Once again there are leaks in the world of mobile graphics cards, and this time it’s all about NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 5080 laptop GPU from the upcoming “Blackwell” generation. The first OpenCL benchmarks, carried out on an Alienware Area-51 laptop, show impressive values that put both the previous generation and some desktop GPUs in the shade. But as always with leaks, caution is advised.

Benchmark results: OpenCL shows a clear improvement

In a Geekbench 6 OpenCL test, the RTX 5080 Laptop GPU scored 190,326 points. In comparison: The previous mobile top class, the RTX 4090 laptop GPU, achieved 179,426 points, while the RTX 4080 laptop GPU is clearly lagging behind with 160,627 points. The RTX 5080’s performance is even at desktop level: it is almost on a par with the GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER for desktops, which achieved 192,271 points. The mobile GPU thus remains 6% behind this desktop model and is also 18% ahead of the RTX 4080 laptop GPU.

Technical data in detail

The GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU will be based on the new “Blackwell” architecture and features:

• CUDA cores: 7,680
• Memory: 16 GB GDDR7
• Memory bus: 256-bit
• TGP (Total Graphics Power): 80 to 150 W

The leaps in performance are not only due to the increased number of cores, but also to the use of GDDR7 memory, which enables higher bandwidths with more moderate energy consumption.

Performance in context: desktop vs. mobile

The RTX 5080 laptop GPU shows an impressive approach to desktop performance. While the RTX 4080 and 4090 laptop GPUs of the “Ada Lovelace” generation still dropped significantly compared to their desktop counterparts, the RTX 5080 reduces this gap considerably. The comparison with the desktop GPU RTX 4070 SUPER, which delivers similar values, is particularly interesting. However, it remains to be seen how good the performance of the RTX 5080 will be in everyday use under real conditions and with optimized drivers. Benchmark results can be influenced by experimental drivers, thermal limitations or specific test configurations, among other things.

Prices and availability

NVIDIA is planning the official launch of the GeForce RTX 50 series for laptops in the first quarter of 2025, in March to be precise. However, the price could be a stumbling block for many prospective customers. The Alienware Area-51 laptop model on which the GPU was tested is expected to start at around 2,199 US dollars. Other models are likely to be in a similar price segment, which clearly positions the RTX 50 series in the enthusiast segment.

Progress, but at what price?

The first benchmark results of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 laptop GPU promise a solid increase in performance in the mobile segment. The approximation to desktop performance is remarkable, especially with comparable models such as the RTX 4070 SUPER. However, it remains to be seen how the GPUs perform in practical tests – and whether they can justify the high price. NVIDIA continues to drive the development of mobile GPUs, but the target group remains a small, affluent niche. The remaining customers could continue to make do with cheaper and less powerful models or the previous generation.

Source: Benchleaks