Asus is pricing an RTX 5080 gaming laptop at $4,799, which is more expensive than last year’s RTX 5090 model.

      Asus has quietly introduced the 2026 ROG Zephyrus G16 with an RTX 5080 priced at $4,799. This is $200 more than the 2025 model, which features a more powerful RTX 5090 and 64GB of RAM, currently available on Amazon for $4,599. It's notable that the new model, which has a less powerful graphics card, costs more than its predecessor with a stronger one.

      The latest version includes Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5080 paired with Intel’s Core Ultra 9 386H—this is the first Panther Lake processor in a gaming laptop. It features 64GB of LPDDR5X RAM, a 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, and a 16-inch 2.5K OLED display capable of 240Hz with a peak brightness of 1,100 nits. Asus lists the GPU's maximum graphics power at 160W in manual mode, which is 20W more than the previous RTX 5070 Ti variant that was the sole US option.

      The RTX 5080 is a significant upgrade from the 5070 Ti, featuring 16GB of GDDR7 VRAM, compared to 12GB for the 5070 Ti, with independent benchmarks indicating it provides about 15 to 23 percent improved gaming performance depending on the resolution. Additionally, the RAM is upgraded from 32GB to 64GB in this version.

      However, the RTX 5080 does not surpass the RTX 5090. According to benchmarks using Blackwell-generation hardware, Nvidia’s leading laptop GPU has 24GB of VRAM and offers roughly 10 percent better gaming performance than the 5080. The 2025 Zephyrus G16 pairs this faster GPU with Intel’s Arrow Lake Core Ultra 9 285H and 64GB of RAM, retailing at $4,599 through third-party sellers.

      The 2026 model's price of $4,799 represents an $1,100 increase over the RTX 5070 Ti version, a rise of 29 percent. While part of this increase can be attributed to the GPU upgrade and increased memory, the availability of last year’s model with a superior GPU at a lower price challenges the value proposition.

      There is some context to consider regarding pricing. The $4,599 price for the 2025 RTX 5090 model is from third-party sellers on Amazon and Newegg, not from Asus directly. Best Buy previously listed the 32GB configuration at $4,400 upon launch, later discounting it to $3,799.

      Although the comparison isn't entirely direct, for consumers, the outcome is the same: the older, more powerful machine costs less wherever it's found. The new Intel Panther Lake platform does come with a price premium, as the Core Ultra 9 386H is built on Intel’s 18A manufacturing process, their first sub-2nm node, featuring 16 cores that include four performance cores, eight efficiency cores, and four low-power cores. Whether the CPU upgrade justifies the price increase over a laptop with a better GPU varies from buyer to buyer.

      Moreover, the larger hardware market is also impacting consumers negatively. DDR5 memory prices have sharply increased in 2026, as top manufacturers like Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron have shifted production from consumer DRAM to high-bandwidth memory for AI data centers. A 64GB LPDDR5X kit that once cost under $120 now ranges from $300 to $500.

      This surge in cost is reflected in every laptop equipped with high-capacity memory. Asus has already faced criticism regarding the pricing of its RTX 5080 line. The ROG NUC 16 mini PC launched at $4,400 in China with only a 2.3 percent improvement in benchmarks over its predecessor, leading to backlash from customers who expected more value from the $1,200 increase year-over-year. The Zephyrus G16’s pricing follows a similar trajectory, with substantial component upgrades that do not entirely justify the cost escalation.

      For buyers focused on GPU performance, the calculations are straightforward. The 2025 ROG Zephyrus G16 with the RTX 5090 offers superior graphics capabilities for a lower price, despite having an older CPU. The appeal of the 2026 model lies in its newer Panther Lake processor, a silver color option, and the expectation that 2025 stock will eventually run out.

      Asus has not addressed the pricing differences. The company’s US store currently lists three configurations of the Zephyrus G16 for 2026, ranging from the RTX 5070 Ti at $3,699 to the RTX 5080 at $4,799. The RTX 5090 model for the 2026 lineup has not yet been listed in the US, but initial pricing from other regions indicates it will likely exceed