If you’re a gaming enthusiast, you’re likely familiar with ray tracing in games. Traditional rasterization, found in existing GPUs, may render the scene flat and unrealistic, with basic shadows and reflections. Ray tracing, on the other hand, simulates each ray of sunlight bouncing off dust particles, walls, and furniture, creating a hyper-realistic image with dynamic lighting effects that change as you move the camera around the player. However, to play games with Ray Tracing, you need a laptop with a GPU that supports Ray Tracing. We’ve compiled a list of laptops available on Croma that support Ray Tracing and don’t cost a fortune.
Things to consider before buying a laptop supporting Ray Tracing:
Performance: Ray tracing has been around for a few years now. Obviously, newer generation GPUs offer better graphical capabilities. However, this comes at a cost. So pick one that best matches your needs and requirements.
RAM: For optimum performance, you will need at least 16GB of RAM in dual-channel mode; higher memory can lead to even better performance up to 32GB in laptops.
Display: To truly appreciate the beauty of ray tracing, you’ll need a high-quality display with good resolution, colour accuracy, and HDR support. Consider factors like panel type and refresh rate when choosing your display on your laptop.
Newer Software Technologies: Technologies like NVIDIA DLSS can upscale lower-resolution images to look sharper, boosting performance while maintaining visual quality. Consider laptops with both RTX and DLSS capabilities for a good balance of performance and visuals. AMD also has FidelityFX Super Resolution that provides Ray Tracing at a fraction of the performance of the GPUs.
Here are some laptops offering ray tracing available at Croma:
HP Victus 15 fb0053AX
The HP Victus 15 is a mid-range gaming laptop that packs a punch when it comes to performance and value. It’s powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card, making it capable of running the latest games at high settings. It also has a 15.6-inch Full HD display with a 144Hz refresh rate for smooth and tear-free gaming with a 9ms response time. In terms of thermals, you get dual fans for cooling, and it has intelligent performance modes that can adjust power according to requirements. It comes with 16GB of dual-channel RAM that is expandable. Additionally, you get 512GB of SSD, which is also expandable.
Acer Aspire 5 A515-57G
This laptop from Acer offers very impressive value. It comes with a modest 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1240P processor paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2050 GPU. In terms of display, you will get a Full HD display with Acer ComfyView technology. Memory-wise, it offers 16GB of RAM with 512GB SSD. It also comes with a simple design and packs additional security features such as a fingerprint reader. You will also get plenty of ports including an RJ45 jack, HDMI port, USB-A, USB-C ports, and a headphone jack.
Acer Nitro 5
The Acer Nitro 5 is a powerful and versatile gaming laptop that packs a punch without breaking the bank. Powered by a 12th Gen Intel Core i5-12450H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card, it can handle the latest games at high settings with good frame rates. Its 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display with a 144Hz refresh rate ensures smooth gameplay, and the RGB backlit keyboard with its black design adds to the gaming experience. In terms of sound, it comes with DTS X: Ultra Audio, providing crisp and vibrant sound. It also offers 16GB of dual-channel RAM and 512GB of storage.
HP Victus Fa0998TX
The HP Victus 15 features a 12th Gen Intel Core i5-12450H processor, and it comes with 16GB of RAM and 512GB storage (both are expandable). You will also get a blue backlit keyboard, and in terms of display, you will get a 15.6-inch 144Hz IPS Micro Edge display with a 9ms response time. Of course, the star of the show here is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 GPU. This should allow users to play the latest AAA tiles with ease.
Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 15ACH6
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 aims to deliver solid gaming performance without breaking the bank. It packs quite a punch with the AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics. Imax t packs a 15.6-inch FHD panel with a refresh rate of 120Hz. It comes with a white backlit keyboard and has a robust number of ports for easier connectivity such as a USB Type-C port, an HDMI port, and USB Type-A ports.
ASUS Vivobook 14X
The ASUS Vivobook 14X is powered by a 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1240H processor paired with 16GB RAM. Further, the laptop packs an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2050 GPU, you can also make use of the Ray Tracing applications and games. The 14-inch WUXGA panel will also let users appreciate the graphics. In terms of thermals, laptops feature ASUS’ IceCool thermal technology with dual vents allowing the CPU and GPU to run comfortably even in Performance Mode. It should also be noted that this laptop is tested with MIL-STD810 certification, and can easily take on accidental drops.
ASUS Vivobook Pro 15
Finally, we have the ASUS VivoBook 15 Pro. This laptop is powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 5600H processor, paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics, making it capable of handling even the most demanding tasks. This laptop packs a 15.6-inch screen with an OLED panel that covers 100% of the DCI-P3 colour gamut. This combined with its high contrast ratio makes this a great option for those planning to use the laptop for video editing or graphical design. In terms of memory, you get 16GB RAM with 512GB of storage which should be fine for most use cases.
