8 Best RTX 3080 Laptops in 2024 Reviews, Buyer’s Guide and FAQs

You will be spending a lot of money to buy an RTX 3080 laptop. Won’t it be utterly disappointing if you end up with the wrong laptop you won’t like using. To free you from all the worries of finding an ideal laptop, I have compiled a roundup of the 8 best gaming RTX 3080 laptops. 

For your ease and convenience, I have categorized each laptop based on its strengths. From video editing to gaming, there is a laptop for everyone. 

Choosing the right laptop has become very difficult, so I have included a comprehensive buyer’s guide to help you make a more informed decision.

At the end of this article, you will be able to get the ideal laptop for your needs. Sounds exciting, right? So, let’s dive straight into the article and see which amazing laptops I have in store for you. 

Reviews of the Best RTX 3080 laptops

I don’t want to keep you waiting – the following is a quick look at some of the amazing gaming RTX 3080 laptops you will be seeing today. 

How Much FPS will an Nvidia RTX 3080 Laptop provide when gaming? 

The Nvidia RTX 3080 is a powerful graphics card used mostly in high-end laptops. This means that you get the best of the best hardware and a graphics card capable of pushing any game to the limit.

Frame Rate varies a lot depending on different combinations. However, it is safe to assume that any laptop with Nvidia RTX 3080 will be able to play games at 1440p resolution at 70 FPS or more.

If high refresh rate gaming is something you fancy, you can do that on an RTX 3080 laptop as well. An RTX 3080 graphics card is capable of playing Esports at over 120 FPS, hence allowing you to take advantage of high refresh rate screens.

Gaming benchmarks solidify these FPS figures. For demonstration purposes, I will be comparing the best and the least powerful RTX 3080 laptops – Dell Alienware M15 R7 and the Asus ROG Zephyrus G15, respectively. By taking the average of the results from these two laptops, we will get a better idea of the FPS you can expect from an Nvidia RTX 3080 laptop. 

RTX 3080 laptop benchmark on 1080p resolution

• 73 FPS in Red Dead Redemption, 110 FPS in Witcher 3 Wild Hunt, 136 FPS in GTA 5, 190 FPS in Fortnite, 255 FPS in Rainbow Six Siege, and 310 FPS in Valorant.

RTX 3080 laptop benchmark on 1440p resolution 

• 61 FPS in Red Dead Redemption, 90 FPS in Witcher 3 Wild Hunt, 112 FPS in GTA 5, 150 FPS in Fortnite, 190 FPS in Rainbow Six Siege, and 245 FPS in Valorant.

The benchmarks show very convincing numbers and will remove any doubt that you may have about the performance of the RTX 3080.

Performance and User Experience

The one thing any gamer won’t compromise upon is performance and framerate. Having a higher frame rate means more fluid and smooth gaming, leading to a more enjoyable experience. I am pleased to report that the Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 doesn’t miss a beat in this regard. 

This laptop provides some of the best gaming performance you are going to get out of a laptop in this league and price point. Of course, this meant testing the laptop with all sorts of games. In testing, this laptop provided the following average FPS. 

• 73 FPS in Red Dead Redemption
• 110 FPS in Witcher 3 Wild Hunt, 
• 136 FPS in GTA 5, 
• 190 FPS in Fortnite
• 255 FPS in Rainbow Six Siege 
• 310 FPS in Valorant

Specifications 

If specifications are anything to go by, then you should pull the plug on the Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 right away and add it to your cart because it offers some of the best specs of any laptop on this list. 

Fueled by the latest Ryzen 9 processor generation processor, the specs of this laptop are as follows:

• Ryzen 9 5900HX
• Nvidia RTX 3080
• 32GB RAM DDR4 RAM
• 2TB NVMe SSD
• 15.6” IPS Full HD 300 Hz screen

I can’t find a single aspect of this laptop lacking. Needless to say, it won’t disappoint you in handling any of the games or heavy workloads you throw at it. 

Design and Connectivity

The Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 is a flashy and attention-grabbing design, so if you are looking for anything subtle, this isn’t for you. On the other end of the spectrum, this is the best laptop for you if you want to turn heads. The exuberant RGB lighting on display here is simply breathtakingly beautiful. 

Impressed? Want to use this as your daily laptop, then you would be delighted to know that it comes with fantastic connectivity out of the box. This laptop has all the ports you will need while also giving you the option of a thunderbolt for adding more ports to the laptop. 

Battery Life

Battery life is a big concern in gaming laptops, especially laptops as powerful as the Asus ROG Strix Scar 15. However, to my surprise, this laptop can churn out a display time of 6-7 hours on battery power, which is quite similar to the mere 3-4 hours you get on other competing laptops. 

 

Performance and User Experience

The Razer Blade 14 is not shy to show its gaming roots when needed. Although this laptop may look like an ordinary laptop when you fire up a game, this beast comes to life. The Ryzen processor inside this laptop starts roaring, and you get amazing performance. 

During my use, I was able to run all my favorite games without a hitch. The FPS numbers were also quite impressive for such a small and thin gaming laptop. 

• 73 FPS in Red Dead Redemption
• 110 FPS in Witcher 3 Wild Hunt
• 136 FPS in GTA 5
• 190 FPS in Fortnite
• 255 FPS in Rainbow Six Siege
• 310 FPS in Valorant.

Specifications 

Razer has not held back in giving this laptop amazing specs. As a result, this laptop comes with the latest hardware currently available in the market, which is as follows. 

• Ryzen 9 5900HX
• Nvidia RTX 3080
• 16GB RAM DDR4 RAM
• 1TB NVMe SSD
• 14” QHD 165 Hz screen

The 165Hz refresh rate may seem low, but you have to consider that this laptop is providing you a QHD panel, which is sharper and has better picture quality than a Full HD panel. Therefore, not only do you get smooth gaming on this laptop, but all your games look and feel great. 

Besides that, it is the usual affair with the top-of-the-line Ryzen 9 5900HX processor and the Nvidia RTX 3080 graphics card. The combo provides amazing performance resulting in seamless gaming.  

Design and Connectivity

The Razer Blade 14 has a subtle and minimalist design. It is not much different from the Ultrabook laptops people usually carry around for work or school purposes. 

That being said, the big Razer logo on the center of the laptop is instantly recognizable to anyone familiar with the gaming scene since Razer is quite a big brand that hardly goes unnoticed. 

Despite the small size, the connectivity of this laptop is on point. Unfortunately, it doesn’t get a thunderbolt port due to the particular technology not being available for AMD-powered notebooks. However, it has all the usual ports you would like: dual USB-A and USB-C ports, HDMI 2.1, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack. 

Battery Life

Razer has outdone itself in the battery life department. I was not expecting such a thin and light device to last 6 hours – but it did. Albeit that was when using the laptop casually for browsing and watching YouTube or Netflix. 

Performance and User Experience

There is no doubting the Dell Alienware M15 R7 regarding performance. This laptop can easily play any game you want at max graphic settings. As a result, the gaming experience of this laptop is exceptional, and you won’t feel the need to upgrade it anytime soon. 

I couldn’t get enough of this laptop, and each game I played on it ran great with the following average framerate. 

• 78 FPS in Red Dead Redemption
• 124 FPS in Witcher 3 Wild Hunt
• 140 FPS in GTA 5
• 203 FPS in Fortnite
• 260 FPS in Rainbow Six Siege
• 318 FPS in Valorant

Specifications 

Dell has thrown everything they had got at this laptop. As a result, it comes with top-notch specs. The hardware inside this machine allows users to run multiple monitors from this laptop. The version we have in for testing has the following specs and cost $2800. 

• Intel I9 12900H processor
• Nvidia RTX 3080
• 32GB RAM DDR4 RAM
• 1TB NVMe SSD
• 15.6” IPS QHD 240 Hz screen

The one thing I particularly like about the Dell Alienware M15 R7 is that it comes with a QHD display with a 240Hz refresh rate. This is great if you want higher picture quality and refresh rate for smooth and crisp gaming. 

Design and Connectivity 

Dell Alienware M15 R7 has a unique and distinct design, making it look like any other laptop. In addition, the floating screen design is something you get exclusively on the Dell Alienware lineup, which makes gaming highly immersive. 

Despite having a complex structure, the build quality of the Dell Alienware M15 R7 is fantastic. The laptop exhibits no flex, nor does the screen wobble when typing, which is ideal for long gaming sessions. 

If long-term use is something you are after, then the connectivity of this laptop will also hold up for years to come. There is no port I can think of that is lacking – this laptop even comes with a thunderbolt port which you can use to add more connectivity later down the road. 

Battery Life

Being such a powerful gaming laptop, I had little hope of getting a usable battery life out of the Dell Alienware M15 R7. However, I was shocked when this laptop delivered 4 hours of screen on time that I had to test it again. Even then, I could easily get 4 hours of battery backup, which is great from such a powerful gaming laptop bearing the Intel 12th generation I9 processor. 

Performance and User Experience

While the laptop may have all the best hardware in the world, what matters more is how it can bring that performance to the users’ everyday tasks. I am pleased to report that this laptop does that quite swiftly.

The main thing that this laptop excels at is gaming, and it does that quite wonderfully. I spent many hours playing games on this laptop, and it did not disappoint me. All the games ran on high graphic settings with the following average framerate. 

• 78 FPS in Red Dead Redemption
• 124 FPS in Witcher 3 Wild Hunt
• 140 FPS in GTA 5
• 203 FPS in Fortnite
• 260 FPS in Rainbow Six Siege
• 318 FPS in Valorant

Specifications 

If I was to pick one aspect of this laptop and convince you to buy this machine based on that it would be its specs. This laptop comes with the latest hardware available on the market for under $2700. Hence, making it faster than 90% of the RTX 3080 laptops. It has the following specs. 

• Intel I9 12900H processor
• Nvidia RTX 3080
• Thunderbolt 4
• 32GB RAM DDR4 RAM
• 1TB NVMe SSD
• 15.6” QHD 240Hz IPS display

Design and Connectivity 

The design of the Eluktronics Max 15 is simple – almost too simple for my liking. The simple design should be your last concern, though, because the design can be overlooked; however, a cheap quality cannot. 

The different panels on this laptop are not aligned properly. For instance, the hinge is not seated correctly with a massive gap. Not only does this make the laptop less long-lasting, but it is also inferior feeling. 

The only thing I am on board with the design department is the location of the ports. Charging and display ports are on the back of the laptop which made docking this laptop a breeze. Apart from having the usual ports like Ethernet, USB-C, and USB-A, 3.5mm headphone jack, this laptop also comes with a micro-SD card slot. I cannot tell you how convenient having an SD-card slot is on the laptop. 

Battery Life 

Having all tremendous power and groundbreaking features comes at a cost, the cost being the battery life. On a good day, this laptop can last around 4 hours that too when using the laptop casually. Otherwise, expect the battery to deplete under 3 hours. 

Performance and User Experience

This laptop did not give me a single reason to complain about the gaming experience segment. It played all the games I threw at it quite convincingly. Furthermore, the laptop could max out all the games with the highest graphic setting. The average frame rate I received during testing is as follows. 

• 63 FPS in Red Dead Redemption
• 102 FPS in Witcher 3 Wild Hunt
• 128 FPS in GTA 5
• 170 FPS in Fortnite
• 242 FPS in Rainbow Six Siege
• 280 FPS in Valorant.

Specifications 

The specifications of the Asus Zephyrus G15 are very good, but not on the level of the Dell Alienware M15 R7. Therefore, despite this being a great laptop, I couldn’t place it any higher on the list. It comes with the following specs. 

• Ryzen 9 5900HS
• Nvidia RTX 3080 Max-Q
• 32GB RAM DDR4 RAM
• 1TB NVMe SSD
• 15.6” QHD 165 Hz screen

Although this laptop comes with the Ryzen 9 5900 processor, the version used here is the less powerful HS variant instead of the more powerful HX version. This accounts for roughly 5% lower performance in the Asus Zephyrus G15 as opposed to other laptops with the Ryzen 9 5900HX processor. 

The same is the case with the Nvidia RTX 3080. The Max-Q version of the graphics card used here is less powerful than the normal version. This results in slightly less FPS. Apart from that, the other specs of this laptop are just as you expect for a laptop in this price range. 

Design and Build Quality 

The design of the Asus Zephyrus G15 is purposefully minimalist and simple. This laptop has no obnoxious branding or flashy gamery font, making it great for daily use. You can carry it to your school or workplace without anyone batting an eye.

The white finish makes it more high-end and premium than it otherwise is. Having minimal screen bezels is just the cherry on top, enhancing the clean and minimalist design concept to new heights. 

Surprisingly, despite being quite thin, this laptop has a very good build quality. Thanks to the magnesium alloy used in making the laptop, it doesn’t flex nor has a subpar hand feel, making it quite pleasant to carry around. 

Battery Life 

The battery life is the main selling point of this laptop. This laptop includes a large 90Whr battery, the result of which is that you get 8-9 hours of battery backup. Of course, it is insane to think that a gaming laptop with an RTX 3080 can deliver such great battery life, but here it is, the Asus Zephyrus G15 in all its glory. Asus has really pulled a rabbit out of their hat with this one.  

Performance and User Experience 

Gaming is not the first thing you will think about on this laptop, and rightfully so, because it is more geared towards productivity tasks like video gaming. Nonetheless, having high power means that it works for gaming as well. 

Since I got this laptop in the studio, it has been put to its paces differently. Between the video editing breaks, I fired multiple games on this laptop, and it did not disappoint me. As for the videos, it exported lightly edited 4K videos in Adobe Premiere in under 10 minutes, making it the fastest video editing laptop under $3000. 

Specifications 

What fascinated me most when looking at this laptop is how Asus has managed to fit such capable hardware into a laptop this thin. The key here is space utilization. Even the last inch of space is utilized properly and not left to rot. As a result of which, this laptop comes with the following specs. 

• Intel I9 11900H processor
• Nvidia RTX 3080
• 32GB RAM DDR4 RAM
• 1TB NVMe SSD
• 15.6” 4K IPS display 

Seeing these specs raises one big concern: is it cooled properly. I would be lying if I said that this laptop does not get hot because, in all honesty, it does get pretty toasty. However, that is only when you push this laptop to its utmost limit. During normal use, which consisted of 80% of my time, the laptop’s temperature was manageable. 

Design and Connectivity

The Asus Zenbook Duo is one quirky laptop. You don’t see dual screens on laptops all that often, too, when the second screen is almost a quarter the size of the main screen. 

To accommodate the second screen, the keyboard of this laptop has been squeezed and shrunk. Therefore, typing on it is uncomfortable, and I got sore fingers after 30 minutes of typing a document. 

Luckily, the second screen does not eat up the space meant for ports. Therefore, you get proper connectivity with this laptop with 2x USB-C ports, a single USB-A port, HDMI, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a power plug. However, since the laptop is more geared towards productivity, I wish it had a microSD card slot. 

Battery Life

With the Asus Zenbook Duo, you can expect a battery life of about 5 hours for light usages like Google Docx and browsing. With combined light and power use, the laptop lasts about 3 hours before needing a top-up. 

Performance and User Experience 

The primary purpose of the MSI GS66 Stealth is gaming. However, it does a lot more than that. It can be your primary gaming and work laptop, hence replacing the need to have bulky desktops. 

The performance of this laptop is great, and it can happily cope with anything you throw at it. For transparency, I played the same games on this laptop as I played on others, and it gave the following average framerate. 

• 67 FPS in Red Dead Redemption
• 106 FPS in Witcher 3 Wild Hunt
• 130 FPS in GTA 5
• 177 FPS in Fortnite
• 246 FPS in Rainbow Six Siege
• 288 FPS in Valorant.

Specifications 

The MSI GS66 is a powerful thin, light gaming laptop from MSI that competes with the likes of Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 – and compete it does. It offers similar, if not better, specs than the Asus for $2300. 

• Intel I7 11800H processor
• Nvidia RTX 3080
• 16GB RAM DDR4 RAM
• 1TB NVMe SSD
• 15.6” QHD 240Hz display

The specs of this laptop are great, and I have complaints there. However, I particularly enjoy the fact that this laptop runs quieter than its competitors. The fan barely becomes audible unless you push the laptop hard, which is great if you are only casually using the laptop for some school or office work. 

Design and Connectivity 

The design of the MSI GS66 Stealth is a love-it-or-hate-it affair. The simple uninspiring design is not for everyone; however, if you are someone with an affinity for this design, you will love the MSI GS66 Stealth. 

Having a large boxy-style laptop means space for front-firing speakers. The MSI GS66 Stealth is among the few laptops I didn’t need to use an external speaker with – such is the quality of these speakers. 

Like the speakers, MSI has paid attention to the connectivity as well. This laptop has all the ports you need and doesn’t end there. It even includes a thunderbolt port, which is a great option for increasing the connectivity of this laptop. 

Battery Life

Battery life was the most surprising aspect of this laptop. A thin laptop with powerful hardware typically means abyssal battery life but not here. Instead, MSI has managed to squeeze in a large battery that provides a 7-8 hour backup, enough to last the whole day. 

Performance and User Experience 

The Gigabyte Aorus 17G doesn’t miss a beat when smoothly playing all the latest games. The performance of this laptop is amazing. However, one thing I like more is the ability of this laptop to play games while being dead silent. 

During my testing, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this laptop. I played many games on it and got the following framerate. 

• 67 FPS in Red Dead Redemption
• 106 FPS in Witcher 3 Wild Hunt
• 130 FPS in GTA 5
• 177 FPS in Fortnite
• 246 FPS in Rainbow Six Siege
• 288 FPS in Valorant.

Specifications 

Not many large screen-size laptops come with top-notch specs; however, the Gigabyte Aorus 17G is an exception. It has the following specs, 

• Intel I7 11800H processor
• Nvidia RTX 3080 8GB GDDR6
• 32GB RAM DDR4 RAM
• 512GB NVMe SSD
• 17.3” Full HD 300 Hz display

Besides the small SSD, all other specs of this laptop are great. Therefore, seeing only a 512GB SSD on this laptop is disappointing. However, upgrading it is not too difficult since this laptop has a vacant M2 slot. 

Design and Connectivity 

In the design department, Gigabyte tends to do things their own way. It rarely follows the popular trend of the industry. Many laptops have now moved to more flashy designs, but this Aorus keeps it simple and classy.

The RGB keyboard is the only thing slightly fancy on the laptop. The build of the laptop is also simple and old school. The materials used to construct the body are not the best, but the laptop feels solid and sturdy. Overall, there is nothing to rave about or complain about here.

The I/O is the last part you should worry about of this laptop because this laptop features a rich selection of ports. All the typical ports you would expect are found here with the addition of a MUX switch. The MUX switch is a toggle switch that allows you to switch between Nvidia dedicated graphics or Intel integrated graphics. This switch is helpful when you want the battery to last a little longer.

Battery Life 

There has to be a compromise in something, right? Well, the battery is one of those aspects in which this laptop fails terribly. The small battery only lasts for 3-4 hours, which is quite less compared to the competitors’ 5-6 battery life. Therefore, keep the charger with you because you will be charging it more often than you realize. 

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Buyer’s Guide 

If you want to buy a wonderful gaming laptop based on my recommendations, great. However, if you have the time, I have a more compelling proposition for you. 

This buyer’s guide section aims to inform you of all the nooks and crannies regarding gaming laptops. It will not only make you a more informed buyer but you will also be able to help others in the future to choose a laptop befitting for them. 

If that is something up your alley, stick around because there is a lot to cover in this buyer’s guide section. 

What factors should you look for in an RTX 3080 laptop

All RTX 3080 laptops are not the same. So, if you are chasing a great user experience, you will need to know some of the following characteristics of laptops. By knowing these characteristics, you will be better informed about what separates a good gaming laptop from a bad one. 

Budget

You can get a laptop for as much as $3000 or as low as $2000. So, before buying one, you will need to decide on a budget. Most laptops on this list have similar specs; however, their feature set differs. So, now, you have to decide if you are willing to pay more for particular features. 

Size and Portability: 

Laptops are all about being portable and nimble for daily use; however, some do it better than others. One thing you must keep in mind is that the thinner the laptop is, the worse its performance will be. 

For example, the Asus Zephyrus G15, a thin and light laptop, performs worse than the Razer Blade 14 due to thermal restraints. There is no avoiding heat, and bulkier laptops do better at heat dissipation than thin and light laptops – hence the performance difference. Now, it is up to you to decide if you want a thin and light laptop with marginal worse performance or a heavy and bulky laptop with better performance. 

RAM and Storage

Ram and storage are a laptop’s key ingredients, and you don’t want to get these wrong. Ideally, your laptop should have at least 16GB RAM, but if your work consists of rendering, video editing, or other such workloads, aim for 32GB RAM. 

Storage is more of a personal preference, but to be on the safe side, I recommend having at least a 1TB SSD on your laptop. Remember, never opt for a laptop with an HDD – it is slow and will make your laptop bog. So, choose an SSD for a fluid and snappy experience. 

Build Quality 

I know many of you folks may overlook build quality, but if you spend such a ludicrous amount on a laptop – it better last. Therefore, before you commit to a purchase, make sure your laptop has good build quality. Also, make sure that it is made of high-quality materials such as aluminum or magnesium and not just plastic. 

FAQs

What is the Best RTX 3080 laptop? 

The best RTX 3080 laptop is the Dell Alienware M15 R7. It is not only powerful but also one of the better-looking gaming laptops. The Dell Alienware M15 R7 also preserves a high build quality compared to the competition from Asus, HP, or MSI. 

Is high refresh rate gaming possible on an RTX 3080 laptop? 

Yes, high refresh rate gaming is possible on an RTX 3080 laptop. Every RTX 3080 laptop can play Esports games like CSGO, Valorant, Dota, Rainbow Six Siege, and League over 144 fps allowing you to take advantage of high refresh rate screens. 

Is there a Difference between RTX 3080 laptop and RTX 3080 desktop? 

An RTX 3080 laptop is 10-15% slower than an RTX 3080 desktop. The performance difference is mainly because of the size constraint of a laptop. Due to the small size, the full-power version of the Nvidia RTX 3080 is not used in a laptop because it produces too much heat, which cannot be handled by a laptop. 

Conclusion 

Yay, we are done with the article. Give yourself a pat on the back if you have followed along until now. Before I wrap up the article, I want to emphasize the importance of getting the right laptop for your needs. 

If you want a powerful laptop for handling heavy workloads like Adobe premier, blender, etc then go with the Asus Zenbook Duo as it is the best productivity machine you can currently buy. However, if gaming is your only concern, you can’t go wrong with most of the laptops on this list, in particular, the Dell Alienware M15 R7. 

If you want a laptop that can handle both heavy workloads and games, the Asus Zephyrus G15 is the one you are looking for. These are only some use case scenarios; of course, each individual needs will vary depending on that, choose the laptop accordingly. 

If you have any recommendations for future laptops that you would like to see on this list, feel free to drop them in the comment section, and I will make sure to go over them for future revisions.