The Geforce RTX 3050 Ti is the new budget graphics card that you can buy inside a laptop right now. The GPU is ideal for some light gaming and it can even run some AAA titles. The performance is very impressive indeed for a laptop around the $1000 mark. In this article, we are going to recommend some of the best RTX 3050 Ti laptops that you can buy right now in 2021.
Best RTX 3050 Ti Laptops 2021
The following are some of the best RTX 3050 Ti laptops that you can buy right now in 2021:
| Laptop | GPU | CPU | CPU Cores | RAM | Storage |
| ASUS TUF Dash 15 | 3050 Ti | Intel Core i7 11370H | 4 | 8GB | 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD |
| Lenovo Legion 5 15 | 3050 Ti | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | 8 | 16GB | 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD |
| Acer Swift X | 3050 Ti | AMD Ryzen 7 5800U | 8 | 16GB | 512GB PCIe NVM SSDe |
| ASUS ROG Strix G15 | 3050 Ti | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | 8 | 16GB | 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD |
| ASUS TUF F15 | 3050 Ti | Intel Core i7 11800H | 8 | 16GB | 512GB PCIe NVM SSDe |
ASUS TUF Dash 15 (2021)
Asus is known for making some great gaming products and the ASUS TUF Dash 15 (2021) is a laptop that you can buy for a reasonable amount of money. You can expect to get impressive performance for the amount of money that you spend.
The laptop comes with the Intel Core i7-11370H processor that can boost to 4.8GHz. This is a quad-core CPU and while it should be enough for most games, it might not provide the best performance when rendering video or doing other tasks that prefer higher core counts.
The GPU is the RTX 3050 Ti that can boost to 1585MHz and also features Dynamic Boost 2.0. The screen is a 15.6-inch IPS screen with a refresh rate of 144Hz. The resolution is 1080p so with the RTX 3050 Ti, you can run competitive games at high refresh rates.
The laptop comes with 8GB of RAM which is soldered onto the motherboard but there is a single slot that you can use for upgrades. As long as there is a RAM stick in the slot, the memory is going to run in dual channel which is ideal for gaming performance.
There is no camera on the laptop so you are going to need an external one if you need to do some Zoom calls or video chatting. The keyboard is nice and has backlighting. On the left side, you have power, ethernet, HDMI 2.0, USB-A, and USB-C along with the audio combo jack. On the right, you have 2 more USB-A ports and an exhaust.
Note that that Type-C port is actually connected to the integrated graphics and not the Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti. So if you are interested in using a VR headset then you cannot use the Type-C port. The HDMI 2.0 port is actually connected to the RTX 3050 Ti.
The overall build quality is decent but as the laptop is made primarily of plastic it does have some flex if you use enough force. The body does attract fingerprints but the smooth finish is easy to clean.
The Breakdown
Pros:
- Impressive performance
- High refresh rate screen
- Dynamic power saving
- Decent upgradability options
- Impressive thermal performance
Cons
- USB Type-C is not connected to RTX 3050 Ti
- 4 core CPU not ideal for content creation
- No webcam
Lenovo Legion 5 15
The Lenovo Legion 5 15 is made for gamers that want to take the device with them in the day for work but also want to game on it later on. The laptop has a subtle design so it is not going to turn heads but open it up and there is no doubt that this is a gaming laptop.
The variant that we have linked comes with the AMD Ryzen 7 5800H that has 8 cores which is ideal for content creation and great for gaming. It also comes with 16GB of RAM which is pretty much what you need for gaming. You also get a 512 GB SSD. The screen is a 1080p IPS panel which means colors will be very accurate.
The keyboard has a nice travel for a laptop and the keys feel pretty good. The speakers are at the bottom rather than on the top which allows for the trackpad to be bigger. The Lenovo Legion 5 15 has a pretty good cooler which keeps the internals from getting too hot and ensures proper gaming performance.
Inside you have the option to install an HDD or SSD. There is an extra M.2 slot for an additional SSD. You cannot upgrade the RAM as it is soldered onto the motherboard so we recommend getting more than 8GB of RAM for gaming.
Breakdown
Pros:
- Impressive build quality
- Great keyboard
- 8 core CPU
- Cool and silent operation
- Decent I/O
Cons:
- 60 Hz display (144 Hz configurable)
- RAM cannot be upgraded
Acer Swift X SFX14-41G-R1S6
The Acer Swift X is a thin and light laptop that is impressive value for money. The laptop is very portable but it does offer impressive performance. The chassis is made from an aluminum alloy which is one of the reasons why it is so light. The lid does have some flex if you apply pressure but nothing to be worried about. There are some bezels around the screen but that does make room for the webcam.
You do get USB Type-C, USB-A, power and HDMI on the left. On the right, you have another USB-A port along with an audio combo jack. While the arrow keys are small, the keyboard is very nice to use keeping in mind how thin this device is. The touchpad is pretty big and it works great. Not to mention that the laptop also has a fingerprint reader for easy logins.
The screen is a 1080p IPS display which looks great. The speakers are at the bottom which is not ideal but the sound is decent. Inside you have the AMD Ryzen 7 5800U along with the RTX 3050 Ti and 16 GB of RAM with a 512 GB SSD. The laptop has a single fan to keep the CPU and the GPU cool.
Breakdown
Pros:
- Thin and light
- Impressive specifications
- Decent battery life when not gaming
Cons:
- No high refresh rate
- Thick chin
ASUS ROG Strix G15 (2021)
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 is a beefy laptop that does not shy away from the gamer aesthetic. It features an AMD Ryzen R7-5800H which is an 8-core CPU that makes it great for gaming and content creation. Paired with the CPU is the RTX 3050 graphics card along with 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB SSD which is pretty decent for your gaming and content creation needs.
The laptop is made of plastic and it does attract fingerprints so you will need to clean it from time to time. The hinge is very sturdy and the display itself is pretty thin with small bezels around it. The chin on the other hand is pretty big. Due to the thin bezzles, there is no webcam and if you want to do Zoom calls then you will need an external cam.
The keyboard is pretty decent and features RGB lighting. You also get some dedicated buttons for the different cooling profiles as well as audio control buttons. There is no number pad.
The touchpad is pretty big and ideal for work. You can click anywhere on it. On the left, you have a pair of USB 3.1 connectors and an audio jack. On the right, there are no ports and just ventilation. On the back, you have USB 3.1, USB Type-C, HDMI, ethernet, and power.
The display is 1080p and has a refresh rate of 300 Hz. This is ideal if you are interested in competitive gaming. The RTX 3050 Ti might not be enough to get to 300 FPS in some games but you can opt to get the 144 HZ version or get a better graphics card.
At the front, there is a massive RGB light that curves to the side as well. You can change the setting in the software and you have plenty of customization options to play around with.
Breakdown
Pros:
- Powerful 8-core CPU
- Silent operation
- Plenty of RGB customization
- Impressive cooling
Cons:
- Big chin on display
- No webcam
ASUS TUF Gaming F15
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 comes around $1350 and comes with a webcam unlike other Asus laptops in this article. While the laptop is closed, the design is subtle but once it is open, there is no doubt that this is a gaming laptop.
This is not the thinnest or the lightest laptop on the market but it aims to be affordable. While it is made of plastic, it is made well and there is not much flex. It is easy to open with a single hand and the keyboard is pretty similar to other ROG gaming laptops. The keyboard is easy to use and there is a number pad. The keyboard even has RGB lighting.
The trackpad is good enough but you are going to use a mouse for gaming so it is not going to matter all that much. The in-built microphone is pretty good as well and you can use it for Zoom and meetings online.
The laptop is powered by the Intel Core i7-11800H which is an 8-core CPU that is much better than the 4-core on the ASUS TUF Dash 15. The CPU can boost to 4.6 GHz. The extra cores make the laptop ideal not only for gaming but for content creation as well. The CPU is paired with the RTX 3050 Ti, 16GB of RAM, and a 512 GB SSD.
On the right, you have a single USB port, most likely there for your mouse. On the left, you have other connections such as Ethernet, power, 2 more USB ports, USB Type-C with Thunderbolt 4 support, and an audio combo jack.
The 15.6-inch screen has a 1080p resolution and a refresh rate of 144Hz so you can expect to get a smooth experience when playing competitive games.
ASUS TUF Gaming F15 is a major update as compared to the Dash because of the extra 4-cores. The gaming performance and the performance in other tasks such as video editing is much better. Not to mention that the better CPU is going to future-proof the laptop as compared to a 4-core CPU.
It is also worth pointing out that the RAM is not soldered onto the motherboard and can easily be upgraded if you want a boost in performance. You can also change the SSD or add an extra one. You can even replace the WiFi chip if it dies.
Breakdown
Pros:
- USB Type-C with Thunderbolt 4 support
- Webcam
- Impressive CPU performance
- Great cooling
- 144 Hz display with adaptive sync
- Upgradable RAM and storage
Cons:
- SRGB is not ideal
These are the best RTX 3050 Ti laptops that we recommend you buy in 2021. You can also check out our guide on the best gaming mouse for Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War.