Best Buy has listed multiple gaming laptops powered by Nvidia’s new RTX 50 series GPUs ahead of their official March launch. The retailer has showcased nine laptops, with eight from Asus and one from HP. The most affordable option is the ROG Strix G16, equipped with the Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti GPU and an AMD Ryzen 9 HX CPU, priced at $1,899.99.
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G16, powered by the Nvidia RTX 5070 and Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU, is listed at $1,999.99. At the higher end, the priciest model is configured with the Nvidia RTX 5090 and Intel Core Ultra 9 HX, priced at $4,199.99. The HP Omen Max 16, featuring the RTX 5080, is listed at $2,699.99.
None of these gaming laptops are currently available for purchase. They have all been marked with a “coming soon” banner, expected to be lifted in March. This advanced listing provides a preview of the upcoming high-performance gaming laptops equipped with Nvidia’s latest GPU technology.
Nvidia has made bold performance claims for its new GeForce RTX 5090 and other models announced at CES this week. The company asserts that the new models are twice as fast as their predecessors, including the GeForce RTX 4090. This claim is remarkable because generational performance improvements typically range from 10% to 30%.
However, there is a significant caveat to these impressive claims. Nvidia’s use of AI, upscaling, and artificial frame generation has become integral to how its graphics cards operate. These technologies, such as Nvidia’s DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), can massively increase frame rates in supported games.
But not all games support DLSS technology. For games that do not support DLSS, the performance improvements are more modest, with Nvidia’s data indicating a 20% to 40% boost over the RTX 4090.
Nvidia’s new GPU lineup preview
While still significant, these gains are far from the 100% increase that Nvidia’s headline claims suggest. The final verdict on the RTX 5090’s performance will depend on comprehensive benchmark results expected later this month. These benchmarks will provide a clearer picture of its capabilities across a variety of games, not just those optimized for Nvidia’s DLSS features.
Despite potential drawbacks, Nvidia’s ecosystem continues to evolve, and its RTX features like ray tracing and DLSS have become more widespread. As of now, Nvidia holds over 75% of the overall graphics card market share on platforms like Steam, with the RTX 4090 alone accounting for 1% of the market. The Nvidia RTX 5080 looks like the right GPU for many gamers.
The increasing demands of new games have highlighted the limitations of older gaming rigs, signaling that it’s time for an upgrade. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, RTX 5080, RTX 5070 Ti, and RTX 5070 graphics cards will be available soon. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 is particularly appealing due to its balance of price and performance.
At launch, the Nvidia RTX 5080 will cost around $1,999, which is significantly less than the price of the RTX 5090. By opting for the RTX 5080, gamers can potentially lower the cost of a new gaming PC build by $1,000. This saving is crucial, especially when considering the additional components needed for a complete upgrade.
While the Nvidia RTX 5080 looks promising on paper, the final decision will be made only after the new GPUs have been tested. Gamers are eager to see the raw performance metrics and how well it handles graphically demanding games, especially with DLSS4 at high settings. The Nvidia RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 will be available from January 30.
If the RTX 5080 lives up to expectations, it will be time for many to build an entirely new rig. If not, some may save extra money to buy the more powerful RTX 5090. Either way, 2025 should be the year many gamers upgrade their PCs, thanks to Nvidia and its impressive new graphics cards.
