RTX 4070 vs 4080 laptop: Best Laptop GPU to consider in 2024

RTX 40 series laptops have been debate for a long time, among midrange buyers. Whether you should buy an RTX 4060, or RTX 4070, or maybe invest a little more for an RTX 4080. Previously we have compared the RTX 4060 vs the RTX 4070 laptop, and the results are quite surprising. Although RTX 4070 offers, 15-20% more performance, the RTX 4060 offers more value for money. Now a very interesting doubt arises, among many customers, whether they should consider the RTX 4080 laptop.

Well if you search for RTX 4080 laptops, you’ll start to find it from $2000, and it comes with the latest, i9 13th-14th Gen processor, DDR5 RAM, etc. So let me tell you RTX 4080 is so much superior to a RTX 4070 laptop. If you’re considering buying an RTX 4070, I highly recommend going with RTX 4080, maybe you’ve to spend some extra, but believe me it’ll be worth investing. In this article, I’ll compare the RTX 4070 vs 4080 laptop and show you why the RTX 4080 is the best choice to go with.

RTX 4070 vs 4080 laptop: Side by side comparison

RTX 4070 and RTX 4080 laptop GPUs are one of the finest laptop GPUs. RTX 4070 has 8GB of VRAM whereas RTX 4080 has 12GB of VRAM. Both these GPU are based on 5nm ADA Lovelace architecture. RTX 4070 has a base clock frequency of 1395MHz, can be boosted up to 1695MHz. RTX 4080 has a little lower base clock of 1280MHz, can be boosted up to 1665MHz.

Also, the RTX 4080 comes with a bigger memory bus, bigger memory bandwidth, and faster memory clock speed, due to the higher power limit of the RTX 4080. Now both of these GPUs can run with 25W extra power with the help of NVIDIA’s dynamic boost

As the biggest difference, we have RTX 4080 with 61% more CUDA, Tensor and Ray-Tracing cores.

So in terms of hardware specifications, RTX 4080 has a clear win with very high margins. Now let’s compare RTX 4070 and RTX 4080 in terms of performance.

RTX 4070 vs 4080 Laptop: Gaming Performance comparison

We have tested 10 AAA titles, on both 4K and 1440p at high-ultra settings. For the test, an i9-13900HX and 32GB DDR5 RAM have been used. A reminder: No upscaling method like, DLSS or FG (Frame Generation) is used.

As you can see in Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K settings, RTX 4080 shows a 64% performance boost whereas in 1440p, the difference is only 26%.

In Apex legends we can see one of the biggest difference in performance. The RTX 4080 performs 62% faster than the RTX 4070 laptop, in 4k resolution. Whereas, in 1440p RTX 4080 is 63% faster. Even the 1% lows are way better than the average FPS of RX 4070. It shows that RTX 4080 shows a very stable performance.

Now a very interesting result come out in MS Flight Simulator. As it is a CPU intensive game, the graphic load is not much; that’s why in 1080p we can hardly see any difference. In 4k RTX 4080 shows a 36% more fps in 1440p, and 54% more in 4K.

On Far Cry 6 the RTX 4070 basically fall apart, during 4K testing. This is due to the limitation of 8GB VRAM. So with the extra 4GB VRAM, RTX 4080 claims a massive win over RTX 4070. In 1440p RTX 4080 shows a 50% performance boost over RTX 4070.

In Forza Horizon 5 4K resolution, RTX 4080 shows one of the biggest jump, of 92%. The FPS almost gets doubled in RTX 4080. Whereas only 49% FPS boost can be seen in 1440p.

The massive performance difference can also be seen in Watch Dogs Legion, a very VRAM intensive game. So again RTX 4080 shows a 77% performance jump in 4K ultra settings.

On average if we consider 1080p gaming, then RTX 4080 performs 44% faster than the RTX 4070 laptop. At 1440p the difference become 55% and 59% at 4K resolution. Although CPU intensive games like MS Flight Simulator and Marvel’s Spiderman Remastered, run almost same in both laptop. RTX 4080 shows a 5-10% boost.

Here I’ve given the overall FPS comparison for all the 10 titles, in 1440p

Now all the games here, are tested on the raw power of the GPU, as we’ve not used any upscaling method like DLSS or Frame generation. So obviously if you turned on any upscaling method, you’ll get a FPS boost. So with 61% more CUDA core and 4GB of extra VRAM RTX 4080 pulls out a massive win over RTX 4070. For comparison, RTX 4070 has 50% more CUDA core than RTX 4060. Though RTX 4070 only performs, 15-20% better than the RTX 4060.

That’s why I’ll say if you can, then try to go with RTX 4080, as it offers greater value for money than RTX 4070.

For further info check out Jarrod’s Tech video.

Power Efficiency and architecture

RTX 4070 comes with a 115W TDP with a power wattage of 35-115W. Whereas RTX 4080 comes with 110W TDP and power wattage of 60-150W. RTX 4070 hits a voltage limit of around 100W, which means that, after 100W there’ll be no difference in FPS. Well it’s not same for RTX 4080, as with higher power levels, it keep getting more and more FPS boost.

Also if we compare the base variant of RTX 4080(60W) with a RTX 4070 of 60W TDP, then RTX 4080 shows only 20% performance boost. This difference get quite bigger in higher power levels, like RTX 4080 performs 49% better than the RTX 4070 laptop, when both these laptop tested on 140W TDP. It keep getting better up to 175W.

Now RTX 4070 is also available with the lower power levels (35-60W), which makes it an ideal choice for thin and light weight laptops. Unlike RTX 4080 laptops, which are only available in higher power levels like, 60-140W. So RTX 4080 laptops are generally big, and heavy. Also both of them comes with NVIDIA’s 25W dynamic boost, which adds some extra power to the GPU.

Now RTX 4070 is more power efficient, as it draws less power in the same wattage as RTX 4080. This results, in less heat generation in RTX 4070. This is the reason, why RTX 4070 laptops give 20% more battery backup than RTX 4080 laptops, on a single charge.

Now both these GPUs are based on 5nm Ada Lovelace architecture, an upgraded version of Ampere architecture. Here are some major improvements in Ada Lovelace architecture.

• Shader Execution Reordering (SER) for optimized ray tracing performance.
• Latest 3rd Gen RT Cores for maximizing the ray tracing capability.
• 4th Gen Tensor Cores for DLSS 3, which intelligently boosts frame rates and generates additional frames.
• Optical Flow Accelerator (OFA) to enhance DLSS 3’s frame generation capabilities.
• Increased L1 and L2 cache sizes for faster performance.
• AV1 encoders for better video streaming and encoding.

Also read RTX 3060 vs 4060 laptop.

RTX 4070 vs 4080 Laptop: Pricing and Recommendation

Now if you search for both these laptops on Amazon, it shows a surprising price difference. The RTX 4070 laptops are generally priced in the range between $1500-$2000, whereas the RTX 4080 lies in the $2000-$3200 range. But keep in mind that RTX 4080 laptops generally come with the latest 13th Gen i9 processor and 32GB of DDR5 RAM. Whereas some RTX 4070 laptop still offers 12th Gen i7 and 16GB of RAM.

If we compare ASUS ROG STRIX G16 (2023) laptop with ASUS ROG STRIX Scar G16, then there is a difference of $700 as of now. G16 comes with RTX 4070 and 16GB of RAM, whereas SCAR G16 comes with RTX 4080 and 32GB of DDR5 RAM. Also G16 has a 165Hz of display, but SCAR G16 offers a 240Hz display.

Now GIGABYTE AORUS 17x and MSI Vector both are available around $2000, comes with RTX 4080 GPU. Both of them almost have a same specifications, like 16GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD, 13th Gen i9 processor.

Lenovo Legion pro, on the other side shows a price difference of $500. The RTX 4070 variant of Legion 5i is available around $2000, with i9-13900HX, 32GB RAM, and 1TB SSD, Whereas The RTX 4080 variant of Legion 7i is available around $2500, with same i9-13900HX, 32GB RAM and a 2TB SSD.

If you are looking for RTX 4080 variant with all the latest configuration, then also options are available, the price can go all the way up to $3000 to $3500. The Razer blade 16 is available around $3600, with latest 14th Gen i9-14900HX and 32GB of DDR5 RAM with OLED + QHD display with 240Hz display. Under $3000 there is options like MSI RAIDER, MSI Stealth, MSI Vector, Alienware X16, all having same 13th Gen i9 processor, 32GB DDR5 RAM.

Below I’ve included all the product links, you can check the detailed specs and prices on amazon

• ASUS ROG Strix G16 (i9-13980HX + 16GB DDR5 + RTX 4070) – check on amazon.
• HP Victus (i7-13700HX + 32GB DDR5 + RTX 4070) – check on amazon.
• Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (i9-13900HX + 32GB DDR5 + RTX 4070) – check on amazon.
• ASUS ROG Strix Scar 16 (i9-13980HX + 32GB DDR5 + RTX 4080) – check on amazon.
• MSI Raider (i9-14900HX + 64GB DDR5 + RTX 4080) – check on amazon.
• Razer Blade 16 (i9-14900HX + 32GB DDR5 + RTX 4080) – check on amazon.

Conclusion

So in this article, we’ve discussed the RTX 4070 vs 4080 laptop. We can see that RTX 4080 performs way better than an RTX 4070, but you must be prepared to spend that extra $400-$500. If your main goal is top-notch gaming with 4K resolution, and you want to enjoy the game at its maximum capacity, then RTX 4080 is the one you should go with. But if 4K is not a concern, 1080p or 1440p is sufficient for you, then RTX 4070 can be an ideal choice for you. If you’ve any queries feel free to ask me in the comment.

FAQ

1. How much performance difference is there between the RTX 4070 and RTX 4080 laptop GPUs?

• The RTX 4080 shows a performance advantage, on average 40-50% more FPS depending on the game, resolution, and specific laptop configuration.

2. Is the RTX 4080 laptop worth the extra cost?

• Not always. If your main focus is 1080p or 1440p gaming, then RTX 4070 often provides excellent performance for less. The 4080 becomes more promising at 4K or with demanding ray tracing.

3. Should I consider power consumption and battery life when choosing between RTX 4070 and RTX 4080 laptops?

• Yes, The 4080 typically has a higher power draw, meaning shorter gaming sessions on a single charge. Look at specific laptop reviews for detailed power comparisons.

4. Do both the RTX 4080 and RTX 4070 have the same feature (DLSS 3, FG, etc)?

• Yes, as both GPUs come with the core Ada Lovelace architecture and features. The main difference is in raw power and available VRAM.

5. Does the RTX 4080’s extra VRAM make a big difference in games?

• VRAM is a crucial factor for high-resolution textures and upcoming titles. I’ve shown how RTX 4070 performs very poor in Far Cry 6 at 4K resolution. So yes, that 4GB VRAM makes a difference.