We benchmark the cheapest RTX laptop on Newegg and performance is better than a GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
We benchmark the cheapest GeForce RTX laptop on Newegg and performance is better than a GTX 1070 Max-Q
The MSI GL73 with RTX 2060 graphics begins to shine when gaming at higher resolutions beyond 1080p and with DirectX 12 active. Otherwise, users can get the same performance or better out of an older GTX 1070 laptop for lower prices.
The GeForce RTX series for laptops currently consists of the RTX 2060, RTX 2070, RTX 2080, RTX 2070 Max-Q, and the RTX 2080 Max-Q. Even the slowest RTX GPU is no slouch as it's comparable to flagship GTX gaming laptops of yesteryear as our 3DMark benchmarks below will show.
A quick browse through Newegg reveals that the MSI GL73 8SE is the least expensive gaming laptop equipped RTX 2060 graphics for $1500. 3DMark Fire Strike ranks it 37 percent and 9 percent faster than the last generation GTX 1060 and GTX 1070 Max-Q, respectively. Nonetheless, performance is still about 13 percent slower than a standard mobile GTX 1070.
Performance deltas increase in the RTX's favor if gaming on higher resolutions with DX12 active. The Time Spy benchmark, for example, shows the RTX 2060 running 22 percent faster than the GTX 1070 Max-Q to be on par with the GTX 1070. Users may want to consider gaming at resolutions beyond 1080p to get more out of the RTX 2060.
None of these benchmarks factor in ray tracing or DLSS for which the RTX series is best known for. If you have no interest in these features, then last generation GTX 1080 or GTX 1080 Max-Q flagship laptops can be found for nearly the same price as the budget MSI GL73 8SE while offering better performance.
Allen Ngo - Lead Editor U.S. - 5254 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2011
After graduating with a B.S. in environmental hydrodynamics from the University of California, I studied reactor physics to become licensed by the U.S. NRC to operate nuclear reactors. There's a striking level of appreciation you gain for everyday consumer electronics after working with modern nuclear reactivity systems astonishingly powered by computers from the 80s. When I'm not managing day-to-day activities and US review articles on Notebookcheck, you can catch me following the eSports scene and the latest gaming news.
