If you are looking for a gaming laptop that balances power, portability, and price, then models with the Nvidia RTX 4050 hit a sweet spot. This GPU brings features like DLSS 3 and ray tracing to accessible price points, making it ideal for gamers who want a solid 1080p gaming performance on a budget. In this guide, we have curated a list of the best RTX 4050 laptops on which you can have an enjoyable gaming experience.
How Did We Choose the Laptops?
Finding an RTX 4050 laptop is easy, but it’s important to remember that not every RTX 4050 is the same. Laptop variants of GPUs have a parameter called Total Graphics Power (TGP), which denotes the maximum power that the graphics unit can consume. The higher the number, the better the peak performance. That said, the higher number will also cause more heat to build up. So, these laptops should also have a good cooling mechanism.
The TGP of a laptop GPU is calculated in watts, and you can find RTX 4050 laptops ranging from a TGP of 45W to as high as 145W. Hence, we narrowed our search to laptops that have the highest TGP.
After locking the GPU, other parameters were fairly simple to choose. We looked for a decent H or HX Series Intel CPU, or Ryzen-HS from AMD, to ensure that the processor does not bottleneck the gaming performance. To finalise the list, we considered models with higher refresh rate screens so that you can truly enjoy the high frame rate gaming. Here’s the list of laptops.
Asus TUF Gaming A15 (Ryzen 7 7435 HS + RTX 4050)
The Asus TUF Gaming A15 tops this list with its Ryzen 7 7435HS and Nvidia RTX 4050 (6GB VRAM). This GPU supports a total TGP of 140W, and the RTX 4050 cannot get any faster than this, making this the most powerful laptop with this graphics unit.
It also offers excellent upgradability as the laptop offers user-replaceable memory. By default, you get 16GB DDR5 RAM and a free SO-DIMM slot, using which you can upgrade memory up to 32GB. You also get a Full HD+ screen with a 144Hz refresh rate for a truly immersive gaming experience. Since the high TGP requires a robust cooling solution, this laptop is slightly bulky at 2.2 kg, but it’s all muscle power, helping you achieve better performance.
Price: Rs 92,990 (ASUS Online Store)
Lenovo LOQ (i5-12450HX + RTX 4050)
While the GPU plays an important role in gaming, it’s necessary to pair it with a reliable CPU. Here’s where the Lenovo LOQ shines, bringing a good balance with the Intel 12th gen Core i5-12450HX and RTX 4050 (6GB VRAM), with a TGP of 105W. Some might argue that it’s a dated chipset, but on the flipside, it’s very well optimised and the amount of performance you can extract at this price is almost unmatched.
Furthermore, this laptop offers 24GB of RAM, which is much higher than the 16GB standard that you find on most laptops with similar specifications. The extra memory not only helps in gaming but also opens room for multitasking and even hardcore tasks like 4K video editing. The display is also top-notch with a 15.6-inch IPS LCD panel, Full HD resolution, and a 144Hz refresh rate.
Another interesting feature of the Lenovo LOQ is its replaceable keycaps. So if you aggressively use the keyboard, you need not worry about wearing out the keys, as you can easily replace them.
Price: Rs 72,990 (Amazon)
Lenovo LOQ (Ryzen 7 7435HS + RTX 4050)
If you are someone who plays competitive esports titles like Valorant or Counter-Strike 2, then the CPU performance becomes a top priority due to the nature of such games. The Lenovo LOQ, which we just discussed above, is also available with the Ryzen 7 7435HS CPU, which is almost 15% more powerful than the Intel i5-12450HX. The RTX 4050 (6GB VRAM) on this laptop has a TGP of 95W, which is slightly lesser than its Intel counterpart.
Other features among the two laptops remain exactly the same. It has the same 15.6-inch IPS LCD screen with a 144Hz refresh rate, and comes with replaceable keycaps. The price difference between the two models is approximately Rs 10,000, with AMD being on the higher side, offering a superior CPU.
Price: Rs 82,190 (Flipkart)
Acer Nitro V (i5-13420H + RTX 4050)
The Acer Nitro V is a part of a series that is well known for its gaming prowess. This laptop features the Intel 13th gen Core i5-13420H and RTX 4050 (6GB VRAM) with a 75W TGP. You also get 16GB DDR5 memory. Now you might wonder, we were discussing laptops with higher TGP, so why are we looking at options with just 75W?
The answer is simple: not everyone needs a high TGP laptop. The 75W rating is the sweet spot for the RTX 4050, where the performance drop is not that significant compared to the base TGP, and you also get more efficiency as the laptop consumes less power. Unless you are an enthusiast who loves to squeeze every bit of performance from their laptop, RTX 4050 with 75W TGP should serve well for most users. Bonus, it also saves you money!
Coming to the laptop, the Acer Nitro V has a good dual-fan cooling system, keeping thermals under control. It also has a sleek metallic finish, so you can double it up as a professional-cum-gaming machine. The 15.6-inch IPS LCD screen has a Full HD resolution and 144Hz refresh rate, which is the golden standard for this segment.
Price: Rs 74,980 (Amazon)
HP Victus (i5-13420H + RTX 4050)
The HP Victus is among the most affordable laptops on this list with its Intel Core i5-13420H and RTX 4050 (6GB VRAM) with a 75W TGP. If you look closely, these are similar specifications to the Acer Nitro V15, but the HP Victus is usually available at a lower price.
So, where’s the catch? This laptop features 16GB of DDR4 memory, instead of DDR5 RAM. Modern games do benefit from higher RAM speed, and the performance difference can be as high as 5%. So, if you can trade a few frames in favour of an affordable price tag, then the HP Victus is a solid gaming laptop.
You get HP’s enhanced cooling system, a 15.6-inch IPS LCD screen with a 144Hz refresh rate and Full HD resolution, along with Bang and Olufsen speakers for a premium sound output. The laptop also comes with an MS Office bundle, which, although it is not a gamer’s preference, you are probably going to need these productivity tools at some point.
Price: Rs 78,990 (Amazon)
MSI Thin 15 (i5-13420H + RTX 4050)
The MSI Thin 15 is a tailor-made choice for users looking for a compact gaming laptop. It weighs just 1.86kg, making it one of the lightest laptops to feature an RTX 4050 graphics card. However, its TGP is 45W, making this the base model of Nvidia’s popular mid-tier GPU. It comes with the Intel Core i5-13420H CPU, a reliable and powerful, and a popular chipset in the segment, paired with 16GB DDR4 RAM.
Obviously, this is not the best RTX 4050 among the lot with a lower TGP, but do not take it lightly. This laptop can easily run most shooter games at 120fps on high settings. On demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077, you can achieve 60fps on medium settings.
The best part of getting an MSI laptop is the price, as these are normally priced lower than the competition. From a value for money perspective, the MSI Thin 15 will offer the best FPS per rupee.
The laptop features a 15.6-inch IPS-level screen with a Full HD resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate. You also get an RGB keyboard, adding a true gamer-style DNA. So if you are a budget-baller, then the MSI Thin 15 is the best fit for you.
Price: Rs 74,990 (Amazon)
Note: Laptop prices keep changing from time to time, depending on offers and stock availability. The prices mentioned in this list are taken from the time of publishing this guide, and may fluctuate a little in the future.
