I want to buy a laptop before the holidays. My options are the ROG Strix Scar 16 RTX 4080/4090. I play last-gen games and new releases like Wukong, BO6, etc., so I need a powerful machine that can last over time. Does the RTX 4090 really make a difference over the 4080? I mean, I can afford it, but paying almost $1000 more for the GPU stings a bit.
I wouldn’t go for it if the difference is $1000. There is a noticeable difference, but it’s not 4060-to-4070 level; it’s more reasonable. However, keep in mind that the laptop 4090 is power-limited, and it can perform better with higher power, unlike the 4060 and 4070. MSI laptops, for instance, handle 200W GPU power better—it’s more of an NVIDIA thing.
If you want the absolute best, the 4090 is reasonable. But in terms of performance vs. price, the 4080 is better. Also, try to aim for 13th gen CPUs; 14th gen doesn’t bring much improvement. Options like 13980HX, 13950HX, or 13900HX paired with the 4090 might come at a better price.
@Jesse
How significant is the jump from 4060 to 4070 in laptops? I know it’s 20-30% (or slightly more) on desktops, but what about in power-limited laptops?
Lyle said:
@Jesse
How significant is the jump from 4060 to 4070 in laptops? I know it’s 20-30% (or slightly more) on desktops, but what about in power-limited laptops?
It’s about 10%-20% at most.
@Jesse
With overclocking, a 4070 might max out at a 20% boost—especially if you overclock the VRAM using tools like MSI Afterburner to +1250 or +1500.
@Jesse
I’d recommend the 4080. The 4090 is bottlenecked by voltage limits. If NVIDIA allowed it to run at 200W, it’d perform better in large units like the MSI Raider or Titan. The 4080 hits the sweet spot with only about 10% fewer frames.
@Jesse
[deleted]
14th gen CPUs don’t have more cache—they also have 36MB L3 cache. Any other ‘goodies’ they have are negligible for most users. What exactly are you referring to?
@Jesse
Sorry, I mixed up the specs. I was thinking of the 13700 vs. 13900, where the cache difference is 30MB vs. 36MB.
The 4090 is $700 cheaper at Best Buy: Link.
@Dara
This man just came in with the knockout punch!
Ren said:
@Dara
This man just came in with the knockout punch!
You’re still spending $2999 on a $2000 laptop. If you don’t need ASUS, check B&H—they have the Lenovo Legion Pro 7 with the 4090 for $2499 and the 4080 for $1999.
@Bay
The Legion is faster and better-built overall. You rarely see a Scar on benchmark leaderboards for overclocking.
Jody said:
@Bay
The Legion is faster and better-built overall. You rarely see a Scar on benchmark leaderboards for overclocking.
Even if ASUS had good specs on paper, I wouldn’t buy one after the Gamers Nexus video. I ended up with Lenovo because a friend recommended it, and it’s been solid so far.
Jody said:
@Bay
The Legion is faster and better-built overall. You rarely see a Scar on benchmark leaderboards for overclocking.
That ASUS model has the fastest gaming CPU available—note the X3D in the name.
@Bay
Are these deals good enough to buy now, or should I wait until Black Friday? I feel like prices could drop more, but I’m worried they might sell out.
Bao said:
@Bay
Are these deals good enough to buy now, or should I wait until Black Friday? I feel like prices could drop more, but I’m worried they might sell out.
If you’re okay with going through returns later, I’d buy now. Prices might spike after the holidays.
Bao said:
@Bay
Are these deals good enough to buy now, or should I wait until Black Friday? I feel like prices could drop more, but I’m worried they might sell out.
Buy now. Black Friday is mostly for clearing out old stock. In early November, you find better discounts on things you actually want. For example, I once got a Chromebook for $179 in early November. On Black Friday, the same model (with less RAM!) was $199. Just grab it from B&H and save yourself the hassle.
@Bay
Thanks! That’s an amazing deal. I’ll probably go for it.
The only reason I got my Legion Pro 7 with a 4090 was because it was the same price as the 4080 model due to being an open box. If that wasn’t the case, I’d have gone with the 4080. The $700 difference wasn’t worth it otherwise.