(Sponsored) With the new academic year looming, now is the time to grab yourself a laptop capable of handling any task you can throw its way. If you want a laptop you can rely on, then a big way to step up your game is to switch to one with an internal dedicated GPU.
What’s the difference between dedicated and integrated graphics? An integrated GPU is attached to the motherboard of a computer, and uses the memory of the main system, which can degrade performance. A dedicated GPU, on the other hand, has its own memory. For this reason, a dedicated GPU generally provides a lot more graphics power than an integrated GPU, which can be especially important for STEM students who work with 3D design, modelling, and simulation.
And there is no name in the GPU industry bigger than NVIDIA, whose GeForce RTX GPU’s power many of the laptops from the biggest brands around.
So if you’re looking for a laptop that can accelerate your workflow and tackle anything university can throw at you, check out some of the options below.
For the general student with some creative dabbling
MSI Prestige 14
For powerful general use with the capacity to dabble in the creative realm, the MSI Prestige 14 is a dream machine. It sports a GeForce RTX 2050 with 4GB of memory, and manages to weigh in at an incredibly low 1.49kg. If you want a super-lightweight model that you can take with you anywhere whilst still packing a punch, this is a great pickup for only £699 at Argos.
ASUS Vivobook 16X
If you want to step up a size category, the ASUS Vivobook 16X is a top pick. It has a 15.6” screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and makes use of the powerful GeForce RTX 2050. It weighs in at 1.8kg, which is heavier than the MSI Prestige 14, but you get a faster screen and a 1TB internal SSD, which should be plenty of storage for any project. The Vivobook costs £799 right now, thanks to a £200 discount from Currys – definitely a deal worth checking out.
For students who love to game
If you’re into PC gaming and want to bring a machine with you to university that can handle both work and play, take a look at these two laptops. GeForce RTX laptops sport DLSS technology, an AI-powered feature that soups up the resolution and anti-aliasing, increases framerates, and dramatically improves the overall player experience. Additionally, the GeForce Experience software can optimise your in-game settings for visuals or performance, and update drivers automatically.
MSI Cyborg 15
If you want to experience the power of NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 40-series without breaking the bank, you can buy the MSI Cyborg 15 for only £799 at Currys, with a 6GB RTX 4050 GPU that boasts a massive leap in performance over previous generations of graphics processors, and comes with DLSS 3.5, an AI-powered rendering technology that incorporates both Frame Generation for incredible performance boosts in demanding games, and Ray Reconstruction for higher-quality ray-traced visuals. If you’re a gamer, saving £150 on a laptop of this spec shouldn’t be missed.
ASUS TUF F15
If you’re on a budget but still want to take advantage of the unique features of GeForce RTX and DLSS 3.5, consider the ASUS TUF F15 – now only £649.99, which represents huge value considering the components. Both these laptops feature 144Hz full-HD screens, which are ideal for fast-paced FPS games especially.
For STEM students
If you’ve got to work with some super-demanding software, for example in architecture or data science, you will need to invest extra to ensure your laptop has the power to complete coursework anywhere, anytime. That’s where some of the more powerful GeForce RTX 40-series laptops come into play.
MSI Prestige 16
The MSI Prestige 16 is absolutely packed with high-grade tech, including an Intel Core i7-13620H processor, 16GB LPDDR5 RAM, and of course a GeForce RTX 4050 6GB GPU. With this piece of high-end kit, you can expect hyper-realistic graphics and access to NVIDIA Studio, a suite of AI-assisted tools to help you power through any workload. MSI has managed to fit all this, as well as a battery that can last you 10 hours, into a laptop weighing just under 2kg.
ASUS Vivobook Pro 15
Equally impressive is the ASUS Vivobook Pro 15, which manages to pack in an even more powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 8GB GPU, the strongest GPU on this list. If you want to process the most demanding tasks with ease, such as getting the most out of AutoCAD, or using Blender for complex tasks, this is the laptop for you. For £1,499, you can own the very best laptop going for a student who demands high performance.
Some of these back-to-school deals won’t be around for very long, so snap up an NVIDIA GeForce RTX-powered laptop today and never feel held back by your computer again.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
