Gaming laptops nowadays are as powerful as desktop PCs. Some RTX 4090-powered gaming laptops perform similarly to a high-end gaming PC while consuming much less power. However, most of the best gaming laptops with an RTX 4090 laptop GPU are quite expensive. So, today, let’s check out some of the best RTX 4080 gaming laptops currently available. Unlike the 4090-powered laptops, these 4080-powered laptops are more affordable. They are still quite expensive machines; but cheaper than the 4090 laptops. These RTX 4080 laptops are also excellent desktop replacement laptops. If you’re looking for one, check out our recommendations below.
The Best Gaming Laptops with RTX 4080 That Are Great Desktop Replacements
Below is a summary of the best RTX 4080 gaming laptops in this list.
| Laptop | ASUS ROG Strix Scar 16 (2023) | ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 (2023) | MSI Titan GT77HX 13VH | MSI Raider GE78HX 13VH | Lenovo Legion Pro 7i |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i9-13980HX (8P + 16E cores) | AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX (16 cores) | Intel Core i9-13980HX (8P + 16E cores) | Intel Core i9-13980HX (8P + 16E cores) | Intel Core i9-13900HX (8P + 16E cores) |
| GPU | RTX 4080 12GB GDDR6 laptop GPU, 175W | RTX 4080 12GB GDDR6 laptop GPU, 175W | RTX 4080 12GB GDDR6 laptop GPU, 175W | RTX 4080 12GB GDDR6 laptop GPU, 175W | RTX 4080 12GB GDDR6 laptop GPU, 175W |
| Display | 16" Mini LED 2560x1600, 240Hz ROG Nebula DHR | 17.3" IPS 2560x1440, 240Hz | 17.3" IPS Mini LED 3840x2160, 144Hz, HDR 1000 | 17" IPS 2560x1600, 240Hz | 16" IPS 2560x1600, 240Hz |
| Memory | 32GB DDR5 (64GB max.) | 32GB DDR5 (64GB max.) | 64GB DDR5 (128GB max.) | 64GB DDR5 | up to 32GB DDR5 |
| SSD | up to 2TB-4TB Gen4 M.2 | up to 2TB Gen4 M.2 | 2TB M.2 (3x M.2 slots avail.) | 2TB Gen4 M.2 | up to 2TB Gen4 M.2 SSD |
| USB | USB 3.2 Gen 2, Thunderbolt 4 | USB 3.2 Gen 1, USB 3.2 Gen 2 | USB 3.2 Gen 2, Thunderbolt 4 | USB 3.2 Gen 2, Thunderbolt 4 | USB 3.2 Gen1, Thunderbolt 4 |
| Network | 2.5G LAN, WiFi 6E, BT 5.3 | 2.5G LAN, WiFi 6E, BT 5.3 | 2.5G LAN, WiFi 6E, BT 5.3 | 2.5G LAN, WiFi 6E, BT 5.3 | 2.5G LAN, WiFi 6E, BT 5.1 |
| Webcam | 720p | 720p | 720p | 1080p | 1080p |
| Size | 354 x 264 x 22.6~30.4 mm | 395 x 282 x 23.4 ~ 28.3 mm | 397 x 330 x 23 mm | 380 x 298 x 23 mm | 363.4 x 262.15 x 21.95 -25.9mm |
| Weight (approx.) | 2.60 kg | 3.00 kg | 3.3 kg | 3.1 kg | 2.8kg |
| Battery | 90 WHrs | 90 WHrs | 99 Whr | 99 Whr | Up to 99.99Whr |
Note: The specifications or configurations listed above may change. They were correct at the time the data was collected. Kindly double-check the laptop’s specs that you plan to get.
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 16 (2023) Gaming Laptop
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 is one of the most popular gaming laptops released this year. Thanks to the Core i9-13980HX CPU and RTX 4080 laptop GPU, the ROG Strix Scar 16 is among the best RTX 4080-power gaming laptops available. Its CPU, GPU, and excellent 16″ ROG Nebula HDR display with a QHD resolution and 240Hz refresh rate make it an excellent desktop replacement laptop.
The display on this machine is one of its key features. It is HDR1000 certified, offers 100% of DCI-P3, 3ms of response time, support Dolby Vision, NVIDIA G-Sync, and has Pantone color validation. When it comes to storage and memory, it can accommodate up to 4TB of storage capacity and up to 64GB of DDR5 memory.
Since the ROG Strix Scar 16 has a smaller body, there are a few things that you need to consider. Due to its smaller body, it may run slower than larger laptops with the same CPU. Since it can only accommodate a smaller heatsink, it may run slightly hotter, thus resulting in somewhat slower performance due to thermal limitations. There’s also no physical Numpad, although you can use the trackpad as a (digital) Numpad.
Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 RTX 4080 gaming laptop is available on Amazon here.
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 (2023) Gaming Laptop
So far, all the laptops I mentioned are powered by an Intel CPU. For those looking for an AMD-powered gaming laptop, you may find the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 with AMD’s flagship mobile CPU – Ryzen 9 7945HX to your liking. The Ryzen 9 7945HX features 16 cores and 32 threads and is reportedly slightly faster than Intel’s CPU in gaming.
The Strix Scar 17 with an RTX 4080 laptop GPU features a 17.3″ IPS display with a resolution of 2560×1440. It offers 100% of DCI-P3, 3ms response time, and 240Hz refresh rate. However, its display is not a ROG Nebula Display. So, its display is not as good as the ROG Strix Scar 16.
It also has several connectivity options like HDMI 2.1, USB 3.2 Gen 1/2, DisplayPort via Type-C, 2.5G LAN, and an audio combo jack. However, this laptop doesn’t have Thunderbolt connectivity since it is an AMD-powered machine.
Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 RTX 4080 gaming laptop is available on Amazon here.
MSI Titan GT77HX Gaming Laptop
The MSI Titan GT77HX is the company’s flagship gaming laptop and is available with an RTX 4080 laptop GPU (175W) and Core i9-13980HX CPU. Among the gaming laptops in this list, this is the most over-the-top specced laptop with all the bells and whistles. Aside from the powerful CPU and GPU, it features a 17.3″ 4K UHD mini LED display with a refresh rate of 144Hz and supports HDR1000. It also has a maximum memory capacity of up to 128GB DDR5, making it great for content creation and productivity. Although, you may need to buy and upgrade its memory to reach 128GB.
It has three M.2 slots; two support Gen4 and the other one support PCIe 5 Gen5 M.2 SSD. MSI also uses a Cherry MX mechanical keyboard, which feels excellent to type on. The RGB lighting on this machine isn’t “screaming” compared to other gaming laptops. There’s also a fingerprint sensor for unlocking; it has several connectivity options, including an SD card reader and many more.
However, despite being one of the best RTX 4080 gaming laptops on this list, the GT77HX also has some cons. The GT77HX is the heaviest laptop on this list, at 3.3 kg. It’s also the most expensive, especially the max-out config.
MSI Titan GT77HX RTX 4080 gaming laptop is available on Amazon here.
MSI Raider GE78 HX Gaming Laptop
If you are disappointed that MSI’s flagship doesn’t have much RGB flare, except on its keyboard, then the Raider GE78HX may satisfy your RGB needs. But most importantly, its performance can be on par with a desktop PC. The Raider GE78 is not MSI’s flagship gaming laptop. So, it doesn’t have the bells and whistles, like the Cherry MX keyboard, fingerprint sensor, etc., found on the GT77HX. Nevertheless, it’s also powered by Intel’s Core i9-13980HX and NVIDIA RTX 4080 laptop GPU (175W).
The good thing about having fewer features is that the Raider GE78 HX is a more affordable RTX 4080 gaming laptop than the Titan GT77 HX. Performance-wise, it performs similarly to other gaming laptops in this list that are powered with the same CPU and GPU config. It also has the same level of advanced BIOS options found on the GT77HX.
Basically, the Raider GE78 is a trimmed-down and cheaper version of the Titan GT77 HX, with a 17.3″ 2560×1600 240Hz IPS display. It is also a large and heavy laptop, making it literally a suitable desktop replacement since you’ll probably use it on a desktop most of the time.
MSI Raider GE78 HX RTX 4080 gaming laptop is available on Amazon here.
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gaming Laptop
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is the cheapest RTX 4080 gaming laptop on this list. It is powered by an Intel Core i9-13900HX CPU paired with a 175W RTX 4080 laptop GPU. Its CPU also has a total of 24 cores, but it is slightly slower than the Core i9-13980HX due to the slightly slower clock speed. Nevertheless, it is still an excellent desktop replacement laptop thanks to the combination of the CPU and GPU.
Lenovo has a trick under its sleeve. It uses an AI Engine+, a hardware, software, firmware, and driver support system that intelligently identifies when a game launches and optimizes the system’s performance to provide the highest FPS. The Legion Pro 7i is equipped with Lenovo’s LA2-Q AI chip that powers a software-based machine learning tool that monitors in-game frame rates and adjusts the system fans and power distribution to target the highest possible performance.
Aside from the “AI” feature, it features a 16″ IPS display with a resolution of 2560×1600 and a refresh rate of 240Hz. And you can also tilt its display flat like most of Lenovo’s laptops. It also has several connectivity options, and most ports are on its back.
Lenovo Legion PRo 7i RTX 4080 gaming laptop is available on Amazon here.
Regarding NVIDIA’s RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
An RTX 4080 Laptop GPU is NOT Equal to RTX 4080 Desktop GPU
The RTX 4080 laptop GPU is based on an AD104 die with 7424 CUDA cores and 12GB of GDDR6 memory running on a 192-bit interface. It has a boost clock speed of up to 1665MHz and a TDP of 110W.
Meanwhile, the RTX 4080 desktop GPU is based on an AD104 die with 9728 CUDA cores and 24GB GDDR6X VRAM running on a 256-bit interface. It also has a TDP of 320W. Based on their specs alone, there’s a huge difference. It’s like the RTX 4080 laptop GPU is an entirely different GPU.
How Fast Is The RTX 4080 Laptop GPU?
When it comes to performance, the RTX 4080 laptop GPU performs somewhat similarly to an RTX 4070 desktop GPU or RTX 3080. Based on our review of the RTX 4070 graphics card, we concluded that it is an excellent GPU for 1080p and 1440p gaming.
That’s why RTX 4080-powered gaming laptops are still great desktop replacement machines. Despite being slower than their desktop counterpart, these RTX 40 series laptop GPUs also feature DLSS 3 Frame Generation and newer NVENC with AV1 support.
