Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q Review

Following our coverage into Nvidia's laptop RTX GPUs, so far we've looked at the GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q and the RTX 2060 for laptops. Today we're reviewing the RTX 2080 Max-Q which is supposed to be a decent amount faster than the GPUs nosotros've looked at so far.

As an "RTX 2080" part, this detached GPU is using a Turing die consummate with 2944 CUDA cores, 368 Tensor cores and 46 ray tracing cores. But that's where the similarities between the RTX 2080 Max-Q and the desktop RTX 2080 cease. To bring what is normally a 215W GPU downward into the 80W range for slim and calorie-free laptops, Nvidia has had to significantly underclock the GPU, with the base clock now sitting at just 735 MHz compared to 1515 MHz, while the heave clock hits 1095 MHz.

We've talked about how Nvidia'due south laptop GPU naming scheme for the GeForce 20 serial can be a bit misleading. While Nvidia has differentiated this part from the regular desktop menu through its name, slapping Max-Q on the end to let you know this is optimized for smaller laptop cooling designs, we think information technology's a chip much to even suggest this is an RTX 2080-class GPU.

The clock speed delta between the RTX 2080 desktop and RTX 2080 Max-Q is the largest we've seen so far out of Nvidia's Turing products. While the desktop carte du jour typically hits 1900 MHz, the RTX 2080 Max-Q reaches just 1200 MHz. And so this GPU won't perform anywhere near a desktop packing an RTX 2080, especially when factoring in other typical laptop bottlenecks.

In that location's added defoliation with this GPU because there appear to be 2 variants in the market: a standard, default 80W version that we've been talking about so far, along with a higher clocked 90W variant. The 90W model has a base clock of 990 MHz and a boost of 1230 MHz, which is a significant bound. This increment typically materializes as a typical GPU clock around 1400 MHz.

Both variants accept the same memory configuration: 8GB of GDDR6 clocked at 12 Gbps on a 256-bit bus, leading to 384 GB/south of bandwidth. This is another surface area where the RTX 2080 Max-Q is underclocked compared to the desktop carte du jour, which sits at xiv Gbps on the memory.

For testing nosotros take both variants on paw. The regular RTX 2080 Max-Q is found in the MSI GS75 Stealth 8SG, a slim and light 17-inch notebook. This laptop offers an 'overclocked' way in the settings that boosts clock speeds by 100 MHz, allowing it to sit between the 80W and 90W variants, but for today'south review we're leaving the laptop at its default RTX 2080 Max-Q clocks. In the full review of the GS75 we'll particular how information technology performs in the OC manner.

The 90W variant of the RTX 2080 Max-Q is institute in the Alienware m15, some other slim and light organization but this time 15-inches in size. This laptop struggles to make use of the 90W RTX 2080 Max-Q due to a constrained cooler solution, we'll detail more most this problem in our upcoming Alienware m15 review, just nosotros did discover that raising the laptop a few centimetres does allow the GPU to operate at its maximum performance without overclocking, then that's what we've done for this review.

Otherwise the two systems are very similar. Both use Intel'southward six-core gaming laptop CPU, the Cadre i7-8750H. Both take dual-channel memory, which is very important for unleashing the best performance in games -- yous can see more than than a x% reduction to functioning in some games when running in single-channel, so it'due south not something we advise.

Performance

Let's dig into the results, starting with Far Cry 5. We've decided to use a slightly dissimilar approach to showing this data than we have in the past. Rather than showing how our RTX 2080 Max-Q test laptops compare to other unmarried laptop units, this data is an boilerplate of several laptops we've tested with the listed GPUs inside. To proceed things every bit apples-to-apples equally possible, the average only includes laptops with the same CPU and same dual-aqueduct memory configuration. For instance, our information for the GTX 1070 Max-Q contains an average of three laptops, which should be more representative of a 'typical' laptop that uses that GPU.

Far Cry five is a title that is a adequately typical representation of nearly modern games. The RTX 2080 Max-Q sits at the top of this chart, although noting we haven't got any current, useful data for the older GTX 1080 or GTX 1080 Max-Q.

The base RTX 2080 Max-Q sneaks ahead of the GTX 1070, but just by 2 percent. It's likewise merely v percent ahead of the RTX 2070 Max-Q and less than 10 percent faster than the RTX 2060. However the state of affairs is better for the 90W variant, which delivers an additional vi percent over the 80W RTX 2080 Max-Q.

Battlefield V is a little more favourable to the new RTX 2080 Max-Q. With this GPU sitting 5% ahead of the GTX 1070, however the 90W variant is only 3 per centum faster than the 80W variant. You will get 9 percent more operation with the base RTX 2080 Max-Q over the RTX 2070 Max-Q.

Metro Exodus is the newest championship in our test suite, and information technology presents one of the largest gains between the 2 RTX 2080 Max-Q models: a 17% performance uplift. While the standard variant is just 1% faster than a GTX 1070, the 90W variant is a huge eighteen% faster. This is a game where you'll really want that college TDP model.

Star Wars Battlefront II is a adept result for the RTX 2080 Max-Q: 4% faster than the GTX 1070, 7% faster than the RTX 2070 Max-Q, and 10 percent faster than the RTX 2060. The 90W model likewise delivers a 10% higher frame charge per unit than the base model, which is decent.

Center-earth: Shadow of State of war is highly favourable to Turing compared to Pascal, showing some of the largest margins. The RTX 2080 Max-Q is sixteen% faster than the GTX 1070 here, while also existence 13% faster than the RTX 2070 Max-Q, and 25% faster than the RTX 2060. And despite these big margins, the 90W model is 10% faster than the 80W model, delivering fifty-fifty better performance.

Watch Dogs 2 is a more CPU demanding game, which is why the 1% low results are a lilliputian unusual. You also won't come across much to proceeds at the high terminate, with the RTX 2080 Max-Q, the 90W variant, and the GTX 1070 performing around the same. Information technology's a stride downwards to the other GPUs, for example the RTX 2080 Max-Q is 13% ahead of the RTX 2070 Max-Q.

Deus Ex: Flesh Divided is an older championship in our test suite and again, a few weird 1% depression numbers here due to some laptops having bug with this title. At that place'south a nice cadence betwixt each laptop GPU all the same, with the 90W RTX 2080 Max-Q delivering a handy performance increase over the 80W model, at least on average.

Lots of people still play Grand Theft Auto V, and here the RTX 2080 Max-Q is on par with the GTX 1070, with the 90W 2080 Max-Q a smidgen ahead. With only a ten FPS deviation between the GTX 1070 Max-Q and the top of the chart, these results are very clumped together.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is the final game in today'southward test suite, and it'southward another 1 with a few inconsistent frametime results depending on the laptop being tested. Information technology seems the GTX 1070 is particularly strong in this game. With that said there's a fleck to gain from both RTX 2080 Max-Q models when looking at average frame rates.

Individual Matchups

RTX 2080 Max-Q vs. GTX 1070

Now it's time to aggrandize into a number of extended comparison charts which testify all the other games we've been testing. We'll start with what nosotros feel is the most relevant comparison: the RTX 2080 Max-Q versus the GTX 1070.

The GTX 1070 was the sweet spot between toll and performance for last-generation Pascal systems, and about laptops that used it weren't outrageously massive. Here the RTX 2080 Max-Q in its standard configuration pulls 5% ahead on average, though it doesn't win in every game. A adequately modest improvement.

The 90W variant fares a trivial better, with a 12% boilerplate functioning gain over the GTX 1070, though again it doesn't win in every title, especially in more CPU demanding games like Assassin'south Creed Odyssey.

RTX 2080 Max-Q vs. GTX 1070 Max-Q

Compared to the GTX 1070 Max-Q, the RTX 2080 Max-Q does see a handy 23% performance uplift, and so if y'all are upgrading your slim and lite laptop and jumping up a performance bracket at the aforementioned time, this is the sort of margin you can await. It's a decent uplift, merely it's nowhere near the fifty to sixty percent performance gain you tin expect if yous upgraded from a desktop GTX 1070 to an RTX 2080.

RTX 2080 Max-Q vs. GTX 2070 Max-Q

Looking at the RTX 2080 Max-Q versus the RTX 2070 Max-Q, at that place is a bit to be gained from opting for the faster RTX 2080 model in your ultraportable. The standard variant is 10% faster on boilerplate, and that jumps up to 17% faster when comparing the 90W variant to the RTX 2070 Max-Q base of operations variant.

RTX 2080 Max-Q vs. RTX 2060 (Laptop)

Decent gains in this matchup. On average you can expect a 16% heave and up to 23% when using the 90W model. RTX 2080 Max-Q laptops are considerably more expensive, but at least they're also faster.

RTX 2080 Max-Q vs. RTX 2080 Max-Q (90W)

Finally, we have the 2 RTX 2080 Max-Q models compared. Those who can find a 90W variant in a laptop should be treated to effectually seven% more operation, although in that location are some games where functioning isn't significantly better.

Putting It All Together

Looking at all this data, at that place is a lot to interruption down, so be prepared for an extended conclusion.

The first positive is that the RTX 2080 Max-Q is faster than the GPUs yous would await it to beat. It'southward also faster than other ultraportable-focused GPUs like the RTX 2070 Max-Q and GTX 1070 Max-Q by at to the lowest degree x per centum, so you are not paying a lot more money only to get a unmarried-digit upgrade. There are gains to be had at 1080p.

Based on this data we expect the RTX 2080 Max-Q to be slightly faster than the GTX 1080 Max-Q in its standard configuration, with the 90W variant delivering around a 10% heave. Cipher earth-shattering though.

With those positives bated, at that place are iii matters nosotros want to hash out: the two variant state of affairs, the performance margins, and the pricing of RTX 2080 Max-Q laptops.

Having two GPUs with different clock speeds and power limits, ultimately translates into different performance, only giving them the same proper noun creates defoliation. It makes it difficult for consumers to know what they are buying when they run across an RTX 2080 Max-Q laptop. Are they getting the slower standard version, or the faster 90W version? There is no mode to know.

Looking at the product pages for the ii laptops nosotros but tested highlights the problem. On the MSI GS75 Stealth page, it tells you that you are getting an RTX 2080 Max-Q, but there's no data on clock speeds. Same matter on the Alienware m15 page. For a prospective buyer looking at these laptops, there is no indication that the Alienware m15 includes the 90W variant and is therefore 7% faster on average. Potential buyers of these laptops are not regular PC users either, just gamers and enthusiasts who volition want to know their hardware beforehand.

By the way, this isn't an issue with cooler pattern or throttling. Normally you'd wait some variances between laptops due to coolers and other hardware. Simply even if you supercharge the GS75'south cooling solution, there is no manner to brand the GPU hit the performance levels of the 90W variant, because information technology hits the hard-coded, unchangeable power limit of its variant before thermals get an issue.

Nosotros could keep almost this, and there are elementary solutions to the problem: different naming for each variant, or use the 90W part everywhere and let it throttle depending on the laptop model.

Of form, Nvidia didn't get for either of those which makes the states wonder if they are intentionally doing this. That is, giving away less information most their mobile line-up in general and playing the branding card, considering after all they have no direct competition in this segment.

Nosotros exercise empathize the motive backside having two variants. Having more GPU options allows a laptop maker to to cull a production that suits their cooler design best. But at that place is no reason why the customer shouldn't know this difference. Information technology could even benefit the manufacturers who design meliorate coolers, because they could advertise their laptop has the more powerful GPU version within. Nvidia, nosotros're going to call you lot out every fourth dimension y'all try and pull this stuff, whether it's for desktop cards like the GT 1030 DDR4, or for laptop GPUs. Just stop information technology.

The next issue to discuss is the functioning margins. At confront value there's not much incorrect with how the line-up stacks upwards. In the aforementioned thin and light gaming course factor, Turing GPUs are providing almost ten% more performance than their direct Pascal predecessor, while too maintaining a ten% barrier between the RTX 2070 and RTX 2080 Max-Q models like at that place was for the GTX 1070 Max-Q and GTX 1080 Max-Q. Considering laptops are highly constrained by size and power, this sort of improvement isn't bad given Turing is only a small efficiency upgrade.

The problem is how the laptop ecosystem compares to the desktop ecosystem, and it'due south something we've talked about earlier. These Turing laptop GPUs are nowhere near the aforementioned operation levels every bit the desktop version, only more importantly, the margins between each model are not the same.

On the desktop, the RTX 2080 is near 20% faster than an RTX 2070. Hither with the standard Max-Q models, it's merely 10%. On the desktop, the RTX 2080 is a massive 50% faster than a GTX 1070. Here with the Max-Q models, it's 20-30% faster. And you'll find similar situations with basically whatever other comparison y'all want to brand.

This is bound to confuse consumers, with desktop GPUs with outright identical names performing much faster. On the other hand, this situation makes reviews like this one a must-read for those concerned about functioning. So thanks Nvidia, we guess.

As for pricing, laptops with Nvidia'south top-end GPUs have never been cheap, especially portable versions using a Max-Q model. But with the 2080 Max-Q in particular nosotros're reaching crazy territory.

Take the Alienware m15 as an case. The RTX 2060 variant is $2,000, simply it'll cost you tin extra $850 to get the RTX 2080 Max-Q. That's a 42% increment for 23% more than performance. MSI is charging $400 or a 17% increment to go from an RTX 2070 Max-Q to an RTX 2080 Max-Q, despite the upgrade only providing 10% more performance.

High-terminate products always come at a premium, then nosotros can't expect toll to functioning scaling throughout the unabridged product stack. But top-tier GPUs certainly are very expensive this generation, peculiarly with Pascal options still in the market place. When a decent GTX 1070 Max-Q laptop costs just $1,700 compared to an RTX 2080 Max-Q laptop for $2,800 or more than, information technology's actually hard to justify spending that extra money on the Turing option.