The RTX 5080 could demonstrate its value in upcoming gaming laptops.

      Nvidia

      With just a month left until the release of Nvidia's new RTX 50-series laptops, recent leaks have shed light on the performance of the RTX 5080 laptop GPU. A listing on Bilibili for the 3DMark Time Spy benchmark indicates that the GPU shows a significant improvement in synthetic benchmarks when compared to its predecessor, the RTX 4080. The RTX 5080 achieved a score of 21,948 points in the 3DMark Time Spy graphics test, exceeding the RTX 4080's average score of 17,601 points (as noted by Notebookcheck)—a 24% performance increase. Given that the desktop version of the RTX 5080 is around 10-15% more powerful than the desktop RTX 4080, the laptop version appears to provide a markedly better performance boost, at least according to the early benchmark data. It positions the RTX 5080 laptop similarly to the RTX 4090 laptop.

      About a month ago, a similar performance leak from Geekbench OpenCL showcased the RTX 5080 laptop GPU's capabilities in a 175-watt configuration on an Alienware Area-51 laptop. The results indicated that the RTX 5080 exceeded the 190,000-point mark, significantly outpacing its predecessor, which scored approximately 160,000 points. Remarkably, even the RTX 4090 Laptop GPU—which usually averages around 180,000 points—did not keep up, though higher scores are attainable in laptops with better cooling solutions.

      It's essential to recognize that real-world performance will depend on several factors, including power limits, cooling systems, and specific configurations set by manufacturers. While synthetic benchmarks are a useful guide, actual gaming benchmarks and professional workload tests will ultimately define the RTX 5080’s true effect on the gaming laptop industry.

      The RTX 5080 will hit the market in March, alongside the RTX 5090, RTX 5070 Ti, and RTX 5070. This GPU will feature 7680 CUDA cores, with a TGP range of 80-150W (plus a 25W overhead), and 16GB GDDR7 VRAM, similar to its desktop equivalent. According to Nvidia, laptops equipped with the RTX 5080 will start at a price of $2,199.

      Kunal Khullar is a computing writer at Digital Trends, contributing to various topics including CPUs, GPUs, monitors, and more.

      I might have found the solution to my Mac gaming dilemma. Recently, I wrote about the M4 Pro Mac mini; its compact size and impressive performance, combined with the mostly trouble-free experience of macOS, have made me seriously consider abandoning Windows once and for all. However, there's one hurdle: I'm a dedicated gamer, and Apple’s M4 Pro chip isn’t quite as powerful as the RTX 3070 in my current PC. Then I received an email from a reader that shifted my outlook.

      Nvidia claims the RTX 5080 is "about" 15% faster than the RTX 4080 without DLSS. When Nvidia unveiled its RTX 50-series GPUs earlier this month, they made bold assertions about the new range outclassing their previous-generation counterparts with double the performance. While Nvidia's new lineup may rank among the best graphics cards at launch, most of the additional performance is attributed to the new DLSS Multi-Frame Generation feature exclusive to the RTX 50-series GPUs. During Nvidia's Editor's Day for Blackwell GPUs at CES 2025, GeForce desktop product manager Justin Walker stated that the RTX 5080 is approximately 15% faster than the RTX 4080 without DLSS 4 and that the RTX 5070 would be around 20% faster than the RTX 4070 without the feature. Nvidia did not supply precise performance metrics for the new GPUs, so it's crucial to note the "about" at the beginning of that statement. Walker provided a general indication of the expected generational improvement, but it's vital to wait for reviews before forming conclusions about the new cards.

      Nvidia is hosting a giveaway for the RTX 5090 — here’s how to enter. Nvidia's incredibly powerful RTX 5090 is set to launch soon. Priced at $2,000, this GPU is quite expensive; however, Nvidia is running a sweepstakes where you can try your luck at winning one. Here’s how to get involved and potentially secure Nvidia's top-tier graphics card. Nvidia has been giving away some GPUs as well as an entire custom PC leading up to the RTX 50-series launch. Now that the details of the cards are out in the open, the sweepstakes have transitioned from the original GeForce 256 to the GeForce RTX 5090, which is expected to be a formidable card (though it may not be as powerful as the benchmarks suggest).