The 13-inch Asus ROG Flow Z13 gaming laptop hybrid with an RTX 3050 has dropped in price (Image: Asus)
The powerful 13-inch convertible is a pretty unique device which may be particularly interesting for gamers who are in the market for an extremely versatile and portable gaming laptop that can also be used as a tablet.
At last month’s CES 2023, Taiwanese PC manufacturer Asus announced the latest iteration of the pretty unique ROG Flow Z13, which basically is a more powerful and gaming-capable 13-inch alternative to the Microsoft Surface Pro. Although this RTX 4000 refresh appears to pack quite a punch in terms of GPU performance, deal hunters can now grab the current RTX 3050-equipped configuration of this convertible gaming laptop at a notable discount.
E-commerce giant Amazon is currently selling the 2022 Asus ROG Flow Z13, which is equipped with the Intel Core i7-12700H Alder Lake chip and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 dGPU, for US$1,299 including free shipping. The 13-inch gaming laptop further sports 16GB of soldered DDR5 memory, a 512GB SSD and a 120Hz FHD+ display. This deal for the Asus ROG Flow Z13 offers US$500 or 28 percent in savings in relation to the official list price of US$1,799, and it matches Amazon’s lowest price ever according to Camel’s price tracker.
We’ve reviewed a more powerful configuration of this 13-inch convertible gaming laptop back in 2021, and we were particularly impressed by the sturdy and well-made chassis as well as the colorful 16:10 touchscreen with a peak brightness of around 500 nits. We also liked the Asus ROG Flow Z13’s effective cooling system, which was surprisingly quiet considering the super portable design and the fact that our test sample was equipped with an RTX 3050 Ti. All in all, gamers who would like to use their gaming laptop as a tablet may want to take advantage of this noteworthy deal.
Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.
Enrico Frahn – Tech Writer – 1584 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2021
My fascination for technology goes back a long way to the Pentium II era. Modding, overclocking and treasuring computer hardware has since become an integral part of my life. As a student, I further developed a keen interest in mobile technologies that can make the stressful college life so much easier. After I fell in love with the creation of digital content while working in a marketing position, I now scour the web to bring you the most exciting topics in the world of tech. Outside the office, I’m particularly passionate about motorsports and mountain biking.
Laptops have come a long way over the last decade. Gaming laptops existed in the past, but they were nothing like we have today. In the olden days, they were big hunks of plastic and metal that could barely play solitaire, let alone something advanced like Elden Ring or Halo Infinite. Luckily, gaming laptops have moved on since then, and even budget gaming laptops can do a good job of playing modern AAA games, although you’ll certainly have to compromise with graphics. The best part is that at any given time, there are quite a few excellent laptop deals going on, or if you want to splurge some well-priced Gaming PC deals too. Either way, if you’re not very familiar with how to buy a gaming laptop, we’ve collected a range of great options, from budget-oriented laptops with an RTX 3050 to high-end ones with an RTX 3080.
The 15.6-inch full-HD micro-edge and the anti-glare display are no slouch either, offering 250 nits of brightness and a maximum resolution of 1920 by 1080. Audio by Bang and Olufsen means punchy bass, clear treble, and lots of fun and immersive sound. Meanwhile, you also get a 720p HD webcam, plenty of USB ports, a decent battery, and a great little system.
Dell G15 gaming laptop — $650, was $850
Why Buy:
Excellent power for the price
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050
15.6-inch non-touch 120Hz display
Dell Game Shift technology
Dell’s foray into the modern yet portable gaming world leaves us with one of the best graphics cards that balance performance with value, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050. You’ll also find a 12th Gen Intel Core i5 12-core and 16-thread processor, 8GB of DDR5 system memory, and a 256GB NVMe solid-state drive.
The 15.6-inch full-HD 120Hz display is as beautiful as ever, with an anti-glare system so you can use it even in bright settings. It’s non-touch but has a narrow border and LED backlighting. The entire system is backed by Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 for excellent wireless signal and reliability, plus Bluetooth for wireless peripherals, like a gaming headset to talk to the squad.
There are stylish color options available for the case and Dell’s Game Shift technology makes activating a turbo-boost power mode a breeze — it can be called on with the quick push of hotkeys.
HP Victus 16z-e100 — $750, was $1,000
Why Buy:
Sleek and stylish design
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050
16.1-inch WLED backlight display
Fast-charge battery support
Cutting out some of the nonsense here, this machine features an AMD Ryzen 5 6600H six-core and 12-thread processor, which pairs nicely with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 and 4GB of dedicated VRAM. It also helps that you get 8GBs of DDR5 RAM, the fastest on the market, and a 256GB NVMe solid-state drive for your games, files, and more. It’s a decent performer, of that there’s no question, although it might still be worth looking into a cloud storage service for a little bit of help if you want to run some of the newest titles at max settings.
The sleek design of the laptop is always a welcome sight, with a 16.1-inch IPS full-HD display that has WLED backlighting and a brightness rating of 250 nits. Additional features include a multi-format SD card reader for external media, multiple USB ports including USB-C, WiFi 6 wireless connectivity, Bluetooth 5.3, and fast-charge support for the battery — it comes with a 200-watt smart AC power adapter.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus 14 — $1,000, was $1,400
Why Buy:
Has a 144Hz 14-inch display
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060
Lots of system memory and storage space
Fully backlit keyboard
The Asus ROG Zephyrus has a lot in common with the ASUS ROG Strix series; while the Strix may be slightly better if you want a gaming laptop on a budget if you have a bit more cash on hand, the Zephyrus is the ace choice. So why is that the case? Well, for starters it comes with a 14-inch display and has a 144Hz refresh rate for fluid motion and onscreen action. The 16GB of DDR4 dual-channel system memory doesn’t hurt either and allows you to multi-task freely while chatting on Discord, streaming, playing some games, and even listening to some music in the background.
What’s better is that the Zephyrus comes with an RTX 3060 with 6GB of dedicated GDDR6 VRAM, which means it’s more likely to hit higher resolutions with no slowdowns. This is no potato. As for the processor, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800HS 8-core and 16-thread processor delivers clock speeds up to 1,382MHz at 60 watts. If you’re not well-versed in the specs or numbers, just know this beast of a machine can handle pretty much everything you throw at it — which is impressive for any computer let alone a laptop. It might not have made it onto the list of the best gaming laptops on the market, but it offers incredible value.
Alienware m15 R7 — $1,700, was $2,150
Why Buy:
Gorgeous 4K-ready 240Hz display
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti
16GB of DDR5 system memory
1TB solid-state drive
If you want a gaming laptop that stands out in specs, the Alienware m15 R7 will do it for you, especially since it has an impressive RTX 3070 Ti under the hood. Being one of the best GPUs on the market besides the RTX 3090 and RTX 40 series, it can handle 4k gaming. That’s great because the m15 R7 only comes with a QHD monitor with a whopping 240Hz refresh rate, and given that the RTX 3070 Ti is so capable, you’ll likely be able to hit both high resolutions and high frame rates. Granted, there might be a bit of compromise in some settings here and there, but you have a lot of leeways to play around with what’s most important to you.
In terms of CPU, you get the 12th Gen intel i7-12700H, another powerful CPU that will allow you to do anything from video to audio editing and any heavy-duty games like simulation and strategy. RAM is a solid 16GB of DDR5, which is impressive, and is great if you tend to open a lot of tabs and apps at the same time, as well as if you do any CAD work. As for storage, you get an excellent 1TB SSD to work with, so you won’t have many storage issues in the future.
The build of the m15 R7 is also rather excellent, although we will say that the battery life isn’t the best. Unfortunately, gaming laptops always have this issue, and Alienware laptops even more so, which makes sense given they try to squeeze as much performance as possible. Even so, that means you’ll be lugging around the charger wherever you go, but on the upside, it works as a great desktop replacement, so it’s worth checking out these gaming monitor deals if you want to go that route.
Alienware x17 R2 — 3,300, was $4,645
Why Buy:
An incredibly powerful laptop
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
64GB of dual-channel DDR5 system memory
Large 17.3-inch full-HD 480Hz display
Larger, faster, and more powerful than its smaller brethren, the Alienware x17 R2 is packed to the brim with exceptional hardware. For starters, you get an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti with 16GB of dedicated GDDR6 VRAM — enough to run even the latest games at ultra settings, depending on the resolution. You also get an insane 64GB of dual-channel DDR5 RAM, a 2TB NVMe solid-state drive, and a 12th Gen Intel Core i9 processor with 14 cores and 20 threads. It’s as powerful, if not more so, than your average desktop gaming PC. Everything will look amazing on the extra-large 17.3-inch full-HD non-touch 480Hz display, too.
Other features include Killer WiFi 6 for faster and more reliable wireless connectivity, Bluetooth 5.2 for connecting wireless peripherals, Alienware’s top-notch cooling technology, and Windows 11 right out of the box. It’s ready to start gaming, anything you want, anywhere, and anytime. Start fragging some baddies at a local coffee shop, take a break from studying in the school library, or squeeze in some rounds of your favorite battle royale title in between work.
A good gaming,g laptop should, first and foremost, be affordable, but you don’t want to go for the first deal you find that simply happens to meet your budget. You can expect to pay at least $600 (usually closer to $700) for a gaming laptop with a dedicated graphics card, although you can find a few that have AMD APUs with built-in Vega graphics for less than that. Also bear in mind that Nvidia recently released its new line of 16-series GPUs which have completely replaced the older 10-series graphics cards as the entry-level and midrange GeForce GPUs. In 2020, you’re better off avoiding older laptop models with these 10-series cards and sticking with the best modern GPUs ones, as the price is about the same and they will generally come with more up-to-date CPUs as well.
In the budget-friendly price brackets, the most powerful graphics card you’re likely to find in a gaming laptop right now is arguably the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 or AMD Radeon RX 5600M. However, you can expect to spend nearly your full budget for a laptop with this kind of graphical horsepower. If you’re going cheaper, though, then you’ll see cards in the GTX 16-series and RX 5000-series, pretty much all of which are still very capable of running modern titles at 1080p/60fps at good to high in-game settings.
For memory, 8GB of RAM should be the bare minimum (unless you’re going really cheap), and 16GB is a better mark to aim for in a modern gaming system. A higher refresh rate of 144Hz on the laptop display will also ensure a smoother experience when playing at higher framerates, but that’s something that you’ll typically find on gaming laptops sporting nicer GPUs like the GTX 1660 Ti or RTX 2060. That’s one of the sacrifices you’ll make with a gaming laptop, but if you know what to expect, you shouldn’t end up disappointed.
Should I get a gaming laptop or a gaming PC?
The primary difference between a gaming laptop and a gaming PC is portability. If you want a gaming computer to set up at a battle station, never to be moved again, then you should probably look at gaming PC deals instead. Since gaming PCs are bigger, they can hold more hardware, use bigger fans, and be easily customized. Laptops have the advantage of moving with you. To that end, a gaming laptop can be more than just a gaming laptop. You can take it to lecture classes for notes or use it as a work computer.
Are gaming laptops good for work?
A gaming laptop is still a laptop and can do everything that a laptop computer can do — that includes work. In fact, even a gaming laptop can offer some advantages: Faster processors and increased RAM will make all of your non-gaming software run noticeably faster, and graphical work such as video editing and rendering will go much more quickly with a dedicated graphics card. Even if you mostly use your PC for work first and only light gaming, it might be worth it to shell out a little more cash for a gaming laptop for the better hardware you’ll be getting.
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Sure, we are back again with really 1 of the greatest gaming laptop computer specials that you can invest your really hard-earned dollars on. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 featuring an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 GPU is now out there for only $1,549.99 on Amazon. The most affordable we have viewed this moveable powerhouse go down to is $1,649.99, and now, after listening to that it has turn into even far more inexpensive will be tunes to your ears.
Below is how the power hungry elements are retained in verify
The RTX 3080 gaming notebook attributes an 80W 8GB GDDR6 GPU that can enhance up to 100W thanks to NVIDIA’s Dynamic Boost technologies, presenting the greatest doable performance in a style and design this thin. The build quality does not appear shut to the unibody layout of a MacBook, but the magnesium alloy chassis would make the Zephyrus G15 lightweight as opposed to other 15.6-inch gaming laptops. Talking of the display screen, it capabilities a 2560 x 1440p resolution, bearing IPS know-how, with a refresh level that goes up to 165Hz.
The more characteristics of the ROG Zephyrus G15 gaming laptop computer
The 8-core, 16-thread Ryzen 9 5900HS CPU offers outstanding multi-core overall performance in equally online games and other programs that demand many cores to do the job optimally. The battery capability is also a large 90WHr, and because this RTX 3080 gaming laptop computer takes advantage of a electrical power-efficient AMD CPU, it will past you for numerous several hours ahead of you have to have to plug it in all over again. The greatest portion about charging the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 is that not only can its battery be topped up with the provided barrel connector but also by way of a USB-C electric power brick.
The ports choice of the ROG Zephyrus G15 gaming laptop
However, you have to continue to keep in intellect that the USB-C ability brick will not be ready to cost at the exact same amount as the provided charger, so that is anything to maintain in brain when participating in video games. Other technical specs include a single 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD, with a vacant M.2 slot to raise that storage. You also have 16GB of DDR4 RAM, but 8GB of that memory is soldered to the motherboard to retain the laptop computer slim.
Listed here is how ASUS retained the RTX 3080-run gaming laptop so mild and highly effective at the exact same time
If you want to maximize the in general RAM, the maximum that you can go up to is 40GB, but even that will be abundant for the the greater part of clients. At the time of writing, there are only 16 models remaining in inventory, and you know what that signifies. The fewer people units continue being, the bit by bit that price tag will commence to creep up, so make the most effective of this possibility for the reason that, viewing as how popular the Zephyrus G15 has been lately, it will market out immediately.
Unveiled back in 2021, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 with the potent AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 graphics is now down by a huge 35{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} on Amazon. Even so, all those who want to get the GA503QMBS94Q product for just US$1,289.99 in its place of the checklist price tag of US$1,987.99 must to start with just take a glimpse at out our in-depth review of the almost equivalent model that comes with 32 GB of memory.
The aforementioned discounted Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 configuration sporting activities a 15.6-inch QHD IPS 165 Hz display, 16 GB DDR4 memory (upgradeable to 48 GB), a one 1 TB NVMe PCIe 3. SSD (one slot vacant offered for upgrading), WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity, as very well as a extensive range of wired connection selections. The record contains 2 X USB 3.2 Sort-C, 2 X USB 3.2 Type-A, RJ45 Ethernet, a 3.5 mm combo audio jack, HDMI 2.1, a microSD reader. The laptop computer will come preloaded with Windows 10 Residence and a no cost Home windows 11 improve.
According to the formal item web site, the standard retail package also incorporates a ROG backpack, a ROG Delta headset, a ROG Chackram Main mouse, as perfectly as a FHD 1080p @ 60 fps webcam. Nonetheless, the Amazon website page does not point out if these are integrated or not.
Even if the goodies described above are not existing in the bag, our aforementioned critique discovered that “One particular of the largest highlights turns out to be the WQHD panel, given that it appeals to clients with 165 Hz, rather fast reaction instances, FreeSync, and great color-room protection.” It also uncovered a shockingly rich audio expertise, very long battery lifetime, sad to say together with a fairly confined graphics overall performance owing to the reduced TDP placing that helps make the GPU of this laptop slower than a rapidly NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 mobile implementation in some gaming eventualities.
Codrut Nistor – Senior Tech Author – 5837 articles or blog posts published on Notebookcheck considering the fact that 2013
In my early college times, I hated creating and obtaining to make up stories. A 10 years later on, I commenced to take pleasure in it. Considering the fact that then, I published a number of offline content articles and then I moved to the on line place, wherever I contributed to main websites that are however present on line as of 2021 these as Softpedia, Brothersoft, Down load3000, but I also wrote for several blogs that have disappeared over the several years. I’ve been using with the Notebookcheck crew because 2013 and I am not setting up to leave it whenever quickly. In enjoy with great mechanical keyboards, vinyl and tape sound, but also smartphones, streaming companies, and electronic art.
ASUS TUF Gaming A15 (2022) gaming laptop (Source: Asus)
Shown at CES 2023 with new AMD Zen 4 processors up to the Ryzen 9 and up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 graphics, the updated Asus TUF Gaming A15 is still not available for purchase. However, last year’s model with AMD Ryzen 7 6800H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 is now 21{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} off, so its price tag currently reads US$1,099.
Our in-depth review of the 2021 model with AMD Ryzen 7 5800H and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 revealed that the Asus TUF Gaming A15 is able to bring together AMD processors and NVIDIA GPUs to provide good gaming performance for a fair price. Its successor that was released one year later with AMD Ryzen 7 6800H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics is no exception, and the ongoing 21{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} discount that brings it down to US$1,099 from a list price of US$1,399.99 makes it an interesting mid-range gaming laptop for 2023 as well.
In addition to the processor and graphics adapter mentioned above, the discounted Asus TUF Gaming A15 (2022), model FA507RM-ES73, comes with a 300 Hz 15.6-inch FHD display, 16 GB DDR5-4800 memory, a 512 GB PCIe SSD, as well as WiFi 6 and Bluetooth connectivity alongside 4 X USB 3.0 ports. The preinstalled operating system is Windows 11 Home. Those concerned about it being outdated should known that this machine arrived on the market in late July 2022, so it’s not one year old yet.
After 213 user reviews that it shares with its AMD Ryzen 5 4600H-powered sibling, namely model FA506II-AS53, the Asus TUF Gaming A15 has a 4.6/5 global rating on Amazon. This is the result of 80{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} perfect scores and 9{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} 4/5-star ratings. The breakdown by feature focuses on screen quality (4.6), gaming performance (4.4), value for money (4.2), and battery life (3.7).
Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.
Amazon (see affiliate link at the end of the article)
Codrut Nistor – Senior Tech Writer – 5828 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2013
In my early school days, I hated writing and having to make up stories. A decade later, I started to enjoy it. Since then, I published a few offline articles and then I moved to the online space, where I contributed to major websites that are still present online as of 2021 such as Softpedia, Brothersoft, Download3000, but I also wrote for multiple blogs that have disappeared over the years. I’ve been riding with the Notebookcheck crew since 2013 and I am not planning to leave it anytime soon. In love with good mechanical keyboards, vinyl and tape sound, but also smartphones, streaming services, and digital art.
ASUS has produced capable desktop and laptop PCs for gamers for years and today we’re looking at the latest gaming notebook from the company. The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE has a big battery, a big screen, and big performance. It’s also incredibly expensive so we’re going to take a look to see if this laptop is worth buying for a portable gaming station.
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE: Price, availability, specs
(Image credit: Future)
ASUS supplied Windows Central with a review sample of the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE. This unit has the Intel Core i9-12950HX processor with eight performance and efficiency cores and a total of 16 threads. For notebooks, this is about as good as you can get without going too overboard. This is the flagship CPU for this laptop with the lesser capable Core i9-12900H also available.
For graphics, we’re looking at either an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, RTX 3080, or RTX 3080 Ti. In our review sample, the laptop had the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. Finally, RAM comes in either 16GB or 32GB of DDR5. We had 32GB, allowing us to push the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE to its limit and see how powerful this laptop is.
This notebook is expensive, even if you configure it with the baseline specifications. Starting at $2,399, it’s simply out of reach for many gamers. The model we tested is available for $3,599, but this laptop has considerably more performance than many gaming desktop PCs out there.
Here’s a look at the specs contained inside our review unit.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Specification
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE (2022)
OS
Windows 11 Pro
Processor
Intel Core i9-12950HX
8 P-cores, 8 E-cores, 16 threads
RAM
32GB DDR5-4800
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
Storage
2TB M.2 NVMe SSD
Display
17-inches, IPS, 16:9
WQHD (2560 x 1440), 240Hz, 100{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} DCI-P3, 3ms,
Ports
One HDMI 2.1, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (DP, G-Sync), one RJ45 LAN, one Thunderbolt 4, 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
Wi-Fi 6E(802.11ax) (Triple band) 2*2, Bluetooth 5.2
Camera
–
Battery
90WHrs, 4S1P, 4-cell Li-ion
Dimensions
395 x 282 x 23.4 ~ 28.3 mm
(15.55 x 11.10 x 0.92 ~ 1.11 inches)
Weight
3.00 Kg (6.61 lbs)
Color
Black
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE: Design & features
(Image credit: Future)
As soon as you’ve unboxed the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE, you can immediately tell you’re in for quite the ride. This looks and feels like a powerful gaming laptop. I’m not the biggest fan of the usual ASUS design language for its laptops, but the Scar 17 SE is stunning. There are countless small details, such as the hidden graphics on the lid that are revealed with the included UV light.
The ROG logo on the same lid lights up, as expected. RGB lighting can be easily made obnoxious, but thankfully ASUS used it sparingly. The keyboard also has per-key lighting, and there’s a small LED strip that wraps around the base of the notebook. When turned on, it looks the part when placed in a gamer setup. Interestingly, ASUS made part of the keyboard translucent, revealing some of the insides.
While the keyboard is a joy to type on, and there’s a full Numpad layout for those who enjoy playing EVE Online, it’s not using mechanical switches. The touchpad is massive and has more than enough real estate for general use. It’s highly likely that a mouse will be connected to one of the available USB ports for serious gaming, anyway.
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Moving up the laptop and we have the glorious 17-inch QHD display with a resolution of 2560×1440. Our unit has a refresh rate of 240Hz though a Full HD version of the panel is available with a 360Hz refresh rate if you prefer smoother gameplay over visuals. Either way, this is a winner. It’s gorgeous.
What isn’t going to bring home awards is the webcam … or lack thereof. If you enjoy making calls with friends and family or fancy some streaming on the side, you’re going to require an external webcam. It’s just strange to see a laptop released in 2022 without a webcam.
Next up is the I/O and there’s plenty to go around. We’ve got a single HDMI 2.1 port on the rear joined by the DC input, RJ45 LAN, one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (DP, G-Sync), and one Thunderbolt 4. The left side has two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports and a 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack. The right side has the ROG Keystone port for profiles and other security features.
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Speakers are never going to be exceptional on a gaming laptop, but ASUS managed to pull off some great-sounding audio. It’s not going to blow you away, especially with heavy bass tracks or explosions in-game, but it’s decent enough if you don’t own a pair of cans. The laptop itself is relatively thin but on the heavy side thanks to all the internal components.
It measures in at 3.00kg (6.61 lbs) and the dimensions are 395 x 282 x 23.4 ~ 28.3 mm. It’s not huge but will require some desk space for the 17-inch panel (and this allows ASUS to pack some serious cooling for the CPU and GPU).
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE: Display
(Image credit: Future)
The screen is incredibly important on gaming or creator laptops. Thankfully, the panel used by ASUS for the ROG Strix Scar 17 SE is a beauty. We tested the QHD 240Hz screen with a response time of just 3ms. It’s not particularly great at color accuracy, scoring just shy of 80{b7c9e2c88beb1a84f22d94ab877a147f4adc4b3519717f3f957a0f34e16918d1} for Adobe RGB, but you won’t notice when playing your favorite titles.
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Brightness isn’t spectacular, maxing out at around 300 nits. Minimum brightness was recorded at 15 nits. All ASUS displays for this laptop have a matte finish, which avoids bright lights from affecting your gameplay. They’re also non-touch, not that this is a primary factor for most people choosing a gaming laptop.
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE: Gaming
(Image credit: Future)
Where do we begin? One should have high expectations of the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE thanks to what’s contained within the compact chassis. The Intel Core i9-12950HX and RTX 3080 Ti are no joke and ASUS didn’t pull any punches with the included 32GB of DDR5 RAM. Simply put: this laptop is an absolute beast running PC games.
Like other gaming laptops, ASUS includes its own command suite that lets you quickly manage settings, including the current power profile. This also affects display brightness, cooling, and other parts of the system. We performed all tests with performance modes enabled (not turbo) and everything else on default to emulate what you can expect out of the box.
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The laptop performed well in synthetic benchmarks, again thanks to the impressive CPU and GPU combo. ASUS has to take some credit too as the laptop runs incredibly cool all things considered. There’s a fair amount of power draining the battery (or power grid) and the cooling solution handles the heat output well.
There are a total of four exhaust vents and ASUS is using two of the latest Arc Flow Fans with 84 curved blades. The noise output is recorded and monitored by the software suite and you can expect to see anything between 20-40dB depending on profile and workload.
We recorded temperatures as high as 87C and 83C in games for the CPU and GPU, respectively. How ASUS designed the cooling system prevents the keyboard and palm rests from feeling too warm to the touch. To put it into perspective, the CPU and GPU are capable of drawing up to 230W.
Far Cry 5: 121 FPS
Red Dead Redemption: 79 FPS / 92 FPS (DLSS)
Shadow of the Tomb Raider: 158 FPS / 184 FPS (DLSS)
And when you do eventually fire up some games, you’ll have nothing but smiles to go around. The numbers paint a positive story, but you have to sit in front of this beautiful 17-inch IPS display to truly appreciate what’s on offer.
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE: Performance & battery
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Overall system performance is excellent. The Intel Core i9-12950HX is exceptionally good at running Windows software and playing the latest games. Whether you need to game or work (or both!) on the same machine, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE will be able to handle most workloads.
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As is with many laptops out there, gaming on battery reduces how much you can expect to enjoy from the CPU and GPU. Results will still be astounding for such a slim machine, but you will notice a downgrade in overall system performance compared to when tethered to an outlet.
The battery may be a massive 90WHr unit but the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE can zap through it in just over an hour in a demanding PC game. For general use, however, including media consumption, you can expect to see upwards of five hours depending on power settings.
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE: Competition
(Image credit: Windows Central)
We’re obviously going to consider the mighty Razer Blade 17 as a competitor to the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE. It’s one of the best gaming laptops even if ASUS manages to undercut it, thanks to the 1440p display (compared to the UHD-touting Razer Blades). The performance will be about the same, though ASUS makes use of some seriously good cooling here.
The Lenovo Legion 7i (6th Gen) (and the newer Legion 71 (7th Gen)) is also a solid option for those seeking ultimate power. ASUS has the upper hand with better in-game results, but it’s also considerably more expensive than the Lenovo review unit we tested. It all comes down to looks, price, and cooling as components usually perform similarly. ASUS manages to find a good balance between the three.
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE: Should you buy?
(Image credit: Future)
Who it’s for …
Those who want the performance of a gaming desktop but in a laptop form factor.
Those who don’t mind splashing out upwards of $4,000 on a new laptop.
Those who don’t find themselves playing much away from an available outlet.
Those who want to play the latest games at 1440p and decent settings.
Who it isn’t for …
Those who do not have more than $2,000 to spare for a portable gaming PC.
Those who already have a decent enough desktop gaming PC.
Those who don’t play the most demanding PC games and can get away with something less powerful.
The sheer raw power included with this laptop is incredible. Having an Intel Core i9 and RTX 3080 Ti combo in a laptop bag is something that would continue to put a smile on one’s face, especially when setting up shop with friends at LAN events. There’s ample connectivity (including RJ45) which makes this quite the compelling purchase for anyone looking for a new gaming PC.
For gaming on the go, it’s let down by just how capable the internals are. The GPU and CPU will happily drain the 90WHr battery in an hour or so when gaming. It’s a slightly better story with about five hours of general use between charging. Still, this should be considered if you actually plan on using the notebook for work or long periods of time away from home and/or the office.
When this machine truly comes to life is when it’s hooked up to an outlet with performance modes enabled. You’ll be able to crank up visual settings in most games and enjoy a stable frame rate on the glorious 1440p IPS panel. Sure, it’s expensive and the money could be better spent on more sensible purchases, but this is about as good as you’ll get for a gaming laptop in 2022.
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 SE has everything you need to play your favorite PC games on the road. It has the looks, the performance, and the connectivity, making this one of the best gaming laptops to buy in 2022.
