The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti and 1650 have finally arrived on laptops, making more powerful budget gaming laptops available to everyone.
When the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti launched back in February, it changed the budget graphics card landscape entirely. Nvidia did it again with the GeForce GTX 1660 a couple weeks later, but we were left wondering when these budget graphics processors (GPUs) would arrive in the best gaming laptops. Well, the wait is over.
Laptop manufacturers from Asus to MSI have their own gaming laptops featuring these budget GPUs, covering a wide range of different price points and configurations. We went ahead and sorted through all the different product announcements and laid out all the important details below.
- Check out the best Asus laptops
Lenovo
Lenovo is refreshing a chunk of its Legion lineup with Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti and 1650 graphics. Spearheaded by the high-end Lenovo Legion Y740, these gaming laptops should have a more approachable entry level.
Speaking of entry level, the Lenovo IdeaPad L340 Gaming laptop will be available starting at $869 (about £670, AU$1,200), topping out with the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 in an inconspicuous chassis. This laptop will be available in May.
Going up a rung, you have the Lenovo Legion Y540 at $1,209 (about £930, AU$1,690) for the 15-inch model and $1,269 (about £970, AU$1,770) for the 17-inch model. Specs-wise, it's similar to the IdeaPad L340 Gaming, but with more robust cooling. The Lenovo Y540 will be available in May for the 15-inch model and June for the 17-inch.
The Lenovo Legion Y7000p is a bit more specialized for gaming with awesome cooling and beefy specs, starting at $1,199 (about £920, AU$1,670) and will come out in May. This svelte gaming laptop features Lenovo's signature 'Y' logo on the back. It tops out with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060, but will also be available starting with the GTX 1650.
Lenovo is also refreshing the Legion Y7000, which will feature more robust lighting and thinner bezels, but pricing and release information isn't available at the time of writing.
If you want your gaming laptop to go all-out, with no compromises, you're going to want to take a look at the Lenovo Legion Y740. This behemoth of a laptop will start at $1,609 (about £1,240, AU$2,250) and will be available in May. This beast comes with a 144Hz, Full HD (1080p) Nvidia G-Sync display, taking advantage of whatever GPU is packed inside, whether it's the GTX 1660 Ti or even an RTX 2080.
Asus
Asus is taking a slightly different approach to its gaming lineup with the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti and 1650. Rather than offering these GPUs as a baseline option in its most powerful gaming laptops, they're featured in Asus's more budget-oriented laptops.
For instance, the Asus TUF lineup has always included some of the most attainable gaming laptops, and the TUF FX505 and TUF FX705 are no different. These laptops will be packed with up to Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics, paired with AMD Ryzen mobile accelerated processors (APUs). This pairing means you get the absolute most value for your money.
These TUF laptops are also built 'tough', meeting military-grade MIL-STD-810G standards, so they should survive that trip to the tournament. Pricing information for these laptops isn't available yet, but we should see it closer to their Q2 2019 release date.
Then, there's the Asus Zephyrus M GU502, a thin-and-light gaming laptop weighing in at just 1.9kg (4.19 pounds). But, because it's packed with 9th-generation Intel processors and starting with a GTX 1660 Ti, that thin chassis belies a powerful device. Thankfully, Asus includes an intelligent cooling solution, so that the thin chassis shouldn't compromise the hardware.
This svelte design, paired with the 240Hz, Full HD display and built-in HiFi DAC, means that you can get in some high-end gaming in with excellent sound, without having a device that looks like a gaming laptop. The Asus Zephyrus M GU502 will be out in May, and will set you back $1,899 (about £1,460, AU$2,680).
The Asus Zephyrus G GA502 takes a similar approach to the previously mentioned TUF laptops, in that it adopts AMD Ryzen mobile APUs and pairs them with the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti. But, it does so while remaining remarkably thin at light, measuring just 20mm thick and weighing only 2.1kg.
This laptop manages this thin design by implementing intelligent cooling, with a self-cleaning thermal module that resists dust and debris. So, that thin and light design won't get in the way of serious frame rates. That's good, because with a 120Hz refresh rate in its display, you're going to want that hardware to perform at its peak. The Asus Zephyrus G GA502 will be out in Q2 2019, and is available for pre-order right now starting at $1,099 (about (£840, AU$1,550).
Dell and Alienware
And, of course Dell has refreshed its various gaming laptop lineups with Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti and GTX 1650 graphics – as well as Intel 9th generation mobile processors.
Dell's GTX 1660 Ti and GTX 1650 lineup starts with the Dell G5 and G7, which will open with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 and a 9th-generation Intel Core chip. What's more, these mid-range laptops will be enhanced with a four-zone RGB keyboard and optional OLED or 240Hz displays.
The Dell G5 and G7 will be available starting today at currently undisclosed prices, and you can order them with Turing GTX graphics, with Intel 9th-generation processor models to arrive in June.
Then, of course, you have the Alienware m15 and m17 laptops, starting out with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 at currently undisclosed prices. And, like the Dell G-series laptops, you can order either laptop with Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti or 1650 graphics starting today, or in June if you're looking for a 9th-generation Intel processor.
If you're looking for a laptop to get some professional work done, you're in luck. Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics will be behind the Dell XPS 15 2019 arriving this June. We don't have any more details about this 'prosumer' Ultrabook but, if the XPS 13 is any indication, it should be a solid improvement – we just hope Dell moves that webcam.
MSI
MSI has also upgraded its gaming lineup with Nvidia GeForce GTX Turing graphics. With the exception of its beefy GT Titan, MSI's entire gaming lineup will be available with either the GTX 1660 Ti or GTX 1650.
That means you can pack out the MSI GS65 Stealth with a GTX 1660 Ti, so you don't have to splurge on an RTX 2060. The MSI GE Raider, GL63 and GF Thin will also be available with Nvidia Turing GTX graphics.
The MSI GP75 Leopard has also been refreshed with these new GPUs, but also comes with a new RGB keyboard.
However, we don't have pricing or availability information for any of these refreshed gaming laptops at the time of this writing. But, considering many of the other laptops we've covered here are either already available or will be by June, we expect to hear more about MSI's GTX 1660 Ti-powered laptops in the near future.
Beyond gaming, Nvidia Turing graphics will be powering MSI's P-series creative laptops. Alongside the 15-inch P65 Creator, there will also be a new 17-inch P75 Creator. Both laptops will feature 4K displays and lightweight designs, so you can get heavy-duty creative work done on the go.
We don't have availability or pricing information for these creative-focused laptops at the time of this writing, either. We suspect we'll hear more closer to their release.
Acer
Acer is refreshing most of its gaming laptops, and even the Aspire 7 with Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 and 1660 Ti graphics.
The Acer Aspire 7 and Acer Nitro 5 will feature the GTX 1650, alongside an Intel Core i7-9750H. Going further up the chain, Acer will now offer the Nitro 7 with a GTX 1650 or a GTX 1660 Ti, which should make entry-level models more affordable. The Nitro 7 will also feature an Intel Core i7-9750H.
Then, there's the Acer Predator Helios 300, which is a more high-end gaming laptop. The entry level Helios 300 will now feature an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, as well as the Intel Core i7-9750H.
All of these Acer laptops are available today, but we don't have pricing or release date information for the GTX 16-series or Intel 9th-generation models.
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