With Black Friday and Cyber Monday recently passed, along with the holiday sales we can expect throughout the rest of the year, there's no denying that we're knee-deep in deals season.
You might think now is the best time to snag the best deals, and while it might be tempting to splurge on heavily discounted gaming laptops, we recommend putting down your wallet and waiting.
We anticipate a shift in the gaming laptop industry within the coming months, so there might be good reason to delay purchasing new hardware.
What's the reason? It's directly related to the upcoming release of Nvidia's RTX 50-series GPUs, which will likely be announced at CES 2025, which runs January 7-10, with laptops featuring the new GPUs arriving by early spring.
2025 is going to be a huge year for gaming laptops
The buzz surrounding the launch of Nvidia's RTX 50-series graphics cards is only growing as we reach the new year, mainly because it's believed that the company will begin launching these GPUs in early 2025.
This comes from a leak on Board Channels, where it's rumored that the RTX 5090, 5090D, and 5080 will kick off the beginning of the 50-series with their launches in January 2025. Afterwards, the RTX 5070 and 5070Ti will launch in February 2025, while the RTX 5060 and 5060Ti will launch in March 2025. These will likely be announced at CES 2025.
While these launch dates are about the desktop versions of these graphics cards, laptop versions are often not far behind. For example, the RTX 4080 desktop version launched in November 2022, while the laptop version launched in February 2023.
In some cases, laptop versions even launched earlier, as the RTX 4070 desktop didn't launch until April 2023, while the laptop version came out in February 2023.
These release dates can be a bit chaotic. Still, if we assume that there will be a similar three-month gap between the desktop and laptop versions of these graphics cards, we could see the RTX 5070 laptops launch throughout May 2025, assuming the rumored RTX 5070 desktop launch date is correct. It could even come sooner, but we'll have to see.
But what does that mean for someone looking to buy a gaming laptop? Well, you have a choice: Invest in an RTX 40-series laptop right now, which will likely be on a pretty decent discount throughout the holidays, or wait anywhere from two to six months to invest in an RTX 50-series laptop just as it launches.
The ceiling for what we can expect from AAA games is only rising, and having the hardware to accommodate such changes is necessary.
The benefits of this are related to future-proofing. Investing in modern technology as it launches ensures that your hardware is up to date for the longest period possible. Those investing in older hardware now will only find their machines left behind as games become more demanding.
The ceiling for what we can expect from AAA games is only rising, and having the hardware to accommodate such changes is necessary. You're not necessarily going to be left behind anytime soon if you're investing in an RTX 40-series laptop. Still, it's essential to remember that this industry moves blindingly fast, and it's almost been two years since these GPUs launched.
You may wonder if it's worth buying an RTX 40-series laptop now rather than wait, but I speak from personal experience in this case.
My desktop is built with an RTX 3080 graphics card, and I bought it at the tail-end of its lifespan when the GPUs were finally available for a reasonable price (this was during the GPU shortage when they were all unreasonably priced).
As a result, I bought my RTX 3080 a few months before the 40-series launched, and only after two years, I'm already regretting it. My RTX 3080 is still powerful enough to handle most games I want to play, but I can already feel it slowing down, especially when playing recently launched titles like Marvel Rivals.
I wish I had been patient and waited those extra months for the 40-series to launch. I paid $800 for the RTX 3080 but could have saved money and received a comparable GPU with the RTX 4070. I don't want you to make the same mistake, so consider your next move carefully.
Power isn't everything, so you might not need to wait
Of course, power isn't everything. Waiting for 50-series laptops to arrive is best for those who want a machine that is future-proofed as best as possible.
After all, investing in a new GPU as soon as it comes out is a solid way to ensure your hardware will last as long as possible before it becomes obsolete. Games become more technically advanced over time, and a specific graphics card or processor can only keep up with modern expectations for so long. And that's not even considering the natural wear that occurs over time.
Naturally, the sooner you buy a modern GPU, the longer you can go without purchasing a new laptop due to being left behind by the rapidly growing requirements for what's needed to run the most demanding games.
For example, let's say a GPU stays relevant for five years after it launches. If you purchased a laptop sporting an RTX 4070 two years ago, you will have been getting the most out of that graphics card for the past two years, and will still be able to use it for the next three years.
People who purchase an RTX 4070 laptop now may only see another three years out of the GPU before they're left behind, so they'll have to purchase a newer laptop more frequently.
Of course, this is just a hypothetical, as it entirely depends on the types of games you play and whether or not you even care about hitting high-resolution or graphic settings. Gamers who aren't as intense about graphical power will see no issue with investing in 40-series gaming laptops during this deals season.
The natural value decrease occurs with these products over time, as we see the best-priced budget versions of these laptops launching now, like the Dell G16 (7630). Our reviewer, Rami Tabari, called it "the most impressive budget gaming laptop I've tested in years."
Ultimately, there's no harm in investing in a great RTX 40-series laptop now, but as someone who has regretted not waiting just a few more months for the next generation of GPUs, I don't want others to suffer a similar fate.
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