5 Best Gaming Laptops with RTX 40-series GPUs under $1,500

The best GeForce RTX 40 series laptops have been the subject of a lot of internet chatter. The same can be attributed, in parts, to the performance benefits brought on by Nvidia’s latest advancements. These include support for DLSS 3.0, which can greatly improve a game’s performance. Unsurprisingly, these gaming notebooks have been on the lips of every tech enthusiast. 

That said, the best GeForce RTX 40 series laptops cost a pretty penny. This is why, we’ve come up with a list of the best gaming notebooks that you can buy without emptying your savings. But first, you might also want to read about- 

• The best gaming laptops with RTX 3070 under $2,000.
• The best gaming laptops with 32GB RAM.
• These lightweight gaming laptops, that feature RTX graphics.

Now, let’s take a look at the best GeForce RTX 40 series laptops you can buy without spending too much.

1. Gigabyte G5 KF 

• Battery size: 54Whr | Screen Size: 15.6-inch
• Processor: Core i5-12500H | Screen Refresh Rate: 144Hz
• Weight: 4.19lbs | GPU: RTX 4060 with 75W TGP
• On-board RAM: 8GB DDR4 | On-board Storage: 512GB SSD

Understandably, you will get better multi-threaded performance from a laptop with an i7-12700H CPU. With that said, you’ll only see drastic performance jumps when running CPU-intensive applications like video editing software. For gaming, the G5 KF’s i5 chip should suffice. And, the proof is in the pudding too. In fact, IGN’s review highlights that the device offers solid gaming performance. It goes without saying that the laptop’s RTX 4060 GPU had a big role to play in delivering solid FPS across a variety of titles too. 

To that end, the laptop could run demanding games like Hitman 3, CyberPunk 2077, and Forza Horizon 5 at well over 60FPS on high graphics presets. You can even make the most out of eSports games like Valorant and Apex Legends on the machine. We say this, as the device is equipped with a snappy 144Hz display too. More notably, the laptop comes with a bevy of connectors you get with the laptop, including an HDMI 2.1 port and a Thunderbolt 4 connector.

If anything, we would’ve liked to see at least 16GB of RAM with the unit. On the upside, you can upgrade the onboard memory as the device gets two RAM slots. 

2. Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3

• Battery size: 60Whr | Screen Size: 15.6-inch
• Processor: Ryzen 7 7735HS | Screen Refresh Rate: 120Hz
• Weight: 5.09lbs | GPU: RTX 4050 with 85W TGP
• On-board RAM: 16GB DDR5 | On-board Storage: 512GB SSD

Pound for pound, the Ryzen 7 7735HS performs similarly to Intel’s Core i5-12500H CPU. Do note that Intel’s offering features more cores, so you will notice it edges out in front of the Ryzen chip in select benchmarks. The same is substantiated in Laptopmedia’s comparison too. That said, the processor is built on TSMC’s 6nm fabrication process so it should net you better battery life as well. What’s more, the laptop comes with an RTX 4050 GPU with 85W TGP. 

As such, the laptop should be able to run most games at medium settings comfortably. Do note that, unlike Gigabyte’s offering, the IdeaPad Gaming 3 comes with a 120Hz display. Nevertheless, the unit more than makes up for it by offering more RAM out of the box. All things considered, the IdeaPad Gaming 3 is among the best GeForce RTX 40 series laptops you can buy without splurging.

3. MSI Thin GF63

• Battery size: 51Whr | Screen Size: 15.6-inch
• Processor: Core i7-12650H | Screen Refresh Rate: 144Hz
• Weight: 4.1lbs | GPU: RTX 4050 with 45W TGP
• On-board RAM: 16GB DDR4 | On-board Storage: 512GB SSD

For those unaware, the unit is a smidge slower than Intel’s Core i7-12700H chipset. Be that as it may, the unit is more than adept at tackling CPU-bound workloads. As for the graphics, the laptop comes with an RTX 4050 GPU with 45W TGP. Understandably, the laptop could’ve benefited from a higher TGP. With that said, the laptop should be able to run the majority of games, especially if you leverage Nvidia’s DLSS 3.0 tech.

Moving on though, the laptop comes with a 15.6-inch, 144Hz display that should work a treat when playing high-octane games on the machine. n terms of I/O, the laptop comes with a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C connector, a handful of USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports, and an RJ45 ethernet slot. You’ll also get 16GB of DDR4 RAM with the device, along with 512GB of NVMe storage.

Pool everything together and the MSI GF63 makes a strong case for the best RTX 40 series laptop that doesn’t break the bank. 

4. Gigabyte AERO 14 OLED

• Battery size: 63Whr | Screen Size: 14-inch
• Processor: Core i5-12500H | Screen Refresh Rate: 90Hz
• Weight: 3.28lbs | GPU: RTX 4050 with 45W TGP
• On-board RAM: 16GB DDR5 | On-board Storage: 1TB SSD

More to the point, the laptop offers a crisp, 2.8K display. Further, unlike most competing products, the unit’s screen is backed by OLED technology. As such, you will revel in watching your favorite TV shows and movies on the laptop. To that end, the panel should exhibit superb contrast with deep, dark blacks and vivid hues. You’ll also benefit from the display’s 16:10 aspect ratio, which should come in handy when reading long-form articles online. 

The AERO 14 OLED is also more compact than other devices on the list. So much so, the unit tips the scales at just 3.28 lbs. Despite that, the laptop comes with a healthy assortment of connectors. These include (but are not limited to) two Thunderbolt 4 connectors, a USB 3.2 Type-A port, and an HDMI 2.1 connector. Coupled with other niceties, the likes of which include a 1080p webcam and DDR5 memory and the AERO 14 OLED is among the best RTX 40 series laptops out right now.

5. ASUS ROG Strix G16

• Battery size: 90Whr | Screen Size: 16-inch
• Processor: Core i7-13650HX | Screen Refresh Rate: 165Hz
• Weight: 5.51lbs | GPU: RTX 4060 with 140W TGP
• On-board RAM: 16GB DDR5 | On-board Storage: 512GB SSD

Moreover, the laptop also gets aggressive edges that make it stand out from the herd of other gaming notebooks. The icing on the cake is that the laptop is powered by Intel’s brand-new, Core i7-13650HX CPU. The processor in question comes with six performance cores and eight efficiency cores. As such, you can use up to 20 threads for strenuous workloads, which is great. That’s not all, as the device also gets an RTX 4060 GPU with a whopping 140W TGP! 

Factoring in the laptop’s MUX switch – which bypasses the iGPU to improve a game’s performance – and Nvidia’s DLSS 3.0 tech, you should be able to run most AAA games at the best possible settings on the laptop. We should also add that the device comes with DDR5 memory and 512GB of solid-state storage. And, with a peak refresh rate of 165Hz, you’ll also get the snappiest display with the Strix G16 out of any laptop on the list too.

All said and done, the ASUS ROG Strix G16 is easily the best RTX 40 series laptop you can buy without spending upwards of $1,500. 

FAQs about RTX 40-series Laptops

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The aforementioned laptops offer bountiful performance. At the same time, these devices can be had without breaking the bank either. Do let us know which device you plan on buying and what game you will be firing up first on the machine in the comments below.