The end is nigh for chunky, bulky gaming laptops, at least if Nvidia's Max-Q design approach leads to new standards. Announced at Computex, Max-Q helps make gaming laptops thinner, as well as improve speeds and reduce fan noise.
While Nvidia announced that Max-Q will enhance laptops featuring its GeForce GTX 1080, 1070 and 1060 GPUs from major vendors starting on June 27th, we're still learning which specific notebooks will feature that tech. Here's are the models that have been announced so far:
Acer's first Max-Q notebook is the 0.74-inch Predator Triton 700. Starting at $2,999, it features a 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080 G-Sync panel with an Intel 7th-Gen Core processor and a pair of overclockable Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 GPUs and dual NVMe PCIe SSDs in RAID 0 configuration. It also packs two of Acer's own AeroBlade 3D fans that the company claims offer 35 percent more airflow than what competing systems provide. There's just one problem: its glass touchpad sits above the keyboard and is difficult to touch, so we hope you own an external mouse!
Acer's Predator Triton 700 Is Trim, Slim and Ready to Kick Butt
The ROG Zephyrus is a 0.7-inch gaming notebook featuring Max-Q technology with a 15.6-inch 1080p G-Sync display and the ROG Active Aerodynamic System (a giant exhaust port). The exhaust port unfolds from the notebook's bottom as the lid opens, increasing airflow by 20 percent (according to Asus). It's on the more affordable end of the spectrum, with pricing ranging from $2,299 to $2,699. The top-end model packs an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 GPU and 512GB of storage, while the less expensive version uses a 1070 GPU and 256GB of storage. Asus ROG Zephyrus Is a Crazy Thin Gaming Laptop
The 0.69-inch thick GS63VR Stealth Pro is one of (if not the) thinnest gaming laptops available today, and at 4.2 pounds, it's also one of the lightest. MSI isn't saying how much the 15-inch machine costs, but it will manage to fit Nvidia's GTX 1070 GPU and Intel's 7th Generation quad-core CPUs into its svelte frame. MSI's Super-Slim GS63VR Packs 1070 Graphics Into 0.69-inch Thick Chassis
Max-Q is helping the thin get thinner, as the X5 MD manages to fit a GeForce GTX 1080 GPU, an overclockable Intel Core i7-7820HK CPU and up to 64GB of RAM into a 0.9-inch chassis. It’s scheduled to release in Q4 of this year. Aorus hasn't announced pricing, but this thin beast will pack a 15.6-inch, 4K IPS display and an RGB backlit keyboard that features key-by-key customization with Aorus’ Fusion software. X5 MD Is Aorus’ Slimmest Gaming Laptop Yet
One of the least well-known brands Nvidia announced as a Max-Q partner is Clevo, which will use it make the 0.74-inch, 4.18-pound P950HR. It features a GeForce GTX 1070 GPU and starts with a 1920 x 1080-pixel screen. An upgrade to a 3840 x 2160-pixel panel will be one of many customizations available.
