I reviewed the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2024) virtually a yr in the past, and I got here away pretty impressed. It was a giant ol’ slab of a gaming laptop computer, although, and I could not shake the sensation that it was a bit old school.
Having spent a while dealing with the brand new mannequin, that appears to have modified. Not the scale and weight half, nevertheless—to any noticeable diploma, at the least. 18-inch mega-spec laptops proceed to be hefty slices of {hardware}, so do not go considering that the brand new Strix Scar 18 is mild sufficient to hold round with you all day—except you are constructed like Schwarzenegger, after all.
And internally it is nonetheless obtained a mighty array of elements, this time refreshed for the brand new era. That means an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX 24-core CPU and as much as an RTX 5090 GPU—with a 175 W max TGP.
Phew. I’ll put it on file now that I’m ready to eat my hat if this factor is not stonkingly loud at full whack. Just just like the previous mannequin, though to be honest to it, it was nonetheless a lot quieter than the MSI Titan 18 HX A14V.
Anyway, the insides might have had a refresh, nevertheless it’s the outer shell that basically impressed me after I noticed it for myself.
The Strix Scar 18 now feels glossy, and that makes all of the distinction. The keyboard sits flat to the highest of the inside deck, with no dent within the chassis to accommodate it. The end seems to be and feels considerably satin, and appears remarkably proof against fingerprints—a bug bear of mine on virtually all gaming laptops.
Gone is the gaudy underside entrance mild bar, changed with an all-round RGB strip that appears way more nightclub than county honest. The outer lid now options an AniMe Vision (yep, that is right) show making use of 810 LEDs to play animations on the surface. Why you’d need to is a bit past me, nevertheless it’s fairly the impact in particular person.
Overall, this laptop computer now seems to be and feels particular, though I suppose on condition that Asus has this beast down for a $3,300 MSRP, it darn properly higher be.
Image 1 of 2
Still, as our Jacob Ridley identified, it is even obtained a tool-less improve system that makes an entire lot of sense, too. It seems to be like Asus has actually spent a while giving the Strix Scar 18 an intensive going over, and I am unable to wait to check one for myself.
Big, bruising laptops won’t be essentially the most sensible of machines, however when you ask me, this one’s now obtained a desirability issue that merely can’t be ignored.
