Asus Rog Strix G Gl731gu Review
Display
I got a model with a 15-inch diagonal. The picture on the screen looks amazing: it is very smooth thanks to the increased refresh rate of 120 Hz. it is noticeable in games, especially when compared to conventional monitors with a 60 Hz scan. And the Full HD resolution on such a small display delivers superb detail. And it is more convenient to carry with you than the bulky 17-inch version. True, it’s more comfortable to play on a larger screen.
It is also important to note the support for the sRGB profile: the colors are very saturated and bright, so the laptop is perfect for work, for example, in Photoshop and similar programs. Also, the display has a matte surface, which completely solves the problem of glare and sun rays: it is comfortable to look at the screen even while sitting with your back to the window.
Design and convenience
The cheapest does not mean ugly. ASUS collaborated with BMW designers on the ROG Strix G to create a stylish laptop that’s truly gaming. The matte black body is combined with a lot of multi-colored RGB lighting on the keyboard and around the perimeter. I have an engineering test sample in my hands, so the latter does not work.
The laptop has a smooth, soft-touch surface. both on the lid and under it. The upper half is supported by two separate hinges: the design is not the most reliable, but the ride is very smooth and light, requiring no effort. The test on the MacBook, by the way, passed.
The ROG Strix G is also pleasant to hold in hand because of its light weight: my 15-inch model weighs just over 2 kg. For a laptop with a discrete graphics card, this is a very good indicator.
The keyboard is equipped with internal RGB lighting in red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue and purple colors. You can set the mode of their alternation or choose a static backlight of any color. The most interesting mode is intelligent, when the color reflects the heating of the processor. Also on the keyboard there is a convenient separate row of buttons at the very top, for adjusting the most important processes: changing the volume and operating mode of coolers, and also for turning on / off the microphone.
And on the touchpad, you can turn on the touch-sensitive digital panel Num Lock. it is highlighted only in red. By the way, the mechanical touchpad buttons are very quiet and have a deep, easy stroke, so that they are comfortable and pleasant to use even in games. The only caveat: there is a high risk of accidentally touching your finger and activating Num Lock, and then the touchpad automatically stops responding. This can be critical during the game. True, the touchpad in a gaming laptop can be disabled overnight and forever.
On the right side of the case there is also a place for a personal NFC security chip: it is in older models, but our ROG Strix G is devoid of it. In short, the chip opens access to work with hidden files and disk partitions, and if you pull it out, all your data will be “hidden” and cannot be detected.
What are the connectors? On the left are three fast USB 3.2 and 3.5mm audio jacks. There is a charging connector at the back, HDMI and RJ45 for connecting a wired network. But the starboard side is empty. Although it was better to place the USB ports on it, because if you are right-handed, then pulling the mouse wire from the left side is not very convenient.
Multiple ports on the back. just top!
Also on the back are ventilation outlets for cooling the laptop. There are additional holes for heat exchange in the upper part of the case. due to the fact that the lid is raised above the entire case. The whole system works very efficiently: personally, my laptop almost did not heat up even after prolonged and “heavy” use.
Specifications ASUS ROG Strix G
All available computer configurations are shown in the detailed plate under the cut. I had one of the “weakest” configurations on my test. its hardware is marked in green.
| GL531 models | GL731 Models |
| Display | 15.6-inch (IPS, FHD 1920 x 1080, 60Hz, sRGB) |
Performance
So, we have on the review ASUS ROG Strix G (model GL531GT) with a GeForce GTX 1650 video card, an Intel Core i5-9300H processor and 16 GB of RAM. Naturally, this assembly provides excellent performance in everyday and work tasks: also due to the fact that a very fast M.2 SSD 512 GB is installed as a drive.
And the table below details what awaits you at ROG Strix G in the top ten modern games of 2018-2019: optimal graphics settings, FPS and gaming experience.
| Metro: Exodus | Extreme, 30-50 FPS | At the maximum extreme graphics, we will have a very smooth gameplay without any problems, although the FPS is low and not very stable. Alternatively: you can go down to “high” and get iron 70 FPS |
| Shadow of the tomb raider | Maximum, 50 FPS | The most recent game about Lara Croft plows perfectly at the maximum. Very rarely, small friezes appear, completely uncritical |
| RAGE 2 | Ultra | The gameplay is perfect, but the FPS could not be calculated: when using the FPS Monitor, the game began to hang like hell |
| Far cry 5 | Maximum, 50-55 FPS | There is nothing to find fault with, at maximum speed everything is super |
| Devil may cry 5 | High, 80-90 FPS | You can also switch to “ultra”, there will also be a good 60-70 FPS. But a problem arises: in-game videos slow down, and the picture lags far behind the sound. So it’s better to stay high |
| Assassin’s Creed Odyssey | Highest, 35-40 FPS | Despite the average FPS, the game works perfectly at maximum speed: without the slightest lags and brakes |
| Battlefield 5 | Ultra, 45-50 FPS | Very smooth and fast gameplay, although the FPS does not reach the optimal 60 frames |
| Kingdom Come: Deliverance | Higher, 45 FPS | At the “highest” settings, everything is smooth, the process is perfect. You can also enable “ultra”. then the FPS will drop to 35-40, and the picture will become a little less smooth. Although it will still be comfortable to play |
| FIFA 19 | Ultra, 100-110 FPS | Fans of the football simulator will be able to enjoy the best graphics. And count on the upcoming FIFA 20 to perform just as well |
I specifically ignore popular things like Fortnite, Dota 2 and CS: GO on this list. and it’s so clear that they won’t have any problems with them on such a device.
As a result: thanks to the powerful hardware in combination with 16 GB of RAM and a fast SSD, any “heavy” toys are plowed at the highest settings, almost always giving out adequate FPS. Not bad for one of the cheapest in the lineup! So if your goal is to save money on your purchase, then you can safely take the ROG Strix G on the GTX 1650, bypassing the more expensive models with RTX cards. The only difference is that the gaming performance of our hero for ultra-settings will be enough for one and a half to two years in advance, no more. Tops have a margin of safety, of course, longer.
It is better to play in the most powerful “turbo” mode. it can be enabled in the official Armory Crate program. The mode uses all the resources of the laptop for maximum performance and cooling. And for everyday tasks, two other modes are suitable: “balanced” and “quiet”, which make coolers quieter and optimize power consumption, sacrificing performance. Although even with the most intensive fans, the ROG Strix G does not make much noise.
ASUS ROG Strix G review. beautiful and affordable gaming laptop
ASUS recently unveiled a new line of evil gaming laptops based on the fresh Nvidia GTX and RTX graphics cards. With the most powerful models, everything is clear: these expensive monsters will pull anything. It is much more interesting how the youngest and most accessible representative of the new family behaves. Let’s answer this question in a detailed review of the ASUS ROG Strix G!
Immediately about the main thing: retail Russian. We figure out what kind of gaming experience we will get for this money. in the review of ASUS ROG Strix G in one of the most initial configurations.
Autonomy
A powerful gaming laptop is rarely used far from a power outlet. but it does happen. The following indicators can be expected from the ASUS ROG Strix G battery:
- Watching FHD movies online (“quiet” mode, no keyboard backlight). 4 hours
- Working mode (text editors, Internet, “quiet” mode, no keyboard backlight). 5 hours
If you turn on the RGB-backlighting or set the “balanced” mode, the time will be reduced by about a third. And there is no point in playing games without a power cord. Firstly, without charging, the “turbo” mode with maximum performance is not available. Secondly, according to other indicators, it is clear that the laptop will not last longer than 2-2.5 hours in game mode.
In my opinion, ASUS ROG Strix G is at risk of becoming the most popular model of the entire 2019 family. The reason for this is the optimal balance of performance and price. Especially if we take one of the most affordable versions with a GTX 1650 video card: we have already figured out that its power reserve is more than enough for any games at maximum graphics. and even for those that will be released in the next couple of years.
Internal structure and accessories
The base of the laptop is a one-piece plastic panel with aluminum shielding. To remove it, you need to unscrew 12 screws around the perimeter and in the center, and also disconnect the backlight cables.
Most of the internal space of the laptop is reserved for a dual-circuit cooling system, to which we will return. Immediately, attention is drawn to two dies of RAM not soldered on the board, two SSDs and a relatively small battery.
The motherboard chipset belongs to the Comet Lake HM470 family, and the AMI BIOS version is dated July 13, 2020 and is labeled G712LV.310. In our version of ASUS ROG Strix G17, not the most productive, but more than sufficient Intel Core i7-10750H CPU, released using 14-nanometer technology, is installed.
It has 6 cores, 12 threads and is capable of operating at frequencies from 2.6 to 5.0 GHz. The maximum TDP level of this processor can reach 45 watts.
The amount of RAM in ASUS ROG Strix G series laptops can be 32 GB, but in the version of ASUS ROG Strix G17 provided to us for tests, a total of 16 GB memory is installed, typed in two 8 GB DDR4 modules manufactured by Samsung (marking M471A1K43DB1-CWE).
By default, the memory operates at an effective frequency of 2.933 GHz with timings of 21-21-21-47_2T, although according to the specifications its nominal frequency is 3.2 GHz.
It is worth noting that if you choose the ASUS ROG Strix G17 version with the most powerful Intel Core i7-10875H processor, then the memory frequency will be 3.2 GHz. However, the difference in performance between 2.933 and 3.2 GHz memory will not exceed 4-5%.
Let the laptop be a gaming one, for 2D modes, the Intel UHD Graphics integrated into the central processor is used. In turn, for 3D applications (read. for games), a discrete NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card is provided in the laptop.
Recall that it is equipped with six gigabytes of GDDR6 video memory operating at an effective frequency of 11 GHz, providing a bandwidth of 264 GB / s with a 192-bit bus. Graphics processor frequencies, according to GPU-Z, can vary in the range from 1005 to 1560 MHz, but in fact, in tests and games, we received different values, which we will discuss in one of the following sections.
The disk subsystem is rather unusual in ASUS ROG Strix G17. The laptop has two Intel SSD 660p series with the SSDPEKNW512G8 marking, 512 GB each. Both drives are sealed with metallized heat-distributing strips, we did not peel them off on the test sample.
These are fairly reliable drives, for which Intel provides a five-year warranty.
By modern standards, each such drive does not shine with speed characteristics: the declared sequential read speed is 1500 MB / s, and the sequential write speed is 1000 MB / s. ASUS solved this problem quite simply by installing two such drives in a laptop and combining them into RAID 0. It turned out efficiently: see what speed indicators the ASUS ROG Strix G17 disk subsystem demonstrates in three popular benchmarks (on the left, the results when powered from the mains, and on the right. from the battery).
As you can see, there is a level of performance of more expensive SSD models, which will be more than enough for both professional gamers and for processing digital content. It is also important that in everyday work the drives do not heat up above 43 degrees Celsius, and in the AIDA64 Extreme stress test the temperature of the hottest of them only rose to 51 degrees Celsius.
Next to the drives, to the left of the battery, there is free space in the laptop, very similar to the seat for an HDD.
However, there is no connector for its connection, as there is no mounting system for such a disk. Yes, and in the specifications of ASUS ROG Strix G17, support for 2.5-inch HDD is not indicated. But it is indicated that such laptops can be equipped not only with a pair of SSDs in RAID 0 (even with two terabyte models), but also with single SSDs from 512 GB to 1 TB, and a 15-inch version of a laptop can also be found with one 256-GB drive.
The laptop has two network adapters. The cable network is implemented by the Realtek RTL8168 / 8111 gigabit controller, and the wireless one is implemented by the Intel AX201NGW module supporting Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and MIMO 2 × 2 mode. The wireless adapter can operate in the frequency bands of 2.5 and 5.0 GHz (160 MHz), and its maximum bandwidth can reach 2.4 Gbps. According to the manufacturer, four antennas of the wireless module are built into the laptop case, which, using exclusive ROG RangeBoost technology, can increase the coverage area by 30% and improve the stability of the wireless signal.
Despite the fact that professional gamers usually use headphones, the audio system in the ASUS ROG Strix G17 leaves a very good impression of itself. It is implemented by the Realtek audio codec and two speakers with a power of 4 W each.
The proprietary Smart AMP technology is supported, which, without distortion, is capable of 2.8 times the maximum volume, triples the low frequencies and expands the dynamic range by 6.5 dBA. Indeed, according to subjective feelings, the acoustics of the laptop do not sound like a laptop at all, but like a very decent stereo system with a hint of surround sound. At least for a room with an area of about 20 square meters, the volume headroom is more than enough.
Performance testing
Since we have just seen how much the laptop operating mode differs when working from the power adapter and from the battery, we further suggest evaluating its performance in these states of ASUS ROG Strix G17 with Turbo and Performance settings. Well, since the new ASUS laptop model is positioned as a gaming laptop, special attention will be paid to testing in 3D benchmarks and games, where the maximum quality settings were used. So, first, let’s take a look at the CPU and RAM benchmarks.
The results in 3D benchmarks and games are shown in the table.
If in the tests of the processor and RAM the difference in laptop performance is noticeable, but not critical (since it is at a rather high level even when running on battery power), then we cannot say the same about the video card. When you disconnect the power adapter, the performance of ASUS ROG Strix G17 is reduced by half or more, and it becomes uncomfortable to play even on such a powerful hardware configuration. However, this fact has long been known. all so-called gaming laptops are gaming only when connected to a power adapter and mains. Nevertheless, it is in this mode of operation that the ASUS ROG Strix G17 in its native resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels will provide a very high level of performance in the most modern games, including at maximum graphics quality settings.
Input Devices
ASUS ROG Strix G17 is equipped with a membrane-type keyboard with a block of numeric keys. The developers especially focus on the fact that the keyboard is designed for fans of 3D games. taking into account their requirements and features. We have a test version of the laptop, so there is no Russian keyboard layout yet.
By adaptation for gamers, ASUS primarily means the exclusive ROG Overstroke technology. accelerated (early) actuation of clicks, which allows the player to react faster to changes in the gameplay.
At the same time, the keyboard implements the technology of independent processing of keystrokes, when each contact of the key with the sensor is processed separately from the others, which makes it possible to exclude incorrect operations. Actuations themselves are practically silent, no clicks or characteristic “clicks”. The keys are full-sized, comfortable to type, and the work surface is large enough to keep your hands from hanging off the laptop. Even with intensive work and a serious load on the processor and video card, the case at hand becomes barely warm, no discomfort.
For the convenience of gamers, the group of arrow keys is isolated on the keyboard, the size of the space bar is increased, and the group of game keys WASD is highlighted.
Function keys F1-F12 have a dual purpose, and above them there is a small group of keys for adjusting the volume, turning the microphone on or off and adjusting the speed of the cooling system fans, as well as the ROG key, designed to launch the proprietary ASUS Armory Crate utility.
As we already said, the keyboard is equipped with backlighting and three-level brightness control.
The backlight can be configured through the Aura app, and can also be synchronized with other devices connected to the laptop (for example, mouse and headphones).
Also, the laptop is equipped with a two-button touchpad with dimensions of 108 × 59 mm.
No backlash or squeaks were noticed while working with it, and the sensitivity is adjusted to suit any requirements. Touchpad buttons click-free.
The laptop power key is located in the upper right corner of the operating panel and has a backlight indicator.
Just below, on the same edge, you can see the port cap for the Keystone NFC key. The ASUS ROG Strix G15 / 17 models do not have this function, this key is equipped with the Strix SCAR 15/17 versions.
Indicators for power, battery charge, drive activity and airplane mode are displayed above the keyboard and are always in front of your eyes, but do not distract during operation.
We add that the ASUS ROG Strix G17 does not have a built-in video camera. alas, this price has to be paid for a thin display frame. However, it should be noted that every time we scold regular cameras for poor image quality, and for those users who need a video camera, the company offers to purchase an optional ROG GC21.
Completion and packaging
ASUS ROG Strix G17 comes in a large, flat box styled after ROG (Republic of Gamers) products. The box is heavy, so its plastic handle came in handy.
Of the useful information, only a sticker with a product serial number and barcodes can be noted on it.
Since we have a test sample, we only got the ADP-230GB power adapter with a power of 230 W (19.5 V, 11.8 A) and weighing 742 grams (with cables).
Note that notebooks of the ASUS ROG Strix G series, depending on the region, may be supplied with one of two sets of accessories. The Original Black and Ice Silver editions can be bundled with the rugged ROG BlackPack and ROG Gladius II gaming mouse, while the Electro Punk coloring in the 15-inch laptop can be accompanied by the ROG Electro Punk BlackPack, wired headset with detachable microphone and intelligent noise canceling technology ROG Strix GO Core, ROG Impact II Gaming Mouse and ROG Sheath Table Mat.
“Original Black” and “Ice Silver”
Laptops are manufactured in China, in Russia all models of portable computers of the ROG series are accompanied by a two-year warranty. As for the cost, it varies greatly due to the fact that the hardware configuration of the ASUS ROG Strix G is as variable as possible. The version of G712LV provided to us for testing costs about 135-140 thousand rubles.
Specifications
| ASUS ROG Strix G17 (G712LV) | ||
| CPU | Intel Core i7-10750H (14 nm, 6 cores / 12 threads, 2.6-5.0 GHz, 12 MB L3 cache, TDP up to 45 W) | |
Review and test of the laptop ASUS ROG Strix G17: mobile esports in style
This spring, ASUS unveiled the new ROG Strix G15 and G17 series of notebooks. They are distinguished from their predecessors by slightly improved hardware components, in particular. more efficient cooling, as well as a more effective appearance. Now, when buying a laptop of this series, you can choose one of three colors, which are called “Original Black”, “Silver Ice” and “Electropunk”. The latter, however, is only available for the 15-inch version. If we add to this a powerful hardware component, then the target audience of these models is visible with the naked eye. these are young gamers and professional e-sportsmen, who at the same time strive to stand out from the crowd.
Let’s take a look at the 17-inch version of the ASUS ROG Strix in the G712LV modification: this laptop has something to impress both regular users and avid gamers.
Display
ASUS ROG Strix G17 is equipped with a 17.3-inch display with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels. Matt surface. Display side bezels are 6.5mm wide, top 10mm and bottom 29mm minimum.
The display panel is hinged on the chassis with aluminum brackets.
Display opening angle is approximately 130 degrees.
Now about the technical characteristics of the display. Our ASUS ROG Strix G17 uses an IPS-matrix with a refresh rate of 240 Hz and a declared response time of 3 ms. an excellent gaming display for the most discerning gamers and cyber-athletes. Matrix marking В173HAN05.0, manufacturer. AU Optronics.
We checked the display quality with the X-Rite i1 Display Pro calibrator and Argyll CMS software with the DispcaLGUI graphical interface. All measurements were taken prior to calibration. Here are their results.
Judging by the results obtained, the display of the ASUS ROG Strix G17 laptop is already fairly accurately calibrated at the factory, all parameters are within acceptable limits. The monitor’s color gamut was fixed at 94.2% sRGB, which is also quite high. As for the maximum brightness, at 100% in the monitor settings menu, it reached 337 cd / m2.And other brightness values in 10% steps in the monitor settings are shown in the following diagram.
We did not have any questions about the uniformity of the backlighting of the ASUS ROG Strix G17 display.
The matrix speed is very high, the smoothness of the gameplay at 240 Hz is simply reference. We add that the Armory Crate branded application has a GameVisual tab, where you can set the color temperature and select one of eight preset display presets for different conditions.
If you describe in a few words the overall impression of the ASUS ROG Strix G17 display, then we can say that it is as close to the ideal of a gaming display as possible. For full immersion, only a larger size is not enough, but this will not be a laptop format at all.
Design, case ergonomics and lighting
The version of ASUS ROG Strix G17 provided to us for testing is made in the “Silver ice” color scheme and looks relatively laconic. It should be noted that the design of the laptop was developed jointly with the specialists of the design bureau of the world famous company BMW, although you will certainly not find here, of course, famous all over the world “nostrils”.
The laptop case is made of plastic and has a brushed structure, and the chrome logo of the ROG series is placed on the top cover.
Perhaps the most significant advantage of the silver color is the invisibility of dust particles that eventually appear on any case or object. We do not know how the design of “Electropank” will be, but black cases constantly suffer from this problem, but “Silver Ice” will retain its presentable appearance much longer.
According to our measurements, the ASUS ROG Strix G17 measures 400 x 294 x 30 mm and weighs 2826 grams. Obviously, this is a desktop gaming machine, not a portable laptop for everyday use. Slimmer laptop at the front. only 26mm.
The top panel with the display can be opened with one hand, you don’t have to hold the laptop by the base. It would seem that this is a trifle, but in the end it is from such trifles that one gets the impression of the comfort of working with a laptop, and in this regard, ASUS ROG Strix G17 does not raise any questions.
The base of the ASUS ROG Strix G17 is perforated with multiple longitudinal slots to provide airflow to the cooling system. We also highlight the rubber feet on it to give the laptop stability and anti-slip.
On the front end of the laptop case there is only a small protrusion in the center, behind which it is convenient to open the panel with the display.
On the opposite side, two ventilation grilles are visible, an 8P8C network port, an HDMI 2.0b video output, a connector for a power adapter and USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C (10 Gb / s).
And if the conclusion of the first three behind the laptop is quite justified, then the placement of USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C there seems to us not very convenient, even though it is possible to implement the DisplayPort video output through it, which, logically, should be behind.
On the left side of the laptop, there are three USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports (5 Gb / s) and a combined audio jack for headphones or a microphone.
The right side is devoid of ports and connectors and contains only a ventilation grill.
Small side slots closer to the front of the laptop, which look like a slot for a card reader, actually hide the speakers. But the laptop itself does not have a card reader, unfortunately.
Here we will also highlight the traditionally high assembly quality for ASUS, the absence of backlash and squeaks, as well as pleasant-to-touch panel surfaces. Touching plastic with your hands while working with a laptop is still more comfortable than metal.
In addition to all of the above, the new ASUS ROG Strix G17 is equipped with advanced LED lighting. And we’re not just referring to the customizable keyboard backlighting discussed above.
We are talking about the backlight of the laptop case, which can also be flexibly configured through the proprietary application.
The fact is that LED strips are built into the front and sides of the ASUS ROG Strix G17 case. Aura backlighting makes your notebook the center of attention with friends or in your normal home environment. A few photos below show the maximum brightness of the backlight, and if it seems too high to someone, then don’t worry. everything is regulated and also synchronized with other devices.
In addition, when starting or entering sleep mode, the laptop winks several times with the backlight, meeting the user or saying goodbye to him. It reminded me of the adjustable delay function of turning off the headlights of the car, when he sees off his owner, highlighting his path (“Follow me home”). In general, beautiful, original and stylish. I don’t like it. everything is very easy to turn off with a couple of clicks.
Cooling system, efficiency and noise level
Since ASUS ROG Strix G17 series notebooks use very powerful components, they traditionally pay special attention to cooling. The cooling system has two separate circuits. for the central processor and for the video card. Each has a copper heat spreader, copper heat pipes, copper heatsinks with ultra-thin fins (0.1 mm) and fans.
An exclusive feature of ASUS ROG laptops is the use of the highly efficient liquid metal Thermal Grizzly [thermal conductivity 73 W / (m K)] on the processor die. The process of its automatic application is demonstrated in the following video.
Thanks to the use of such a thermal interface, the developers managed to reduce temperatures by 12 degrees Celsius, increase the CPU frequency by 100 MHz and reduce the noise level by 4%. It’s great, of course, but I still have a question: why liquid metal is used only on the central processor crystal, and an even warmer video card was forgotten for some unknown reason?
The structure is cooled by two fans, each with 83 thinnest n-Blade blades made of liquid crystal polymer, which increases their strength by 33% compared to conventional fans. Air is sucked in from the bottom of the laptop and expelled through the two rear and one side vents.
The fans have a dust-cleaning system, thanks to which the high efficiency of the laptop cooling system is maintained throughout the entire period of operation.
At the software level, laptop cooling is controlled by the Armory Crate app. It provides three preset laptop operating modes: Turbo, Performance and Silent.
When running on battery power, only Performance and Silent modes are available, but in both cases there is also a manual adjustment of all parameters.
In addition, Armory Crate has a monitoring system.
To evaluate the efficiency of cooling the central processor in the ASUS ROG Strix G17 laptop, we used the powerMAX utility, and the monitoring parameters were read and displayed by HWiNFO64. Testing conducted in an indoor temperature of approximately 25 degrees Celsius and running Windows 10 Pro x64 with the latest available drivers and updates.
The first three cycles of the ASUS ROG Strix G17 test we carried out when it was connected to the power adapter and here are the results.
In the most productive mode of the processor, Turbo, its temperature very quickly reached 96 degrees Celsius (according to the hottest core), and then. by increasing the speed of the cooler fans and simultaneously reducing the frequency. the temperature stabilized at 88-90 degrees Celsius at a frequency of 3, 6 GHz. The noise level of the notebook in this operating mode was very high. The next setting mode, Performance, tried to balance between performance and temperatures with noise, although at the beginning of the test the CPU warmed up again to 96 degrees Celsius. Further, in the course of testing, the processor temperature stabilized at 80-82 degrees Celsius at 3.4 GHz. Finally, Silent mode really lives up to its name, as it keeps the processor in load (after stabilization) within 70 degrees Celsius. The price for this is only a 2.8 GHz clock speed and, as a result, lower performance. But it is in this mode that the laptop runs quietly.
When the ASUS ROG Strix G17 is running on battery power, the laptop processor behaves completely differently. At the same time, the available Performance and Silent modes demonstrate almost the same monitoring indicators.
The processor frequency in both cases was 2.4 GHz at temperatures not exceeding 60 degrees Celsius. It is significant that when running on battery, the laptop processor was limited to 25 watts TDP, which explains the modest temperature and frequency indicators.
As for the discrete graphics card NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, we tested it with twenty consecutive cycles of the Fire Strike Extreme benchmark from the 3DMark package.
First, let’s look at the work of the laptop graphics subsystem when it is connected to the mains.
In Turbo mode, the peak value of the graphics core frequency was 1935 MHz, followed by stabilization at 1770 MHz at a temperature of 75 degrees Celsius. Performance mode again forces the laptop to balance between performance and noise level, as a result, the GPU frequency in the load stabilized at 1650 MHz, and the temperature rose to 80 degrees Celsius, but the noise level became much lower. Quiet mode brought the frequency of the graphics core to the level of 1425 MHz, stabilizing its temperature at 74 degrees Celsius and making it completely comfortable to work with a laptop. Let’s add that in all three modes the video memory frequency did not drop below 11 GHz.
It is unlikely that this will be a revelation for someone, but when a laptop is running on battery power, even such a powerful video card as NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 behaves completely differently than when operating on a power supply.
In both modes of operation, the GPU frequency fluctuated around 800 MHz, and the video memory frequency dropped to 10 GHz. All this contributed to the low temperatures, but naturally also affected the 3D performance. Just in time for evaluating the performance of ASUS ROG Strix G17 (G712LV), we will now move on.
Autonomy
The capacity of the lithium-polymer battery ASUS ROG Strix G17 is modest for its size and weight 66 Wh.
Over the course of testing the laptop, we fully charged its battery four times, and the average charge time from 3 to 99% was 1 hour and 50 minutes.
The laptop’s autonomy has been tested using several methods. In all cases, the display brightness was set at 200 cd / m 2. First, we ran three modes of the PCMark’10 test suite: Modern Office, Applications and Gaming. In the first one, which emulates the work of a laptop in office tasks and video conferencing, the battery lasted for six and a half hours.
PCMark’10 Modern Office
If the display brightness is reduced to 100 cd / m2, then by this time you can add another half hour.
In the mode of emulation of work with various applications. Applications. the laptop was able to work for 2 hours and 47 minutes. At the same time, its performance was at a high level.
But in the mode with the self-explanatory name Gaming, the battery lasted only for a little over an hour.
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 held out the same amount of time in the looped stability benchmark 3DMark Time Spy Extreme in full-screen mode. When watching Full HD video with a high bitrate, you can count on a little over seven hours of battery life, but it must be noted that in this case we used an energy efficient power setting mode, since more performance is not required from a laptop to watch videos. In general, the autonomy of the new ROG Strix G17 is at an atypically high level for gaming models, even despite the modest battery capacity and very productive components.
Review and testing of the laptop ASUS ROG Strix GL531GT
Before the advent of the Strix G laptops, the ROG line consisted only of high-end gaming laptops, which were quite expensive. And in order to attract more buyers to the ROG line in April 2019, Asus began to gradually expand it, by adding new models, and they were no longer designed for moneybags, but for moderate gamers with an average budget. The result is the new Asus ROG Strix G series of laptops, which are the same ROG Strix III laptops, but only in a budget version. In this review, we take a look at the Asus ROG Strix G GL531GT gaming laptop, which just belongs to the new Asus ROG Strix G series of laptops.
Configuration and prices
ROG Strix G laptops come in two versions: the 15-inch GL531 and the 17-inch GL731. Interestingly, at the moment there are as many as five configurations of 15 inch GL531 (GT / GU / GV / GW / GD) which differ in the installed video card: GL531GT with GeForce GTX 1650, GL531GU with GTX 1660 Ti, GL531GV with RTX 2060 and GL531GW with RTX 2070, As for the GL531GD version, most likely this version will be equipped with a GeForce GTX 1050 video card. The processor can be Intel Core i5-9300H or i7-9750H, the display can be with a refresh rate of 60 or 144 Hz. The resolution in all cases is 1920 × 1080 pixels (Full HD format). There are no options with RTX 2080 and 4K display yet. Data storage is carried out on SSD 128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB M.2 NVMe PCIE 3.0 SSD and 2.5 “SSHD 1 TB. The cost of a laptop in the GT version starts from 75 thousand rubles.
Input Devices
Keyboard with island type keys with 15×15 mm, no separate numeric keypad. Increased the height of the space, as well as the spacing between the [Esc] key and the groups of buttons [F1. F12]. At the same time, the keyboard has a reduced stroke length of the buttons and reduced the distance to the key actuation point. This increases the speed of response to player actions and increases the chances of winning the battle. The design is quite traditional for the ASUS Republic of Gamers series: RGB-backlighting with a WASD-block marked along the contour, curly [Space] button and elongated right [Ctrl]. The key travel is 2 mm. significantly more than Ultrabooks. Above the keyboard are dedicated keys for volume control, microphone mute, and laptop operating modes. There is also a separate button to launch the proprietary ROG Armory utility. The keyboard is equipped with an internal 4-pixel RGB backlighting: you can set the interleaving mode or choose a static backlight of any color. The most interesting mode is intelligent, when the color reflects the heating of the processor. On the touchpad, you can turn on the Num Lock touchpad. it is highlighted only in red. By the way, the mechanical touchpad buttons are very quiet and have a deep, easy stroke, so they are comfortable and pleasant to use.
Appearance and ergonomics
The design for the line is new with some borrowing from the Zephyrus series. The casing is made of aluminum and high-quality plastic, the build quality is excellent, the casing’s durability does not cause any complaints either. The top cover has a contrasting finish typical for this notebook series. The polished aluminum stylized texture perfectly hides fingerprints and dirt. The laptop opens only 120 degrees. For this purpose, special hinge hinges are provided that securely hold the lid and are well tightened. The bezels on three sides of the display are thin. usually this allows you to reduce the overall dimensions and weight of the model. In the closed position, the hinges are hidden inside the case, without affecting the cooling system and receiving additional protection from external damage. In general, the body of the novelty practically copies ROG Strix Scar III, but the backlighting of the ASUS ROG Strix GL531GT has fewer settings than that of the Strix Scar III, and there is also no ROG Keystone.
ASUS ROG STRIX GL553VE laptop is equipped with the most advanced ports and connectors. On the left side, there are three USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A ports. You can also see a combined 3.5 mm audio jack. On the back there is a charging port, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type C, HDMI, RJ-45 LAN, ports are located between two massive grilles for exhausting hot air. The right side is devoid of any elements, as well as the front. Despite the good technical equipment, the novelty has quite good weight (2.39 kg) and dimensions (360 x 275 x 26 mm). There is little progress when compared to past models. Of course, such solutions are mostly designed for stationary use, but if transportation is necessary, there will be no special problems. it is enough to arm yourself with an average backpack.
| Height | Weight |
| 30.0 mm | 2.51 kg |
| 26.0 mm | 2.39 kg |
| 17.3 mm | 2.00 kg |
In order to add LED illumination to the lower part of the case, the manufacturer had to complicate the design, as a result of which it is not so easy to disassemble the device. In addition to the bolts holding the bottom cover, there are now also cables from it to the motherboard, which are difficult to both disconnect and reconnect when assembling the device.
Display and sound
The screen has a diagonal of 15.6 inches, our sample has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, 120 Hz IPS Panda LM156LF matrix has the following characteristics. The maximum brightness was 290 cd / m2. The stock could be higher, but this is enough for indoor conditions, because the gaming laptop is unlikely to be used anywhere else. The contrast ratio is around 540: 1. For modern IPS varieties, this is a rather low result. The color range raised a lot of questions. The fact is that this display is claimed to display 100% of the RGB color range of the triangle. In fact, we got 60% sRGB and 39% AdobeRGB. Viewing angles are wide, but at the maximum deviation from the normal position, there is a change in color, contrast and brightness of the picture. The laptop has two speakers of 4 W each. this is a fairly high power, because usually we see 1.5. 2 W in laptop acoustics. The increased power of the built-in acoustics is felt even to the touch: the palmrest vibrates quite noticeably when playing music.
Review gaming laptop ASUS ROG Strix G G731
Appearance
ASUS ROG Strix G G731 comes in a compact box and doesn’t come with as many accessories as its more expensive siblings. The box contains a place for a documentation package and a charging block.
But in the design and in appearance, the budget of the laptop does not manifest itself in any way. unless you consider it a weak point a couple of millimeters thick. Weight. Typical for a modern gaming laptop of this size, 2.9kg.
The main panels are made of durable metal. black polished material, with a beautiful pattern-texture. It looks really great, but it also collects fingerprints very well. So if you are in favor of keeping the device clean and beautiful, you will have to periodically wipe the panels with microfiber. But on the other hand, you won’t have to worry about the strength of the structure.
In addition to the actual basic material with a pattern, there are few purely design solutions. These include, perhaps, the texture stripes on the right sidewall and at the back, but even here there is practicality: the air exchange grilles are perfectly inscribed into this texture.
They are also located on the left side and on the bottom panel. And all this creates excellent conditions for cooling the laptop. But we will talk about the thermal characteristics of ASUS ROG Strix G G731 later, separately and in more detail.
And here, in the striped pattern to the right of the keyboard, one of the laptop’s chips is inscribed. the Keystone key. This is such a small module that fits into a special compartment and looks a bit like a USB flash drive without a connector. It is used to quickly transfer profiles, RGB lighting settings and other custom settings. Whether to use it or not is up to you, as well as whether you have someone to change these settings with.
Another feature of ASUS ROG Strix G is backlighting at the junction of the bottom and side panels. Narrow but very bright LED strip that makes the entire space around the laptop glow. With the proprietary utility, you can make it bright or dim, use different glow modes and synchronize the backlight with other devices (ASUS Aura).
In addition, the ASUS ROG Strix G G731 features hinge fastening. They do not raise the display, but move it back. And here, under the screen, free space is formed.It looks somewhat unusual, but it helps to position the screen conveniently for the user.
The wide bezel at the bottom contributes to the high display position. But the rest of the bezel is extremely narrow here, so the screen looks even larger than it really is.
By the way, about the screen. It’s really good here by game standards, especially considering the price. The manufacturer did not become modest and put a panel with support for 144 Hz. The reaction speed is also at a decent level, although in general it is a normal IPS. The only thing to find fault with in terms of basic data is the Full HD resolution, for some gamers it may seem insufficient.
The screen operates at 92% sRGB color space, with a maximum brightness of 302 nits, which is enough for comfortable gaming in bright light. And the color balance is close to realistic, so if you don’t want to mess around with the settings for a long time, you won’t lose too much. However, you can also configure all the parameters, ASUS did not abandon these chips.
The workspace was also interesting. Since we have a 17-inch model, there was more than enough space here. The ASUS ROG Strix G G731 has a keyboard with a numpad, large, widely spaced buttons. except perhaps the navigation unit (arrows), which suddenly turned out to be greatly reduced.
At the same time, the WASD block is additionally highlighted. not only textured, but also in color, they are made transparent, so that they better transmit light from the diodes and you will definitely not miss them.
The rest of the buttons are illuminated only at the edges. by themselves, they do not transmit light, as well as application to them. This solution for ASUS ROG looks somewhat unusual. But during testing, we never had problems with lighting, so we still cannot attribute this to significant shortcomings.
As for additional advantages, the ASUS ROG Strix G keyboard has an additional row of multimedia and function buttons, which gives quick access to settings in the ROG Center, allows you to increase the cooling of the laptop, adjust the volume and mute the microphone. In general, this is an excellent set that allows you to choose a gaming headset without resting on the presence of a control unit on it.
The power button is also located separately, and this is another plus. you definitely will not press it accidentally, and you will not disrupt an important battle for yourself.
Another thing worth mentioning is the access ports. Unlike most laptops, they are located not only on the sides, but also on the back. Here the manufacturer brought out an RJ-45 network port, HDMI 2.0 connectors, USB Type-C 3.1 (Gen. 2) with DisplayPort support and a power connector.
The right panel is occupied only by the already mentioned keyston, cooling grill and speaker.
The second speaker, respectively, is located on the left panel (symmetrically), right there is an audio connector (one combined), as well as three USB Type-C 3.1 (Gen. 2).
Performance
Running a little ahead of ourselves, let’s say right away that in terms of power, ASUS ROG Strix G G731 did not disappoint. It has a top-end Intel Core i7-9750H processor, running at 2.6 Hz, up to 16 GB of RAM and a GTX 1660 Ti, RTX 2060 RTX 2070 video card.We got a modification with 16 GB of RAM and GeForce GTX 1660 graphics for testing Ti.
Display
ASUS ROG Strix SCAR III is equipped with a 15.6-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels, a refresh rate of 240 Hz and a response speed of 3 ms. This is one of the best displays you’ll find in a gaming laptop. First, it’s worth starting with the fact that it is reasonably well calibrated to display slightly more than 100% of the sRGB color space with a slight bias towards green, a color temperature of 7000K, a gamma of 2.2 and even backlighting.
Secondly, the productive platform allows in a number of games, for example, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, to get more than 200 frames per second and, accordingly, the refresh rate of 240 Hz comes in handy here, allowing you to increase the player’s reaction speed, which in the same CS: GO very important.
Keyboard and touchpad
ASUS ROG Strix SCAR III features an AURA RGB island-style keyboard with independent press feedback. Its buttons are pressed with a well-felt stroke and allow you to comfortably type large amounts of text. The traditional gaming WASD keys on the keyboard are not highlighted in any way, but this can be done using the backlight.
The keyboard layout is slightly different from previous generations of SCAR, in the new model the cursor control arrows are highlighted in a separate block, due to which the right Ctrl button has become smaller. But this does not affect the convenience of work. I will also note the separate keys for controlling sound, mute the microphone, operating mode of the cooling system and calling the Armory Crate utility.
The 15.6-inch version of the laptop does not have an additional number pad on the keyboard, so for those who need to work a lot with numbers, ASUS decided to put it on the touchpad. The company has already used a similar solution in ZenBook models, and here it works the same way. In the upper right corner of the touchpad, the NumLk zone is highlighted, clicking on which numbers appear on it. over, if you do not press them, but simply move your finger across the touchpad, then its connection with the cursor on the screen is not lost.
The touchpad in the ROG Strix SCAR III itself is medium in size, but with very accurate recognition of finger positioning, which allows you to work comfortably with laptops without a mouse. In addition, the touchpad supports standard Windows gestures.
NFC Keystone
One of the main features of the ROG Strix SCAR III is a small NFC Keystone keyfob that fits into a special connector to the right of the keyboard.
ASUS conceived this device as a key that should be used to quickly switch laptops to user settings. That is, you first need to configure a specific profile for yourself, which includes the type of backlighting, the intensity of the cooling and the overall system performance. This can be convenient if the laptop is used by several people, but one keychain is included and it turns out that the second one needs to be bought separately. And in general, such a use case can hardly be called realistic, it is easier to create separate accounts for different users in the system, where there will be not only different settings, but also different files.
It looks more reasonable to use Keystone to create a hidden Shadow Drive partition on the disk, which will be visible only if the key is present. However, this can also be solved programmatically.
The NFC keychain itself is very easy to remove from the case and there is a chance of losing it.
Connectors
Although the ROG Strix SCAR III has enough room for more connectors, ASUS has limited the number of connectors for the sake of design. However, all the ports necessary for the user are in the laptop.
On the left side there is a 3.5 mm headphone jack and three USB 3.2 (Gen1) ports.
Gigabit Ethernet (RJ45 LAN), HDMI 2.0b, as well as one USB Type-C 3.2 (Gen2) with support for connecting monitors are placed on the back.
Here I would like to see at least one more USB 3.2 port, as well as USB Type-C with Thunderbolt.
The development of the gaming device market has led to its gradual fragmentation, so today buyers have a very wide choice: from budget to models for demanding gamers. The laptop for the latter category of users will be discussed in today’s review. ASUS ROG Strix SCAR III was designed for those who are looking for high performance in games, but are not ready to put up with large dimensions. Let’s see how this model fits into its positioning.
Platform and performance
There are several configurations of ASUS ROG Strix SCAR III, but the most productive one got to the test. It includes a 14nm, 8-core Intel Core i9-9880H processor with 16MB cache and a 2.3GHz base clock that can be increased to 4.8GHz with Turbo Boost. In addition, the laptop uses 32 GB of DDR4-2666 RAM, 1 TB SSD M.2 PCI-E, as well as a discrete NVIDIA GeForce GTX 2070 graphics card with 8 GB of memory. Wireless options include Intel 802.11ac (2×2) dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0.
Thanks to this equipment, the performance of the ROG Strix SCAR III is at a high level. PCMark 10 scores 5,566, higher than the average for 4K gaming computers.
The bundled SSD delivers 1,697 MB / s read and 1,717 MB / s write, which is a very good figure.
The ASUS ROG Strix SCAR III has integrated Intel HD Graphics 630 that the laptop can switch to when running on battery power. But for games a discrete solution is used. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 2070 with 8 GB of memory.
This video card performs well both in 3DMark tests and in the games themselves.
At maximum graphics settings in Anthem, it provides FPS from 55 and above, in Assassins Creed Origins from 70 FPS and above.
You can monitor system load and change performance settings through the Armory Crate app, which is included in the standard laptop software.
In general, the performance of the ROG Strix SCAR III is well enough for any task, including demanding games.
Review of gaming laptop ASUS ROG Strix SCAR III G531GW. Multimedia
In addition to the 3.5 jack for wired headphones and Bluetooth 5.0 for connecting wireless models, the ROG Strix SCAR III has two external 4W speakers. They sound quite loud, although it is better to use headphones when playing.
Interestingly, the laptop does not have a webcam, although it could fit in the upper display frame, but the manufacturer decided not to use it.
Design
The appearance of the ROG Strix SCAR III was developed by ASUS together with the BMW Designworks Group, so on the one hand, it retained a certain continuity with the previous models of the line, but on the other, it was noticeably updated. At the same time, in the design of the novelty, you can still find the same SCAR (translated from English “scar”), which visually divides the body into two parts. On the metal cover of the display unit, it is visible due to the different direction of the polishing lines.
It also houses a large, illuminated ROG logo.
The inner part of the case uses the same technique, the area around the keyboard is visually divided into two parts by analogy with the display lid, but instead of metal, plastic stylized as carbon is used.
The screen itself is held on two hinges that hide inside the case.
At the same time, the lid of the display unit is smaller than the main part of the case, so there is still room behind it for intake of air from the cooling system, which enters the laptop through a stepped ventilation grill.
The side and top bezels around the ROG Strix SCAR III screen are quite thin, while the bottom bezel is rather large and is shaped like the space bar on the keyboard. I would not say that this somehow greatly changes her perception, but at least visually makes the frame smaller.
The dimensions of the laptop case are 360x275x24.9 mm, with a weight of 2.57 kg. Today, there are thinner and lighter 15.6-inch models on sale, but for a high-performance gaming device, the ROG Strix SCAR III turns out to be compact enough to take with you, for example, to the office.
Like all gaming laptops, ROG Strix SCAR III features RGB LED lighting that plays a big role in the design.
ASUS uses its proprietary AURA Sync utility for its work, which allows you to control the light, as well as synchronize it with games. At the same time, I can note that manufacturers often abuse the number of LEDs in gaming laptops, believing that the more backlighting, the better.
In this regard, the ROG Strix SCAR III looks rather restrained, of the luminous elements on the laptop case, there is only a logo on the display unit cover and a strip that runs along the side and front edges. In addition, each button on the keyboard is equipped with separate RGB LEDs, the colors of which can be changed through the same AURA Sync utility.
In general, the appearance of the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR III is easy to guess belonging to a gaming laptop, but the design does not try to hint at this in every design detail, which will undoubtedly appeal to those who are tired of fanciful gaming models.
