9+ Best Budget Thunderbolt 3 Laptop | Unrivaled Guide 2023

Are you looking for a new laptop with Thunderbolt 3 ports? Well, you’re in luck, as we’ve rounded up what we think are the best Thunderbolt 3 Windows laptops available today, including the Dell XPS 13. Our list of the best Thunderbolt 3 laptops has everything from beautifully designed, to full-power devices.

Best Thunderbolt 3 Laptop

Thunderbolt is a high-speed technology first invented by Intel. While it initially used Mini DisplayPort connectors, it now uses USB-C and is, essentially, a super-fast version.

Thunderbolt 3 is part of the upcoming USB 4 standard, but many of us don’t have the new USB-4 ports on recent MacBooks. What many of us have, whether it’s a recent Mac or a high-end notebook Windows PC, is a Thunderbolt 3 port that performs above the USB-C standard.

If you don’t have Thunderbolt on your computer but have USB-C, why not check out our guide to the best USB-C docks?

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Are you looking for the Best Gaming Laptop with Thunderbolt 3 ports?

You are in the right place. We make the list of all the best laptops which come with thunderbolt ports.

We have prepared this list after doing a lot of research, as many laptops have been given in it, all laptops are the best in the market, so you can buy any laptop.

If you read in detail then you will have all our knowledge to go to the complete details.

What kind and type of laptop do you want, we have selected a very category which has selected the expensive price as well as the mid-range and cheap Thunderbolt 3 laptop.

We choose and make the list of Thunderbolt 3 gaming laptops, and all of them are best at the particular price range. If your budget is less then buy the laptop from the bottom. Also if the price is not a problem, you can hang any of the thunderbolt 3 gaming pc.

The advantage of Thunderbolt is the amount of data it can transmit, up to 40 Gbps with the right cables. So it’s the best technology if you often transfer large files to a compatible Thunderbolt drive. The docks here are fully compatible with Thunderbolt 3, but they also have the key benefit of USB-C: you can connect displays, power, and data to your laptop via a single cable.

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Best Thunderbolt 3 Laptop | Comparison Table 2023

Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

Best Thunderbolt 3 Laptop | 2023 Products Overview

Product Overview:

The Dell XPS 13 9310 Touchscreen Laptop is a sleek and lightweight device, with a 13.4-inch FHD+ display. It is powered by the 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1195G7 processor and comes with 16GB LPDDR4x RAM and a 512GB SSD. The laptop is equipped with Intel Iris Xe Graphics and runs on Windows 11 Pro. The device comes with a 2-year on-site warranty and a 6-month migration option, ensuring that you are protected and can easily transfer your files and settings to the new laptop.

This laptop offers guaranteed power, with the 11th Gen Intel Core mobile processors allowing for an incredibly immersive entertainment experience. The laptop is equipped with Wi-Fi 6 technology, which prioritizes streaming video, communication, and game traffic for fast, smooth online experiences.

Product Overview:

The Dell XPS 15 is a 15-inch laptop with a Full HD+ display, equipped with DisplayHDR 400 and Dolby Vision technology. It has a sleek silver design with diamond-cut sidewalls and a 62% larger touchpad than previous models. The laptop has a compact size, with a 5% larger screen and 5.6% smaller footprint compared to its predecessors. The laptop is powered by an Intel Core i7 10th Gen processor, 16GB of memory, and a 512GB solid state drive, making it ideal for demanding tasks such as video editing, gaming, and graphic design.

The laptop also features an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti graphics card with 4GB GDDR6, providing smooth and responsive graphics performance. The quad speaker design with Waves Nx audio enhances the overall audio experience.

Product Overview:

The HP Spectre x360 is a top-of-the-line laptop that features the latest in technological advancements. It boasts an 11th generation Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor, making it one of the most powerful laptops on the market. With a 13.5-inch OLED 3K2K Touch Display, you'll be able to experience stunning visuals and accurate color representation. The laptop also comes with a large 1TB SSD and 16GB of RAM, providing ample storage and quick access to your files.

Additionally, the HP Spectre x360 is Intel Evo Platform certified, ensuring that you'll have the best possible experience with the laptop. It runs on Windows 10 and is equipped with Intel Iris Xe graphics, making it ideal for demanding tasks like gaming and video editing. The laptop also comes with a backlit keyboard, a fingerprint reader for added security, and Wi-Fi 6 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5.0 for fast and reliable wireless connections. With its sleek black design and impressive specs, the HP Spectre x360 is the perfect laptop for anyone who demands the best.

Also Read: Best Laptops For Vray Rendering

Product Overview:

The Razer Book 13 is a compact and stylish laptop with a 13.4-inch touch display featuring slim bezels and a lightweight CNC aluminum unibody design. It is powered by the 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and Intel Iris Xe graphics, making it an ideal companion for on-the-go productivity. The laptop is equipped with a vapor chamber cooling system that keeps the performance high and offers 10+ hours of battery life, making it perfect for all-day use.

The Razer Book 13 comes with a host of features to enhance productivity, including 2x Thunderbolt 4 ports, a MicroSD slot, and a full-size HDMI 2.0 port for fast and efficient connectivity. The laptop also has Intel Iris Xe Graphics for crisp and HD quality, and THX Spatial Audio for a truly immersive audio experience. The laptop is Windows 10 compatible and will be eligible for a free upgrade to Windows 11 when available. With its slim, sleek design and powerful hardware, the Razer Book 13 is a great option for those who are looking for a laptop that is both stylish and productive.

Product Overview:

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 is a high-performance laptop designed for on-the-go professionals. With its sleek and lightweight form factor, it offers mobility and versatility, perfect for work-related tasks, and leisure activities. The laptop features a 14-inch FHD+ IPS display with anti-glare technology, providing clear and sharp visuals. The display has a 1920 x 1200 resolution and a brightness of 400 nits, making it easy to use even in bright environments.

Under the hood, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 is powered by an 11th generation Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor with a clock speed of 2.80 GHz and a turbo boost of up to 4.70 GHz. It comes with 16 GB LPDDR4X 4266MHz of RAM and a 512 GB PCIe OPAL SSD for fast and smooth performance. The laptop also features a 720p HD camera with Windows Hello support, and a fingerprint reader for added security. Other notable features include WiFi 6, Thunderbolt 4, USB C and USB 3.0 ports, Dolby Atmos Speaker System with 360-degree far-field microphones, and a battery life of up to 16.7 hours. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 is certified by EPEAT Gold, Energy Star 8.0, TCO Certified 9.0, and RoHS compliant, making it a reliable and environmentally friendly option for professionals.

Product Overview:

The MSI Stealth 15M Gaming Laptop is a sleek and powerful device that is designed for the on-the-go gamer. It features a 15.6-inch 144Hz display with FHD 1080p resolution that delivers true-to-life images with a high refresh rate so you can see every frame of the game. With an aspect ratio of 16:9, the display offers an immersive gaming experience.

The laptop is powered by an 11th Gen. Intel Core i7 processor, which delivers high performance with multiple cores, allowing you to take on any games and applications with ease. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card provides supercharged performance, allowing you to play today's most popular games with ease. The MSI Stealth 15M is designed to be thin and light, making it easy for you to carry it around every day for games, study, or work.

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Product Overview:

The Apple MacBook Pro with Intel Core i5, (13.3-Inch, 8GB, 512GB) - Silver (Renewed) is a refurbished version of the popular Apple laptop that has been professionally inspected, tested, and cleaned to ensure its full functionality. This pre-owned MacBook Pro comes in excellent condition with no visible cosmetic damage to the screen or body from a distance of 12 inches. The product is eligible for a replacement or refund within 90 days of receipt if it does not work as expected.

The MacBook Pro features a 2.9 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor that can boost up to 3.3 GHz, along with 8 GB of 1866 MHz LPDDR3 RAM and 512 GB of flash storage. The laptop has a 13.3-inch IPS Retina Display with a resolution of 2560-by-1600, providing stunning visuals and vibrant colors. Additionally, the MacBook Pro is equipped with Intel Iris Graphics 6100, which makes it suitable for demanding tasks such as video and photo editing. This product may come in a generic box and the accessories may not be original, but they are guaranteed to be compatible and functional. Note that the product is designed for use in the US, and may require an adapter or converter for use in other countries.

Product Overview:

The Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-54-760S is a high-performance gaming laptop that boasts an Intel Core i7-11800H processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, and a 15.6" FHD 144Hz 3ms IPS display. With 8 cores and 16 threads, this laptop is designed to handle even the most intensive gaming sessions or tasks. The latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 (6GB dedicated GDDR6 VRAM) is powered by Ampere architecture and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, delivering outstanding gaming performance.

The laptop features a Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS LED-backlit display with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a fast 144Hz refresh rate and 3ms Overdrive response time. With 16GB DDR4 3200MHz memory (2 DDR4 Slots Total, Maximum 32GB), and a 512GB PCIe Gen 4 SSD, the laptop has ample storage and memory for even the most demanding users. Intel Killer DoubleShot Pro with Ethernet E2600 and Wi-Fi 6 AX1650i lets you use Wi-Fi and Ethernet at the same time, and have total control over priority traffic for maximum speed and control. Additionally, the laptop is cooled by a 5th Generation AeroBlade Fan with 89 blades to keep the system cool and running smoothly, even during demanding sessions.

Product Overview:

The ASUS ZenBook Pro 15 OLED Laptop is a powerful and feature-packed device that offers a high-quality computing experience. It has a 15.6-inch FHD touch display with a 400 nits brightness and an OLED technology that provides vivid and vibrant colors, deep blacks, and high contrast ratios. The display is also surrounded by thin bezels, creating an immersive and sleek design.

Under the hood, the ZenBook Pro 15 is powered by an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU, which offers impressive performance for demanding tasks such as video editing, 3D rendering, and gaming. The device is also equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU, which provides excellent graphics performance and support for ray tracing technology. In terms of storage and memory, the device has a fast 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD and 16GB DDR4 RAM, ensuring speedy performance and smooth multitasking

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How To Pick The Best Thunderbolt 3 Laptop | 2022 Detailed Guide

What is Thunderbolt 3 Port?

Thunderbolt 3 is a compact universal connector that can be used to charge laptops, transfer files quickly, and connect external displays and other peripherals.

You can also connect a PCIe-compatible graphics unit so that OEMs can design ultra-portable laptops that, once connected to these external GPU docking stations, can also handle high-end games smoothly.

Why is thunderbolt 3 important?

The USB-C connector is used for the Thunderbolt 3 port, which is very suitable and very fast. The Thunderbolt 3 port ensures that you can easily connect any peripheral devices you need to your laptop.

The Thunderbolt 3 port has a speed of up to 40 GB per second, which is 5 times faster than a general USB port.

With the help of Thunderbolt 3 ports, you can add an external GPU to ensure future development, to ensure that evolving technology does not just leave you behind.

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We will discuss in detail the functions of this Thunderbolt 3 port.

Features and Benefits of Thunderbolt 3 Port

• It supports charging
• Connect all external peripherals
• Can be used as a universal standard cable (USB)
• Thunderbolt 3 port can provide a wide range of high-speed data transfer (40GB/s)
• You can connect an external GPU with a Thunderbolt 3 port
• Small space required by Thunderbolt 3 port
• The Thunderbolt 3 port can also power two 4K displays, which is ideal for multi-display settings.

What are the components should I look for in a Thunderbolt 3 Gaming Laptop?

Price

First of all, the main factor in buying a laptop is the budget. The more budget you have, the more high-quality laptops you can buy. Buying a laptop is not like buying a mobile phone.

Now you never invest in laptops time and time again and again. For this, you need to buy a more powerful laptop at one time.

If you have less money, try to do more, which will be very useful for your future. For example, you will regret it later that day, maybe I will have a little more money than this. You can buy a powerful laptop, which is why we will try to get as much budget as possible.

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Processor

The CPU is the brain of any laptop, so you will do what you can and buy a laptop with a powerful CPU. Before buying any laptop, always remember the power of the CPU.

Also, remember that you should choose the latest generation of CPU. For example, the 11th generation i5 defeated the Intel i7-10 generation processors.

The most popular CPU brand is Intel and If you want to play more powerful games with less money, then buy a laptop equipped with an AMD processor. You know, AMD mobile processors are becoming very popular nowadays at lower prices.

Graphics card

There are two types of graphics processors, one is shared, and the other is dedicated. If you need a powerful gaming laptop, buy a dedicated graphics card.

The display quality also depends on the graphics processing unit. You know that if you have a more powerful GPU then it performs smoothly.

If you want to play a new game and edit videos, you need to buy a laptop with a dedicated GPU. In this list, all laptops have Thunderbolt, so you can also place an external graphics card.

If you buy a laptop with a built-in graphics card, you cannot run heavy software and games.

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RAM

In terms of laptop efficiency, RAM is as important as storage type and processor. You already know that the more RAM on a laptop, the better its performance.

RAM depends on storage and processor, so along with RAM, processor and storage should also be a great one. For daily tasks, 8GB RAM is sufficient. For gamers and videos, or image editor with 16GB RAM is required.

Storage

If you want a laptop equipped with Thunderbolt, you know what you want, and you need a machine that can work at high speeds. As a result, SSDs are very cheap nowadays, so please check first before buying any laptop.

If you want to understand the advantages of SSD, you may see the difference between SSD and HDD. We recommend buying a gaming laptop with at least 256 GB SSD. If you have more budget, choose 512 GB SSD, or choose according to your money.

Also Read: Best 2 in 1 Laptops Under $ 300

The Display

All the laptops we entered in this list will get a full HD display. If you have a Thunderbolt port on your laptop, you don’t need to pay special attention to the monitor because you can install an external monitor at any time.

We never recommend that you buy a high-definition Display because, with a high-definition monitor, you have more opportunities to get in and out of your eyes.

Battery Life

You know that gaming laptops are not even known for battery life. Now, when playing games, we try to use all graphics cards and use everything as much as possible, so the battery can also retain more power, but the advantage of this is that we can quickly charge in these laptops

In this list, we have also added laptops with good battery life and Thunderbolt ports, which you can buy as per your need.

Also Read: Best Laptops For Architecture Students 

Portability

Portability is rarely found in gaming laptops, because gaming laptops are manufactured, and it is a bit heavy to give and give high performance. Therefore, if we talk about portability, there are fewer gaming laptops.

In this list, we include all types of laptops. If you want more portability, please choose a lighter-weight laptop.

Brand

If we talk about land, gaming laptops are very popular, and it is provided by many brands, such as HP, MSI, ASUS, etc.

For gaming purposes, please do not use a business laptop, because you will not get such a good graphics card in a business laptop, but we will provide you with this graphics card, but for other laptops, this is not better.

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Operating System

Gaming laptops come with the Windows 10 operating system because MacOS is not known for games, and you cannot play games with Chrome OS. Therefore, Windows OS is the best operating system for gaming purposes.

FAQs on Best Thunderbolt 3 Gaming Laptop 2023

Is Thunderbolt Faster Than Ssd?

Thunderbolt is not inherently faster than an SSD, as Thunderbolt is an interface for connecting devices, while an SSD is a storage device.

An SSD (solid-state drive) is a type of storage device that uses flash memory to store data. SSDs can offer faster data transfer rates than traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) because they have no moving parts and can access data faster. The speed of an SSD can vary depending on its type, capacity, and other factors, but most modern SSDs can offer read and write speeds of several hundred megabytes per second or more.

Why Was Thunderbolt Discontinued?

Thunderbolt has not been discontinued. In fact, Thunderbolt 4 was released in 2023 and is the latest version of the interface.

There may be some confusion around the history of Thunderbolt, as the first version of Thunderbolt was introduced in 2023, and there was a significant gap between the releases of Thunderbolt 2 and Thunderbolt 3. Additionally, some devices and manufacturers may not have adopted Thunderbolt due to its licensing fees, which could limit its market penetration.

Can You Add Thunderbolt 3 To Any Pc?

It's technically possible to add Thunderbolt 3 to any PC, but it may not be a simple process and may not be practical for all users.

To add Thunderbolt 3 to a PC, you need a Thunderbolt 3 controller, which is typically included in the chipset of newer Intel CPUs or installed on the motherboard. If your PC does not have a Thunderbolt 3 controller built-in, you can install an add-in card that includes a Thunderbolt 3 controller.

Does Thunderbolt 3 Charge Faster Than Usb-C?

Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C are not directly comparable when it comes to charging speed, as Thunderbolt 3 is a type of interface that supports power delivery, while USB-C is a connector type.

That being said, USB-C can support power delivery and can charge devices, including laptops. However, the charging speed of USB-C will depend on the wattage of the power source, the specifications of the USB-C port on the device being charged, and other factors like the battery capacity of the device.

Is Thunderbolt 3 Or 4 Better?

Thunderbolt 4 is technically better than Thunderbolt 3 in several ways. Thunderbolt 4 builds on the technology of Thunderbolt 3 and includes several new features and improvements. Some of the key differences between Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 include:

1. Higher minimum performance requirements: Thunderbolt 4 requires a minimum of 40 Gbps data transfer speeds, which is the same as Thunderbolt 3. However, Thunderbolt 4 also requires support for two 4K displays or one 8K display, which is an improvement over Thunderbolt 3.
2. Better power delivery: Thunderbolt 4 requires that all devices support at least 100W of power delivery, which is an improvement over Thunderbolt 3. This means that you can charge more powerful devices like laptops through a Thunderbolt 4 port.
3. More ports and better compatibility: Thunderbolt 4 requires that devices support at least two Thunderbolt 4 ports, which is an improvement over Thunderbolt 3. Additionally, Thunderbolt 4 ports are backward compatible with Thunderbolt 3 devices.
4. Enhanced security features: Thunderbolt 4 includes new security features like support for Intel's Hardware Shield

Is Thunderbolt Fast Enough For Ssd?

Yes, Thunderbolt is fast enough for SSDs (Solid State Drives). Thunderbolt technology supports high-speed data transfer rates of up to 40 Gbps, which is significantly faster than other interfaces like USB 3.0.

The high-speed data transfer rates of Thunderbolt make it an ideal choice for SSDs, which are known for their fast read and write speeds. When you connect an SSD to a Thunderbolt port, you can take advantage of the high-speed data transfer rates to transfer large files quickly, back up your data, or even run applications directly from the external SSD.

Can I Use Thunderbolt 3 To Charge Laptop?

Yes, you can use Thunderbolt 3 to charge your laptop. Thunderbolt 3 is a type of interface that supports power delivery, which means that it can provide power to a device through the same cable that is used for data transfer.

Are Thunderbolt Laptops Good?

Thunderbolt laptops are generally considered to be high-performance laptops that offer fast data transfer speeds and the ability to connect to multiple external devices simultaneously. Thunderbolt is a type of interface that allows for the transfer of data, video, and power over a single cable.

Do I Need Thunderbolt 3 On Laptop?

Thunderbolt 3 is a high-speed input/output port that offers transfer speeds of up to 40Gbps and can support multiple displays, power delivery, and daisy-chaining devices. It is commonly used for tasks such as high-performance data transfer, video editing, and gaming.

Q1. Why do you need a gaming laptop with a Thunderbolt 3 port?

Therefore, you asked a question, why do you need a gaming laptop with a Thunderbolt 3 port, if you can’t clear this topic, then we mentioned the features, specifications, and advantages of Thunderbolt 3 in this article in detail.

There are many reasons why you should buy a gaming laptop with Thunderbolt 3 ports.

Q2. Is Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3 the same?

No, Thunderbolt 3 is different from USB 3 For more info see details here.

There are many differences between Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3, for example.

1. In terms of its currency speed, Xunlei transfers 40GB of data per second, while USB 3 can only transfer 10GB per second.
2. With Thunderbolt 3, you can use the USB 3 port to connect an external monitor, and you cannot connect any external monitors.

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Q3. How much RAM do I Need for Gaming?

A Thunderbolt 3 laptop with 8GB RAM will be the best choice for gaming, but if your budget is not tight, buy 16GB, where you can easily play all modern games.

32GB and 64GB Memory are only available on premium gaming laptops, but if you buy them, you can use them for the next 5-6 years if you want.

Final Words

We have done a lot of research to prepare this list. These are the best gaming laptop with a Thunderbolt 3 port, so please read everything carefully you will understand which one is the better choice for you.

We added some business laptops at the end. If you have more money, this is the best choice for a slightly lower budget, so whether you buy the first laptop, the price is lower than it, and features More powerful laptops have included at the top.