Finding the best gaming laptop is a fairly daunting process, but historically, manufacturers have not always made it easy for consumers to compare like for like

For example, two different laptops from Asus and MSI may be listed as RTX 3060 as the GPU, but have different clock speeds and TGP (Total Graphics Power), so their actual performance varies widely [But now Nvidia has stepped in to ensure that buyers get the most bang for their buck In the past, Nvidia encouraged transparency in GPU specifications for its partners, and now they are actively enforcing it

"We require OEMs to update their product pages to communicate the Max-Q technology features, clocks and power consumption of each GeForce laptop, ie, the GPU performance expected on that system," an Nvidia spokesperson told The Verge explained [This is a very important change because GPU clock speed makes a huge difference in frame rates and not all RTX 30s are created equal An RTX 3070 with a 115W TGP can easily outperform a 3080 limited to 80W, but potential buyers may not have known anything about it before [The timing is especially important because Nvidia has recently changed the way it labels its mobile GPUs with the Max-Q label Previously, the branding indicated a more power-efficient, weaker unit for thinner, lighter notebooks, but Nvidia has adjusted this and now represents "a whole set of platform technologies and design approaches for building powerful, thin laptops," according to our s sister site Tom's Hardware

In other words, the Max-Q branding does not necessarily imply nimble performance, but rather the presence of efficiency-conscious features such as Whisper Mode 2, Dynamic Boost 2, and Advanced Optimus

As of this writing, not all manufacturers have updated their lists, but Asus and Gigabyte have updated their RTX 30 model lists and have begun to adopt the new instructions But even if the rollout is a bit slow, this is definitely a positive move and should make it easier to purchase a gaming laptop that fits your budget in the future