You want one laptop for work and for games. It should look like a normal work laptop in a meeting, and it should still get through a long session without falling apart.
That is possible, but only some work laptops can do it. This guide compares three that carry real RTX graphics: the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16, the ASUS ProArt P16 and the Dell 16 Premium. We compare them on one question: how much power can the GPU use, and can it keep using it? GameVexo did not test these laptops. Every number here comes from a named source, and the gaps are listed at the end.
The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 is our top pick for a non-gaming laptop that can game, because its RTX GPU has a listed power budget of about 100 W, against 45–55 W on the Dell 16 Premium. Whichever you choose, buy a 120 Hz OLED version and plan on 1080p to 1440p gaming, not native 4K.
Our picks at a glance
Three laptops, seven buying options. Each row links to the first option listed for that laptop. The full set of options is in each pick below.
| Product | GPU and listed power | Screen (as listed) | Best For | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 Best Overall | RTX 5060 or 5070; about 100 W on the 5060 | 3.2K OLED, 120 Hz | Most GPU power here | Amazon → |
| ASUS ProArt P16 Creators | RTX 5070; 80–100 W | 3K OLED 120 Hz (4K version is 60 Hz) | Creators who game | Amazon → |
| Dell 16 Premium Slimmest | RTX 5060 at 45 W; RTX 5070 at 55 W | 4K OLED touch, 48–120 Hz | Slim body, small charger | Amazon → |
← Scroll to see full table →
Why a work laptop struggles with games
A work laptop struggles with games because its GPU gets less power and less cooling than the same GPU in a gaming laptop. The GPU name on the box does not tell you how much. If you are shopping for a non-gaming laptop for gaming, this is the first thing to check.
Here is an example. Dell lists its RTX 5060 at 45 W and its RTX 5070 at 55 W. Notebookcheck found the 5070 in the Dell 16 Premium behaves more like an RTX 5060, running up to 20% slower in games than the average RTX 5070 laptop. It is the same GPU family with a smaller power budget.
The charger matters too. In its review of the previous-generation Yoga Pro 9i 16, Notebookcheck found the 170 W charger could not cover the laptop’s peak draw, so the battery drained about 12% over 75 minutes of stress testing. On battery alone, the GPU was capped at 65 W and ran about 18% slower. Play plugged in.
One thing does not change with the GPU number: video memory. The RTX 5050, 5060 and 5070 laptop GPUs in these laptops all list 8 GB of GDDR7. A bigger GPU number buys more speed, not more memory.
Thermals: what sustained-load tests show
Thermal throttling is when a laptop slows its chips to stay cool. On a thin laptop it is why a game can run well for ten minutes and badly after an hour. We looked for a published “minutes until it throttles” number for each pick. We did not find one, and we will not make one up.
What reviewers do publish is sustained power: how many watts the GPU and CPU hold under a long load. A laptop that holds its watts is not throttling. The table shows what exists and says so where nothing does.
GPU power budgets and sustained-load results as published by manufacturers and reviewers. GameVexo measured none of these.
| Product / Topic | Published value | Source / basis | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time until throttling, any pick | None found | Sources we checked | No one publishes this number for these laptops, so any figure would be invented. |
| Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 (RTX 5060) | About 100 W GPU power listed. No sustained-load result found for this version. | BestLaptop.deals test sheet | A high ceiling, but a ceiling is not proof it holds. |
| ASUS ProArt P16 (RTX 5070) | GPU listed at 80–100 W. CPU held 80 W for the whole test, around 80 °C. | UltrabookReview | The CPU did not back off during the test. We found no GPU sustained result. |
| Dell 16 Premium (RTX 5060 / 5070) | 45 W (5060) and 55 W (5070). The 5070 acts like a 5060, up to 20% slower than average. | Dell and Notebookcheck | The slim body sets a low power cap, so frame rates are limited by design. |
| Reference only: previous-gen Yoga Pro 9i 16 (RTX 4070, not a pick) | GPU held about 87 W and CPU about 42 W in a combined stress test. Fans reached up to 53.9 dB(A). Battery drained 12% in 75 minutes. | Notebookcheck | Shows how a charger or power cap can limit a laptop even when it is not overheating. |
How to read it: the more watts the GPU is allowed, the more frame rates you should keep over a long session. The Dell’s budget is the lowest of the three. The Yoga’s is the highest, but we have no stress-test result for the version we link.
The picks
Editorial illustration, not a product photo.
Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 (Gen 10, Aura Edition)
Core Ultra 9 285H, RTX 5060 or 5070 with 8 GB GDDR7, 3.2K OLED at 120 Hz.
The Yoga Pro 9i 16 pairs a Core Ultra 9 285H with an RTX 5050, 5060 or 5070 GPU that has 8 GB of GDDR7, in an all-metal body with no flex, according to Thurrott. A BestLaptop.deals test sheet lists the RTX 5060 version at 100 W, the highest GPU power of our three picks. In its first-impressions piece, Thurrott reported 140 to 150 fps in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 at native resolution on high/ultra settings with an RTX 5070 unit. The same piece described constant, loud fan noise. That is the usual trade: more GPU power, more fan noise. A 2026 version with a Core Ultra 9 386H also appears in a BestLaptop.deals sheet; the options below are the 2025 Core Ultra 9 285H generation.
- Highest listed GPU power of the three picks (about 100 W on the RTX 5060)
- Both linked options list a 120 Hz OLED screen
- RTX 5070 option available, with 64 GB of RAM
- Metal build with no flex, per Thurrott
- A reviewer describes constant loud fans while gaming
- A newer 2026 version exists
- Spec details come from seller-written Amazon titles; confirm on the page
Choose this one if you want the most GPU power in a work-style laptop and can live with the fan noise. The RTX 5070 option is the same laptop with a stronger GPU and 64 GB of RAM.
Options we link for this laptop
| Option | Configuration listed | Link |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RTX 5060, 32 GB, 1 TB, 3.2K OLED, 120 Hz | Amazon → |
| 2 | RTX 5070, 64 GB, 1 TB, 3.2K OLED, 120 Hz | Amazon → |
Editorial illustration, not a product photo.
ASUS ProArt P16 (H7606WP)
Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, RTX 5070 and a 3K OLED at 120 Hz in the version we link.
The ProArt P16 (model H7606WP) pairs an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 with an RTX 5070. In the 3K version, Best Buy lists a 120 Hz OLED touchscreen. UltrabookReview lists the RTX 5070 at 80–100 W and reports about 15% higher frame rates than the RTX 4070 in the previous ProArt P16. The same review says the Ryzen chip held 80 W for the whole test, at around 80 °C. Be careful with the screen. The previous 4K OLED model ran at only 60 Hz, and UltrabookReview lists a 4K 60 Hz panel for the newer one, so the refresh rate depends on the version you buy. Both options below are bundles that include an accessory.
- 120 Hz OLED in the versions we link
- Ryzen chip held 80 W for the whole test, per UltrabookReview
- About 15% higher frame rates than the previous RTX 4070 model, per UltrabookReview
- Creator-focused build with a touch OLED
- 4K versions run at 60 Hz, so check the listing
- Both linked options are bundles with a mousepad or mouse
- We found no sustained GPU test for this laptop
Pick this if you edit photos or video for work and want an OLED screen that is also smooth in games. Confirm 120 Hz on the listing before you pay.
Options we link for this laptop
| Option | Configuration listed | Link |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3K (2880×1800) 120 Hz touch, 32 GB, 2 TB (mousepad bundle) | Amazon → |
| 4 | 2.8K OLED 120 Hz, 4 TB (wireless-mouse bundle) | Amazon → |
Editorial illustration, not a product photo.
Dell 16 Premium (DA16250)
Core Ultra 9 285H, RTX 5060 at 45 W, 4K OLED touch at 48–120 Hz.
The Dell 16 Premium replaced the XPS 16 name. Notebookcheck calls it one of the thinnest 16-inch laptops with an RTX 5070, and one of the few Core Ultra H and RTX machines that ships with a compact 130 W USB-C adapter. The cost is GPU power. Dell lists the RTX 5060 at 45 W and the RTX 5070 at 55 W, and Notebookcheck found the 5070 behaves more like an RTX 5060, up to 20% slower in games than the average RTX 5070 laptop. If a thin body and a small charger matter most, that is a fair trade. If frame rates matter most, it is not. Some sellers title it “XPS 16 2025”, so check for model number DA16250 on the listing.
- One of the thinnest 16-inch laptops with this class of GPU, per Notebookcheck
- Compact 130 W USB-C charger
- 4K OLED touch panel that runs 48–120 Hz, per Dell
- Lowest GPU power of the three picks (45 W on the RTX 5060)
- The RTX 5070 option acts more like an RTX 5060, per Notebookcheck
- Sellers use mixed names for the same family; check the model number
Choose this for the slim body, the small charger and the screen, and treat the GPU as a bonus. If games come first, the Yoga above gives the GPU more power.
Options we link for this laptop
| Option | Configuration listed | Link |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | RTX 5060, 32 GB, 2 TB, OLED 120 Hz | Amazon → |
| 6 | RTX 5060, 32 GB, 1 TB, 4K+ OLED | Amazon → |
| 7 | “XPS 16 2025” listing, RTX 5060, 32 GB, 1 TB, 4K OLED 120 Hz | Amazon → |
What frame rates to actually expect
Expect smooth play at 1080p and 1440p with tuned settings. Native 4K is the hardest setting for any of these GPUs, so the 4K screens are better used with games at a lower resolution. These are other people’s results, so treat them as a guide.
| Laptop / GPU | Game and setting | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition (RTX 5070 review unit) | Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, native resolution, high/ultra | About 140–150 fps | Thurrott |
| Previous-gen Yoga Pro 9i 16 (RTX 4070, reference) | The Witcher 3, 1080p Ultra | 107.8 fps average (103–114), stable over long sessions | Notebookcheck |
| ASUS ProArt P16 (RTX 5070) | Previous model versus new | About 15% higher than the RTX 4070 version | UltrabookReview |
| Dell 16 Premium (RTX 5070) | Games, versus the average RTX 5070 laptop | Up to 20% slower | Notebookcheck |
We found no published frame-rate list for the RTX 5060 versions of these three. Based on the power budgets above, a 45 W RTX 5060 should land lower than a 100 W one. That is our reading of the sources, not a measurement.
Screens: refresh rate on business laptops
Yes, you can get a 120 Hz non-gaming laptop. But not every version of these laptops has one, so refresh rate is the first thing to check on the listing. Refresh rate is how many times per second the screen redraws. At high frame rates, 120 Hz looks smoother than 60 Hz.
| Laptop | Panel options we found | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 | 3.2K OLED at 120 Hz in both linked options (listing titles) | Confirm the panel on the product page |
| ASUS ProArt P16 | 3K (2880×1800) OLED at 120 Hz touch (Best Buy). A 4K version is 60 Hz (UltrabookReview) | Choose a 3K, 120 Hz listing |
| Dell 16 Premium | 4K OLED touch at 48–120 Hz (Dell) | The 120 Hz range is listed for the 4K panel |
A wide refresh range, like the Dell’s 48–120 Hz, means the screen can slow down to save power. If a listing does not state the refresh rate, do not assume 120 Hz.
When to just buy a gaming laptop
Buy a gaming laptop if games matter more than looks, or if you want high settings for long sessions. A work laptop with a strong GPU can do both jobs. It does neither perfectly.
Games are the main job
In the BestLaptop.deals test sheet, gaming laptops such as the Legion Pro 5i and Zephyrus G16 are listed with 125–140 W RTX 5070 Ti GPUs. The work laptops here sit between 45 and 100 W.
Noise is part of the deal
Thurrott described the Yoga’s fan noise as constant when gaming. A strong GPU in a thin body gets loud, and a quiet one gets slower.
Work comes first
If the laptop is mainly for work and games are a side job at 1080p to 1440p, the picks above fit. Spend what you save on the best screen you can get.
How GameVexo chose
Evidence basis: This guide is research-based. GameVexo did not buy, handle or test these laptops, and nothing here is first-hand.
What came from documentation: The Dell’s GPU models and wattage come from Dell’s US product page. Specifications for the Yoga and ProArt come from retailer listings, Best Buy and manufacturer pages, and should be confirmed on the page you buy from.
Independent evidence: Sustained-load and frame-rate results are attributed to the outlet that published them: Notebookcheck, UltrabookReview, Thurrott and a BestLaptop.deals test sheet. They are not GameVexo measurements, and some were run on different GPU versions, as labeled.
How picks are chosen: Each pick is a work-style laptop with a discrete RTX GPU, a 120 Hz option, and enough published information to say something accurate about it. We compared GPU power budget first, then screen, then charger and build. Price is not shown because it changes.
Buying Guide — What to Look For
Four checks matter more than the model name.
GPU wattage
Find the watts for your exact version. The Dell lists 45 W for its RTX 5060, while the Yoga’s RTX 5060 is listed near 100 W.
Charger and power mode
Game plugged in. Notebookcheck’s reference Yoga lost battery under stress even on its own charger, and its GPU was capped on battery.
Screen version
Pick the 120 Hz version. The ProArt’s 4K option is 60 Hz.
The exact listing
Match the model number (H7606WP for the ProArt, DA16250 for the Dell). Check the seller, what is in the box, and the return window.
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Verdict — Which Should You Buy?
All three can game. The Yoga gives the GPU the most power, the ProArt pairs a 120 Hz OLED with a creator-focused build, and the Dell is the slimmest with the lowest GPU budget. Choose by what you are willing to give up.
| If You Need… | Best Pick | Key Spec | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 | RTX 5060, 32 GB, 1 TB, 120 Hz | Amazon → |
| More GPU headroom | Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 | RTX 5070, 64 GB, 1 TB, 120 Hz | Amazon → |
| Creator work plus 120 Hz | ASUS ProArt P16 | 3K 120 Hz, 32 GB, 2 TB (mousepad bundle) | Amazon → |
| Creator work, more storage | ASUS ProArt P16 | 2.8K OLED 120 Hz, 4 TB (mouse bundle) | Amazon → |
| Slim body, 120 Hz OLED | Dell 16 Premium | RTX 5060, 32 GB, 2 TB | Amazon → |
| Slim body, 4K+ OLED | Dell 16 Premium | RTX 5060, 32 GB, 1 TB | Amazon → |
| Slim body, 4K OLED 120 Hz | Dell 16 Premium (“XPS 16 2025” listing) | RTX 5060, 32 GB, 1 TB | Amazon → |
Using one of these for work and games? Tell us how it goes in the comments 👇
