Every laptop we have figures for

Frame rates measured by Notebookcheck.

What it asks of a laptop

At 1,920 × 1,080 on the High preset with upscaling off, Returnal is demanding enough to separate modern gaming-laptop GPUs clearly, but it is not exclusively a flagship-laptop game. Notebookcheck’s measured figures span from 31fps to 176fps across 18 laptops, with a median of 103fps. Sixteen of those 18 machines reached 60fps, while 11 reached 100fps and only three reached 144fps.

The main dividing line is between current mid-range RTX 4060/RTX 4070 laptops and older or lower-power RTX 3050/RTX 2050 machines. The two older entries in the sample managed only 34fps and 31fps respectively. By contrast, both RTX 4060 laptops cleared 60fps, and every measured RTX 4070 laptop also remained above that mark.

There is also a meaningful gap between merely reaching 60fps and extracting high-refresh-rate performance. The RTX 4070 results range from 76fps to 106fps, while the RTX 4080 machines produced 114fps to 137fps. The three RTX 4090 laptops are the only machines in this set to clear 144fps, at 159fps, 164fps and 176fps.

That spread suggests Returnal responds strongly to GPU tier, but laptop implementation matters too. The measured RTX 4070 machines range by 30fps, from the Lenovo Legion Slim 7i 16 Gen 8 at 76fps to the Aorus 15X ASF at 106fps. Power limits and chassis design are relevant here: the sample includes RTX 4070 laptops listed at 105W, 140W and 165W, alongside models without a stated GPU power figure. The figures show what these specific laptops achieved, rather than establishing a guaranteed result for every laptop carrying the same GPU name.

What runs it

60fps: RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 laptops are the measured starting point

For a 60fps target at these settings, the measured RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 laptops all cleared the line. The two RTX 4060 entries averaged 80fps: the 60W Lenovo Legion Slim 5 reached 87fps, while the 140W Acer Predator Helios 16 reached 73fps. This is a small two-laptop sample, so it is better read as evidence that these two machines handled the game comfortably than as a blanket verdict on all RTX 4060 laptops.

The RTX 4070 sample is larger, covering eight laptops and averaging 95fps. Its slowest result was 76fps from the Lenovo Legion Slim 7i 16 Gen 8, followed by 81fps from the Razer Blade 14 RTX and 85fps from the Lenovo Legion Pro 5. At the other end, the Aorus 15X ASF reached 106fps, while the Asus ROG Strix G18 and Aorus 15 BSF both recorded 104fps. All eight measured RTX 4070 systems exceeded 60fps.

The older RTX 3050 and RTX 2050 machines did not reach this target. The Lenovo Slim Pro 7, with an RTX 3050 at 58W, delivered 34fps. The Acer Aspire 5, with an RTX 2050 at 35W, managed 31fps.

100fps: mostly RTX 4070 and above

Notebookcheck’s figures show 11 of 18 laptops at or above 100fps. Five of the eight RTX 4070 laptops reached that level: the Aorus 15X ASF at 106fps; Asus ROG Strix G18 and Aorus 15 BSF at 104fps; MSI Stealth 16 Studio at 102fps; and Schenker XMG Pro 16 Studio (Mid 23) at 101fps.

All three RTX 4080 machines also cleared 100fps, recording 114fps, 136fps and 137fps. The RTX 4090 group was further ahead still, averaging 166fps across three laptops. An RTX 4060 did not reach 100fps in this sample, with the two measured machines at 73fps and 87fps.

144fps: RTX 4090 territory in this dataset

Only three of the 18 measured laptops achieved 144fps or more, and all three used RTX 4090 graphics. The Eurocom Raptor X17 reached 159fps, the Medion Erazer Beast X40 reached 164fps, and the Aorus 17X AZF reached 176fps. The fastest RTX 4080 result, from the HP Omen 17-ck2097ng with an RTX 4080 at 175W, was 137fps: close to 144fps, but below it.

For buyers targeting a 144Hz panel at this exact resolution and preset, the figures support RTX 4090 laptops most clearly. The sample does not show a measured RTX 4080 laptop reaching 144fps, even though that tier is well above 100fps.

The cheapest laptop that handles it

Only two laptops in the supplied figures have GBP prices, so there is not enough pricing information to identify the cheapest option across all 18 machines. Of those two priced models, the Acer Predator Helios 16 is the less expensive at £1,873. Its RTX 4060 at 140W produced 73fps, making it a measured 60fps-capable option at 1,920 × 1,080 High with upscaling off.

The other priced machine is the Alienware x16 R1 at £3,131. Its RTX 4080 at 175W achieved 114fps. That is substantially faster than the Acer’s 73fps, but the supplied prices show a £1,258 difference between these two examples.

The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is notable as another measured RTX 4060 option, reaching 87fps despite its listed 60W RTX 4060, but no price is provided for it. It therefore cannot be fairly placed in a cheapest-laptop comparison.

What this means if you’re buying

For a straightforward 60fps aim, the measured RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 laptops are the relevant groups. The RTX 4060 results of 73fps and 87fps show that 60fps is attainable without moving to a flagship GPU, while the RTX 4070 results provide more headroom, ranging from 76fps to 106fps.

If you want measured performance around or above 100fps, focus on the faster RTX 4070 examples or move to RTX 4080. Five RTX 4070 laptops reached 100fps, but three did not, so the GPU label alone is not enough to promise that result. The three RTX 4080 systems all cleared 100fps, from 114fps to 137fps.

For 144fps-class performance without upscaling at these settings, the available figures point to RTX 4090 laptops. They are the only systems in this 18-laptop set above 144fps. Conversely, the RTX 3050 and RTX 2050 results of 34fps and 31fps indicate that older lower-tier graphics hardware is not a strong fit for this High-preset configuration.