The Best Gaming Laptops For Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

CyberPunk 2077: Phantom Libertyis CD Projekt Red’s latest endeavor which is expected to be released early next week. It costs $30 and will be released for multiple platforms, including PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC. Owning the base game is required to enjoy the DLC. However, the DLC will skip last-generation consoles and the now-defunct Google Stadia, despite the base game being available on those platforms.

MSI Titan GT77 17.3' Gaming Laptop (Core i9, RTX 4090)

When And Where Does CyberPunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Launch?

CyberPunk 2077: Phantom Libertylaunches on Tuesday, the 26th of September, 2023 on the PS5, Xbox Series X | S, and PC simultaneously. It accompanies the large Cyberpunk 2077 update 2.0 that sees a massive overhaul in terms of fixes and content addition that has many gamers and reviewers claiming that it makes the entire game a completely different experience for users starting from scratch or looking for another playthrough.

What Are The PC Requirements For Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty?

CyberPunk 2077’s Phantom Liberty DLC was cause enough for CD Projekt Red republish its minimum system requirements with an updated, more current spec sheet to ensure users with newer hardware understand the new recommendations. They also noted an important change: Cyberpunk 2077 requires SSDs by default now, as opposed to having offered support for both HDDs and SSDs in the past.

RT Recommended:

RT Ultra (Overdrive Mode):

CDPR updated its spec recommendations for Cyberpunk after the V2.0 patch before the launch of Phantom Liberty, listing more current options and specs for an RT Overdrive mode driven by DLSS 3.5.

The Best Gaming Laptops To Play Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

The best gaming laptops that can handleCyberpunk 2077: Phantom Libertyrequire a decent high-end gaming CPU and a very beefy GPU for users gaming on a laptop and who plan to take advantage of Ray Tracing and higher quality presets at a 2K or higher display resolution. Ideally, an RTX 4060 or higher GPU is suited to the title, which takes full advantage of DLSS 3 to ensure steady performance and utilizes the extra throughput available for RT Overdrive mode, using DLSS 3.5 to showcase what is essentially state-of-the-art tech under the hood.

Therefore, some of the picks below exclusively useNvidia’s RTX 4000 series GPUs, which currently stand as some of the best in business for CDPR’s highly anticipated Cyberpunk 2077 DLC.

ASUS ROG Strix G17 (2023) Gaming Laptop

The 2023 model of the ASUS ROG Strix G17 Gaming Laptop comes equipped with an excellent display, a power-efficient CPU, and a decent GPU that can drive the new DLSS 3.5-supporting content thatCyberpunk 2077: Phantom Libertyoffers. While the laptop version of the RTX 4070 may not be able to push things far enough to benefit from Ray Tracing Overdrive mode, the G17 itself should be able to put itself close to the recommended desktop specs for Ray Tracing for the new DLC.

The G17 offers up to 240Hz refresh rates on its excellent 2K display. Its 16-core CPU and Ada Lovelace-based GPU couples with a custom Thermal Grizzly’s Conductonaut Extreme liquid metal cooling solution to considerably curb throttle compared to most of its similarly spec’d alternatives. This helps it use its RTX 4070 GPU better than most of its peers and closer to its rated 140W TGP offering.

The ASUS ROG Strix G17 Gaming Laptop offers native support for both Dolby Vision and VRR, thanks to Nvidia’s promising G-Sync keyboard. Featuring some of the best networking tech currently available to end users, the G17 is an excellent place to begin one’s experience of a completely revamped Cyberpunk 2077 in the highly-anticipated DLC.

MSI Katana 15 Gaming Laptop (B12VGK-082US)

The MSI Katana 15 gaming laptop comes with a 12th-generation Intel Core i7 CPU and a power RTX 4070 GPU with decent memory and storage, as well as a 144Hz IPS panel. With plenty of networking options and a price that is hard to beat when on sale, the Katana 15 happens to be the cheapest RTX 4070 gaming laptop available for purchase at the time of writing.

The MSI Katana 15 Gaming Laptop is an excellent budget-friendly pick for gamers looking to score an RTX 4070-based gaming laptop at a bargain price. It does however make some obvious sacrifices, pairing a somewhat sub-par display and an older Intel Core i7 12th-generation CPU to get there, unlike most of its 13th-generation competition.

The Katana 15 throws in a full suite of network connectivity including Ethernet in addition to one of the better keyboards that gaming laptops come with. The keyboard offers 4 distinct RGB zones and a full numpad as part of its offerings.

RELATED:The Best Gaming Laptops for 2023

The RTX 4070 on this particular model comes restricted to 105W, unlike some of its higher-end peers that deliver up to 140W of TGP from the same chip. However, it does hold its own for the most part, considering the fact that it’s a mid-range gaming laptop. The Katana 15 can easily handleCyberpunk 2077: Phantom Libertyat recommended settings or higher, while also being able to exhibit decent RT capabilities thanks to DLSS 3.5.

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 14”165Hz Gaming Laptop (RTX 4070)

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 14”165Hz Gaming Laptop is one of the most well-respected compact gaming laptops in the business, throwing in impressive CPU and GPU combinations in a tight form factor while exacting a significant amount of performance out of them.With an AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS and an Nvidia RTX 4070 in tow, the G14 comes equipped to take on games at its target display resolution of 2K with a refresh rate of 165Hz which offers an IPS panel and up to 500 nits of brightness as part of its feature set.

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 Gaming Laptop is an excellent 14” laptop that pushes boundaries for its form factor in meaningful ways. It offers a powerful 8-core, 16-thread Ryzen 9 CPU in addition to a capable RTX 4070 GPU. With decent battery life in tow, the G14 also offers Wi-Fi 6E connectivity and Bluetooth 5.3 out of the box, making it a capable, yet compact gaming device.

Offering one of the best displays in the business, the Zephyrus G14 presents a sharp 2K resolution in a 14-inch form factor with 500 nits of brightness and 165Hz refresh rates. With a fast PCI-E 4.0 SSD ready for quick-saves, the G14 is an excellent desktop replacement that doesn’t come with the same form factor and weight that its peers do.

However, gamers who prefer having anEthernet cable might have to buy an inexpensive adapter, if they need to have wired internet connectivity. In addition to this, there are thermal issues for some gamers which see the G14 somewhat thermally throttle when being pushed to its maximum. This means users could benefit by investing in adequate cooling for what is otherwise one of the most powerful portable gaming machines currently on the market.

Acer Nitro 17 Gaming Laptop AN17-41-R7G3

The Acer Nitro 17 Gaming Laptop is a large 17-inch gaming laptop powered by an efficient, but potent octa-core AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and Nvidia’s mid-range RTX 4060 GPU. The display features Quad HD resolution and a high 165 Hz refresh rate for fast-paced gaming. That is all topped up with a large 1TB SSD and 16 GB of DDR5 memory, making it an ideal desktop replacement for those looking to grab one.

The Acer Nitro 17 Gaming Laptop AN17-41-R7G3 is an excellent laptop that offers decent cooling under the hood. It combines an efficient 8-core Ryzen 7 7000 series CPU and an Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU in a well-built chassis and a decent 2K, 165Hz display. It is able to runCyberpunk 2077: Phantom Libertyat recommended specs without RT, and can handle some degree of Ray Tracing when employing DLSS 3.5.

RELATED:The Best Gaming Laptops under $1500

With 1TB of internal storage and Wi-Fi 6E support out of the box, it does have the trappings of more recent gaming laptops. While Acer’s Nitro 17 is closely in-line with its competitor RTX 4070-based gaming laptops, some of its perks make it a considerably better option than many of those peers. On the flip side, the Nitro 17 can get noisy when loading and could do with a better, more customizable BIOS under the hood. However, a great keyboard, solid thermals, and easy expansion potential more than make up for any shortcomings.

Alienware m16

Alienware has decided to get competitive with its pricing to performance this year, partially thanks to Intel’s 13th generation CPUs as well as low demand for the RTX 4080 chipset. The m16 features a 13900HX, RTX 4080, 16 GB of RAM, and a 240 Hz, QHD+ display for a truly beautiful and smooth gaming experience.

The Alienware m16 is a fan favorite that also happens to offer some of the best hardware available to end users, all at a competitive price point. With a complete 24-core Intel Core i9 CPU and a capable RTX 4080 GPU with 12GB of VRAM under the hood, it is more than capable of handing Cyberpunk, even when maxed out in most settings. This is apart from RT Overdrive where it could struggle somewhat compared to the desktop version of the RTX 4080 (which is closer to the RTX 4090 laptops than the RTX 4080 laptops) due to its power limits.

With a large built-to-size vapor chamber under the hood and 7 heat pipes as part of its design, the m16 will throttle considerably less than most of its competition while offering plenty of upgradeability under the hood, featuring 3 M2 slots for user upgrades along with memory upgrades if needed. Additionally, Alienware’s m16 utilizes AI-based noise cancelation and Dolby Atmos audio and conveniently puts all the necessary ports at the rear. The m16 is not just a great gaming device for yourCyberpunk 2077: Phantom Libertyjourney, but a great desktop replacement that can hold its own with most desktops with ease.

The MSI Titan GT77 is a laptop that covers all one’s bases when it comes to a gaming PC and then some as it pushes well north gaming PC territory in pricing. It justifies this by offering some of the best PC performance one can expect from a gaming laptop to date while throwing in one of the most impressive laptop displays for good measure.

The MSI Titan GT77 17.3" Gaming Laptop happens to be one of the fastest gaming laptops currently available to end users, packing a top-of-the-line i9-13980HX CPU and a 175W RTX 4090 GPU. However, it also happens to be one of the most pricey laptops, even when considering the free bundled MSI Gaming Backpack Gift that it comes with at certain retailers.

A laptop-based RTX 4090 is more or less identical to a desktop-class RTX 4080, but still has power limitations in play, despite the Titan pushing it up to as much as 175W of TGP. It leverages its beautiful 4K miniLED display, large storage space, and overkill memory (128GB) to make a statement. Those looking for the best gaming laptop possible, the Titan is worth taking a second glance at.

The same inarguably applies to anyone considering getting a gaming laptop to playCyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty: The Titan means business as MSI goes out of its way to provide a very polished product that needs no major upgrades of the box. Regardless, parting with over $5000 to make it happen is a nonstarter for most gamers.

FAQ

Q: When Does Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Release?

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty releases on the 26th of September 2023. Some regions may get access to the title earlier or later owing to different time zones.

Q: Is Purchasing Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty necessary to get the V2.0 Update?

No, the Cyberpunk 2077 V2.0 update is a free update that has already been rolled out to all users who purchased a copy. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty however is paid DLC and costs $30 to add new content to an already overhauled Cyberpunk 2077 experience.