Asus dialled it up to 11 last night with its ROG lineup reveal, ranging from buttery smooth 360Hz laptop displays to small eGPUs (external graphics processors). At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) last night, Asus showed that a laptop with this combination can easily perform at 360 frames per second (fps).
ROG laptops have become a staple for about a quarter of gaming laptop users. This is a huge slice of the market just for ROG laptops, considering Asus also has The Ultimate Force (TUF) budget gaming laptops in the same segment.
The overall improvements have been shown in panel technology and performance efficiency: that games look better, even when the laptops are running on battery. Every display, apart from the 60Hz model, is 100% DCI-P3 and Pantone validated for the ROG Zephyrus models. This enables gamers to see games as the developers intended them to be seen. This also leans towards another aspect of most gaming PCs: graphic art.
This becomes even clearer with a GPU switch that comes with nearly every ROG model. It switches from integrated graphics to dedicated graphics only when necessary, making it one of the most aggressive graphics switching technologies on the market. This translates to longer battery life for day-to-day tasks like web browsing and light image editing.
Asus has become the laptop cooling king for the last few years and continued to show its innovation by implementing liquid metal thermal cooling in every ROG model. According to Asus, the systems will now run between 10° and 16° C cooler than their predecessor, depending on the program that’s running. The fan technology in the new laptops is quieter at higher speeds, thanks to the Asus Arcflow design that implements more blades. For longevity, the fans are also self-cleaning, so they won’t be clogged with dust.
Read more on the next page about the devices that were launched at the event.
The following devices were launched at CES yesterday:
Top of the line: Strix Scar 15 and 17
The Strix Scar 15 and 17 now have a cyberpunk-inspired design with specs aimed at esports enthusiasts. The diagonal size has decreased from the last generation by 7% on the Scar 15, thanks to the slimmer 4mm bezels on the device. The draw of this device is its screen: which is either WQHD 165Hz or FHD 360Hz panels – both with 3ms response time and adaptive sync. The computer’s top spec is the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX processor with Nvidia RTX 3070 graphics. With this version, users can easily reach over 300 fps in games.
Casual gamer’s choice: Strix G15 and 17
The new Strix G15 and G17 have a similar design language as the Scar’s cyberpunk colour scheme, but are also available in Original Black or Eclipse Gray. The G series laptops are aimed at casual gamers who want performance. That said, users can spec these laptops with either a FHD 300Hz panel or a higher resolution 165Hz WQHD one. The computer’s top-spec is also the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX processor with Nvidia RTX 3070 graphics.
Dual-Screen comes to gaming: Zephyrus Duo special edition
We’ve raved about Asus’s ZenBook Duo and now gamers get a chance to experience dual screens for themselves. This laptop is likely aimed at shoutcasters or live streamers, because its dual screens allow for content to be displayed in full on the main screen while other tools can sit on the lower second screen. Asus has also created custom touchscreen dials, which can help graphic artists mix colours, video editors scrub through video, and lighting designers get their lights to the exact brightness. The main screens come in two options: 4K 120Hz or FHD 300Hz – both up to 100% Adobe RGB.
Adding extra power: New ROG XG Mobile eGPU
eGPUs are known for being massive processing devices that give desktop performance to laptops. Now they can be a lot more portable than before. The ROG XG Mobile eGPU is 29mm thick and weighs a mere 1kg. It’s powered by a 280W built-in power adapter and is configured to run on 8 PCIe Gen3 lanes over Thunderbolt. While this eGPU is supposed to pair well with Asus machines, it will be suitable for any Thunderbolt 3 or 4 machine that needs power.