There is only one smart choice when it comes to choosing between a RTX Black Friday gaming laptop and an RTX RTX4080. It's not just about the money.
Two gaming laptops with high-end specs, but big price tags. One has the best GPUs and the biggest SSD, while the other has a higher-resolution screen and a faster processor.
Which one should you choose? Which one should you buy? It turns out that it's not really about money, but quality of life.
We have curated the best Black Friday PC Gaming deals right here
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- Alienware R2 -$2,699.99 at Dell
- Lenovo Legion 7i Pro - $1,999 @ B&H Photo
Alienware R2 x16
Dell - $2,699.99 This is an Alienware gaming notebook with a Meteor Lake processor. It comes at a high price. The Core Ultra 9 185H processor isn't ideal for gaming, and the screen resolution is a little low for an RTX 4900." data-widget-type="deal" data-render-type="editorial">Most powerful laptop GPU? Check. Check. Check. Check. Check and double check. Are high-end specs matched with a high-end cost? Check, unfortunately.
It's clear that the Alienware R2 x16 is a serious gaming machine. I can't see anyone being disappointed with its performance, even if they choose to spend $2700 on it. We have tested other laptops that feature a 185H CPU and RTX 4900 GPU, like the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16. However, we were not impressed.
It's difficult to move the heat generated by the most powerful components in a slim laptop case. Or, at the very least it's difficult to do without resorting a lot of loud fans.
I haven't tested this Alienware, but unless Dell has worked some engineering wonders, it will almost certainly be a noisy beast when under heavy gaming load. It's either that or internal power limits prevent it from getting too warm, but that will just limit the gaming performance.
I can't but feel that a RTX 4090, despite its 480 Hz refresh rates, is a bit wasted on a 1200p display. This GPU is designed for higher resolutions, and you're looking at a laptop that's essentially 1080p.
If you are not a professional gamer and you don't need to compete on the move, you should choose a laptop with less impressive specs.
Lenovo Legion 7i Pro
This is the same as the Legion 7i Pro we reviewedIt's a gaming laptop that is a beast. The CPU and GPU are able stretch their legs properly and it is a 1440p beast." data-widget-type="deal" data-render-type="editorial">
It might seem unfair to compare two laptops with a $700 price difference, but the Lenovo has many other strengths.
You can see that RTX 4080 would be a better choice for a gaming notebook than an RTX 4090. It's true that it is less powerful, but also consumes less energy and produces less heat. This means that the laptop does not need to be blaring out loud fans all the time.
The Core i9-14900HX is a better gaming processor than the Core Ultra 9 185H. I won't bore with the details (it's due to the tiled architecture of Meteor Lake in the latter), but rest assured that the Legion 7i Pro will perform better in games than the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16, which uses the 185H & 4090.
The screen on the Lenovo laptop is more impressive than the Alienware's RAM and SSD. It's 16 inches, but has a 1600p screen resolution and a refresh rate of 240 Hz. The RTX 4080 is able to handle 1440p gaming with ease.
The Lenovo Legion 7i Pro is a better laptop to use, aside from the price. The higher resolution is better for your eyes, and the lower heat output is better for your ears.
Not all Black Friday deals are tricky!
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