NVIDIA requires RTX 30 laptop makers to be transparent on specs
PC companies will have to be honest about GPU capabilities.
When NVIDIA introduced RTX 30 laptop graphics, it also sowed some confusion. There are no longer labels distinguishing between efficient (Max-Q) and full-performance GPUs, making it possible for a laptop with a lower-spec yet full-power chip to outperform a top-end component that’s power-constrained. However, NVIDIA is trying to minimize that chaos — a spokesperson told The Verge the company now requires laptop makers to be transparent on RTX 30 specs.
PC builders now have to disclose the clock speeds, power demands and Max-Q features in their product pages to convey the “expected GPU performance” for a given laptop, NVIDIA said. You should get a better sense of which laptops have the most powerful real-world performance.
It may take some time for that requirement to manifest in the real world. ASUS is divulging more detailed specs, but that isn’t yet true for everyone. The requirement could be vital once companies consistently adopt it, though. In some cases, you could save money by buying a mid-tier laptop that’s faster in practice than a more expensive model.
