7 Nvidia RTX Studio Laptops That Will Fight the MacBook Pro

Nvidia recently created a new class of laptops for creators who need desktop-level performance in a compact, portable chassis.

RTX Studio is an initiative to combine powerful hardware with optimized software so that content creators can have a smooth experience when using software like Adobe Photoshop, Autodesk or Unity. To be eligible for the program, laptops must have at least 16GB of RAM, Core i7 or Core i9 CPUs, and Nvidia GPUs ranging from the RTX 2060 to the new Quadro RTX 5000-series chips.

So far, 17 laptops from top manufacturers are RTX Studio-certified, which means they'll come with an RTX Studio badge and ship with custom Nvidia APIs and drivers that maximize performance when rendering, video editing and processing animations.

Starting at $1,599, here are the most anticipated RTX Studio laptops.

Acer ConceptD 9

The flagship in Acer's new lineup of laptops for creative pros, the ConceptD 9, has a unique swiveling hinge that rotates in a similar fashion to the Surface Studio. This lets users easily transform the ConceptD 9 from a laptop into drafting mode and tablet mode.

You can use an included Wacom pen on the ConceptD 9's 17-inch, 4K display, which is Pantone-validated for strong color accuracy. On the inside of the ConceptD 9, you can go high end with up to an Intel Core i9 CPU, 16GB of RAM, 1TB of SSD storage and Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 graphics.

Credit: Laptop Mag

Asus ZenBook Pro Duo

Arguably the most exciting laptop arriving this year, the ZenBook Pro Duo takes Asus' ScreenPad to the next level with a primary 15.6-inch, 4K OLED panel and a 14-inch, 4K second screen located on the top half of the deck. You can use that second panel to house your content-creation tools as you work on your masterpiece on the main display.  

To get the most out of those two 4K panels, Asus packed the ZenBook Pro Duo with an Intel Core i9-9980HK CPU, up to 32GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. For graphics, the ZenBook Pro Duo comes with an RTX 2060 GPU.

Credit: Future Publishing

HP Omen X 2S

The world's first dual-screen gaming laptop, the HP Omen X 2S has a primary 15.6-inch display along with a secondary 6-inch, 1080p screen that is built into the deck. That smaller panel, located just above the keyboard, acts like a Wii U GamePad, displaying additional information while freeing up space on the primary screen.

For example, you could pin a map onto the 6-inch panel while you navigate an open world. Or streamers can also keep a Twitch page open on the lower display while playing on the main screen. We're excited to see how gamers take advantage of the second display and are crossing our fingers that it doesn't take a toll on heat and battery life.

Credit: HP

Alienware m15 Creators Edition

This is a no-brainer. We loved last year's Alienware m15, and even gave it our Editor's Choice award because of its sleek design, excellent performance and gorgeous display. Then Alienware went and redesigned the gaming laptop with the company's new Legend design language and packed it with new components.

We don't know much about the Creators Edition of the laptop, except that it will come with either an RTX 2080 or RTX 2060 GPU and up to a 9th Gen Core i9-9980HD CPU. This beastly machine will also sport a fresh white finish that should contrast nicely with the optional 4K OLED display.

Credit: Laptop Mag

Gigabyte Aero 15

The Gigabyte Aero 15 is another Nvidia Studio laptop that already earned top marks in our review. The new RTX Studio-certified model will come with an optional 15.6-inch, 4K OLED display, which could make this the ultimate laptop considering the non-OLED display was fairly dim. If you want a larger display, the 17.3-inch Aero 17 is also an RTX Studio laptop.

Credit: Laptop Mag

Razer Blade Studio Edition

Razer upgraded two of its Blade laptops to be RTX Studio-approved. The Blade 15 and Blade Pro 17 will now sport Quadro RTX 5000 graphics for better performance when using creative applications, like Adobe Photoshop or Premiere. The Blade 15 Studio Edition will come with up to a Core i7-9750H CPU, while the Blade Pro 17 goes up to a Core i9-9880H CPU. Both machines come with up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

Also, both laptops have 4K displays and flaunt an anodized Mercury White finish, which earned praise in our review of the original Blade 15.  

Credit: Laptop Mag

MSI WS65

At $3,499, the WS65 is the flagship of MSI's new workstation series. As such, this machine comes loaded with powerful components, including an Intel Core i9-988H CPU, 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. Of course, you also get Quadro RTX 5000 GPUs with up to 16GB of VRAM.

Content creators will also appreciate this workstation's 15.6-inch, 4K display, which is flanked by ultrathin bezels. And those who work outdoors won't have to worry about damaging the WS65's chassis, which as been tested to MIL-STD 810G standards.

Credit: MSI