Best Gaming Laptops with Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Graphics: Affordable mobile gaming
NVIDIA announced the launch of RTX 3050 and RTX 3050 Ti, budget friendly entries to their GeForce RTX 30 series graphics. Compared to RTX 3060, these have only 4GB graphics memory, fewer GPU cores and fewer AI cores. The best affordable gaming laptops without compromising on ray tracing in the value segment is still ones with GeForce RTX 3060.
While the RTX 3060 is no longer the most affordable GPU from the RTX 30-series, given the introduction of the lower RTX 3050, they are still good value compared to the mid-range RTX 3070 and the flagship RTX 3080 or the top shelf RTX 3090. The mobile variant will play your standard games without breaking a sweat. It will even take on some titles a 4K Ultra HD resolutions with maximum settings. There is a huge range of mobile gaming laptops based on the RTX 3060 GPU, with differing prices, design, processor and other specifications.
Understanding the Performance of the Processors in Use
Our line-up looks mainly at laptops powered by Intel Core i7, specifically the 11th generation:
- Intel® Core™ i7-11375H 4-core Processor 3.3GHz with Max Turbo 5.0GHz
- Intel® Core™ i7-11370H 4-core Processor 3.3GHz with Max Turbo 4.8GHz
There isn’t a huge difference in performance between the two 11th generation processors above. The average benchmark scores puts the Intel Core i7-11375H ahead by about 5%, see table of PassMark scores below (correct at time of writing).
| Ave CPU Mark | Single Thread | Cross Platform | |
| Intel® Core™ i7-11375H | 13485 | 3250 | 24689 |
| Intel® Core™ i7-11370H | 12862 | 3205 | 23318 |
From the 10th generation Intel Core i7 processors, we have the following:
- Intel® Core™ i7-10875H 8-core Processor 2.3GHz with Max Turbo 5.1GHz
- Intel® Core™ i7-10870H 8-core Processor 2.2GHz with Max Turbo 5.0GHz
- Intel® Core™ i7-10750H 6-core Processor 2.6GHz with Max Turbo 5.0GHz
These may be hexa-core or Octa-core processors but they are based on 14nm processor as oppose to the 11th generation processors that are based on SuperFin 10nm process. However, more cores still trumps the 11th gen. quad-core parts listed earlier as you can see from the cross platform scores in the table below.
| Ave CPU Mark | Single Thread | Cross Platform | |
| Intel® Core™ i7-10875H | 15967 | 2828 | 33833 |
| Intel® Core™ i7-10870H | 15544 | 2751 | 33010 |
| Intel® Core™ i7-10750H | 12572 | 2737 | 25452 |
As before, the performance gain in choosing the Core i7-10875H over Core i7-10870H is very small, between 2 to 3% in average score, single thread and cross platform. This leaves the hexa-core Core i7-10750H at the bottom of the list. It is worth pointing out that while single core performance of the 10th generation CPUs are lower than 11th generation CPUs, they perform better overall with higher multi-core and cross platform performance. In this case, there is an advantage in choosing the older 10th generation chips.
A quick comparison between both 10th and 11th generation CPUs is shown in the graph below.
Next we have two processor entries from the formidable Ryzen 5000 series chip from AMD, they are as follows:
- AMD Ryzen 7-5800HS 8-core processor 2.8GHz Max Boost 4.4GHz
- AMD Ryzen 9-5900HX 8-core Processor 3.3GHz Max Boost 4.6GHz
Both are mobile CPUs based on AMD Zen 3 core architecture and both show much promise in terms of performance. The Average CPU Mark scores reported on PassMark are a whole magnitude above the 11th and 10th generation CPUs from Intel although they share very similar single thread performance.
| Ave CPU Mark | Single Thread | Cross Platform | |
| AMD Ryzen 7-5800HS | 21396 | 3130 | 39273 |
| AMD Ryzen 9-5900HX | 23736 | 3282 | 44128 |
With these information, you can quickly place the processors in terms of performance and be able to choose one over the other depending on your needs.
Top 9 Best Gaming Laptops with Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Graphics
Here, we look at gaming laptops based on the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU offering both current generation GPU performance and ray tracing on a budget.
1. ASUS TUF Dash F15 Gaming Laptop
Intel® Core™ i7, RTX 3060, 512 GB SSD
Want the latest 11th generation Intel Core i7 Processor but not wanting to pay over the odds for it, the ASUS TUF Dash F15 offers just that. Powered by Intel Core i7-11370H it is not any slower than the Intel Core i7-11375H yet still comes with perks like NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics with ray tracing, 144Hz adaptive sync Full HD panel for smooth high frame rate action and tough chassis that passed military standard tests.
All that in an ultra thin package with four exhausts and two powerful fan to keep everything running cool. Even with the super affordable price tag, it still manages a Thunderbolt 4 port that can support dual 4K external display or a single 8K monitor as well as power delivery up to 100W to top up the battery. That is on top of three USB3.2 ports, super fast WiFi 6, Gigabit Ethernet and Bluetooth 5.0 for connectivity. Also, you may have noticed by now, there is no web cam to speak of. For video calls, you are going to have to get your own webcam.
- Intel Core i7-11370H 3.3GHz Processor
- 8GB RAM + 512GB SSD
- 15.6-inch Full HD 144Hz Display
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB
- Battery Life up to 8 hours.
- 36.0 x 25.2 x 1.99 ~ 1.99 cm, 2kg
2. MSI Stealth 15M 15.6″ Gaming Laptop
Intel® Core™ i7, RTX 3060, 512 GB SSD
Not wanting to be left behind is the MSI Stealth 15M, one of two MSI gaming laptops on our list. This one is powered by an 11th Gen Intel Core i7-11375H. As we have learn in the previous section, the performance of this processor is not far off from the Core i7-11370H. However, it does have an advantage over the TUF Dash F15, in that it comes with double the memory at 16GB. And, whilst supports a single Thunderbolt 4 port, one HDMI, two USB 3.2 type A ports and microSD card reader, it doesn’t come with an Ethernet port. You are going to have to rely solely on the WiFI 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 for wireless connectivity. Still, for a full size 15.6-inch laptop it is quite thin measuring under 16mm and weighing only 1.69kg, one of the slimmest and lightest around.The real bonus is, on a full charge, you can get up to 9 hours of battery life. For a gaming laptop, that is pretty impressive.
- Intel® Core™ i7-11375H Processor
- RAM: 16GB / Storage: 512GB SSD
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6 GB
- 205 FPS when playing Fortnite at 1080p
- 15.6-inch Full HD screen / 144 Hz
- 15.95 x 358 x 248 mm (H x W x D) 1.69kg
RELATED: MSI Stealth 15M: Gaming Performance Delivered with Exquisite Styling
3. ASUS ROG Strix G15 Gaming Laptop
AMD Ryzen 7, RTX 3060 1TB SSD
Most gaming laptops will have rubbish battery life. We accept that and the ASUS ROG Strix G15 is no exception. It makes up for it with a powerful CPU and GPU combination, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800H with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060. On average this chip is 14% faster than the Core i7-10750H and 7 to 9% faster than the Core i7-10870H and Core i7-10875H. So then you ask how does it compared to the new 11th generation Intel Core i7-11370H and Intel Core i7-11375H. UserBenchmark records an average lead of 8% and 11% respectively.
It also comes with the new floating RGB LED light accent near the bottom of the base that you can customise using the Aura control panel. That light bar matches the lighting on the backlit keyboard. The display panel offers rich detail at WQHD (2560 x 1440) resolution with 165Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time. For an even higher refresh rate of 300Hz, pick up the Full HD version. Lastly, like the Zephyrus G14 below, the ROG Strix G15 also comes with programmable dot-matrix lighting on the lid albeit just in one corner plus is available in three different colours. And, just like the other ASUS gaming laptops here, it doesn’t come with a webcam which can be a bummer for some.
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800H Processor
- 16GB RAM + 1TB SSD
- 15.6-inch WQHD 165Hz Display
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB
- Battery Life: up to 5 hours
- 35.4 x 25.9 x 2.26 ~ 2.72 cm, 2.3kg
4. Razer Blade Pro 17 Gaming Laptop
Intel Core i7, 512GB SSD RTX 3060
If you want a full-size desktop replacement that is also powerful enough for gaming, the Razer Blade Pro 17 is your answer. It has a huge 17.3-inch display at Full HD with ultra high 360Hz refresh rate and 100% sRGB colour. That or a high QHD resolution with 165Hz refresh rate. With an Octa-core Intel Core i7-10875H, it is a multitasker with super fast multi-thread performance to match. All that power and display do not come cheap and is reflecting in its price tag. Beneath that Per-Key RGB keyboard powered by Razer Chroma™ with anti-ghosting backlit is a glass covered touchpad. Our only complain is the HD webcam with only 720p resolution. Razer need to be aiming for a minimum of 1080p.
- Intel Core i7-10875H 2.3GHz
- 16GB RAM + 512GB SSD
- 17.3-inch FHD 360Hz Display or QHD 165Hz
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
- 19.9 mm x 260 mm x 395 mm, 2.75kg
5. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 Gaming Laptop
AMD Ryzen 9, RTX 3060, 1TB SSD
We have seen the previous ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 with AMD Ryzen 9-4900HS and RTX 2060, a combo to be reckoned with. This upgraded version comes with a chart topping next generation AMD Ryzen 9-5900HX. The processor itself is on average 13% faster than Intel Core i7-10875H and 12% faster than Intel Core i7-10870H. Compared to Intel Core i7-10750H, it has an even bigger lead of 19%. This leaves us with the only question unanswered. How does the Ryzen 9-5900HX compares to the Ryzen 7-5800H above? To our surprise, not a lot, only a 4% lead.
The ROG Zephyrus has a fancy dot matrix illuminating lid that you can customise. It is also the only laptop with a small 14-inch panel. But that panel is packed with Wide QuadHD pixels making it the highest pixel count per inch on any laptop in our line-up. Things will look small but super sharp at Wide Quad HD 2560 x 1440pixel resolution with a high 120Hz refresh rate. It does not stop there, this little wonder of a gaming laptop also comes with 32GB RAM and a spacious 1TB SSD storage. But, like the TUF F15, there is no webcam on the unit, so you may have to rely on your smartphone for video calls.
- AMD Ryzen 9-5900HX Processor
- 32GB RAM + 1TB SSD
- 14-inch WQHD 120Hz Display
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB
- Battery Life: up to 6 hours
- 26 x 360 x 262 mm (H x W x D) 2.2kg
6. GIGABYTE AORUS 15P 15.6-inch Gaming Laptop
Intel® Core™ i7, RTX 3060, 512 GB
One thing that you will notice when you open the lid of the AORUS 15P gaming laptop is how small the bezels around the display are. The bottom or chin bezel may be big but the three sides are super slim at only 3mm thin, thanks to Gigabyte moving the camera to the base of the unit, near the hinge. That display is also a fast Full HD panel with 240Hz refresh rate to remove motion blur and ensure that the rendered image is super smooth.
The unit is powered by an 8-core 16-thread CPU in the form of Intel Core i7-10870H with a maximum turbo frequency of 5.0GHz. It is also equipped with dual ultra high speed PCIe 3.0 x4 SSD slots allowing the SSD up to 3000MB/s transfer rate. For connectivity, you get HDMI2.0, Mini DisplayPort 1.4, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A, 3.5mm combo jack and Ethernet port on the left side. While, on the right, there is a DC-in jack, full size SD card reader, a single USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port and two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports. Now, even with all that power and fast WiFi 6 networking, the Aorus still manages up to 8 hours of battery life.
- Intel® Core™ i7-10870H Processor
- RAM: 16GB / Storage: 512GB SSD
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6 GB
- 15.6-inch Full HD screen / 240 Hz
- Battery life: Up to 8 hours
7. Razer Blade 15 Gaming Laptop
Intel Core i7, RTX 3060, 512GB SSD
First in our line-up to feature the hexagonal-core Intel Core i7-10750H, this base model Razer Blade 15 is still a very capable gaming machine with the RTX 3060. If you like the design but wants more out of the gaming laptop, pick up a Razer Blade 15 Advanced with octa-core Intel Core i7-10875H and RTX 3070 graphics. But, that jacks up the price by around 900 dollars.
Back to the base model, the chassis is made from a single aluminium frame with focus on keeping the footprint as small and compact as possible. Even though it comes with a full size 15.6-inch display, it keeps everything tight with minimal bezels around the display. For connectivity, you get fast WiFi 6, Gigabit Ethernet, Thunderbolt 3, USB Type-A and Type-C ports as well as HDMI output.
Finally, the Chroma RGB backlight on the keyboard lets you customise the colours and enjoy over 150 Chroma-integrated titles such as Fortnite, Apex Legends and Warframe, so you get an immersive lighting effect as you game.
- Intel Core i7-10750H 2.6GHz
- 16GB RAM + 512GB SSD
- 15.6-inch FullHD 144Hz Display 100% sRGB colours
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB
8. MSI Stealth GS66 15.6-inch Gaming Laptop
Intel® Core™ i7, RTX 3060, 512 GB SSD
The MSI GS66 Stealth is an award winning laptop. With a full size 15.6-inch Full HD display capable of 240Hz refresh rate, it offers the best in gaming experience from a portable. The high refresh rate helps reduce motion blur, keeping you in the game with no lag. At Full HD 1080p, it will run titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Fortnight, Valorant, Call of Duty:Black Ops Cold War, Rocket League, GTA V, Control and Call of Duty:Modern Warfare with high frame rate of 60FPS and above up to 275FPS on some titles at medium quality settings. Many titles will also play at 1440p and 4K resolution with no problem at all.
Features of the MSI Stealth GS66 worth mentioning is the high capacity 99.9WHr battery offering up to 9 hours of use and the onboard gaming keyboard provided by SteelSeries with per-key RGB lighting. For connectivity, it uses fast WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 wireless while physical ports include three USB3.1, HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4 and Thunderbolt 3. And, while there is dual 2W speakers onboard, it also has two 3.5mm audio jack outputs.
- Intel® Core™ i7-10750H Processor
- RAM: 16GB / Storage: 512GB SSD
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6 GB
- 204 FPS when playing Fortnite at 1080p
- 15.6-inch Full HD screen / 240 Hz
- 19.5 x 358 x 248 mm (H x W x D). 2.1kg
9. MSI GF65 Thin 15.6-inch Gaming Laptop
Intel® Core™ i7, RTX 3060, 512 GB SSD
Last but not least, an affordable option from MSI, the MSI GF65. This laptop while it carries the Thin moniker, it is not exactly as thin as the MSI GS66 above nor is it more compact but it does weigh less. Given its affordable price tag, it is quite popular among buyers. It offers excellent gaming performance with RTX 3050 playing modern titles like Cyberpunk on the native Full HD 1080p display smoothly thanks to is high 144Hz refresh rate.
It also comes with fast NVMe SSD and two mini PCI-e ports for expansion. Together with the memory and processor, the laptop handles any games well even at high frame rate. But, many have mentioned how the cooling fan can get a little noisy when it kicks in so be prepared to use additional external active cooling like a stand with fan or cooling pad.
- Intel® Core™ i7-10750H Processor
- RAM: 16GB / Storage: 512GB SSD
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6 GB
- 208 FPS when playing Fortnite at 1080p
- 15.6-inch Full HD screen / 144Hz
- 21.7 x 359 x 254 mm (H x W x D) 1.86kg
