Getting an Intel CPU with an NVIDIA GPU used to be a reasonably straightforward solution to this topic. However, AMD has come out swinging in the past two years with its Ryzen 4000 and 5000-series laptop CPUs, which are better suited for multitasking (like streaming to Twitch while blasting fools in Fortnite). In general, you’ll be OK with one of Intel’s newest 10th or 11th-generation H-series CPUs. However, it’s wonderful to have solid AMD options for budget and mid-range laptops, particularly since they’re often less expensive than equivalent Intel machines.
However, AMD is still catching up in the video card market. Its new Radeon RX 6000M GPU has been a terrific performance in laptops such as ASUS’ ROG Strix G15, but it still trails behind NVIDIA in newer functions such as ray tracing. It’s good to see a Radeon-powered laptop that can compete with NVIDIA’s RTX 3070 and 3080 GPUs in general gaming performance.
If you want to be future-proof, or if you simply want to explore how ray tracing can improve the appearance of your games, you’re probably better off with an NVIDIA video card. They’re in significantly more systems, and it’s evident that NVIDIA’s ray tracing technology has had more time to mature. The company’s DLSS functionality, which utilizes AI to upscale games to higher resolutions, is also available on RTX GPUs. This will allow you to play games like Destiny 2 in 4K at higher frame rates. This is important if you want to take advantage of a display with a high refresh rate.
The NVIDIA RTX 3050 is a good entry-level GPU, but we believe you’d be better off with an RTX 3060 for great 1080p and 1440p performance. Meanwhile, the RTX 3070 offers the greatest price/performance ratio. With the aid of DLSS, it will be able to run numerous games in 4K, and it can even handle demanding titles like Control. NVIDIA’s RTX 3080 is the king of the hill; any computer that incorporates it will cost more.