The mini-LED display is the main difference from last year’s Strix Scar 18 model. Both can be upgraded to an RTX 4090, and both have 32GB of DDR5 RAM (although the 2024 model is a bit faster). The 2024 model comes with a slightly newer 14th generation Intel Core i9-14900HX processor. Considering the specs alone, you might be tempted to suggest looking for last year’s model on sale, but the mini LED display with local dimming is a very nice upgrade and really sets the new machine apart. Masu.
powerful engine
It’s hard to find a more clever gaming laptop, and the ROG Strix Scar 18 performs like a beast. The Intel Core i9-14900HX is one of the best laptop processors for gaming with its raw power, and the Nvidia RTX 4090 laptop GPU packs a punch.
in star field, Even in high-density, low-optimization areas like New Atlantis, it consistently hit 60 fps, and regularly hovered around 80-90 fps in less demanding areas. cyberpunk 2077 During combat, you can achieve an even more impressive 90 fps. overwatch 2This team-based online shooter was designed to be less graphically demanding, maintaining close to 240 fps even during wild and chaotic team battles.
All when the laptop is connected to the charger. Raw power is not just a metaphor. The harder you push the GPU, the more power it requires and the more heat it generates.Even if you start a game like star field or cyberpunk 2077 The laptop’s fan whirred to life. When I placed the machine on my lap, it felt immediately warm to the touch, but not overly hot. We recommend using a hard-surfaced lap desk to keep your laptop off your legs and maintain airflow.
However, if it’s not connected to a charger, performance will suffer (understandably). star field and cyber punk It was closer to 60-90 fps and still quite playable. However, games that require high frame rates for competitive play, such as: overwatch 2, was a little more challenging. I kept the frame rate as low as possible, down to 60 fps with a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080. This is more than enough resolution for most other games. Still, it was too inconsistent to play my usual hero, and I only got through a couple of games before I thought the battery was low enough that I couldn’t make it through the next match.
This is common for gaming laptops with this much power. Asus says the ROG Strix Scar 18’s battery life is about 5.6 hours for normal work, and for gaming. many More powerful than Slack or Excel. Given how powerful the processor and GPU are, you should expect to only do heavy gaming near an electrical outlet. If you want to play light games such as stardew valleythis machine is overkill and can meet those needs for a few thousand dollars less.
LED overload
There are some small issues that are a waste if not addressed. Asus hasn’t given up on his edgy gamer aesthetic yet, and it shows with his excessive amount of RGB LEDs. All keys on the keyboard have regular LEDs, which is fine. Additionally, there is a strip of LEDs wrapped around the front edge of the laptop, a second strip on the back just behind the screen hinge, and an LED backlight inside the logo. behind the screen. When connected and charging but not in use, the LED will flash red every few seconds. It was distracting and annoying.
Microsoft has also (for now) made it a bit tricky to figure out how to turn off lighting effects. Normally, controlling the built-in LEDs required fiddling with each company’s proprietary RGB LED controller app. Microsoft recently added tools to control lighting directly into Windows, making life easier for consumers and manufacturers. As manufacturers add support for new tools, the dynamic lighting feature should help make things a little more consistent.
However, until that happens, things are going to get a little worse. The Asus Armory Crate app has a tab for Aura Sync (Asus’ own lighting controller system) and a link that takes you to the Windows Settings app. However, some features, such as the sleep mode LED, are still controlled by the Armory Crate app. different section. It took me some time to find the right toggle and get it working the way I wanted.
The Asus Strix Scar 18 is an amazing gaming laptop that packs a truckload of power, with a price to match and a large frame. If you already have a gaming laptop with something better than an RTX 2080 (or equivalent), there’s no need to upgrade to this unless you start playing more demanding games. However, if you’re looking for a gaming laptop with a screen as sharp as most TVs, plenty of ports to connect to external hardware, and a gaming laptop that will last for years without feeling outdated, look no further than ROG. Strix Scar 18 is the best choice. worth it.
