Technologies

Best Gaming Laptop Deals: Asus Model with RTX 3080 Graphics on Sale for $1,500

Here are the best deals at Amazon, Best Buy and Newegg on gaming laptops with GPUs from Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3000 series.

Nvidia recently announced its next-gen GeForce RTX 4000-series desktop graphics cards, highlighted by the flagship RTX 4090. These next-gen graphics cards have started to roll out, and laptops with the mobile versions of these new GPUs are just starting to become available.

You won’t find any deals on these new laptops just hitting store shelves now, but big savings are available on previous models with RTX 3000-series GPUs. Amazon, Best Buy and Newegg have a host of laptops on sale right now — from entry-level models with RTX 3050 graphics to high-end mobile gaming rigs with RTX 3080 and RTX 3080 Ti GPUs — so there’s likely a gaming laptop out there that fits your budget.

Read more: Best Gaming Laptop to Buy in 2023

Don’t miss the deals below, and check back here often. I’ll keep this list updated as sales expire and new deals emerge.

Dan Ackerman/CNET

Dell G15

RTX 3050 graphics for $750

This budget gamer is based on Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3050 graphics and an AMD Ryzen 5 6600H CPU and 8GB of RAM. The 15.6-inch display features Full HD resolution and a speedy 120Hz refresh rate. It borrows the Alienware Command Center from Dell’s high-end Alienware line that lets you customize game and system settings. Two items keep it square in the budget category other than the entry-level RTX 3050 graphics: only 8GB of RAM and a display rated for only 250 nits of brightness, which makes the G15 a better fit for a dark den or basement than sundrenched room. Still, it’s one of the most affordable laptops available with RTX graphics with its current $200 discount at Best Buy. It’s sold in either black or silver; this sale model features the silver chassis.

$750 at Best Buy

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HP Victus 15

RTX 3050 Ti graphics for $849

At $849, this 15-inch HP laptop is one of the most affordable RTX 3050 Ti-based gaming laptops you’ll find. In addition to the RTX 3050 Ti GPU, it supplies an octa-core AMD Ryzen 7 5800H CPU, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB solid-state drive. The 15.6-inch display features a full HD resolution and a speedy 144Hz refresh rate.

$839 at Amazon

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MSI

MSI Sword 15

RTX 3060 graphics for $1,000

With its $350 discount at Best Buy, this MSI Sword model is the rare example of an RTX 3060-based laptop that costs less than $1,000. It also features a Core i7-12650H, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The 15.6-inch display has a full HD resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate.

$1,000 at Best Buy

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Gigabyte

Acer Predator Helios 300

RTX 3070 Ti graphics for $1,400

This Acer Predator model is based on a high-resolution 15.6-inch display and RTX 3070 graphics. The display offers a QHD resolution for a finer picture than that of a FHD display. You may not play games above 1080p, but you’ll appreciate the high-res display in between gaming sessions. The display also offers a blazing 240Hz refresh rate for smooth gameplay. Paired with the RTX 3070 Ti GPU is a powerful Core i7-12700H CPU. It’s a hefty $700 off at Best Buy right now.

$1,400 at Best Buy

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MSI

Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 G533

RTX 3080 graphics for $1,500

You can save $500 at Best Buy on this 15.6-inch Asus model that boasts GeForce RTX 3080 graphics and a powerful AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU. It’s an incredible deal at its sale price of $1,500, when you consider that nearly every other RTX 3080-based laptop costs $2,000 and up.

$1,500 at Best Buy

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MSI

MSI Vector GP66

RTX 3080 Ti graphics for $1,999

This MSI model is $600 off at Newegg to make it one of the least expensive gaming laptops with RTX 3080 Ti graphics. The rest of the component lineup is equally strong with a Core i9-12900H CPU, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The 15.6-inch display offers a full HD resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate. The keyboard is from Steelseries and features pre-key RGB lighting.

$1,999 at Newegg

More recommendations for gamers

Technologies

We Played Nintendo Switch 2: Mario, Donkey Kong, Mouse, Camera and a Lot More

Technologies

Nintendo Switch 2: Every Reveal About the Console, New Games, Price, Release Date

The $450 console launches June 5, with Mario Kart World the highlight of its launch day game lineup.

The Nintendo Switch 2 console’s biggest reveal yet arrived Wednesday as part of the company’s latest Nintendo Direct event. This teed up a day of Switch 2 reveals that include its June 5 release date, a $450 price, its specs and its initial game lineup that extends from launch into 2026.

The console will be further buoyed by having Mario Kart World as a launch title, which will go on sale in either a $500 bundle with the Switch 2 or on its own for $80 — making the open-world racing game one of Nintendo’s most expensive yet. Other games announced, such as Donkey Kong Bananza, are being priced around $70, which matches the cost of 2023’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. That Zelda game and Breath of the Wild are among the original Switch titles that will get enhanced Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrades, a premium upgrade allowing players to get new features, modes and graphical enhancements that take advantage of the newer system’s capabilities.

Here are the top highlights from Nintendo’s console event, all of the games we’ve heard about so far (including new titles, Nintendo Switch 2 Editions and GameCube games coming to Nintendo Switch Online) and all of our coverage so far. You can also check out our Nintendo Switch 2 live blog for even more updates about the Switch 2 as we learn them.

Nintendo Switch 2 console

The Nintendo Switch 2’s specs saw a noticeable technical bump over the Switch. The Nintendo Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch, 1080p resolution LCD that supports a 120Hz refresh rate — matching what we now see on most Android phones. When the Switch 2 is docked, compatible games can run in 4K resolution. The new dock also includes a cooling fan.

The Switch 2 comes with 256GB of internal storage, and the new Switch 2 Game Cards will load games faster. For digital libraries, however, the Switch 2 will only work with microSD Express cards, which are different from the microSD cards that are compatible with the prior Nintendo Switch. Nintendo will have a Software Transfer feature available to help move games and data from the original Switch to the Switch 2.

The new Joy-Con for the controllers will support mouse controls, and a new C button will be part of a new GameChat communication feature that allows both voice and video chat. There’s also a Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, allowing players to see each other.

The Switch 2 also adds a second USB-C port to the top of the system, which Nintendo says can help connect its new camera accessory or charge the console when playing in tabletop mode. Nintendo also revealed a new Switch 2 Pro Controller with the C button and customizable GL and GR buttons on the back.

Following the presentation, Nintendo unveiled the system’s price of $450 in the US. It will also sell the Switch 2 bundled with a digital version of Mario Kart World for $500.

Mario Kart World

Mario Kart World removes its traditional boundaries and lets drivers roam freely across an entire world of race courses. The game will get its own Nintendo Direct later this month, where we’ll see additional details, but we already know it’ll include traditional races and a Free Roam mode, much like in the Forza Horizon series.

Getting the game bundled for an extra $50 on the cost of the Switch 2 might be the move if you are interested in the game, because Nintendo announced on its website that standalone copies of Mario Kart World will cost $80.

Joy-Con 2 C button and GameChat

Nintendo’s rolling out its new C button across several new Switch 2 controllers. The button will be used for the new GameChat communication features without a headset. The button will be used alongside a microphone on the console itself, which Nintendo says can be used whether it’s docked to a TV or in handheld mode.

In its teaser video, Nintendo promises the microphone will be able to cancel out loud background noises. GameChat will also work with a Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, allowing video chat and various camera-based game modes in supported titles. GameChat will be free at launch through March 31, 2026.

Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games upgrade titles

The Nintendo Switch 2 will play three types of games: original Switch games, Switch 2 games and Switch 2 Edition games that will receive substantial enhancements. For many of these Switch 2 Edition games, you’ll need to buy an upgrade pack if you own the original for Switch. Many of them will get more than just enhanced graphics in the upgrade; for example, Super Mario Party Jamboree will get new games that support the new Joy-Cons’ mouse controls, audio recognition and video camera gameplay options through the Switch 2 Camera.

Other Nintendo Switch games that are getting Switch 2 Edition options include The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Metroid Prime 4 Beyond and Pokemon Legends: Z-A. Enhancements vary: The Zelda games will start working with a companion phone app for maps and sending schematics to friends, while Kirby will get a new story that’s exclusive to the Switch 2 Edition. On the third-party side, Civilization 7 will get mouse controls.

Nintendo did not announce what upgrade packs will cost. However, some Switch games will get free updates that will improve performance or enhance features when playing them on the Switch 2. The Switch games getting these updates include:

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a new game set in the world of Zelda that tells the story that leads into The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. This appears to be similar to how Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity told the story of a war that led to the events of Breath of the Wild. The teaser shows Zelda discovering that she’s arrived in the past of Hyrule, and the game will expand on how she gets involved in the corresponding Imprisonment War.

Nintendo Switch 2 games

Several other first- and third-party games were spotlighted during the Switch 2 Direct. These include Donkey Bananza, one of the first 3D platforming games featuring DK since 1999’s Donkey Kong 64. Kirby will also return to the racing genre in Kirby Air Riders, which comes more than 20 years after the GameCube racer Kirby’s Air Ride. DragXDrive will use mouse controls to control a futuristic wheelchair basketball game in which players will simulate push and pull motions to control their character.

An onslaught of Switch 2 third-party games were quickly shuffled through during the Direct, which I list below. An unnamed James Bond game is in development at Hitman studio IO Interactive, as is a darker title from Elden Ring creator FromSoftware called The Duskbloods, which will be exclusive to the Switch 2.

The full list of announced Nintendo Switch 2 games includes:

Borderlands 4
Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster
Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion
Deltarune
Donkey Kong Bananza
Drag x Drive
EA Sports FC
EA Sports Madden NFL
Elden Ring Tarnished Edition
Enter the Gungeon 2
Fast Fusion
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade
Fortnite
Hades 2
Hitman World of Assassination — Signature Edition
Hogwarts Legacy
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
Kirby Air Riders
Kirby and the Forgotten Land — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and Star-Crossed World
Kunitsu-Gai: Path of the Goddess
Mario Kart World
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
NBA 2K
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition
Pokemon Legends: Z-A — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Project 007
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Split Fiction
Star Wars Outlaws
Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions
Street Fighter 6
Super Mario Party Jamboree — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and Jamboree TV
Survival Kids
The Duskbloods
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4
WWE 2K
Yakuza 0 Definitive Edition

Among these titles, you can see the full list of June 5 Switch 2 launch day games here.

Nintendo GameCube library coming to Switch 2

The Nintendo Switch Online game library will add GameCube games to the Switch 2. On launch day, these games will initially include The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, SoulCalibur 2 and F-Zero GX, with each game getting enhanced graphics. Online multiplayer will also be added to certain titles. Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Strikers and Luigi’s Mansion are among the games set to arrive later. At launch, Nintendo will also sell a GameCube controller, which will be wireless and include a C button for GameChat.