AMD is looking mighty right now especially with the recent release of the current best gaming CPU, the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D. You can expect some of these design philosophies to also branch out to the mobile segment, and AMD’s Ryzen 7000 Series for laptops are rolling out hot from the oven, which means now is a good time to look at the best AMD Ryzen laptops.
While Intel will still be slightly more powerful (and more power hungry) as well as more available since their mobile CPUs have been out for a while now, AMD provides an alternative for people looking to save more while also having a more power-efficient machine.
If you’re in the market for the best AMD Ryzen laptops, we’ve compiled a list of some of their most recent contenders against Intel laptops. At the time of writing, these are currently the best deals for the best AMD Ryzen laptops.
RELATED: 5 Best Intel Laptops in 2023
Acer Nitro 16 Gaming Laptop
PROS
- RTX 4070 at a midrange price point
- Good 8-core CPU
- Sturdy metal chassis
- QHD resolution
- 165 Hz refresh rate
- Good price
- 16-inch screen
CONS
- 720p webcam
- AMD's new mobile CPU naming scheme is confusing
- Storage could be better
Specs:
- CPU / Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS
- GPU / Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070
- RAM / Memory: 16 GB DDR5
- Storage: 512 GB M.2 PCIe
- Display: 16″ 2560 x 1600 165 Hz IPS
The AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS isn’t the best since the “3” in the model name corresponds to a Zen 3 instead of the more modern Zen 4 architecture and the HS means it only runs at 35+ watts instead of 55+ watts. However, for the price, it’s really hard to beat.
Because you’re not just getting a good mobile Ryzen CPU, you’re also getting a decent ray tracing component with the RTX 4070 from NVIDIA. All this at a sub $1,500 price point. If you’re not going to be using it for heavy media work, then it’s the best option you have.
Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 (2023)
PROS
- Top-of-the-line laptop CPU and GPU
- 17-inch screen
- QHD resolution
- 240 Hz refresh rate, viable for esports
- Generous RAM
- Solid build quality
- Beautiful and color-accurate display
- Thin bezels
- Good cooling
- Stylish bottom RGB
CONS
- Pricey
- RAM speed could be better
Specs:
- CPU / Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX
- GPU / Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
- RAM / Memory: 32GB DDR5
- Storage: 1TB PCIe SSD
- Display: 17.3โ QHD 240Hz/3ms
As it stands, Asus is one of the fastest brands in the market to pick up on the AMD configuration. It has already released the latest ROG Strix Scar that comes with the top-of-the-line AMD mobile CPU, and it’s a Ryzen 9.
To complement that beefy CPU, Asus also included an RTX 4090, ensuring that this is the best machine you can have right now that can play any video game maxed out at QHD. RAM is also surprisingly generous for this kind of price point, and seeing as it’s a Strix Scar model, you can expect a solid build quality.
Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16
PROS
- Top-of-the-line laptop CPU and GPU
- Two screens!
- Both screens are touch displays
- Beautiful Mini-LED display
- QHD resolution
- 240 Hz refresh rate, viable for esports
- Thin bezels
- Impressive color accuracy
- Generous RAM
- Generous storage
- Good cooling with clever air intakes
CONS
- Aggressive gamer keyboard
- Expensive
- RAM speed could be better
- Keyboard area is a little cramped
Specs:
- CPU / Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX
- GPU / Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
- RAM / Memory: 32GB DDR5
- Storage: 2TB SSD
- Display: 16โ Mini LED 240Hz/3ms, QHD 16:10
Sadly, the Strix Scar above isn’t exactly the most premium option. That would be this ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 model. As with all Zephyrus Duo laptops, it also comes with two screens– a smaller one on the chassis which is especially useful for artists and digital professionals.
More importantly (and apart from having the same CPU and GPU as the Strix Scar 17), it sports a Mini-LED screen. It’s one of the latest display panel technologies right now and it’s gorgeous enough to rival OLED, but with less durability drawbacks.
Asus TUF Gaming A15 (2023)
PROS
- Ryzen 7 at this price point
- Reasonably-priced
- Max TGP for the RTX 4050
- Thin bezels
- Durable build
CONS
- RTX 4050 isn't really that much better compared to the RTX 3060
- Aggressive gamer keyboard
Specs:
- CPU / Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS
- GPU / Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050
- RAM / Memory: 16GB DDR5
- Storage: 1TB PCIe SSD
- Display: 15.6โ FHD 144Hz
Sporting the same Ryzen CPU model as the Acer Nitro 16 above, this model from Asus’ budget segment punches slightly above its weight class. Most of the time, you’d expect laptops in this price range and spec-range to have only a Ryzen 5, but here we are with a Ryzen 7.
The GPU won’t turn heads since it’s only slightly better than an RTX 3060 (sometimes slightly worse depending on the games), but that’s to be expected for this price point for laptops. Anyway, it’s Asus, so you can still expect competent engineering.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Is AMD better than Intel for laptops?
For raw performance, Intel is still better but AMD pulls ahead in efficiency. -
Is AMD good for gaming?
Yes. Most of the time, it's the GPU that handles gaming tasks anyway, so as long as you have a Ryzen 7 AMD laptop CPU or higher, you're good in gaming.