AMD Ryzen or Intel i5??

[EricF]

One of the reasons I've been buying laptops is to use less power, but when using the GPU, a GTX-2030. this laptop can use more power than any computer I've had before. I'm still debating with myself the practicality of using 200-300 watts for hours to run a simulation for enjoyment.

GPUs were on their way to more efficient power use until around 2019 when the new generations went completely the opposite direction -- which has been terrible for laptops with higher-end graphics chipsets. If you want graphics performance, battery life is terrible and quickly requires running off mains power. The onboard graphics chipsets from Intel and AMD can sip power and grant fantastic battery life, but are only marginal for 3D graphics applications. It's not just an issue for gaming; high-end laptops for engineering/technical use also come with the corresponding GPU chipsets for that usage sector. The current generations are every bit as power-hungry as gaming laptops.

We seem to be turning back the clock to a decade or so earlier when performance gains were coming at the cost of worse and worse power consumption plus more heat output -- a sure sign of inefficiencies that need to be worked out. That's where ARM-based designs like Apple's M-series system-on-chips which include the graphics processor are really getting interesting. Hopefully the rest of the industry will learn something from it and figure out ways to get power consumption and waste heat back under control for systems that need to do more than just run productivity software/surf the web/play multimedia.

[eric]

I suspect there are few gamers who aren't near a power source. You don't go to Starbucks to game... plus, with phones having more and more power, you've got people choosing to use those devices.

[ex-railwayman]

I was under the impression that GTX cards were being steadily overtaken by RTX ones, I have a 3060ti, which is brilliant, although I initially requested a 3080 12GB, but, the cryptocurrency fraternity had pinched them all. Hopefully, all being well, this should last me for the next 5 years, or, more, will GTX cards still be around by then?

Cheerz. Steve.

[elliot15]

Laptops are not made for gaming, even if the hardware or advertisement is telling you the opposite.

Not initially, but there are some pretty powerful laptops, that will give many desktop machines a run for their money.