Asus’ latest machines aimed at creators offer the latest and not-so-latest mobile Nvidia graphics. Armed with newer tech like an OLED panel with a refresh rate up to 90Hz and 11th Gen Intel and AMD Ryzen 5000 series mobile CPUs, the Asus Vivobook Pro 14 and 15 OLED laptops announced today also have some interesting choices for Graphics: Either the current-generation RTX 3050 or the GTX 1650, a card that first debuted two generations ago.
The mobile GTX 1650 originally came out in 2019 with GDDR5 memory. But in 2020, when current-generation cards were virtually nowhere near the MSRP, Nvidia released a new variant with GDDR6 memory, boosting bandwidth from 128 to 192 Gbps. At the time, Nvidia told PC Gamer that “the industry is running out of GDDR5.”
Asus’ new Vivobooks use the Max-Q version of the GTX 1650, making the 14-inch laptop just 0.76 inches (19.25 mm) thick and the 15-inch version 0.74 inches (18.9 mm). mm). The trim GPU has 4 GB of GDDR6 memory and is said to clock up to 1,245 MHz with a total graphics power (TGP) of 35 W. In comparison, the RTX 3050 is only available in the 15-inch version Vivobook Pro OLED with 4 GB GDDR6 and up to 1,500 MHz at 35W (50W with Dynamic Boost).
The GTX 1650-equipped Vivobook Pro 14s won’t be available until December, but the 15.6-inch version is currently available for $919.99. It also has a 1920×1080 OLED display, 8GB of memory, 512GB PCIe 3.0 SSD storage, and a quad-core Intel Core i5-11300H.
The 14-inch laptop goes to a quad-core i7-11370H or octa-core AMD Ryzen 7 5800H with a 1TB SSD and a 2880×1800 90Hz OLED display that claims 100 percent DCI-P3 coverage and VESA’s DisplayHDR 600 True carries Black certification, which requires a minimum brightness of 600 nits and a maximum black level of 0.0005 nits. The 15.6-inch model distinguishes itself by reaching a maximum of 60 Hz with its 1920 × 1080 OLED panel and 512 GB of storage.
Asus’ announcement says it’s targeting “younger makers,” with lower RAM and storage specs, and it emphasizes a “unique Enter key with warning bar.” The announcement also claims to focus on keeping up with things, further emphasizing that Asus isn’t trying to offer the most powerful clamshell for creators here.
Not the only GTX 1650 in town
Other OEMs are also pushing GTX 1650 clamshells these days, also at prices even higher than those detailed in Asus’ announcement. For example, the Lenovo Legion 5 15-inch laptop also combines 11th Gen Intel CPUs with a GTX 1650; it starts at an MSRP of $1,200. Meanwhile, HP’s Omen Laptop and Acer’s Swift X each have a current-generation AMD Ryzen 5000 series chip and GTX 1650 for suggested retail prices of $1,000 and $850, respectively.
Using the GTX 1650 is an interesting, but not isolated, choice. It offers a cheaper option for laptop shoppers who need more than just integrated graphics. With a GTX 1650, you can run creative apps and most games, in addition to AAA titles, on low to medium settings.
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