If you’re looking for a high-performance laptop, there’s a very good chance you’re considering one of the Core i9 options out there. These are, after all, the most powerful processors you can get on notebooks these days.
There are however a few aspects you should consider when shopping for an Intel Core i9 laptop. First of all, there are different types of i9 notebooks: those built on mobile platforms, and those built on even faster desktop Core K i9s. Of course, mobile hardware is more efficient and better suited for smaller computers, while the high-power desktop i9 will require extra cooling and an overall larger chassis.
Each thermal design plays a crucial role in determining the overall value of an i9 notebook, that’s why it’s important to document your decision. Make sure the cooling can keep the i9 at bay, as otherwise you’re not going to get much in terms of performance and it would be smarter to just stick with the more affordable i7 configurations.
In this article, we’ll talk about both the desktop (Core i9-9990K, eight-core, overclockable) and mobile variants (Core i9-10980HK – eight-core, overclockable; and the i9 2019 and 2018 models). We’ll tell you what to expect from these Core i9 laptop CPUs, how they compare to the mainstream Core i7s available in most multimedia and gaming notebooks these days, and whether (or rather when) these processors are worth your money, considering you’ll have to pay a significant premium for the i9 configurations.
We’ve also compiled a complete list of the notebooks built on Intel Core i9 platforms, both portable and full-size models, and we’ll update it in the months to come with new SKUs as they’re announced. You can jump straight to our list via this link, or follow this link for another updated selection of Core i9 laptops available in stores right now.
The mobile processors: Core i9-10980HK, i9-9880H, i9-9980HK, and i9-8950HK
The i9-10880H and i9-10980HK are the latest 10th-gen Comet Lake options available as of 2020, with a slight frequency boost over the 2019 9th-gen models and support for faster memory. They’re still built on Intel 14nm architecture and require a lot of power to reach their potential in sustained loads.
The i9-9880H and i9-9880HK are the 9th gen Coffee Lake-R i9s launched in 2019, and we’ve added their technical specs in the table down below, next to the mainstream Intel Core i7s and the 8th gen Core i9.
Both Comet and Coffee Lake-R i9 get 8Cores/16 Threads, as well as improved cache and support for 128 GB of RAM (you’ll hardly benefit from more than 32 GB even on an i9 configuration, though). Previous year’s top-tier Intel Core i9-8950HK processor pales in comparison, with 6 cores, 12 threads, 12 MB of cache memory, a standard frequency of 2.9 GHz and a maximum Turbo Boost frequency of 4.8 GHz (we’ll get to that in a bit), and supports up to 64 GB of DDR4 2666 MHz of dual-channel RAM.
The Ks at the end of the 8950HK, 9880HK and 10980HK means that these processors get an unlocked multiplier and can be overclocked, which can translate in further performance boosts in laptops with competent thermal designs.
But how about the Core i9-10900K/i9-9900K laptops?
The Core i9 Ks are desktop processors with a much higher TDP, which means they can constantly run at higher clocks in demanding loads and allow more room for overclocking, but also require a significantly increased effort to keep cool. That’s why the Ks are only implemented in beefy desktop replacement notebooks, while the mobile i9s make their way in a multitude of form factors, both ultraportable and full-size.
In all fairness, even the mobile i9s normally run at much higher TDPs than their 45W stock in performance laptops, so while you will get improved results with the few i9 K models out there, the mobile i9 HK variants don’t trail them by much.
| i9-10980HK (Ark) | i9-10880H | i9-9980HK (Ark) | i9-9980H (Ark) | i7-9750H (Ark) | i9-9900K (Ark) | i9-8950HK (Ark) | i7-8750H (Ark) | i7-7820HK (Ark) | |
| Lithography | 14+++ nm | 14+++ nm | 14+++ nm | 14+++ nm | 14+++ nm | 14+++ nm | 14++ nm | 14++ nm | 14+ nm |
| TDP | 45W | 45W | 45W | 45W | 45W | 95W | 45W | 45W | 45W |
| Cores/Threads | 8/16 | 8/16 | 8/16 | 8/16 | 6/12 | 8/16 | 6/12 | 6/12 | 4/8 |
| CPU Base Frequency | 2.4 GHz | 2.3 GHz | 2.4 GHz | 2.3 GHz | 2.6 GHz | 3.6 GHz | 2.9 GHz | 2.8 GHz | 2.9 GHz |
| Turbo – All Cores | 4.3 GHz | 4.1 GHz | 4.7 GHz | 4.1 GHz | 4.0 GHz | 4.7 GHz | 4.3 | 3.9 GHz | 3.5 GHz |
| Turbo – 1 Core | 5.3* GHz | 5.0* GHz | 5.0* GHz | 4.8 GHz | 4.5 GHz | 5.0 GHz | 4.8* GHz | 4.1 GHz | 3.9 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 16 MB | 16 MB | 16 MB | 16 MB | 12 MB | 16 MB | 12 MB | 9 MB | 8 MB |
| Memory |
DDR4 – 3200 Mhz | DDR4 – 3200 Mhz | DDR4 – 2666 Mhz | DDR4 – 2666 Mhz | DDR4 – 2666 Mhz | DDR4 – 2666 Mhz | DDR4 – 2666 Mhz | DDR4 – 2666 Mhz | DDR4 – 2400 Mhz |
| Price | $583 | $556 | $583 | $556 | $395 | $499 | $583 | $395 | $378 |
Aside for the increased amount of cache compared to the i7s, the i9 Core HK processors also get Thermal Velocity Boost (TVB), which in Intel’s words “opportunistically and automatically increases clock frequency by up to 200 MHz if the processor temperature is low enough and turbo power budget is available”. Hence the increased maximum Turbo Boost (*).
According to Intel’s slides though, the “low enough temperature” is of only 50 C, which means these i9s would only clock to their max 1-Core Turbo sporadically and for very short bursts at the beginning of complex loads, otherwise maxing out at .2 GHz lower frequencies. Even so, the i9s can run faster than the i7s in their generations, as long as the implementation keeps temperatures and throttling at bay.
The big change with the 2019 9th gen Core i9s is the addition of two more cores and threads, which pushes the performance gap from the i7-9750H significantly, given that’s only a 6-Core CPU running at lower clocks. The 2020 i9s are also 8C/16T processors.
Of course, the performance is going to vary between implementations and SKUs, but the table below gives you a ballpark idea of what to expect in benchmarks:
| i9-10980HK full-size | i7-9750H | i9-9880H mid-sized | i9-9980HK portable | i9-9980HK full-size | i9-9900K full-size | i7-8750H | i9-8950HK portable | i9-8950HK full-size | ||
| 3DMark 11 – Physics | – | ~13100 | ~15800 | ~15000 | 17983 | ~18500 | ~10800 | ~12700 | ~13700 | |
| 3DMark – Fire Strike Physics | ~23500 | ~16600 | ~16600 | ~17700 | ~19000 | 24671 | ~25000 | ~14500 | ~16500 | ~18100 |
| Cinebench R15 CPU | 1912 cb | 1175 cb | 1593 cb | ~1600 | 2034 cb | 2022 cb | 1087 cb | 1237 cb | 1356 cb | |
| Cinebench R15 CPU – Single Core | 208 cb | 180 cb | 190 cb | ~900 | 205 cb | 212 cb | 175 cb | 193 cb | 190 cb | |
| Cinebench R20 CPU | ~4200 cb | ~2600 cb | ~3900 cb | ~3700 | 4861 cb | 4926 cb | ~2500 | 2379 cb | ~2700 | |
| Geekbench 4.3 64-bit – Single-Core | 6017 pts | 5266 pts | 5450 pts | tba | 5981 pts | tba | 5138 pts | 5682 pts | 5505 pts | |
| Geekbench 4.3 64-bit – Multi-Core | 34760 pts | 23396 pts | 29800 pts | tba | 33521 pts | tba | 20041 pts | 24847 pts | 24132 pts | |
| x264 HD Benchmark 4.0 – Pass 1 | 264.12 fps | 218.6 fps | 217 fps | tba | 260.62 fps | tba | 205.69 fps | 233.8 fps | 210.88 fps | |
| x264 HD Benchmark 4.0 – Pass 2 | 108.88 fps | 69.6 fps | 102.39 fps | tba | 118.22 fps | tba | 66.53 fps | 86.7 fps | 80.65 fps |
These results are based on our reviews, as well as on average scores from Notebookcheck.net, which have a larger pool of reviewed notebooks.
Latest generation Core i9 Laptops
This section includes the selection of laptops available with Core i9-10980H and i9-10980HK processors. Previous 9th gen and 8th gen models are included in the next two parts of this article.
| Model | Screen | Hardware | Graphics | TB3 | Weight |
| Asus ROG SCAR IV G532 | 15.6-inch IPS 300Hz matte | up to Core i9-10980HK / max 64 GB RAM DDR4 3200 MHz | up to RTX 2070 Super 115W | No | 5.75 lbs /2.6 kg |
| detailed review – high-performance gaming laptop; fairly large and heavy build and gaming theme with RGB elements; RGB backlit keyboard; 240/300Hz FHD screen; no Thunderbolt 3, card-reader or USB-C charging; up to i9-10980HK configurations with RTX 2070 Super 115W graphics, liquid metal compound, 2x RAM, 3x M.2 SSDs with RAID0; easily serviceable; 66 Wh battery | |||||
| Price: from $1799 | |||||
| Asus ROG SCAR IV G732 | 17.3-inch IPS 300Hz matte | Core i9-10980HK / max 64 GB RAM DDR4 3200 MHz | up to RTX 2080 150W | No | 6.3 lbs /2.85 kg |
| detailed review – high-performance gaming laptop, direct follow-up of the ROG G703; 17-inch variant of the Scar IV G532, but with a thicker build and an enhanced thermal module for the i9-10980HK + RTX 2080 150W version | |||||
| Price: from $2499 | |||||
| Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo GX550 | 15.6-inch IPS matte, dual-screens | Core i9-10980HK / max 48 GB RAM DDR4 3200 MHz | up to RTX 2080 Super 90W | Yes | 5.3 lbs / 2.4 kg |
| gaming laptop with dual-screens, metallic build with down-shifted RGB keyboard; 300Hz FHD or 4K main screen options; Thunderbolt 3 with charging; up to i9-10980HK configurations with RTX 2080 Super 90W graphics, liquid metal compound, 16 GB soldered + 1x RAM, 2x M.2 SSDs with RAID0; easily serviceable; 90 Wh battery | |||||
| Price: from $2999 (from July 2020) | |||||
| Gigabyte Aero 15 | 15.6-inch IPS matte, various options | Core i9-10980HK / max 64 GB RAM DDR4 3200 MHz | up to RTX 2080 Super 80W | Yes | 4.8 lbs / 2.2 kg |
| detailed review – compact 15-inch metallic design; RGB keyboard with NumPad; IPS FHD 240 Hz or 4K OLED screens; full IO with Thunderbolt 3, UHS card-reader, TB3; up to Core i9-10980HK CPU, RTX 2080 Super MQ graphics, 2x memory DIMMs, 2x M.2 NVME storage; 94 Wh battery | |||||
| Price: $2699 to $4099 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
| Gigabyte Aero 17 | 17.3-inch IPS matte, various options | Core i9-10980HK / max 64 GB RAM DDR4 3200 MHz | up to RTX 2080 Super 90W | Yes | 5.5 lbs / 2.5 kg |
| 17-inch version of the Aero 15 above, No OLED screen, but 4K HDR option available instead | |||||
| Price: $2799 to $4299 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
| Lenovo Legion 7 | 15.6-inch FHD IPS 240Hz 5ms | up to Core i9-10980HK / max 64 GB RAM DDR4 3200 MHz | up to RTX 2080 Super 90+W | Yes | 4.7 lbs / 2.15 kg |
| high-performance gaming notebook, new 2020 design; premium metallic build and RGB elements; refreshed RGB keyboard; FHD 240Hz 5ms screen; up to Core i9 CPU and RTX 2080 Super 90+W, 2x RAM slots, 2xM.2 PCIe; vapor chamber thermal module,;easily serviceable; 80 Wh battery | |||||
| Price: from $3199 | |||||
| Lenovo Legion Slim 7 | 15.6-inch FHD IPS 240Hz 5ms / UHD 60 Hz | up to Core i9-10980HK / max 32 GB RAM DDR4 3200 MHz | up to RTX 2060 65W | Yes | 3.95 lbs / 1.8 kg |
| lightweight performance notebook, new 2020 design; premium metallic build; full-size keyboard with optional RGB; FHD144Hz 5ms or UHD with 100% AdobeRGB screen; up to Core i9 CPU and RTX 2060 65W, soldered RAM, 1xM.2 PCIe; 71 Wh battery | |||||
| Price: TBA | |||||
| MSI GE66 Raider | 15.6-inch FHD IPS 300Hz 3ms | up to Core i9-10980HK / max 64 GB RAM DDR4 2933 MHz | up to RTX 2080 Super 90W (?) | No | 5.25 lbs / 2.4 kg |
| detailed review – high-performance gaming notebook, new 2020 design; premium metallic build and RGB elements; refreshed RGB keyboard; FHD 300Hz 3ms screen; up to Core i9 CPU and RTX 2080 Super 90W (or higher, to be confirmed), 2x RAM slots, 2xM.2 PCIe; easily serviceable; 99 Wh battery | |||||
| Price: from $2999 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
| MSI GE75 Raider | 17.3-inch FHD IPS 300Hz 3ms | up to Core i9-10980HK / max 32 GB RAM DDR4 2933 MHz | up to RTX 2080 Super | No | 5.6 lbs / 2.55 kg |
| reviewed here; compact and light for its class; FHD 300Hz 3ms screen; up to Core i9 CPU and RTX 2080 Super graphics; excellent cooling and excellent speakers; small 51 Wh battery; rather expensive for what it is | |||||
| Price: from $2499 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
| MSI GS66 Stealth | 15.6-inch FHD IPS 300Hz 3ms | up to Core i9-10980HK / max 64 GB RAM DDR4 2933 MHz | up to RTX 2080 Super 80W | Yes | 4.65 lbs / 2.2 kg |
| reviewed here, gaming ultraportable, new 2020 design; premium metallic build; refreshed RGB keyboard; TB3 and USB-C charging; FHD 300Hz 3ms screen; up to Core i9 CPU and RTX 2080 Super 80W, 2x RAM slots, 2xM.2 PCIe; standard design, easily serviceable; 99 Wh battery | |||||
| Price: from $2399 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
| MSI GS75 Stealth | 17.3-inch FHD IPS 300Hz 3ms | up to Core i9-10980HK / max 64 GB RAM DDR4 2933 MHz | up to RTX 2080 Super 90W | Yes | 5.05 lbs / 2.3 kg |
| reviewed here; 2019 design, 17-inch version of the GS65; compact and lightest in its class; FHD screen with 72% NTSC and 144 Hz refresh; up to Core i9 CPU and RTX 2080 Super 90W graphics, 2x RAM slots, 2xM.2 PCIe; difficult to open and upgrade; 81 Wh battery | |||||
| Price: from $2999 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
Previous generation Portable Core i9 laptops
This section includes a list of the portable notebooks that can be configured with a Core i9 mobile processor.
There’s a lot of hype around the i9s not performing as well as expected inside these thin and light laptops, and for the most part that’s true and should come as no surprise.
If you’ll look into the MacBook Pro, XPS 15 or the Zenbook Pro reviews, you’ll see that the i9 cannot maintain its high Turbo Boost speed frequencies with continuous demanding loads in these computers. For the most part, though, the i9 offers a performance boost over the i7. This is smaller for the older i9-8950HK units, and more significant with the eight-core i9-9880HK and 9880H configurations. You’re still not going to get their full potential inside most of these thinner computers.
That’s why I suggest carefully considering if the i9 configurations are worth the significant premium OEMs ask for in these ultraportables. You should also look for detailed reviews that take a close look at the performance in the scenarios you’re planning to use those notebooks yourselves. For the most part, there’s a very good chance you’ll get better value with the i7s, but there are exceptions where a Core i9 notebook might be better suited for your needs.
Here are the Core i9 thin-and-light notebooks available in stores, with links towards our detailed reviews and updated prices and configurations.
| Model | Screen | Hardware | Graphics | TB3 | Weight |
| Alienware m15 | 15.6-inch FHD IPS 144 Hz / UHD OLED 60 Hz matte with GSync | up to i9-9980HK / max 32 GB RAM | up to RTX 2080 Max-Q | Yes | 4.8 lbs / 2.2 kg |
| reviewed here, fairly portable and slim (23 mm), but larger than other options; zone-backlit keyboard; several screen options, including FHD 144 Hz or UHD OLED panels; 2x memory slots, M.2 NVME storage and optional 2.5″ bay; configurations with RTX 2060 and 2070 Max-Q also available; 60 or 90 Wh battery, for the M.2 only storage variant; highly configurable; expensive when specced up; i9 CPU at least a $350 upgrade over the i7 | |||||
| Price: from around $2800 – configurations and updated prices |
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| Alienware m17 | 17.3-inch matte FHD IPS 144 Hz | up to i9-9980HK / max 32 GB RAM | up to RTX 2080 Max-Q | Yes | 5.8 lbs / 2.63 kg |
| 17-inch version of the m15 above; fairly portable and slim (23 mm), but larger than other options; zone-backlit keyboard; several screen options, including UHD, QHD and FHD panels with various refresh rates; 2x memory slots, 2x M.2 NVME storage and optional 2.5″ bay; configurations with RTX 2070 Max-Q also available; 60 or 90 Wh battery, for the M.2 only storage variant; highly configurable; expensive when specced up | |||||
| Price: from around $3000 – configurations and updated prices |
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| Apple MacBook Pro 15 | 15.4-inch retina 60 Hz | up to i9-9880H / max 32 GB RAM | Radeon 560X or Vega Pro 16/20 | Yes | 4.03 lbs / 1.83 kg |
| thin and light; aluminum unibody construction; 2880 x 1800 px glossy screen with TrueTone; RAM soldered on the motherboard, 1xM.2 PCIe storage – up to 4 TB; 4x Thunderbolt 3 ports, 87 Wh battery;
i9 available in both the 2018 and 2019 models, good performance in the 2019 variant (details) which is available with a factory-undervolted i9-9880H, as a $200 upgrade over the i7 |
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| Price: from $2999 – more details |
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| ASUS Zenbook Pro UX550GD / GE | 15.6-inch FHD or UHD | up to i9-8950HK / max 16 GB RAM | GTX 1050/ 1050 Ti | Yes | 4.2 lbs / 1.9 kg |
| thin and light, aluminum outer case, available with FHD matte/touch or a wide-gamut UHD matte screen, RAM soldered on the motherboard, 1xM.2 PCIe storage, 71 Wh battery, expect it to be more affordable than the competition | |||||
| Price: from ~$2000 – more details |
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| ASUS Zenbook Pro UX580GE | 15.6-inch FHD or UHD | up to i9-8950HK / max 16 GB RAM | GTX 1050 Ti | Yes | 4.4 lbs / 2 kg |
| reviewed here, similar to the UX550, but with a 5.5-inch ScreenPad integrated within the trackpad | |||||
| Price: from ~$2000 – more details |
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| Dell Precision 15 5530 | 15.6-inch UHD | up to i9-8950HK / max 32 GB RAM | up to Quadro P2000 | Yes | 4.4 lbs / 2 kg |
| compact workstation version of the XPS 15 9570; thin, light and well built; available with wide-gamut IGZO UHD touch screen, 2x RAM slots, 1xM.2 PCIe and 1×2.5″ storage, 56 Wh battery, customizable, higher-end configurations get expensive | |||||
| Price: from ~$1800 on Dell’s website |
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| Dell XPS 15 9570 (2018) | 15.6-inch FHD/UHD, various options | up to i9-8950HK / max 32 GB RAM | GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q | Yes | 4.4 lbs / 2 kg |
| reviewed here, 2018 model, thin and light, sturdy construction, available with FHD matte or a wide-gamut UHD touch screen, 2x RAM slots, 1xM.2 PCIe storage, 97 Wh battery, i9 configuration available only with 32 GB RAM and 1 TB PCIe storage | |||||
| Price: from $2299 – more details |
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| Dell XPS 15 7590 (2019) | 15.6-inch FHD/UHD, various options, including OLED | up to i9-9980HK / max 32 GB RAM | GTX 1650 Max-Q | Yes | 4.4 lbs / 2 kg |
| reviewed here, 2019 model – similar design to the previous generations, but with updated hardware and screens; OLED screen option, various UHD options with 100% AdobeRGB coverage; up to Core i9 CPU, 2x RAM slots, 1xM.2 PCIe storage, 97 Wh battery; i9 configuration $300 over the i7 | |||||
| Price: from $2399 – more details |
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| Dell Precision 15 3541 | 15.6-inch FHD/UHD, various options | up to i9-9880H / max 32 GB RAM | Quadro P620 | No | 4.4 lbs / 2 kg |
| 2019 model, affordable workstation laptop with a simple plastic build; highly configurable and competitively priced; multiple screen options, up to i9 CPU, Quadro P520 graphics and 61/97 Wh battery; i9 configuration $250 over the i7 | |||||
| Price: from $1799 – more details |
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| Dell Precision 15 5540 | 15.6-inch FHD/UHD, various options | up to i9-9880H / max 32 GB RAM | up to Quadro T2000 | Yes | 4.4 lbs / 2 kg |
| 2019 model, workstation version of the XPS 15 7590; premium build and features; i9 configuration $350 over the i7 | |||||
| Price: from $2300 |
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| Eurocom Q8 | 17.3-inch – various options | up to i9-8950HK / max 32 GB RAM | GTX 1070 | Yes | 6.6 lbs / 2.99 kg |
| barebone laptop based on Clevo PA71 chassis; slim and light for a 17-incher, up to GSync 144Hz screen, QHD and UHD options as well, 2x RAM slots, CPU performance could be better, 2xM.2 PCIe and 1x 2.5″ storage, 66 Wh battery, customizable | |||||
| Price: from $2299 – more details | |||||
| Gigabyte Aero 15 | 15.6-inch IPS FHD 144 Hz/ 4K UHD OLED matte with 100% AdobeRGB | up to i9-9980HK / max 32 GB RAM | up to RTX 2080 Max-Q | Yes | 4.65 lbs / 2.1 kg |
| reviewed here; compact design with thin bezels, thin (0.69″) and light for a 15-incher; solid build quality and simple design; RGB keyboard with NumPad; IPS FHD 144 Hz or 4K OLED screens; up to Core i9 CPU, 2x memory DIMMs, 2x M.2 NVME storage; fairly simple to upgrade; runs hot; 94 Wh battery, 280 Wh adapter | |||||
| Price: from $2399 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
| Gigabyte Aero 17 | 15.6-inch IPS FHD 240 Hz / 4K UHD OLED matte with 100% AdobeRGB | up to i9-9980HK / max 32 GB RAM | up to RTX 2080 Max-Q | Yes | 5.5 lbs / 2.5 kg |
| 2019 model; 17-inch variant of the Aero 15 | |||||
| Price: from $3199 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (2018) | 15.6-inch IPS FHD matte or UHD touch | Coffee Lake Core HK / max 32 GB RAM | GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q 4 GB | Yes | 3.75 lbs / 1.7 kg |
| reviewed here; classic ThinkPad design and build, compact form factor; thin, light and very compact; backlit keyboard; FHD matte or UHD IPS screen with 100% aRGB and HDR; 2x RAM slots and 2xPCIe storage with RAID; 2xTB3 ports; 80 Wh battery | |||||
| Price: from $1600 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme gen2 (2019) | 15.6-inch IPS FHD matte or UHD touch, various options | up to i9-9880H / max 32 GB RAM | GTX 1650 Ti Max-Q | Yes | 3.8 lbs / 1.7 kg |
| updated 2019 model; mostly the same, but with new hardware and new screen options, including 4K UHD OLED | |||||
| Price: from $$2999 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
| Lenovo ThinkPad P1 gen2 (2019) | 15.6-inch IPS FHD matte or UHD touch, various options | up to i9-9880H / max 32 GB RAM | up to Quadro T2000 | Yes | 3.8 lbs / 1.7 kg |
| workstation version fo the X1 Extreme, with Quadro T1000/T200 graphics | |||||
| Price: from $$2999 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
| Origin EVO-17S | 17.3-inch FHD IPS 144 Hz with GSync or UHD IPS | up to i9-8950HK / max 32 GB RAM | up to GTX 1070 | Yes | 6.6 lbs / 2.99 kg |
| thin and light, compact form factor with narrow bezels, no GSync screen option at this point, hybrid mechanical RGB keyboard, 2x RAM slots, 2xM.2 PCIe + 1×2.5″ storage bays, 62 Wh battery, customizable | |||||
| Price: from $2500 |
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| MSI GE75 Raider | 17.3-inch FHD IPS 144 Hz 3ms | up to i9-9880H / max 32 GB RAM | up to RTX 2080 MQ | No | 5.6 lbs / 2.55 kg |
| reviewed here; compact and light for its class; FHD 144 Hz 3ms screen; up to Core i9 CPU and RTX 2080 graphics; excellent cooling and excellent speakers; small 51 Wh battery; rather expensive for what it is | |||||
| Price: from $2899 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
| MSI GS65 Stealth Thin | 15.6-inch FHD IPS 144 Hz 3ms | up to i9-9880H / max 32 GB RAM | up to RTX 2080 MQ | Yes | 4.2 lbs / 1.9 kg |
| reviewed here; most compact and lightest in its class; FHD screen with 72% NTSC and 144 Hz refresh; up to Core i9 CPU and RTX 2080 MQ graphics, 2x RAM slots, 2xM.2 PCIe; 81 Wh battery | |||||
| Price: from $2899 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
| MSI GS75 Stealth | 17.3-inch FHD IPS 144 Hz 3ms | up to i9-9880H / max 32 GB RAM | up to RTX 2080 MQ | Yes | 5.05 lbs / 2.3 kg |
| reviewed here; 17-inch version of the GS65; most compact and lightest in its class; FHD screen with 72% NTSC and 144 Hz refresh; up to Core i9 CPU and RTX 2080 MQ graphics, 2x RAM slots, 2xM.2 PCIe; 81 Wh battery | |||||
| Price: from $2899 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
| MSI P65 Creator | 15.6-inch FHD IPS 60 Hz or 4K IPS 60 Hz with 100% AdobeRGB | up to i9-9880H / max 32 GB RAM | up to RTX 2080 MQ | Yes | 4.2 lbs / 1.9 kg |
| workstation version of the MSI GS65 Stealth Thin; similar in most ways, but with a silver color scheme and option for 4K 100% AdobeRGB screen | |||||
| Price: from $2899 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
| MSI P75 Creator | 17.3-inch FHD IPS 60 Hz | up to i9-9880H / max 32 GB RAM | up to RTX 2080 MQ | Yes | 5.05 lbs / 2.3 kg |
| workstation version of the MSI GS75 Stealth Thin; similar in most ways, but with a silver color scheme and option for 4K 100% AdobeRGB screen | |||||
| Price: from $2799 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
| MSI WS65 | 15.6-inch FHD IPS 60 Hz or 4K UHD IPS 60 Hz | up to i9-9880H / max 32 GB RAM | up to Quadro RTX 3000 | Yes | 4.2 lbs / 1.9 kg |
| workstation version of the MSI GS65 Stealth Thin; similar in most ways, but with a silver color scheme, Quadro Graphics, and options for an FHD 72% NTSC 60 Hz screen or 4K 72%NTSC 60 Hz; | |||||
| Price: from $3099 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
| MSI WS75 | 17.3-inch FHD IPS 60 Hz or 4K UHD IPS 60 Hz with 100% AdobeRGB | up to i9-9880H / max 32 GB RAM | up to Quadro RTX 4000 | Yes | 5.05 lbs / 2.3 kg |
| workstation version of the MSI GS75 Stealth Thin; similar in most ways, but with a silver color scheme, Quadro Graphics, and options for an FHD 72% NTSC 60 Hz screen or 4K with 100% AdobeRGB coverage; | |||||
| Price: from $3199 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
Previous generation Full-size Core i9 notebooks
This section includes the full-size Core i9 laptops. There are some mid-range laptops with similar traits to the ultraportables above, but thicker builds and improved cooling, and there are also the no-compromise desktop replacements.
Expect most of these to be hefty and heavy, come with two bulky power-bricks (with some exceptions), but at the same time, also expect to squeeze the most out of the hardware inside and allow for tweaking and overclocking. Most of these laptops run cooly, but also noisy with gaming and demanding loads, to the point where you’ll need headphones for comfortable use.
We’ve also included laptops based on the desktop-grade Core i9 9900K processors in this list, like the Alienware Area 51m or the MSI GT76 Titan.
| Model | Screen | Hardware | Graphics | TB3 | Weight |
| Acer Predator Helios 500 | 17.3-inch FHD IPS 144 Hz with GSync | up to i9-8950HK / max 64 GB RAM | GTX 1070 | Yes | 8.8 lbs / 4.00 kg |
| reviewed here; massive and heavy, FHD GSync 144Hz screen or UHD 4K option, RGB keyboard, 4x RAM slots, 2xM.2 PCIe and 1x 2.5″ storage, 2.1 speakers, 74 Wh battery, 330W power brick; one of the most affordable i9 laptops | |||||
| Price: from $2499 – more details | |||||
| massive and heavy, various screen options, including FHD 120 Hz and UHD IPS, with or without GSync, RGB Alienware TactX keyboard, not the best performance with the i9 configurations, 2x RAM slots, 1xM.2 PCIe and 1x 2.5″ storage, 99 Wh battery, highly customizable | |||||
| Price: from $2249 – more details | |||||
| Alienware 15 | 15.6-inch FHD IPS – various options | up to i9-8950HK / max 32 GB RAM | GTX 1070 OC/ 1080 | Yes | 7.75 lbs / 3.5 kg |
| massive and heavy, various screen options, including FHD 120 Hz and UHD IPS, with or without GSync, RGB Alienware TactX keyboard, not the best performance with the i9 configurations, 2x RAM slots, 1xM.2 PCIe and 1x 2.5″ storage, 99 Wh battery, highly customizable | |||||
| Price: from $2249 – more details | |||||
| Alienware 17 | 17.3-inch QHD IPS 120 Hz with GSync | up to i9-8950HK / max 64 GB RAM | GTX 1080 OC | Yes | 9.75 lbs / 4.42 kg |
| massive and heavy, GSync 120Hz screen with 2560 x 1440 px resolution, RGB Alienware TactX keyboard, 4x RAM slots, 2xM.2 PCIe and 1x 2.5″ storage, 2.1 speakers, 68 or 99 Wh battery, highly customizable | |||||
| Price: ~$3099 – more details | |||||
| Alienware Area 51m | 17-inch FHD IPS 60/120 Hz with optional GSync | up to i9-9900K / max 128 GB RAM | RTX 2080 OC | Yes | 8.6 lbs / 3.9 kg |
| fairly compact for what it is; modular hardware design with upgradeable CPU/GPU, various FHD screen choices, RGB Alienware TactX keyboard, 4x RAM slots, 2xM.2 PCIe + HDD, 2.0 speakers, up to 90 Wh battery, highly customizable | |||||
| Price: ~$3499 – more details | |||||
| Aorus X9 | 17.3-inch FHD IPS 144 Hz with GSync | up to i9-8950HK / max 64 GB RAM | GTX 1080 | Yes | 8.1 lbs / 3.7 kg |
| fairly thin and compact for what it is, GSync 144 screen, mechanical RGB keyboard, 4x RAM slots, 2xM.2 PCIe and 1x 2.5″ storage, 2.2 speakers, very noisy fans, 94 Wh battery | |||||
| Price: ~$3899 – more details |
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| Asus ROG G703 Series | 17.3-inch matte FHD IPS 144 HZ with GSync |
up to i9-9980HK OC/ max 128 GB RAM | RTX 2080 OC | Yes | 10.5 lbs / 4.55 kg |
| reviewed here, chunky, large and heavy; sturdy build quality; RGB keyboard with per-key lighting; 144 Hz FHD screen with G-Sync; up to Core i9 CPU, 4x RAM slots, 2x M.2 storage with Raid + 2.5″ bay; overclocked RTX 2080 200W GPU; 96 Wh battery; 2x 280 W power-supplies; 2.2 sound system | |||||
| Starting price: from $3699 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
| Asus ROG Strix SCAR III G531 |
15.6-inch FHD IPS 144 Hz or 240 Hz 3ms |
up to i9-9880H / max 64 GB RAM | up to RTX 2070 | No | 5.4 lbs / 2.4 kg |
| reviewed here, 2019 model; updated design and construction, not as compact as before; 240 Hz 3 ms IPS screen; various hardware configurations, up to Core i9 and RTX 2070 115W; dual storage; improved speakers and cooling over the previous generation; 66 Wh battery; 280W charger for i9 model; i7 configurations available for much less | |||||
| Starting price: from $2299 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
| Asus ROG Strix SCAR III G731 |
17.3-inch FHD IPS 144 Hz or 240 Hz 3ms |
up to i9-9880H / max 64 GB RAM | up to RTX 2070 | No | 6.4 lbs / 2.9 kg |
| 2019 model; 17-inch variant of the ROG Strix G531; i7 configurations available for much less | |||||
| Starting price: from $2299 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
| Asus ROG Mothership GZ700 |
17.3-inch FHD IPS 144 Hz with GSync |
up to i9-8950HK / max 64 GB RAM | RTX 2080 OC | Yes | 10.4 lbs / 4.7 kg |
| 2019 model; completely unusual detachable form-factor, entirely made out of machined milled aluminum; chunky and heavy; detachable keyboard with 2.5 mm stroke and per-key lit keys; up to Core i9 processor, 4x RAM slots and 3x M.2 NVMe storage with Raid; quad front-firing speakers; 2.5 Gbps Ethernet and Wireless AX; 2x 330 W adapters | |||||
| Starting price: TBA | |||||
| ASUS Zenbook Pro Duo UX581 | 15.6-inch UHD OLED 60 Hz | up to i9-9980HK / max 32 GB RAM | RTX 2060 | Yes | 5.5 lbs / 2.5 kg |
| reviewed here in a different configuration, new 2019 model; slim and excellently crafted, but not as light as the other options; unibody construction; dual-screens, keyboard placed at the bottom; Thunderbolt 3; single storage and soldered RAM; 71Wh battery | |||||
| Price: from $2499 |
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| Clevo PB51RF – Sager NP8453 | 15.6-inch FHD 144 Hz/240 Hz or UHD 60 Hz | up to i9-9980HK / max 64 GB RAM | RTX 2070 | Yes | 5.5 lbs / 2.5 kg |
| 2019 model; barebone design – highly configurable; up to Core i9 CPU, 2x RAM slots, triple storage, 62 Wh battery; i9 configuration $400 over the i7 | |||||
| Price: from $2099 |
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| Dell G7 Gaming | 15.6-inch FHD 144 Hz/240 Hz or UHD 60 Hz | up to i9-9880H / max 32 GB RAM | RTX 2080 MQ | Yes | 5.5 lbs / 2.5 kg |
| 2019 model; various screen options; up to Core i9 CPU, 2x RAM slots, 1xM.2 PCIe storage, 90 Wh battery; i9 configuration $450 over the i7, only available with RTX 2080 MQ graphics | |||||
| Price: from $2899 – more details |
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| Dell Precision 15 7540 |
15.6-inch matte FHD/UHD IPS |
up to i9-9980HK / max 128 GB RAM | up to Quadro RTX 3000 80W | Yes | 4.6 lbs /2.1 kg |
| 2019 model, workstation 15-inch laptop; full-size sturdy build, multiple screen options, and configurations; up to 97 Wh battery; i9 variant $350 over the i7 | |||||
| Starting price: from ~$2700 on Dell’s website | |||||
| Dell Precision 17 7740 | 17.3-inch FHD/UHD, various options | up to i9-9880HK / max128 GB RAM | up to Quadro RTX 5000 ? | Yes | 6.7 lbs / 3.1 kg |
| 2019 model, workstation, 17-inch versions of the Precision 15 5540 | |||||
| Price: from ~$2800 on Dell’s website |
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| HP Omen X 2S | 15.6-inch FHD 240 Hz 3 ms | up to i9-9880H / max 32 GB RAM | up to RTX 2080 MQ | Yes | 5.3 lbs / 2.4 kg |
| new 2019 model; slim and compact, dual-screens, keyboard placed at the bottom; up to i9 CPU, RTX 2080 GPU, 2x RAM slots, dual-storage; 72Wh battery; i7 /RTX 2070 MQ configurations available from $1899 | |||||
| Price: from $3099 – configurations and updated prices |
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| HP ZBook 15 | 15.6-inch IPS FHD/UHD, various options | up to i9-9880H / max 128 GB RAM | up to Quadro RTX 3000 80W | Yes | 5.8 lbs / 2.6 kg |
| 2019 model; workstation 15-inch laptop; sturdy build, keyboard, and complete IO; various screen options; various configurations, up to Core i9 and Xeon processors, 128 GB of RAM, RTX Quadro 3000 graphics and triple storage; up to 90 Wh battery | |||||
| Price: TBA | |||||
| HP ZBook 17 | 17.3-inch IPS FHD/UHD, various options | up to i9-9880H / max 128 GB RAM | up to Quadro RTX 5000 ? | Yes | 7.1 lbs / 3.2 kg |
| 2019 model; workstation, 17-inch versions of the ZBook 15; similar specs, but improved cooling, larger 95 Wh battery, 100 percent DCI-P3 display and up to RTX 5000 graphics | |||||
| Price: TBA | |||||
| Lenovo ThinkPad P53 | 15.6-inch IPS FHD matte or UHD touch, various options | up to i9-9880H / max 128 GB RAM | up to Quadro RTX 5000 80W | Yes | 5.5 lbs / 2.5 kg |
| reviewed here, hardware update of the 2018 model; workstation 15-inch laptop; classic Thinkpad build, keyboard and IO; various screen options, including 4K; various configurations, up to Core i9 and Xeon processors, 128 GB of RAM, RTX Quadro 5000 graphics and triple storage; 90 Wh battery | |||||
| Price: from $3000 | |||||
| Lenovo ThinkPad P73 | 17.3-inch IPS FHD matte or UHD touch, various options | up to i9-9880H / max 128 GB RAM | up to Quadro RTX 5000 90W | Yes | 7.5 lbs / 3.4 kg |
| reviewed here, hardware update of the 2018 model; workstation, 17-inch versions of the P53; | |||||
| Price: from $3000 | |||||
| MSI GT75 Titan |
17.3-inch matte FHD IPS 144 Hz with GSync |
up to i9-9980HK / max 128 GB RAM | RTX 2080 OC | Yes | 10 lbs/4.6 kg |
| bulky and heavy; 144 HZ IPS screen with GSync; mechanical backlit RGB keyboard; up to Core i9 processors and multiple storage options, available with RTX 2080 200W graphics; 2.1 speakers; 75 Wh battery, 2x 330W adapters | |||||
| Starting price: from $3999 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
| MSI GT76 Titan |
17.3-inch matte FHD IPS 144/240 Hz with Optimus |
up to i9-9900K / max 128 GB RAM | RTX 2080 OC | Yes | 9.2 lbs/4.2 kg |
| newer model, smaller than the GT75, but still bulky and heavy; 144 HZ IPS screen, but no GSync; SteelSeries backlit RGB keyboard, not the mechanical from the GT75; up to Core i9 desktop processors and multiple storage options, available with RTX 2080 200W graphics; 2.1 speakers; 75 Wh battery, 2x 230W adapters | |||||
| Starting price: from $3999 – configurations and updated prices | |||||
That’s about it for now, but we’re constantly updating this list of Core i9 performance laptops, so make sure to check back from time to time for the latest additions. And get in touch in the comments section if you have any questions, or if you spotted a notebook that should be in here and we haven’t yet added.
Raphael Torres
October 3, 2018 at 2:12 pm
Second table down in the far right title column should read i9-8950HK not i7-8950HK.
Andrei Girbea
October 3, 2018 at 2:13 pm
thanks, updated
juan
November 23, 2018 at 5:50 am
You forgot the Thinkpad P52 with up to 128GB RAM.
Andrei Girbea
November 23, 2018 at 2:26 pm
I can't find any configurations of the P52 with the i9, it's either the i7 or the Xeons. Do you have any links that would suggest otherwise?
Inteliarchs
September 23, 2019 at 1:55 am
@Andrei GirBea
https://psref.lenovo.com/Product/ThinkPad/ThinkPad_P52?MT=20M9
jon
January 2, 2019 at 9:07 am
hey, just a small correction. the thinkpads (p1 and x1 extreme) only have 2 ram slots i believe, that's all. thanks for the list!
Jeff
January 4, 2019 at 12:20 am
Says regarding MBPro 15: 1xM.2 PCIe storage – up to 4 GB
Should say up to 4TB
Thanks for this round up. Helpful!
javajin
April 15, 2019 at 7:47 am
I still find the Mac to be a greater value. Especially the 2018 model with the i9/i7 with 32GB RAM. Superior SSD bandwidth with fusion for virtualization. For those like me who want to run numerous VMs and build data-center parity with shell script support, or even run docker swarms and orchestration in addition to iOS/Android app development, there just isn't a parallel. With brew and top notch shell support, I fail to see the value in other offerings. A lot is possible with Windows too, but it just isn't Unix.
Dr William Gilmour
June 3, 2019 at 1:59 am
Many thanks; must be digested, moving to Apple is a biggie!
Should have asked, what windows laptop!
let me help you with that
June 14, 2019 at 3:51 pm
javajin, x1 extreme has two m.2 slots and that would be a much better solution to running VMs off of a secondary ssd rather than the system and vms competing for available bandwidth.
Java Jin
July 30, 2019 at 8:59 pm
I retract my earlier statement. I bought a Dell Precision 7730 with a Xeon E-2176M and 64Gb Memory with 2 x 2 TB Samsung PCIe nVme drives. I did have to install cygwin, but my workflow with Vagrant, Docker, vmWare works on the Windows Platform. I am going to adopt this for the next 60 days and see how it goes. Switching platforms is hard work, but I do find value in the Dell Precision line. The hardware is top notch and while the cost is comparable, I do get more flexibility, except the ability to run Xcode! But it doesn't affect me as much.
Karen
July 6, 2019 at 1:06 am
Grammar: "should come as no surprise" (not, should come to no surprise)
Andrei Girbea
July 8, 2019 at 9:42 am
Thanks, updated
Name
July 17, 2019 at 6:09 am
NEW Precision 7540 can support a Intel® Core™ Processor i9-9980HK around 1600 with no other options
Dave
July 21, 2020 at 11:04 am
You might want to look at the System76 Orxy Pro. A linux laptop that you can configure with the i7 or i9 processor.
Steve
December 26, 2020 at 6:26 pm
Hi Andrei,
I really appreciate your lists of laptops and above all, your updates to it!
Just a small question, you have twice Core i9-9980 in one of the lists above, i guess one should read i9-9880 instead of 9980? ?? I was wondering indeed if Core i9-9880 wasn't a 6-core variation of the i9 ??
All those variations of CPUs are quite confusing.
Another issue, i have a Asus ROG G752 with i7-7880 and GTX10170 which is very up to date in specs, but the handicap is the CPU with four cores, is there any manufacturer that does updated Mainboards for such machines? I think that is missing in the market, it is a pity to change my 17inch superb display, the GPU is still fine with 8GB, everything works .. just in running multiple Bluestacks windows a bit more CPU support … well had open 15 Bluestacks windows and it shows the GPU is full, and eats also 40GB of my Ram … (i have 64GB) … and the laptop really gets slow … question of life, when to get contented? haha …
Thanks and continue the good work!
Happy Holidays!
Andrei Girbea
December 27, 2020 at 6:22 pm
The i9-9980HK (https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/192990/intel-core-i9-9980hk-processor-16m-cache-up-to-5-00-ghz.html) and i9-9880H (https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/processors/core/i9-processors/i9-9880h.html) are both 8Core CPUs of the same generation. the HK runs at slightly higher clocks and allows for overclocking, but is also the less widespread of the two, generally included in larger-size notebooks.
As for the 2nd question, no, there's no way to update the hardware in modern laptops. You'll eventually have to upgrade if that CPU is no longer enough, and I'd recommend waiting a few more months for the 2021 gen-hardware to be available. Even if you don't end up with one of those, at least you'd be able to buy 2020-gen laptops at a discount at that point.
Steve
December 27, 2020 at 4:39 pm
Hi Andrej,
Just by chance came accross some interesting alternative brand, acquired in 2019 by Corsair:
https://www.originpc.com/
Their ultimate laptop beast is the 10-core i9-10900 … a bit similar to the G703 from Asus, also with double adapter (comes in lightweight haha); the good thing is, it looks like their GPU is separate card, so upgradable as long as the form factor fits. Not sure about the CPU.
Andrei Girbea
December 27, 2020 at 6:24 pm
I don't have any experience with origin laptops, so can't comment on those.
Steve
December 27, 2020 at 6:55 pm
Thanks Andrei! About 2021 laptops, yes i will wait because some specs are also beyond budget yet, and indeed let's see the 11th generation fight between Intel and AMD how it goes. Sometimes it gets pretty confusing with cores and real benchmarks, both claiming victory every 2 weeks in some tests.