Maxwell’s physically accurate rendering engine demands raw computational power and GPU synergy for working in architecture, product visualization, or VFX.
This guide is for designers, architects, 3D artists, and visualization professionals who rely on Maxwell Render to bring real-world lighting, shadows, and materials into pixel-perfect clarity. You need a mobile workstation optimized for physically-based rendering (PBR).
Long render times. Thermal throttling. System crashes during high-resolution output. Cost you time, money, and client confidence. And consumer-grade laptops? Most just don’t cut it under the pressures of full-spectrum ray tracing.
You need a machine that doesn’t just “support” Maxwell but integrates well with SketchUp, Rhino, or Maya.
Maxwell Render is CPU-based at its core, but it also relies on multi-threading and GPU acceleration via Multi-GPU CUDA (when Maxwell GPU is enabled). What this means: your laptop needs top-tier specs across the board to truly perform.
You’re dealing with:
- Global Illumination and real-time preview calculations
- Multilight rendering for flexible lighting workflows
- Displacement, Subsurface Scattering, and Complex Materials
- GPU-accelerated Denoising and FIRE preview
- Integration with plug-ins like Revit, 3ds Max, Maya, ArchiCAD, Rhino, and SketchUp
This all adds up to one thing: your machine has to keep up, with precision, speed, and reliability.
Let’s break down the key performance factors you need for Maxwell Render. Each directly impacts your render speeds, scene complexity, and viewport responsiveness.
Processor (CPU): Since Maxwell’s core render engine is CPU-driven, multi-core performance is king. You should look for Intel Core i9 (13th/14th Gen) or AMD Ryzen 9 (7000 series), ideally with 14+ cores and high base clock speeds. Intel’s HX-series or AMD’s H-series chips are best for sustained high-load performance.
Graphics Card (GPU): For GPU-accelerated denoising and FIRE real-time previews, you’ll want a discrete NVIDIA RTX 4080 or 4090, or a Quadro RTX A-series (A4000 or above). CUDA core count matters here. Maxwell’s CUDA support accelerates your workflow exponentially when rendering previews or final frames via GPU.
RAM: Maxwell loves RAM. 32GB is the bare minimum, but 64GB DDR5 is recommended if you’re working with heavy scenes, 8K textures, and complex lighting scenarios. High-speed memory minimizes bottlenecks during real-time scene adjustments.
Storage: A 2TB NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen 4) is ideal for handling massive project files, HDRIs, scene exports, and fast I/O. Avoid slower SATA SSDs. Maxwell’s preview caching and image baking benefit from read/write speeds above 3000MB/s.
Display: For accurate lighting and material assessment, a 17.3” UHD (3840×2160) display, with 100% AdobeRGB or DCI-P3 color gamut, is ideal. An anti-glare matte finish and high brightness (400 nits+) help with clarity during design iterations.
Cooling & Stability: Sustained rendering pushes systems to their thermal limits. Look for laptops with advanced vapor chamber cooling, dual-fan systems, and performance profiles tuned for creative workloads. You don’t want thermal throttling halfway through a 10-hour render.
Battery & Build: While rendering on battery is rare, sturdy build quality for reliability. Portability helps if you render in client meetings or collaborate on-site.
Ports & Expansion: USB-C/Thunderbolt 4, full-size HDMI 2.1, and SD card readers are critical for workflow efficiency. You’ll likely connect external monitors, storage arrays, and control devices, so expandability matters.
Our recommended minimum baseline for Maxwell Render:
- CPU: Intel i9-13980HX / AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX
- GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4080 / Quadro A4000 (or higher)
- RAM: 64GB DDR5
- Storage: 2TB NVMe Gen 4 SSD
- Display: 17” 4K UHD, 100% AdobeRGB
- OS: Windows 11 Pro (MacBooks not recommended for GPU acceleration in Maxwell)
Also check out the best laptops for Graphic Designers in addition to the best laptops for Blender.
Best Laptops for Maxwell Render (2025):
Contents
- MSI 2023 Cyborg 15.6inch 144HZ FHD Gaming Laptop, 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13620H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050
- MSI Cyborg Gaming Laptop 2023 Newest, 15.6 IPS FHD 144Hz Display, 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13620H Processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050
- MSI Katana 15 15.6 144Hz FHD Gaming Laptop 13th Gen Intel Core i7, RTX 4070
- MSI GE66 Raider 15.6 UHD 4K Anti-Glare Thin Bezel Display, Intel Core i9-11980HK, NVIDIA GeForce RTX3080, 32GB, 2TB NVMe SSD
- Alienware m15 R6, 15.6 inch QHD 240Hz Non-Touch Gaming Laptop - Intel Core i7-11800H, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6
- GIGABYTE A7 K1 - 17.3 FHD IPS Anti-Glare 144Hz - AMD Ryzen™ 7 5800H - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU 6 GB GDDR6 - 16 GB Memory - 1TB PCIe SSD
- ASUS TUF Gaming F17 Gaming Laptop, 17.3” 144Hz Full HD IPS-Type, Intel Core i7-11800H Processor, GeForce RTX 3050 Ti, 16GB DDR4, 512GB PCIe SSD
- Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Thin 15.6 120Hz FHD IPS Gaming Laptop Intel 4-Core i5-11300H 32GB RAM 512GB+1TB SSD NVIDIA GeForce GTX1650 4GB
- GIGABYTE AORUS 17X 17.3 Thin Bezel QHD 2560x1440 240Hz Display, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080
- GIGABYTE G5 KF 15.6 FHD 1920x1080 144Hz, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060
- HP OMEN 16 16.1 FHD 165Hz Gaming Laptop (Intel 13th Gen Core i7-13700HX, 32G DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD, Geforce RTX 4060 8GB)
- Alienware X17 R1 VR Ready Gaming Laptop - 17.3 inch 360Hz FHD 1080p Display, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, Intel Core i7-11800H (11th Gen), 16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD
- HP Victus 16-E0161NR AMD RYZEN 7 5800H 3.2GHZ 16GB DDR4-3200 MHz 512GB PCIe NVMe 16.1” FHD 144HZ NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti
- Razer Blade 15 Gaming Laptop NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 - 11th Gen Intel 8-Core i9 CPU - 15.6” 4K OLED - 32GB RAM - 1TB SSD
- MSI Katana GF76 17 Gaming Laptop I 17.3” FHD IPS 144Hz I 11th Gen Intel 8-Core i7-11800H I 64GB DDR4 2TB SSD I GeForce RTX 3050 Ti 4GB Graphic
- ASUS Flagship ROG Zephyrus M16 Gaming Laptop 16 QHD+ IPS 240Hz 13th Gen Intel 14-core i9-13900H
- ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2023) Gaming Laptop, 16” 1610 FHD 165Hz, GeForce RTX 4060, Intel Core i7-13650HX
- ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2023) Gaming Laptop, 16” Nebula Display QHD 240Hz, GeForce RTX 4070
MSI 2023 Cyborg 15.6inch 144HZ FHD Gaming Laptop, 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13620H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 |
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CPU | 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13620H |
GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 |
Display Size | 15.6/inch |
Display Resolution | 1920 x 1080 Pixels |
RAM | 32GB DDR5 RAM |
Storage Space | 2TB NVMe SSD |
Operating System | Windows 11 |
Ports | HDMI, Ethernet, Audio |
Dimensions (L x W x H) | 14.2 x 9.9 x 0.9 inches |
Weight | 4.1 pounds |
Advantages | Lightweight, Good performance |
Disadvantages | None |
MSI Cyborg Gaming Laptop 2023 Newest, 15.6 IPS FHD 144Hz Display, 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13620H Processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 |
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CPU | 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13620H |
GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 |
Display Size | 15.6 inches |
Display Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
RAM | 16GB DDR5 |
Storage Space | 1TB SSD |
Operating System | Windows 11 |
Ports | HDMI, Ethernet, Audio |
Dimensions (L x W x H) | 14.15 x 0.9 x 9.86 inches |
Weight | 6.67 lbs |
Advantages | Performance, Good price, Quality build |
Disadvantages | N/A |
MSI Katana 15 15.6 144Hz FHD Gaming Laptop 13th Gen Intel Core i7, RTX 4070 |
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CPU | 13th Gen Intel Core i7 |
GPU | RTX 4070 |
Display Size | 15.6" |
Display Resolution | 1920 x 1080 pixels |
RAM | 16GB DDR5 |
Storage Space | 1TB SSD |
Operating System | Windows 11 |
Ports | USB, Ethernet, Audio, HDMI |
Dimensions (L x W x H) | 14.13 x 10.2 x 0.98 inches |
Weight | 8.85 pounds |
Advantages | Affordable, Good performance |
Disadvantages | Heavy |
MSI GE66 Raider 15.6 UHD 4K Anti-Glare Thin Bezel Display, Intel Core i9-11980HK, NVIDIA GeForce RTX3080, 32GB, 2TB NVMe SSD |
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CPU | Intel Core i9-11980HK |
GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX3080 |
Display Size | 15.6" |
Display Resolution | 3840 x 2160 Pixels |
RAM | 32GB |
Storage Space | 2TB NVMe SSD |
Operating System | Windows 11 |
Ports | USB, Ethenet, Audio |
Dimensions (L x W x H) | 0.92 x 14.09 x 10.51 inches |
Weight | 5.25 pounds |
Advantages | Large storage, Quality display |
Disadvantages | Quite pricy |
Alienware m15 R6, 15.6 inch QHD 240Hz Non-Touch Gaming Laptop - Intel Core i7-11800H, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6 |
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CPU | 11th Generation Intel Core i7-11800H (24MB Cache, up to 4.6 GHz, 8 cores) |
GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6 |
Display Size | 15.6-inch |
Display Resolution | QHD (2560 x 1440) 240Hz 19ms with ComfortView Plus, NVIDIA G-SYNC and Advanced Optimus |
RAM | 16GB 3200MHz DDR4 |
Storage Space | 512 GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD |
Operating System | Windows 10 (Upgradable) |
Ports | 1. (2) Type-A USB 3.2 Gen1 ports| 2. Type-C port(Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2 Gen 2, Display Port 1.4, Power Delivery 15W Output (5V/3A) capabilities) | 3. Type-A USB 3.2 Gen 1 port | 4. HDMI 2.1 Output port | 5. Power/DC-In port | 6. Killer E2600 1Gbps rated RJ-45 Ethernet port | 7. Global Headset jack |
Dimensions (L x W x H) | 10.73 x 14.02 x 0.89 inches |
Weight | 5.93 pounds |
Advantages | Many Ports, Great Performance |
Disadvantages | Storage space is little, though upgradable |
GIGABYTE A7 K1 - 17.3 FHD IPS Anti-Glare 144Hz - AMD Ryzen™ 7 5800H - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU 6 GB GDDR6 - 16 GB Memory - 1TB PCIe SSD |
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CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H Mobile Processor |
GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU 6 GB GDDR6 |
Display Size | 17.3" |
Display Resolution | FHD 1920x1080 IPS-level |
RAM | 16 GB DDR4 RAM |
Storage Space | 1TB PCIe SSD |
Operating System | Windows 11 |
Ports | 1 x USB 2.0 (Type-A), 1 x USB 3.2 Gen1 (Type-A), 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 (Type-A), 1 x HDMI 2.0 (with HDCP), Audio Combo Jack, 1x DC-in Jack, 1x RJ-45, 1x mini DP 1.4, 1x DisplayPort 1.4 (Type-C) over USB 3.2 Gen 2, |
Dimensions (L x W x H) | 10.31 x 15.59 x 1.27 inches |
Weight | 5.47 pounds |
Advantages | Performance, Large display |
Disadvantages | Weight |
ASUS TUF Gaming F17 Gaming Laptop, 17.3” 144Hz Full HD IPS-Type, Intel Core i7-11800H Processor, GeForce RTX 3050 Ti, 16GB DDR4, 512GB PCIe SSD |
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CPU | Intel Core i7-11800H Processor |
GPU | GeForce RTX 3050 Ti |
Display Size | 17.3 inches |
Display Resolution | 144Hz Full HD IPS-Type |
RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
Storage Space | 512GB PCIe SSD |
Operating System | Windows 10 |
Ports | USB, Ethernet, Audio |
Dimensions (L x W x H) | 15.71 x 10.59 x 0.94 inches |
Weight | 5.73 pounds |
Advantages | Performance |
Disadvantages | Storage and weight |
Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Thin 15.6 120Hz FHD IPS Gaming Laptop Intel 4-Core i5-11300H 32GB RAM 512GB+1TB SSD NVIDIA GeForce GTX1650 4GB |
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CPU | Intel 4-Core i5-11300H |
GPU | NVIDIA GeForce GTX1650 4GB |
Display Size | 15.6" |
Display Resolution | 120Hz FHD IPS |
RAM | 32GB |
Storage Space | 512GB+1TB SSD |
Operating System | Windows 11 |
Ports | 2 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A; 1 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type C; 1 x HDMI (supports 4K @ 30Hz); 1 x Headphone/Microphone Combo Jack; 1x RJ-45 LAN |
Dimensions (L x W x H) | 14.13 x 9.92 x 0.92 inches |
Weight | 4.95 pounds |
Advantages | Performance, Large storage |
Disadvantages | None |
GIGABYTE AORUS 17X 17.3 Thin Bezel QHD 2560x1440 240Hz Display, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 |
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CPU | Intel Core i9-13900HX |
GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU 12GB GDDR6 |
Display Size | 17.3" |
Display Resolution | QHD 2560x1440 |
RAM | 16GB DDR5 |
Storage Space | 1TB SSD |
Operating System | Window 11 |
Ports | 1x Thunderbolt 4 (Supports Power Delivery), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x Mini DP 1.4 (120Hz), 3x USB 3.2 Gen2 (Type-A), 1x RJ45, 1x Audio Combo Jack, 1x DC In |
Dimensions (L x W x H) | 15.6 x 11.5 x 0.86 inches |
Weight | 6.17 pounds |
Advantages | Performance |
Disadvantages | Pricy for some people |
GIGABYTE G5 KF 15.6 FHD 1920x1080 144Hz, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 |
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CPU | 12th Gen Intel Core i5-12500H |
GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 |
Display Size | 15.6 inches |
Display Resolution | 1920 x 1080 pixels |
RAM | 8GB |
Storage Space | 512GB |
Operating System | Windows 11 |
Ports | 1x Thunderbolt 4 (Supports Power Delivery), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x Mini DP 1.4 (120Hz), 1x USB 3.2 Gen1 (Type-A), 1x RJ45, 1x Audio Combo Jack, 1x DC In |
Dimensions (L x W x H) | 14.2 x 9.4 x 0.94 inches |
Weight | 4.39 pounds |
Advantages | Good entry laptop, Moderately priced |
Disadvantages | Storage space |
HP OMEN 16 16.1 FHD 165Hz Gaming Laptop (Intel 13th Gen Core i7-13700HX, 32G DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD, Geforce RTX 4060 8GB) |
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CPU | Intel 13th Gen Core i7-13700HX |
GPU | Geforce RTX 4060 8GB |
Display Size | 16.1 inches |
Display Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
RAM | 32G DDR5 RAM |
Storage Space | 1TB SSD |
Operating System | Windows 11 |
Ports | USB 3.2 Gen 1.0 Type-A 5 Gbps signaling rate (HP Sleep and Charge), USB 3.2 Gen 1.0 Type-A 5 Gbps signaling rate, RJ-45 Ethernet port, |
Dimensions (L x W x H) | 14.53 x 0.93 x 10.21 inches |
Weight | 5.4 pounds |
Advantages | Performance |
Disadvantages | Heavy |
Alienware X17 R1 VR Ready Gaming Laptop - 17.3 inch 360Hz FHD 1080p Display, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, Intel Core i7-11800H (11th Gen), 16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD |
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CPU | 11th Generation Intel Core i7-11800H (24MB Cache, up to 4.6 GHz, 8 cores) Processor |
GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6 Graphics |
Display Size | 17.3 inches |
Display Resolution | FHD (1920x1080) 360Hz 300nits Display |
RAM | 16GB DDR4 3200MHz Memory |
Storage Space | 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe Solid State Drive |
Operating System | Windows 11 |
Ports | 1. Global headset jack| 2. Type-C Thunderbolt 4/USB 3.2 Gen 2 Port, with Power Delivery (5V/3A) | 3. (2) USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A with Powershare | 4. Killer 3100 RJ-45 2.5G Ethernet | 5. Type-C USB 3.2 Gen 2 Port,(5V/3A) | 6. HDMI 2.1 | 7. Micro SD | 8. Mini Display 1.4 | 9. Power/DC-in Port |
Dimensions (L x W x H) | 11.79 x 15.72 x 0.82 inches |
Weight | 7.05 pounds |
Advantages | Good performance, Large display for productivity, Quality screen |
Disadvantages | Quite heavy |
HP Victus 16-E0161NR AMD RYZEN 7 5800H 3.2GHZ 16GB DDR4-3200 MHz 512GB PCIe NVMe 16.1” FHD 144HZ NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti |
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CPU | AMD RYZEN 7 5800H |
GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti |
Display Size | 16.1” |
Display Resolution | 1920 x 1080 pixels |
RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
Storage Space | 512GB PCIe NVMe |
Operating System | Windows 11 |
Ports | USB, Ethernet, Audio, HDMI |
Dimensions (L x W x H) | 23.5 x 13.82 x 2.8 inches |
Weight | 7.78 pounds |
Advantages | Good performance |
Disadvantages | Heavy |
Razer Blade 15 Gaming Laptop NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 - 11th Gen Intel 8-Core i9 CPU - 15.6” 4K OLED - 32GB RAM - 1TB SSD |
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CPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 |
GPU | 11th Gen Intel 8-Core i9 CPU |
Display Size | 15.6 inches |
Display Resolution | 4K OLED |
RAM | 32GB |
Storage Space | 1TB SSD |
Operating System | Windows 10 |
Ports | USB, Ethermnet, HDMI, Audio Jack |
Dimensions (L x W x H) | 9.25 x 13.98 x 0.62 inches |
Weight | 4.4 pounds |
Advantages | Performance, Quality display |
Disadvantages | Expensive |
MSI Katana GF76 17 Gaming Laptop I 17.3” FHD IPS 144Hz I 11th Gen Intel 8-Core i7-11800H I 64GB DDR4 2TB SSD I GeForce RTX 3050 Ti 4GB Graphic |
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CPU | 11th Generation Intel 8-Core i7-11800H I Base Frequency 2.3GHz, Max Boost Frequency Up to 4.6GHz, 24MB Smart Cache, 16 Threads |
GPU | Dedicated NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti 4GB |
Display Size | 17.3 inches |
Display Resolution | Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS 144Hz Thin Bezel Display |
RAM | 64GB DDR4 SDRAM Memory |
Storage Space | 2TB Solid State Drive |
Operating System | Windows 10 |
Ports | 2 x USB-A 3.2, 1 x USB-C 3.2, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI (Support 4K 60Hz), 1 x Ethernet RJ45, 1 x Audio Combo (1/8") |
Dimensions (L x W x H) | 10.75 x 15.67 x 0.99 inches |
Weight | 5.07 pounds |
Advantages | Large storage, good performance |
Disadvantages | Might be heavy for some people |
ASUS Flagship ROG Zephyrus M16 Gaming Laptop 16 QHD+ IPS 240Hz 13th Gen Intel 14-core i9-13900H |
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CPU | 13th Gen Intel 14-core i9-13900H Processor |
GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 8GB |
Display Size | 16" QHD+ |
Display Resolution | (2560x1600) IPS |
RAM | 32GB DDR5 SDRAM |
Storage Space | 1TB Solid State Drive |
Operating System | Windows 11 |
Ports | 1 x Thunderbolt 4, 1 x USB-C 3.2, 2 x USB-A 3.2, 1 x HDMI 2.1 FRL, 1 x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack |
Dimensions (L x W x H) | 9.69 x 13.98 x 0.88 inches |
Weight | 4.64 pounds |
Advantages | Lightweight, Good performance, Quality Display |
Disadvantages | Price |
ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2023) Gaming Laptop, 16” 1610 FHD 165Hz, GeForce RTX 4060, Intel Core i7-13650HX |
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CPU | 4.9 GHz core_i7 |
GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 |
Display Size | 16 Inches |
Display Resolution | 1920 x 1200 pixels |
RAM | 16 GB DDR5 |
Storage Space | 512 GB SSD |
Operating System | Windows 11 |
Ports | USB, Ethernet, Audio |
Dimensions (L x W x H) | 13.94 x 0.89 x 10.39 inches |
Weight | 5.51 pounds |
Advantages | Good performance |
Disadvantages | Storage space may be inadequate for some people |
ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2023) Gaming Laptop, 16” Nebula Display QHD 240Hz, GeForce RTX 4070 |
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CPU | Intel Core i9-13980HX |
GPU | GeForce RTX 4070 |
Display Size | 16” |
Display Resolution | 2560 x 1600 pixels |
RAM | 32GB DDR5 |
Storage Space | 1TB PCIe SSD |
Operating System | Windows 11 |
Ports | USB, Audio, Ethernet |
Dimensions (L x W x H) | 13.94 x 0.89 x 10.39 inches |
Weight | 9.97 pounds |
Advantages | Quality Build, Outstanding performance |
Disadvantages | Weight |