“Bro, there’s been a debate going on for quite some time—if we buy a laptop at a certain price, and instead build a PC at that same price point, what kind of performance do we actually get? Of course, there will be performance differences, upgradeability factors, and more. So, to address this topic properly, what could be a better comparison? A few days ago, we reviewed the MSI Titan with an Ultra 9 processor and RTX 5090 GPU—an absolute flagship beast.
Now, we’ve built a PC with the same specifications: Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, RTX 5090 GPU, 64GB RAM, and all flagship-level components. Surprisingly, the total cost of the PC build turned out to be less than that of the laptop.
But to be fair, we also factored in the things that come built into a laptop—like a display. So we added the cost of a high-end monitor. Same with the keyboard and trackpad—on the PC, we added a quality keyboard and mouse. Also considered the cost of a table, since you can’t just place a PC anywhere like you can with a laptop. Basically, we made it a fully comparable setup.
Let’s see what happens.
So here we go: The MSI Titan laptop costs ₹6.2 lakhs. And the custom-built PC is approximately ₹6 lakhs.
Now let’s look at how much performance difference we get. What’s the power draw? How much electricity does it use?
We’ll cover everything in detail—and then analyze the pros and cons of both laptops and PCs. Got it? Cool—let’s get started!
First, let’s check out the laptop specs:
- Processor: Intel Core Ultra 9 85HX (24 cores, 24 threads), max turbo frequency up to 5.5GHz
- Graphics: RTX 5090 with 24GB VRAM and max TGP of 175W – a key highlight
- RAM: 64GB DDR5 (dual-channel), running at 6400 MT/s
- Storage: 3 SSDs – Two 2TB Gen4 SSDs and one Gen5 SSD, configured in RAID 0 for insanely fast read/write speeds (basically server-level stuff)
- Wireless: Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
- Display: 4K+ resolution (2400p) with 120Hz refresh rate, 100% sRGB, 100% DCI-P3, peak brightness of 780 nits – a true flagship display
- Keyboard: Built-in mechanical keyboard
- Trackpad: Seamless haptics-supported trackpad
- Power Adapter: 480W power brick
- Battery: 99.9Wh (maximum allowed on flights)
- Total Cost: ₹6,20,000
Now, let’s talk about the PC Build:
- Processor: Intel Core Ultra 9 (unlocked ‘K’ version, ₹55,000) – unlike the HX variant in laptops, this one can be overclocked (though we won’t do that in this test to keep things neck-to-neck)
- RAM: 64GB Corsair Dominator Platinum DDR5 (6000 MT/s, ₹27,450)
- Motherboard: MSI flagship G890 model – ₹71,500
Now coming to the power supply — we’ve used the MSI MEG AI1300P PCIe 5.0 PSU, a 1300W unit with 80 Plus Platinum certification.
Bro, the moment you add a desktop RTX 5090, your power supply must be rated above 1000W — you know the kind of power this thing draws! Speaking of which…
The GPU we used in this PC build is the MSI Suprim Liquid X OC RTX 5090 with 32GB VRAM. In contrast, the laptop only has 24GB VRAM. The laptop GPU maxes out at 175W, while this desktop GPU can draw 500W to 600W easily.
That’s a massive difference. And of course, in a laptop chassis, you can’t pump that much power — it’d overheat like crazy! But in a desktop setup, you get full airflow, open space, and this GPU is liquid-cooled, so temps stay frosty and performance stays maxed out.
This GPU alone costs ₹3,94,000. But you don’t have to go this premium — you could opt for:
- MSI Ventus RTX 5090 – ~₹3,12,000
- Zotac Solid OC RTX 5090 – ~₹2,83,000
…which would significantly bring down the total PC build cost.
Rest of the PC Build Components:
- Cabinet: MSI MPG Pano M100R PZ – ₹8,300
- AIO Cooler: MSI MAG CoreLiquid i360 – ₹12,000
- Storage: If you go with 6TB total (e.g., 2TB Gen4 SSDs from WD), cost goes to ~₹40,000
- Storage is flexible—unlike a laptop, you can configure it however you like
- Adding J5 SSDs could push cost to ₹50,000–₹60,000
But where will this beast run? You need a display!
Since this is a flagship setup, we’re going with a flagship monitor too. We reviewed a QD-OLED 4K, 240Hz MSI monitor priced at ₹1,20,000.
Another one was even better (₹5,000 more) and included built-in speakers, so let’s budget ₹1,25,000 for the monitor.
Accessories:
- Mechanical Keyboard + Gaming Mouse: ~₹10,000 (top-quality)
- UPS: Since the PSU is 1300W, you’ll need at least a 2000VA UPS (~₹30,000–₹35,000), from a good brand to handle voltage fluctuations and protect your setup.
💰 Total Cost:
All in — this PC build lands at about ₹7,00,000 — just ₹80,000 more than the laptop.
🔍 Now let’s compare performance gains for that price jump.
CPU Benchmarks:
- Cinebench R23 Multi-Core: PC scores 4,000 points higher
- Single-Core Performance: PC is 14% better — even small improvements here matter, especially for gaming
- Cinebench R24 & Geekbench: PC CPU performs better across both tests
➡️ The laptop’s performance is impressive, especially given its compact form factor. The gap between laptop and desktop CPUs has narrowed a lot in recent years — earlier, it was massive. But…
Thermal throttling is real.
Laptop CPUs heat up quickly due to thin chassis. The desktop CPU? No such issues — with a 360mm AIO cooler, temps stay under control. You could even go for 420mm AIO for more headroom.
AI Performance (Geekbench AI benchmark):
Here, the GPU’s raw power really shows — desktop RTX 5090 simply crushes it. The difference in GPU scores is clear. The extra VRAM, power draw, and cooling all combine to make the PC a beast for AI, gaming, and productivity.
We’re using the MSI MEG AI1300P PCIe 5.0 power supply here — a 1300W, 80 Plus Platinum-rated PSU. And brother, once you install the RTX 5090 desktop GPU, the power requirement definitely crosses 1000W. You know how crazy the power draw is, right?
🔋 Power Draw & GPU Differences The graphics card used in the desktop build is the MSI RTX 5090 Suprim Liquid X OC, which comes with 32GB VRAM. The laptop version had 24GB VRAM. Laptop GPU’s max power draw is around 175W, but this desktop GPU can easily draw 500–600W. You see the gap? In such a compact form factor like a laptop, you just can’t pull that much power — it’ll overheat. Here, the desktop is open-air, fully ventilated, and liquid-cooled. Totally chill. 😎 And this GPU costs around ₹3,94,000.
But don’t worry — you don’t have to buy this top-end flagship. You can go for:
MSI Ventus RTX 5090 – approx. ₹3,12,000
Zotac RTX 5090 AMP Extreme AIRO OC – approx. ₹2,83,000 That’ll cut down your total build cost nicely.
🖥️ Case, Cooler, Storage Cabinet: MSI MPG Pano M100R PZ – ₹8,300
AIO Cooler: MSI MAG Coreliquid i360 – ₹12,000
Storage: 6TB via WD 2TB SN850X (x3) = ₹40,000 (Storage is subjective — you can go higher or lower based on your needs.)
The point is, in laptops, you’re stuck with fixed storage options — 4TB or 6TB if available. But here, with desktop builds, you’re in control. Want to go fancy with SN850X or SN770 or even a J5 variant? You can!
If you’re going this far, you obviously need a great monitor too. We recently reviewed some QD-OLED monitors:
MSI 4K OLED (240Hz) – ₹1,20,000
Another premium one (better than MSI) – ₹1,25,000 with built-in speakers.
⌨️ Keyboard, Mouse, UPS Add a mechanical keyboard + good gaming mouse – ₹10,000 max. And yes, since a laptop has a battery, the desktop needs a high-capacity UPS for safety. For a 1300W PSU build, go for a 2000VA UPS, around ₹30,000–₹50,000 depending on brand.
💸 Total Build Cost The total cost of this beast PC setup is approx ₹7,00,000, only ₹80,000 more than the flagship laptop, but with way more headroom and performance.
🧪 CPU Benchmarks Cinebench R23:
Multi-core: Desktop has 4,000-point lead
Single-core: Desktop is 14% better, which matters a lot in gaming.
Cinebench R24: Again, PC leads in both multi and single-core.
Geekbench: Marginal difference.
But remember, thermal throttling is real:
Laptop CPUs heat up faster due to thin chassis.
Desktop has 360mm AIO, so temps stay under control.
You could even upgrade to 420mm AIO for cooler performance.
🤖 AI Performance Benchmarks We tested AI tasks with Stable Diffusion, LLaMA, Mistral, Phi 3.5, and more:
GPU scores are massively higher on the desktop build.
Stable Diffusion shows a huge real-world gap.
Laptop can handle the same tasks, but desktop finishes them much faster.
🔍 Synthetic Benchmarks Geekbench 6 OpenCL: Desktop ~47% faster
3DMark TimeSpy: Desktop ~86% faster
CrossMark, PCMark, VRMark: Mostly similar — since they test basic tasks like app launch, multitasking, video calls etc.
🚀 Real-World 3D Rendering BMW Render Test:
Desktop: 5 seconds
Laptop: 8.7 seconds
Blender Benchmark: Desktop wins big due to higher VRAM and power headroom
💼 Productivity Tasks Premiere Pro, Photoshop, DaVinci Resolve: No major difference
Both are absolute beasts for content creation.
But desktop will be more consistent over long hours due to better thermals.
Laptop may drop performance based on your room temp or usage style.
🕹️ 4K Gaming & Frame Gen Let’s talk pure 4K gaming:
Cyberpunk 2077:
Desktop GPU draws ~540W
Laptop GPU sticks to ~170W FPS difference is more than double!
Frame Generation ON:
PC: Up to 200 FPS
Laptop: Around 100 FPS
Ray Tracing Ultra (FG OFF):
Strangely, both were stuck near 60 FPS, laptop even hit 65 FPS at times.
Could be driver instability or some bug during testing.
Multi-frame Gen 3x:
Nearly 100 FPS difference
Multi-frame Gen 4x:
Even more absurd — desktop just flies.
Hogwarts Legacy:
~20 FPS gap without FG
With Frame Generation: no significant gap — laptop & PC performed similarly
Black Myth Wukong (Unreal Engine 5):
Desktop: ~60 FPS
Laptop: ~30 FPS With Frame Gen:
Laptop: ~70 FPS
Desktop: ~140 FPS
Ray Tracing set to Very High — both devices struggled. FPS dipped hard.
🏁 Final Thoughts Before the Conclusion Both the desktop and laptop are overkill machines.
Whatever your task — editing, rendering, gaming, AI, etc. — both can handle it.
Desktop outperforms consistently but requires space and power backup.
Laptop offers unmatched portability, with a small performance compromise.
But this is without Frame Generation. FPS on both (desktop and laptop) is around 30 FPS.
But as soon as we turned Frame Generation ON, the difference wasn’t much:
- Laptop: 70–75 FPS
- Desktop: 85–90 FPS
With Multi-Frame Generation:
- On 3x FG, there’s a 20–30 FPS difference
- On 4x FG, again the difference is around 20–30 FPS
So yeah, things are very different in the RTX 50 series.
Sometimes there’s a big difference between PC and laptop. Sometimes, not so much.
Next game: Hellblade II, which is extremely intense and demanding at high settings.
- Raw performance difference is almost double between laptop and desktop.
- Once you enable Frame Generation, that double performance becomes literal, i.e., 2x frame rate:
- Desktop hits 160–170 FPS
- Laptop around 90 FPS
And when you enable Multi-Frame Generation, the desktop really takes off:
- Up to 250–260 FPS
- But that brings visual loss, which I’ll explain in a moment
Even the laptop is delivering pretty decent FPS — up to 140 FPS max
And on 4x Frame Generation, even in a story game, we’re seeing 300–350 FPS.
(Though honestly, who needs that many FPS in a story game? 😄)
In the future, more games will support Multi-Frame Generation,
but with that, comes input lag — not noticeable in story games, but very noticeable in games where precise timing matters, like:
- Soulsborne titles
- Competitive eSports
If those types of games start using Multi-Frame Gen in the future, then this tech won’t be very practical there.
Next, we tested Alan Wake II – extremely heavy game:
- Raw performance difference is again double
- The desktop 5090 shines
- Even on Frame Generation (Quality) mode, we still get double the FPS:
- Desktop: 200 FPS
- Laptop: 100 FPS
When we enabled Ultra Ray Tracing, I expected better from the PC:
- GPU draws up to 600W
- 15 GB VRAM usage
- Yet FPS on PC: 25
- Laptop: 15 FPS
But turn on Frame Generation:
- Again, you get double FPS
- On 3x FG:
- Desktop: up to 150 FPS
- Laptop: holds 60 FPS
On 4x FG, the difference grows even more:
- Desktop is ahead by 100 FPS
⚙️ What Is Multi-Frame Generation?
For those who don’t know:
Multi-Frame Generation = AI-generated frames added into games.
Because of this:
- We get visual artifacts
- Example: In this snapshot from Hellblade II on laptop during fast movement, you’ll see pixel smearing or ghosting
This only happens in Multi-Frame Generation,
not in normal Frame Generation (2x FG)
One more thing I noticed:
- Visual glitches were more on the laptop
- On PC, they were fewer — likely because of more computing power
So, visual loss is reduced on PC, which may or may not get fixed in the future.
We’ll keep bringing reviews of PC builds, and we’ll talk more about this.
🧾 Final Comparison: Laptop vs PC
Take any laptop at any price point in the 50-series.
Then build a desktop at the same price.
The desktop will almost always give better performance compared to the laptop.
But there’s one thing you must never forget:
Portability & form factor.
Once you build a desktop setup, you can’t carry it around.
So if you:
- Don’t travel city-to-city
- Work from home
- Run a business or a startup
- Have a stationary job
Then build a PC. 100% no regrets.
If you’re really into gaming, just save a bit more and buy a gaming laptop for medium to high settings gaming.
You don’t need a flagship laptop just for gaming.
💻 Who Should Buy a Laptop?
If you:
- Travel a lot
- Keep changing cities
- Have a business that demands mobility
Then a desktop PC doesn’t make sense for you.
You’ll keep moving it and eventually damage something.
So you need to prioritize practicality.
And look — these beast-level laptops may cost ₹6,20,000,
but remember what you’re getting in this small form factor:
- A powerful CPU
- A flagship GPU
- RAM, storage, motherboard, cooling, battery, and screen — all built-in
Shrinking things down costs more.
Making things smaller is expensive — and technical folks will understand that.
Some people complain,
“Bro, this laptop is so expensive and FPS is low.”
But those who understand, they know.
If you do, drop a timestamp in the comments.
And those who don’t — well, let them argue. 😅
🔌 Power Draw
Lastly — let’s talk about power consumption.
Desktop PCs always draw more power than laptops at the same price.
When you’re comparing flagships:
- People who can afford these machines don’t care about electricity bills
- But if you’re on a budget, and you’re mindful of expenses,
then yes, you’ll notice your electricity bill going up with a PC
So yeah — that’s also a factor.
🎯 Conclusion: Which Is Better?
Neither one is the winner.
Both have their place.
Both target different users.
Both offer great performance within their form factor limits.
Tech has come so far that laptops now give desktop-class performance, something we couldn’t even dream of 5 years ago.
So now it’s your turn — share your thoughts:
- Are you a desktop user?
- Are you a laptop user?
- Do you support Team Desktop or Team Laptop?
- Or do you take an intellectual approach and appreciate both sides?
Comment below, I’ll read all of them!
