Looking to get into the PC gaming market but don't want to spend big? The cheapest RTX 3050 laptop deals are the ones to look out for. Now that the 40-series is widely available across the market, getting an entry-level budget rid is much more obtainable without the need to break the bank.
We often see cheaper rigs going for as little as $700 and under these days, which means those on the hunt for a starter model in 2023 should absolutely be taking advantage of the latest price drops.
With so many different models on the shelves - each offering a slightly different value proposition - it can be difficult to work out where to start. That's where we come in. We've been tracking gaming laptop deals for years now, so we know a good price when we see one. You'll find all our top picks for the best RTX 3050 laptop deals just below, and we keep this page well-stocked with new models every week.
It's important to note that picking up an RTX 3050 laptop means you won't exactly be getting the best gaming laptop configuration on the market. This is Nvidia's entry-level card, so you won't be getting the best possible visuals out of your games. However, RTX 3080 laptops and RTX 3070 laptops can run up quite a bill, so if you're happy with dropping your fps a little, you can find some excellent value a little further down the price bracket. Plus, you're still picking up the latest generation here, so you're future-proofed for updates to come.
RTX 3050 laptop deals in the US
RTX 3050 laptop deals in the UK
Why buy an RTX 3050 laptop?
RTX 3050 laptops are the cheapest models to house Nvidia's latest RTX GPUs, which means you're getting the current generation for the lowest price possible. That's perfect if you're still looking for ray tracing and excellent visuals but don't need to spend the extra cash for a higher refresh rate that might be necessary on Ultra or High settings. If you play slower simulation or strategy titles, you can afford to sacrifice some of the flashier features of far more expensive machines in order to save some cash here.
However, if you're planning on dipping into more competitive games like Apex Legends, or more graphically demanding titles like Red Dead Redemption 2, it's worth considering the jump to an RTX 3060 laptop or higher. You'll generally find more RAM under the hood, and i7 / Ryzen 7 processors are the norm in these models.
While we're not expecting RTX 3050 models to be quite as cheap as the Black Friday laptop deals we saw in November, we're still finding lots of great offers in 2023.
Which RTX 3050 laptops are available?
Many brands offer RTX 3050 cards in their entry level configurations. That means you'll find this cheaper model in some of the best Razer laptops and in Lenovo, Dell G-Series, and HP Victus / Omen configurations as well. However, some of the more premium devices will often omit this cheaper card to keep their prices at a certain level, for example you'll find this with the best Alienware laptops, and even cheap Alienware laptop deals.
Budget models like the Acer Nitro line and the Asus TUF Dash offer some of the best value configurations with these cards; often pairing them with high end processors and a little extra RAM due to the lower prices of their chassis'.
Are RTX 3050 laptops worth it?
As mentioned above, if you're looking to squeeze as much power out of a portable gaming rig as possible, then we'd recommend shopping a little higher up the line. However, for those who just need a cheaper machine, an RTX 3050 laptop is well worth it, especially if you're spending less than $1,000. If you're spending a little more than this then you'll want to make sure that the other components inside your laptop are pulling their weight, so you'll be aiming for an i7 or Ryzen 7 processor, 512GB of SSD storage at least, and 16GB RAM.
Of course, if you're torn between the portable route and some of the best gaming PCs on the market right now, things get a little muddy. Prebuilt PCs are also offering some excellent prices on RTX 3050 configurations, but if you're looking for the card itself then it's likely that you'll come across some stock troubles.
While not as fierce around the RTX 3050, many are wondering where to buy RTX 3060 graphics cards these days, as well as where to buy RTX 3070 GPUs as well. RTX 3080 stock is particularly difficult to get your hands on.
That makes building your own machine a little tricky, which is why we're also rounding up all the latest RTX 3060 PC, RTX 3070 PC, and RTX 3080 PC deals on the shelves right now. If you're really looking to push the boat out, you'll also find a selection of RTX 3090 PC deals up for grabs.
