the RTX 5090 came in at 87 C.
Webcam on the Razer Blade 16
Razer continues to use a run-of-the-mill 1080p webcam with an IR sensor for Windows Hello support. It’s by no means a class-leading webcam, but it’s perfectly usable for Zoom or Teams meetings.
I found the colors to be mostly adequate, but there was a little lightness in the detail in my facial features.
Software and Warranty on the Razer Blade 16
One of my favorite things about Razer laptops is that they aren’t loaded down with too much added software. On our Blade 16 review unit, Razer Chroma and Synapse were preloaded.
Synapse is an all-in-one utility that lets you adjust performance profiles, keyboard macros, audio presets, and more. Chroma, on the other hand, gives you full control over system RGBs, including the per-key keyboard effects.
Otherwise, you’ll find requisite utilities, like the Nvidia app and the usual Windows app shortcuts (we’re looking at you, LinkedIn) on the Start menu.
The Blade 16 comes backed by a one-year warranty for the system itself and a two-year warranty for the 90 WHr battery.
Razer Blade 16 Configurations
Our Blade 16 review unit came configured with a Core Ultra 9 386H processor, 32GB of LPDDR5X memory, a 2TB SSD, RTX 5090 laptop GPU, and a 16-inch, 240 Hz. 1600p display. The price as-configured is a whopping $4,899.99.
There are cheaper configurations available — if you retain the Core Ultra 9 386H and opt for an RTX 5070 Ti, 1TB SSD, and 32GB of memory, the price drops to $3,499.99. Going with RTX 5080 bumps (all other hardware staying the same) takes the price to $3,999.99.
Bottom Line
Overall, the Razer Blade 16 was a strong performer in our gaming benchmarks, which is the primary reason why most people would be willing to spend nearly $5,000 for this system. More importantly, the Panther Lake-based system delivered nearly 13 hours of non-gaming battery life, outrunning its closest competitor by over 4 hours. Combine those results with the beautiful display, attractive chassis, and under-the-radar design, and you have a winning combination.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
However, there are some detractions; the lack of a haptic trackpad at this price point is annoying, and multi-threaded performance significantly lagged the competition. Also, the $4,900 asking price is high, although not completely out of line for a system with these specs. You can save roughly $900 by going with an RTX 5080 instead of the RTX 5090 that was in our system.
But if price isn’t an issue for you, it’s hard to argue with this compelling combination of gaming performance and battery life.
Asus’ ROG Strix Scar 18 (starting at $4,299.99) is an example of abundance in the world of gaming laptops, built around an 18-inch display and the latest flagship silicon: a Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus with Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5090 in our test unit. This machine makes a loud first impression, from its stellar (albeit tricky to configure) mini-LED display to the unique scrolling marquee lighting on its lid. But at this price - $4,999.99 as tested – the Scar 18 must prove it can hold the line against Razer’s Blade 18 before it can claim a spot at the top.
Design of the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2026)
At 15.71 x 11.73 x 1.38 inches, the Scar 18 has the footprint of a cafeteria tray – this isn’t a laptop you’ll be getting out on a plane. And at 8.16 pounds, this is also one of the heaviest laptops on the market. But performance is the goal here, not portability. Razer’s Blade 18 (15.74 x 10.84 x 1.1 inches) is thinner and significantly lighter, at 7.06 pounds.
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The vibrant Aura Sync lightbar around the base of the laptop also demands attention, as does the RGB-lit Republic of Gamers logo on the lid. Both are configurable with customizable lighting and patterns in the Armoury Crate app.
The lid also has a special feature called AniMe vision, a diagonally scrolling marquee of text via LEDs shining through holes in the lid backing. (This is extremely similar to the AniMe Matrix that debuted on the Zephyrus line years ago.) There are several preconfigured versions of the Republic of Gamers logo, and you can add your own text effects. Layered effects are possible and don’t always produce the desired effect — I had a “raining” effect enabled at the same time as my text, and the text was almost impossible to make out.
The bottom line is that the Scar 18 couldn’t do anything more to look like a gaming laptop – it is designed to be seen. Build-wise, it’s a solid machine, showing minimal flex no matter how I handled it. Only the lid is metal, with the rest of the construction thick plastic.
Connectivity is thoroughly modern: two Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) and three USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports, HDMI 2.1, an audio combo jack, and 2.5 Gbps Ethernet. Internally, it offers Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 from an Intel BE200 networking card. The power connector is proprietary for the 450 W power brick.
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Specifications
CPU
Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
Graphics
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 (24GB GDDR7, 1,597 MHz boost clock, 175 W maximum graphics power)
Memory
32GB DDR5-6400 (1x 32GB)
Storage
1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD (HFS001TEJ9X101N)
Display
18-inch, 3840 x 2400, 16:10, Mini-LED, G-Sync, 240 Hz, anti-glare
Networking
Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200, Bluetooth 5.4
Ports
2x Thunderbolt 5, 3x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, HDMI 2.1, 3.5 mm combo audio jack, 2.5 Gbps Ethernet
Camera
FHD IR
Battery
90 WHr
Power Adapter
450 W (proprietary connector)
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Dimensions (WxDxH)
15.71 x 11.73 x 1.38 inches (39.9 x 29.8 x 3.5 cm)
Weight
8.16 pounds (3.7 kg)
Price (as configured)
$4,999.99
Gaming and Graphics on the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2026)
We tested the ROG Strix Scar 18 in flagship form, featuring a Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processor, RTX 5090 graphics card (175 W maximum graphics power), and 32GB of RAM. This is top-of-the-line gaming technology, though with one misstep: single-channel RAM. This might affect its performance as we’re about to see. The Task Manager confirms that only one SO-DIMM slot was used.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
I put the Scar 18 through its paces playing 007: First Light at 3840 x 2400 with all detail settings maxed out. At first, this proved too demanding – I saw 26 to 32 frames per second (FPS) in most scenes. Enabling DLSS more than doubled the frame rate – I saw around 70 FPS or better, and the game was supremely playable.
Our comparison lineup includes Alienware’s 16 Area-51 (RTX 5080), MSI’s Raider 16 Max HX (RTX 5090), and Razer’s Blade 18 (RTX 5090). All laptops use a Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus and have GPUs rated for 175 W like our Asus. Their native screen resolutions, however, are different: Alienware and MSI are 2560 x 1600 while Razer has a unique dual-model display supporting both 1920 x 1200 and 3840 x 2400.
The Scar 18 was competitive across the board at 1200p, typically a few FPS ahead of the Alienware but a few FPS behind the MSI and particularly the Razer.
Bumping the resolution to 4K, the Scar 18 trailed the Razer in most games – the delta was at or almost 10% in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Far Cry 6, Cyberpunk 2077, and F1 23. (Red Dead Redemption 2 was the exception.) While those numbers won't make the difference between playability and unplayability, the price of these laptops makes it difficult to overlook.
Differences versus the Razer aside, the Scar 18 still demonstrates ample performance for gaming at 4K in most of the games we tested, though not all – it averaged only 21 FPS in Cyberpunk 2077 on ray tracing ultra, indicating that it won't be possible to play every game at maximum detail settings.
We stress test gaming laptops running 15 loops of the Metro Exodus stress test at RTX settings. During the test, the Scar 18 averaged 141 FPS with minimal variance between runs, starting at 141.5 FPS and finishing at 141.1 FPS. The Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus CPU averaged 4.59 GHz on its P-cores and 2.58 GHz on its E-cores while the RTX 5090 had an average boost clock of 1.98 GHz.
Productivity Performance on the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2026)
We tested the Scar 18 with a Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus CPU, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD. Not including a PCIe 5.0 drive seems like a missed opportunity at this price, though Razer does the same thing.
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In Geekbench 6, the single-core numbers between these laptops were almost indistinguishable as we might expect given they all use the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, though the Scar 18’s multi-core score of 17,629 points significantly trailed the others, which all scored over 20,000 points.
The Scar 18 landed middle of the road in our 25GB file transfer test, averaging 2,042.69 MBps, putting it ahead of the MSI (1,357.93 MBps) and Razer (1,670.53 MBps) but behind the Alienware (2,738.9 MBps).
The Scar 18 also proved competitive in our 4K-to-1080p Handbrake transcoding test, completing it in two minutes and 11 seconds to lead the Alienware (2:24) but trail the MSI (1:51) and Razer (2:01).
Display on the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2026)
The Scar 18’s “Nebula” HDR display is its crowning feature. With a 3840 x 2400 (4K) resolution, mini-LED backlighting with 2,000 dimming zones, a 240 Hz refresh rate, and Nvidia G-Sync, this is quite advanced.
Tweaking is required to get this display to perform as intended, and it’s not simple. Out of the box, HDR is disabled, the refresh rate is capped at 120 Hz, and G-Sync is unavailable since Nvidia Optimus, which dynamically switches between the CPU’s integrated graphics and the RTX 5090, is enabled. To unlock maximum performance, the GPU must be put in “Ultimate” mode in Armoury Crate, which is effectively a MUX toggle that disables the integrated graphics. A restart is required for this to take effect. G-Sync, the 240 Hz refresh rate, and a special feature called “Extreme Low Motion Blur” (ELMB) then become available. The latter is aimed at esports players– it manipulates the pixels so that they turn off when switching colors, theoretically eliminating blur. (More on this in a moment.)
Those aren’t the only settings you’ll need to know about. You can toggle the mini-LED backlighting control between one zone, multi-zone balanced, or multi-zone strong. These settings produce very different images – one-zone provides the deepest contrast, multi-zone balanced is the dimmest but evens out the contrast to make dark scenes appear brighter, and multi-zone strong is the brightest and most vibrant. I stuck with the latter for nearly everything.
ELMB only works in one-zone mode without HDR. I tested it using the Blur Blusters UFO Test. It clearly made a difference – in the 240 fps scrollbar, the UFO looked crisp moving across the screen. Disabling ELMB caused it to become blurry, making it harder to see details. This feature can really matter for competitive esports.
But wait, there are even more settings! Armoury Crate includes many color modes through a feature called GameVisual — racing, scenery, RTS/RPG, fps, cinema, eyecare, vivid, and e-reading. On top of that, it also provides color temperature and gamut settings.
Then there’s the question of HDR. To get that working, it must first be enabled in the Windows Settings app. Back in Armoury Crate, you’ll find GameVisual, color temperature and gamut settings, Extreme Low Motion Blur, and mini-LED backlighting settings are no longer available. That’s the trade-off.
Complicating all this is that the settings I just mentioned are in different places in Armoury Crate. Some are in the display section, while others require going into the Devices section, selecting the Scar 18, and making changes there. It’s not straightforward, and those that simply use this laptop out of the box without tweaking won’t get the best visual experience.
After much experimentation, I played 007: First Light in GPU Ultimate mode, G-Sync enabled, a 240 Hz refresh rate, and True Color HDR enabled through Windows. The picture left little to the imagination – colors seemed to pop off the screen and the 4K resolution provided exquisite detail right down to the patches on Bond’s uniform. HDR effects from muzzle flashes and explosions were dazzling in dark environments.
When I watched Zootopia 2, I switched off HDR and used SDR multi-zone strong. Colors looked exquisite, and brightness was borderline excessive in a darker room. Bright objects like lamps almost seemed overexposed, but they weren’t – the display was simply that bright, and colors were so saturated that I found it hard to look away.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
The Scar 18’s numbers are from its default out-of-the-box display settings. In color coverage, its 77.9% DCI-P3 coverage was last in the group – Alienware's OLED screen achieved 93.7% — but is still high enough to create vibrant-looking colors. Its 428.2-nit peak brightness was mid-pack, brighter than the Alienware's 368.6 nits but well back from Razer's 538 nits.
Also shown in our charts are the multi-zone strong settings, which produced 584.6 nits of brightness, with parts peaking at 625 nits. Enabling HDR, we measured an astounding 1,124 nits at 10%, 1,090 nits at 40%, and 943 nits at 100%. If you're looking for one of the brightest laptop displays around, the Scar 18 ranks high on the list.
Keyboard and Touchpad on the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2026)
The Scar 18’s keyboard is great for gaming – the keys require enough actuation force that resting your fingers on WASD or the arrow keys won’t produce accidental presses. Key travel is communicative in the sense your fingers know exactly when a key is at the top or bottom of the stroke. The bright RGB backlight is sharp and easy to see.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
The keyboard is less ideal for productivity. The tactile feel is rather lifeless, though I still managed 126 words per minute with 99% accuracy in my usual MonkeyType run. Layout-wise, a two-thirds-size number pad on an 18-inch laptop is a miss – there’s plenty of space to make it full-size. Additionally, the arrow key cluster isn’t separated out, resulting in no right Ctrl key, and there are no dedicated Home, End, Page Up, or Page Down keys. Asus does, however, provide five dedicated macro keys, a rarity on any laptop. These are configurable in the Armoury Crate app.
Asus’ mechanical touchpad is excellent, with an expansive surface and a smooth but fingerprint-resistant surface coating. Its clicking action is quiet.
Audio on the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2026)
The Scar 18’s quad-speaker array delivers a decent, if not remarkable, audio experience. In 007: First Light, soft details like the footsteps of approaching enemies were easy to pinpoint, thanks to the expansive soundstage – there’s plenty of room to separate the speaker placement on a laptop this large. Bass is muted, though, resulting in explosions and gunfire that don’t stir up as much excitement as they could.
In Phil Collins’ “Don’t Lose My Number,” high hats on drum hits were sharp but missed low-end bump. Switching to the Chainsmokers’ “Summertime Friends,” I also noted the lack of bass, though the vocals were crisp. The overall sound signature is on the hollow side, but that can be sharpened up using the Atmos Detailed equalizer in the Dolby Access app. None of the equalizers made up for the lack of bass, though. Volume levels are also moderate – I found myself pushing at least 80% volume for most situations.
Upgradeability of the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2026)
Getting inside the Scar 18 couldn’t be easier – simply slide the latch below the palm rest, slide the entire bottom panel forward, and lift it away. You don't even need tools.
Upgrade possibilities include two M.2 slots, two SODIMM slots, and the battery.
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Battery Life on the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2026)
Our battery test consists of web browsing, running OpenGL tests, and streaming videos with the screen at 150 nits while connected to Wi-Fi.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
One minute shy of the five-hour mark, the Scar 18 demonstrates respectable battery life for an 18-inch gaming laptop. The Razer lasted half an hour longer (5:31) and the MSI Raider (8:34) clearly does a better job conserving power, but the Scar 18 did outperform the Alienware (3:33) by several hours.
Heat on the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2026)
We measure the surface temperatures of gaming laptops while running the Metro Exodus stress test. Peak temperatures were 91 degrees Fahrenheit on the keyboard between the G and H keys, 90 F on the touchpad, and 108 F on the underside near the cooling vents. Internally, the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus averaged 66 Celsius while the RTX 5090 ran at 64 C.
The laptop’s fans are well-behaved for daily use. Though fan noise increases while gaming, I had no trouble hearing footsteps and distant conversations in 007: First Light using the built-in speakers.
Webcam on the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2026)
Asus’ FHD webcam has the minimum resolution expected on a modern laptop. The picture looks soft and washed out. Highlights aren’t handled that well – a window in the background appeared blown out – and I had trouble making out details on my face from just a few feet away. Gamers who value visual quality will want to invest in an external webcam.
Software and Warranty on the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2026)
Asus includes a useful software bundle, starting with the familiar Armoury Crate. This app provides component monitoring, a macro editor, game library, an exhaustive amount of display settings, and lighting settings via Aura Sync and AniMe Vision. Accessing some settings is unintuitive since you need to go to the Device section and select the laptop. There you can access Windows key and Touchpad toggles and several display settings, including panel overdrive (240 Hz refresh rate). Most settings can be saved in profiles.
The MyAsus app is more generic. In addition to diagnostics and system updates, it provides a battery care mode, microphone noise cancelation, and networking preferences that allow prioritizing traffic to games or other apps.†
The Scar 18 also works with Asus’ GlideX app to share content across devices, including phones and tablets.
Asus includes a standard one-year warranty.
Configurations
Asus offers two Scar 18 configurations with only the GPU different between them – model G835LWG-DB96 uses an RTX 5080 for $4,299.99 while our review model, G835LXG-DB96, steps up to the RTX 5090 for $4,999.99. All other components are the same: a Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processor, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and the 18-inch mini-LED display.
Pricing is slightly higher than Razer’s Blade 18 with the RTX 5080 – it was $4,099 at this writing. Razer runs $5,399 with the RTX 5090, but that price also includes a 2TB SSD.
Bottom Line
The Scar 18 is an undeniably impressive machine that goes all-in on visuals. Its mini-LED “Nebula” display looks breathtaking when properly configured, producing exceptional brightness. The AniMe scrolling marquee, dedicated macro keys, and easy serviceability also elevate its appeal.
However, when it comes to performance, the Scar 18’s single-channel RAM and lack of a PCIe 4.0 SSD are significant shortcomings on a $4,999.99 machine. Several of our gaming benchmarks and multi-core CPU performance showed meaningful dips against Razer’s Blade 18. Additionally, while its display is brilliant, the maze of settings required to unlock its potential means it doesn’t provide the best experience out of the box.
Overall, the Scar 18 is a formidable and visually stunning laptop with plenty of power and one of the best displays you’ll find in a laptop. It simply doesn’t perform consistently enough to displace the Blade 18 as our top recommendation among elite 18-inch gaming laptops.
The headline spec on this laptop is the RTX 5080 GPU. Even though it's only the mobile version, it still packs 16GB of VRAM and 7,680 CUDA cores, which should make light work of pretty much every title at the 2560 x 1600 resolution you'll be playing.
Get an HP Omen Max laptop with an RTX 5080 GPU, Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, a 1TB SSD, and 32GB of RAM, all packed into a 16-inch chassis with 2560 x 1600 240Hz display. View Deal
While we haven't reviewed this exact spec, the Omen Max 16 with RTX 5090 scored well in our HP Omen Max 16 laptop review. It is a little on the heavy side, but the aluminum enclosure gives it a premium look and feel. As you can see from our Geekbench testing, productivity performance beats out rivals with the same CPU in both single- and multi-core testing. That CPU is Intel's Core Ultra 9 275HX, a capable 24-core processor with 8 performance cores and boost clocks of up to 5.4GHz.
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The display here is IPS rather than OLED, but you'll still get up to 240Hz refresh rates and 500 nits of brightness.
Other noteworthy features include 32GB of RAM, which is becoming increasingly rare in this economy due to the impact of AI on PC components. The 1TB SSD is Gen 4, so it should be plenty quick enough for gaming and workloads. You also get speedy Ethernet and Wi-Fi 7, as well as two USB-A ports, HDMI 2.1, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
For your troubles, you'll also get a copy of the new LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, a nice addition to any Steam library. As mentioned, this 34% discount is part of HP's July 4th sale, so there's no guarantee as to how long this deal will last. If you're interested, act sooner rather than later.
With ongoing inflation in PC component prices, investing in a gaming laptop can be a wise choice to avoid the rising cost of building a desktop PC from scratch. Additionally, it is portable, allowing you to game, work, or study anywhere without sacrificing much on performance. A standout laptop deal we've spotted is the Gigabyte Aero X16, now available for its lowest-ever price of $1,099.99 at Best Buy. The laptop is originally priced at $1,399.99, so you save $300.
The Gigabyte Aero X16 features an AMD Ryzen AI 7 350, an 8-core, 16-thread processor that can boost up to 5 GHz, paired with 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB PCIe Gen 4.0 SSD for storage. One can upgrade the RAM up to 64GB, and there is a secondary M.2 slot to add more storage. For graphics, the laptop comes with an Nvidia RTX 5060 with 8GB of VRAM. The laptop sports a 16-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels, offering 100% sRGB color gamut coverage and up to 400 nits of brightness. It also supports refresh rates of up to 165 Hz and a 3 ms response time for a fast, responsive visual experience.
Featuring an AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 processor, Nvidia RTX 5060 graphics, 32GB DDR5 RAM, a 165 Hz 16-inch IPS panel, and dual storage expansion support, the Gigabyte Aero X16 stands out as a versatile gaming and productivity machine at its discounted price.View Deal
The laptop also comes with a single-zone RGB-backlit keyboard, a 1080p webcam with Windows Hello support, and built-in Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2. I/O options include two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A ports, a USB 4.0 Type-C port, a USB 2.0 Type-A port, a 3.5mm headphone and mic combo jack, and an Ethernet port. There’s also built-in Wi-Fi 6E along with Bluetooth 5.2. The battery has a capacity of 76 Wh, and the charging brick is rated at 150W.
Overall, the Gigabyte Aero X16 is a well-rounded gaming laptop that balances performance, modern features, and upgrade potential, making it a compelling choice at its current discounted price of $1,099.99.Do note that the deal is only valid until June 29, so you'd better hurry before stocks run out.
Given the spikes in RAM and storage prices, finding the best deals on systems can be somewhat challenging. Luckily, there are still deals to be found for those looking for a value-priced gaming laptop, and the best ones aren’t always from Amazon. Best Buy is currently running a promotion on the Gigabyte Aero X16, with the price dropping from its MSRP of $1,399.99 to $1,099.99.
So what exactly do you get for your just under $1,100 outlay? Well, the Aero X16 is powered by a Ryzen AI 7 350 processor, which is based on AMD’s Zen 5 architecture. It has four Zen 5 cores and four Zen 5c cores, with a max boost of 5 GHz (3.5 GHz for the Zen 5c cores). Although it’s common to see 16GB of DDR5 memory in budget laptops, the Aero X16 doubles that figure to 32GB. On the storage front, you’ll find a 1TB SSD. I should note that the laptop supports up to 64GB of memory and up to a 4TB SSD – that is, if you’re made of money when it comes to future upgrades.
The Gigabyte Aero 16X packs a Ryzen AI 7 350 CPU, 32GB of RAM, and an RTX 5060View Deal
Gaming is likely front and center on your mind, and the Aero X6 makes use of a GeForce RTX 5060 discrete GPU. This is towards the lower end of Nvidia’s mobile GeForce GPU lineup, but you can expect pretty good frame rates at 1080p or the laptop’s native resolution, which is 2560 x 1600. Speaking of the display, it’s a 16-inch IPS panel with a 165 Hz refresh rate, 3 ms response time, and 100% sRGB color space coverage. You can also expect 400 nits of brightness in typical situations.
As for physical ports, the laptop features three USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, a USB-C port (USB4), an HDMI 2.1 port, a GbE port, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. For wireless connectivity, there’s Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2. Finally, Aero X16 packs a 76 Whr battery into its 4.19-pound frame, which Gigabyte says can last for up to 12 hours per charge.
This Best Buy promotion is only available for a limited time, so the $1,099 price for the Aero X16 could disappear at any moment.
There are plenty of great deals out during Amazon's Prime Day 2026 sales event, with discounts on Intel, AMD, and Nvidia's latest mobile hardware. We're constantly combing through the best deals across multiple retailers, backing up our deal selections with in-depth reviews, benchmarks, and comprehensive historical pricing analysis. We're checking deals around the clock to find the best options and keep this page up to date, but please note that they often won't last long, so you'll need to act quickly.
There may also be some older laptops, which you should definitely avoid. For instance, anything older than one generation is better off avoided. If you have the cash, spring for a system with a GPU that has at least 8GB of VRAM, as well as 16GB of RAM and at least 512GB of storage.
The same specs as the model above, but with the RTX 5090 swapped out for an RTX 5080, saving you a bit of cash if you don't need the world's best laptop GPU in your rig.View Deal
A superb budget gaming laptop with enough power to breeze through the latest games. This large 16-inch laptop features an AMD Ryzen 7 260 processor, an Nvidia RTX 5060 GPU, a 165Hz display, 16 GB of RAM, and a 1 TB SSD —a sleek, well-rounded laptop built for performance and value. (model: 3VHK3US894SH)View Deal
In a Best Buy limited-time deal, you can pick up this Acer Nitro V 16 gaming laptop with RTX 5070 GPU for a sweet $50 off. Other specs include a 16-inch FHD+ screen with an Intel Core 7 240H CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD for storage. View Deal
This model of the Rog Strix G16 from Asus comes with a screen measuring 16 inches, with an FHD+ resolution, a 16:10 screen ratio, and refresh and response rates of 165Hz and 3ms, respectively. Hardware inside this gaming laptop includes Nvidia's GeForce RTX 5060 laptop GPU, an Intel Core i7 14650HX processor, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB Gen 4 SSD for storage. For online gaming, the laptop has Wi-Fi 7 built in. View Deal
Lenovo's Legion 5i gaming laptop contains an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX 24-core processor and Nvidia RTX 5070 GPU with 8GB of GDDR7 VRAM, 32GB of DDR5 memory, and a 1TB M.2 SSD for storage. View your games and media content on the gorgeous 15.1-inch OLED display with a fast 165Hz refresh rate. View Deal
The Asus V16 comes equipped with an RTX 5070 mobile GPU, Core 7 240H CPU, 16GB of user-upgradeable memory, and 1TB of NVMe storage. View Deal
This Acer Predator Helios AI deal features an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 laptop GPU with 24GB of fast GDDR7 VRAM, 32GB of RAM, and 2TB of SSD storage. It's a powerful gaming laptop with an imposing 16-inch OLED display and blazing-fast 240Hz refresh rate. View Deal
This super-powerful gaming laptop packs the world's most powerful gaming GPU. Inside the Legion Pro 7i is Nvidia's RTX 5090 GPU with 24GB of GDDR7 VRAM, a 24-core Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, a 1TB SSD, and WiFi 7. Games will look and play great on the 16-inch 2560 x 1600 pixel WQXGA OLED screen with blistering 240Hz refresh rate.View Deal
This Acer Nitro V 15 includes a 10-core Intel Core i7-13620H CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5050 GPU, 15.6-inch FHD IPS 165Hz display, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, a 512GB Gen 4 SSD, and Wi-Fi 6 support. There's room to expand here, too, with support to upgrade to 32GB of RAM and an even bigger SSD further down the line.View Deal
This 16-inch Aero X16 from Gigabyte packs an Nvidia RTX 5070 into its compact frame, along with an AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 processor, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. The screen resolution of this laptop is 2560 x 1600 pixels, with a 165Hz refresh rate. On sale, this laptop offers excellent performance for the price and can double as both a work and a gaming laptop.View Deal
Our first Acer Predator Helios Neo 18 AI deal features an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti laptop GPU with 12GB of fast GDDR7 VRAM, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD. It's a massive gaming laptop with an imposing 18-inch IPS display and blazing-fast 240Hz refresh rate. View Deal
This slightly beefier version uses the same screen, Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, and Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti GPU, but upgrades the DDR5 RAM to 32GB and doubles the storage capacity with a 2TB Gen 4 SSD. View Deal
Don’t miss out on this Tom’s Hardware Premium. Get a full year of access for just $29, or from $7 per-month. Get daily news analysis, deep dives into specialist topics in the semiconductor industry, as well as access to Bench, the largest benchmarking database around.View Deal
This Omen laptop variant keeps an almost identical component specs list, but swaps the Intel CPU for the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 CPU. This model still uses the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 GPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD. View Deal
This gaming laptop packs an Intel CPU (Core i7-14650HX), an Nvidia RTX 5070 GPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD for storage. Experience crisp visuals on the compact 15.6-inch screen, thanks to a tight QHD resolution and fast 165Hz refresh rate. View Deal
This Acer Nitro V 16 AI laptop includes an AMD Ryzen AI 5 240 processor with six cores, along with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5050 GPU, 16-inch WUXGA IPS 180Hz display, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, a 512GB Gen 4 SSD, and Wi-Fi 6E support. You can also upgrade to 32GB of RAM and a larger SSD.View Deal
This monster of a gaming laptop from Gigabyte features an RTX 5090 mobile GPU, along with a huge 24-core Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU. A 2TB SSD for storage is included, as is 32GB of DDR5 RAM. The 16-inch OLED display supports a 2,560 x 1,600 screen resolution and a refresh rate up to 240Hz.
This RTX 5060 laptop from Asus features a 14th Gen Intel Core processor, 32GB of RAM, and a roomy 1TB SSD. The 1920 x 1200 screen is plenty for the power behind this mobile GPU.View Deal
The RTX 4050 is Nvidia's last-gen entry-level GPU, but it's still powerful enough for gaming at 1080p in most games on medium graphics presets. The 15.6-inch screen on this HP Victus laptop supports a 144Hz refresh rate, while 16GB of RAM means you're only compromising on storage, with a 512GB SSD included, along with an AMD Ryzen 7 7445HS CPU.View Deal
This budget-friendly Lenovo LOQ laptop features a brand new Nvidia GeForce RTX 5050, capable of 1080p gaming with DLSS 4 unlocking multi-frame gen. It includes a 10-core Intel Core i5-13450HX CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD.View Deal
This MSI Vector 16 features an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti laptop GPU in a system that's $1,299, which is a great price for that level of graphics. You will get a last-gen AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX, along with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.View Deal
This Asus TUF Gaming A16 gaming laptop boasts an Nvidia RTX 5070, AMD Ryzen 9 270, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. View Deal
You can make massive savings on this RTX 5080 laptop, making it a no-brainer. You also get 32GB of DDR5, 1TB SSD, and Intel's Ultra 9 275HX processor. The display is also upgraded, with a 240Hz refresh rate and 2.5K resolution.View Deal
This 1080p-focused Alienware 16 Aurora model features an Nvidia RTX 5060 GPU, Intel Core 7 240H CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. A large 16-inch screen lets you play your favorite games at a smooth 120Hz for smooth motion gameplay. View Deal
This 15.6-inch MSI Thin 15 gaming laptop is a budget-friendly option, featuring an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, Intel Core i7-13620H CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD.View Deal
Get a deal on this Aurora 16-inch laptop with a 120Hz display. Under the hood, you get a Core 7 240H CPU, 32GB of RAM, and an Nvidia RTX 5060, plus a 1TB SSD. View Deal
This powerful version of the Asus ROG Strix G16 (model: G614FP-DS96) uses a 16-inch "Nebula" screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio, 2.5K resolution, and ultrafast 240Hz refresh rate. Powering this beast of a machine is an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 laptop GPU, AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX CPU, 32GB of DDR5 5600MHz memory, and a 1TB SSD.View Deal
The MSI Katana HX is a solid peforming gaming laptop, featuring an Intel Core i7 CPU and Nvidia RTX 5050 GPU, making for solid 1080p performance on a laptop, and you even get four-zone RGB lighting.View Deal
This 15.1-inch Lenovo gaming laptop features an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 mobile GPU, ready for high frame rates at 1080p, with DLSS 4 support for multi-frame gen. An eight-core AMD Ryzen 7 260 CPU, 16GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD finish off the specs.View Deal
With an AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS and Nvidia RTX 4050, this isn't the most powerful or modern system. But it's priced well. You also get a 512GB SSD and 12GB of RAM.View Deal
With a 15.6-inch 165Hz QHD display, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 graphics card, AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS processor, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD, this laptop packs a lot of power into its ultra-slim frame.View Deal
This 15-inch gaming laptop features an Intel Core i7-12650H, an Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD. It has a 15.6-inch 1080p display with a 144 Hz refresh rate.View Deal
This 15.6-inch gaming laptop is powered by an Intel Core i7-12500H processor, GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB PCIe 4.0 SSD. The 15.6-inch IPS display also boasts a 144Hz refresh rate.View Deal
SELLIN' FAST: These deals are still in stock, and the discounts are still live, 24 hours later! We're seeing a lot of interest, so jump on these while you can.
With memory prices at all-time highs, it can be challenging to find stellar deals on gaming systems. Luckily for all of us, Walmart has some deals on MSI gaming laptops, starting at $1,089 for the Cyborg 15. It may be the eve of Amazon Prime Day, but who’s to say that Walmart can’t get in on the deals action?
The Cyborg 15 is the definite value play wth its $1,089 asking price (a $510 discount). That price gets you an Intel Core 7-240H processor, 16GB of DDR5 memory, and a 1TB SSD. The Series 2 “Raptor Lake” processor has a maximum turbo frequency of 5.2 GHz and 10 cores in total: 6 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores. You’ll also find an 8GB GeForce RTX 5070 discrete GPU.
Front and center is a 15.6-inch 1080p IPS display with a maximum refresh rate of 144 Hz. Also on deck are a four-zone RGB keyboard, Wi-Fi 6E/Bluetooth 5.3, and a 55.2 WHr battery. Regarding ports, the Cyborg 15 has a healthy balance of USB-A and USB-C ports along with a GbE port (which is becoming rarer these days as manufacturers aim for thinness).
The MSI Cyborg is a value-focused machine with a Core 7-240H processor and an RTX 5070 GPU.View Deal
The MSI Vector 16 is a potent gaming machine featuring a Core Ultra 9 275HX processor and an RTX 5080 GPU.View Deal
If you need a bit more spring in your gaming step, look no further than the MSI Vector 16, priced at $1,899, or a discount of $800. This system delivers a healthy performance boost over the Cyborg 15, which uses a Core Ultra 9 275HX processor. This “Arrow Lake” chip has 24 cores in total (8 performance, 16 efficiency), a maximum turbo frequency of 5.4 GHz, and 40MB of total L2 cache.
You still get 16GB of DDR5 memory and a 1TB SSD, but you also get a big performance boost with a 16GB GeForce RTX 5080 GPU. Not only do you get a higher-resolution, larger 16-inch panel (2560 x 1600) with a 240 Hz refresh rate, but you also get a much larger 80 Wh battery to power the system. As for the keyboard, you get another upgrade courtesy of a 24-zone RGB setup.
Both of these MSI laptops are compelling options for gamers, no matter your budget. Especially with the Vector 16, which offers a lot of bang for the buck at $1,799. After all, that value proposition is made even more abundantly clear, as who would have thought we’d live in the age of $1,800 handheld gaming PCs?
Acer has two new gaming laptops for Computex, including its first laptop with the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D CPU, and a device that sports triple PCIe 5.0 storage.
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