Asus ROG Strix G18 review: Tremendously powerful and luxuriously big

Price When Reviewed

3899.99

Best Prices Today: Asus ROG Strix G18

The Asus Strix G18 is really a gaming powerhouse able to chart-topping efficiency due to its Intel Core i9-13980HX processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 sequence GPU, but additionally because of an modern design that enhances airflow and cooling. Additionally, with its big, attractive 18-inch, QHD+ 240Hz show, this laptop computer is the closest factor we’ve seen to a real desktop alternative to this point. Read on to search out out simply why that’s.

Looking for extra gaming laptop computer choices? Check out our roundup of the best gaming laptops out there proper now.

Asus ROG Strix G18: Specifications

All configurations of the Asus ROG Strix G18 have the identical Core i9-13980HX processor, with variations among the many fashions consisting of their various RTX 40 Series GPUs or different {hardware} parts.

Price-wise, all Strix G18 fashions value a fairly penny, however when put next in opposition to premium laptops of an identical ilk they’re truly pretty aggressive. My laptop computer value $3899.99 and, on the time of scripting this assessment, was out of inventory at Asus’ on-line retailer, however you should purchase an Asus Strix G18 with RTX 4080 GPU at Best Buy for a extra affordable $2,499.99 USD.

By comparability, Razer’s latest Blade 18, with the identical chipset paring as our assessment unit value $4,999.99 and MSI’s Titan GT77 HX 13V, but once more with the identical chipset, is dearer nonetheless with a MSRP of $5,299.99. The specs of our unit are as follows:

• CPU: Intel Core i9-13980HX
• RAM: 32GB DDR 5 / 4800 MHz
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090
• Display: 18-inch, QHD+ (2560 x 1600), 16:10 facet ratio, IPS-level, 240 Hz refresh fee, DCI-P3 100 %, G-Sync, Advanced Optimus
• Storage: 1TB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe stable state drive
• Ports: 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (helps DisplayPort, energy supply), Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), HDMI 2.1, 3.5 mm combo audio port
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 ax), Bluetooth 5.3
• Dimensions: 15.71 x 11.57 x 0.91 inches
• Weight: 6.61 lbs (3kg)
• Battery: 90WHrs
• Price: $3,899.99

Asus ROG Strix G18: Design and construct

The G18 is unashamedly a laptop computer for severe players–as its big measurement and lavish characteristic set attests to. Measuring 15.71 x 11.57 x 0.91 inches, it’s not as skinny and compact as its close to rival the Razer Blade 18 and it received’t slot in any of my laptop computer luggage, however then once more, just a few millimeters every method in a gaming laptop computer does have its benefits.

For one, viewing the G18’s 18-inch QHD+ show, which by the way sports activities a powerful 89 % screen-to-body and 16:10 facet ratio, and thinner bezels than most 17-inch laptops, was a tantalizing expertise. For me it felt like I used to be gaming on a flashier, blinged-out Smart TV–one thing I by no means thought I’d see myself write in a laptop computer assessment.

What’s extra, the G18’s massive proportions make it attainable to host its highly effective new 13-gen Intel and RTX 40 Series {hardware}–in an effort to truly get near-to-desktop efficiency. To that finish, the G18’s motherboard and chassis have been designed from the bottom up for extra environment friendly cooling, together with the addition of a full-width three part heatsink. A 3rd consumption fan was additionally added to permit for higher sustained efficiency over lengthy gaming classes–one thing you would solely do in in chassis this massive.

All these adjustments from the G18’s predecessors, the Strix/Scar 17 fashions thought-about, and also you’d count on this laptop computer to have an additional 1.5lbs weight on it, however one way or the other it weighs simply 6.61lbs. It’s baffling how Asus did this, however I’m not complaining if it means I can proceed to sport like I’m on a desktop and easily pack the laptop computer down like a ebook afterwards.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

But the Strix G18 is greater than only a massive and highly effective laptop computer; it additionally options lavish styling that appeals deeply to my gamer psyche. Some of the acquainted options that return from final 12 months look implausible with contemporary touches; options just like the sharp edges and laser polished floor with anti-fingerprint coating. The iconic ROG brand additionally seems once more on the highest lid, nonetheless the lower line that we noticed final 12 months has very aptly been modified to a black one for a extra discrete look.

On the bottom of the chassis and across the keyboard, there are many fascinating options to admire, too. From customizable magnetic armor caps alongside the again to semi-translucent casings that give it a particular cyberpunk look, Asus has seemingly spared no expense to actually impress us on the fashion entrance.

There’s loads of flashy RGB shade accents across the G18 too, to actually bedazzle us. Notwithstanding the Aura Sync per-key lit keyboard, which seems massive and sensible and flashes when not in use, you’ll additionally discover colourful RGB mild bars on each the front and back of the chassis.

These have been propped up with further LEDs within the new mannequin to emit an much more wondrous glow–however you would possibly need to flip them off throughout hardcore gaming classes for those who want absolute focus.

Asus ROG Strix G18: Keyboard and trackpad

Apart from wanting implausible, the keyboard sports activities a beneficiant format, together with a spacious full-sized numpad and full-sized arrow keys. It additionally has a smattering of devoted sizzling keys that can require a little bit of a studying curve to recollect all of them at first, however after some time they’ll actually velocity up how shortly you possibly can entry your important instructions.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

The keys really feel a lot lighter and bouncier than I discovered within the Asus TUF A16 Advantage Edition, so are good and comfortable for lengthy typing stints. The trackpad by comparability feels easy, however a small nit-pick is that it requires a bit an excessive amount of stress to register clicks. That’s high-quality for mild utilization, however I did develop an odd throbbing ache in my index finger after a complete day’s clicking, so utilizing a mouse goes to be preferable to keep away from an identical consequence for me sooner or later.

Asus ROG Strix G18: Connectivity and audio

Gamers and creators are going to search out the I/O choices a lot to their liking, with each USB port sorts out there and sufficient slots to plug in 4 gadgets. The addition of a Thunderbolt 4 port is a pleasant contact too meaning players can switch massive sport information shortly at a velocity of as much as 40Gbs (gigabits per second), as an alternative of sitting round and ready for his or her video games to obtain on Steam.

For displaying video or video games the G18 additionally provides you a number of choices; the Thunderbolt 4 port for one lets you stream video to both 2 x 4K shows or a single 8K show at a refresh fee of 60Hz, or you may also use the laptop computer’s HDMI 2.1 show port for those who don’t need to tie down a USB-C.

In regards to the sound, the standard is middling for a laptop computer of this measurement with the ends of the tonal vary, each highs and lows, sounding a bit hole. That stated, in most video games and movies the two-speaker system can nonetheless muster a reasonably first rate cinematic expertise, and it does have Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res audio assist which provides a richness and aptitude to motion pictures and video games.

Asus ROG Strix G18: Display and webcam

The G18 I examined had an 18-inch QHD+ (2560×1600) ROG Nebula panel with 100% DCI-P3 and sRGB shade gamut protection and a 240 Hz refresh fee. It additionally got here with Adaptive-Sync and Dolby Vision.

I’ve already raved on in regards to the 18-inch panel’s beneficiant measurement, however except for that it additionally delivers attractive colours and crisp pictures. That stated, being a traditional IPS-level LCD panel, it does have one apparent limitation, in that it lacks some depth of distinction in darker pictures, that if it have been an OLED panel, it in all probability would have had.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Consequently, some darker scenes in video games present up a bit murky. However, the panel’s excessive peak brightness of 489 nits (as measured by my LUX meter) does make it very easy to see in vivid or sun-soaked environments and it additionally brings out the perfect in video games which have extra vivid colours.

The panel’s 240 refresh fee, nonetheless, is a welcome characteristic that proved a gem. It did a spectacular job of retaining body charges ticking over, and to me the G18’s movement appeared buttery easy with little to no tearing or micro stuttering.

While it’s good to see a webcam, the truth that it’s a low-res 720p one as an alternative of a 1080p digital camera appears a bit incongruent with the laptop computer’s premium worth level. As anticipated, the low-resolution image it produced was a bit underwhelming at instances. It offered satisfactory, however not nice efficiency, with some imagery typically showing hazy.

Asus ROG Strix G18: CPU efficiency

My G18 got here with a few of the strongest efficiency {hardware} you will get today–particularly an Intel Core i9-13980HX CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 GPU. And, as you’ll see in our benchmarking, they made a very sensational pairing.

But simply by itself the G18’s CPU is spectacular sufficient. It encompasses a whopping 24 cores and 32 threads. Intel’s personal benchmarking outcomes have proven this chip to be extraordinarily fast, demonstrating clock speeds of 5.6 GHz for its Performance cores (P-cores), and 4 GHz for its Efficient cores (E-cores).

Because of all that energy, I pulled out PCWorld’s very high performing laptops of 2022 and 2023 for CPU comparisons. The line-up for this conflict of the titans included the MSI Titan GT77, which options the identical CPU as our assessment unit, and the Razer Blade 17, which sports activities an Intel 12th-gen Core i7-12700H CPU.

First up in my testing schedule, I ran Maxon Cinebench’s Single-Threaded benchmark. As you possibly can see within the outcomes under, the G18 confirmed glorious single core efficiency, main the pack in our comparability charts. This consequence suggests the G18 has dollops of energy for working easy applications like workplace apps, or browsers.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Still in Cinebench, I ran the Multi-Threaded benchmark which checks all of the cores of a laptop computer’s CPU. Once once more, the G18’s Core i9-13980HX displayed essentially the most spectacular efficiency amongst our comparability group. On common it was about 15-30 % faster than laptops with midrange 12th-generation Intel chips, but it surely additionally outclassed the MSI Titan GT77, which options the identical Intel 13th-gen i9 processor.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

With such a consequence, you possibly can thereby additionally count on distinctive efficiency for high-end gaming and for different CPU-intensive duties like video enhancing or encoding.

Last however not least, I accomplished the HandBrake 0.9.9 take a look at – a form of dash to the end line which permits us to gauge a laptop computer’s capacity to manage thermals earlier than it will get too sizzling and must throttle efficiency.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

In this take a look at the G18 completed first in a really fast time of simply 590 seconds, thereby proving it will possibly preserve cool and energy on, even when different laptops fall by the wayside. It’s additionally testomony to the G18’s modern design that appears to fairly effectively handle its thermal load.

Asus ROG Strix G18: Gaming efficiency

The Strix G18 is the primary laptop computer that includes Nvidia’s new RTX 40 Series GPUs that I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing and what a spot to start out! The RTX 4090 is essentially the most high-end cellular GPU Nvidia presently has out there. This video card is constructed with ultra-efficient Ada Lovelace Architecture and consists of new cores and AI applied sciences that mixed, ship greater base and top-line efficiency than Nvidia RTX 30 Series playing cards.

To quote my PCWorld colleagues Gordon Mah Ung and Alania Yee, “RTX 4090 for laptops is absolutely ferocious”–which nearly sums up the Strix G18’s GPU efficiency within the following graphics benchmark outcomes under.

The first take a look at I ran was the 3DMark Time Spy benchmark, which supplies a tough indication of the G18’s suitability for quite a lot of duties that require graphics processing. As the consequence reveals, the G18’s efficiency was comparable with the MSI GT77, in that it’s completely primed for essentially the most graphically demanding duties you possibly can throw at it–be that AAA video games or one thing else a content material creator would possibly run on it.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Next, we transfer on to the primary of our gaming benchmarks for Rise of the Tomb Raider. Here, the Strix G18 clocked a mean body fee rating of 209 frames-per-second. This not solely tops our checklist of comparisons, it additionally tops our PCWorld charts because the quickest rating to this point–an exceptionally high-quality consequence that’s going to be exhausting to beat in 2023.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

The outcomes for our subsequent gaming benchmark for Shadow of the Tomb Raider have been actually no completely different. In truth, the G18 clocked a mean body fee of 209 frames-per-second but once more, thus as soon as once more securing first place within the checklist of comparability gaming laptops.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Overall, these benchmark outcomes are very encouraging. Not solely do they reinforce the prevalence of the Nvidia’s new RTX 4090 video card over numerous older GPUs and therefore the G18’s suitability for essentially the most graphically demanding video games, in addition they recommend the G18 can simply as effectively deal with creator-focused graphics duties with gusto.

Consequently, for the reason that G18’s show can be Pantone Certified, we are able to surmise that it might additionally make a high-quality selection for content material creators wanting a laptop computer that performs each powerfully and precisely, that they’ll use in both the house or workplace.

Asus ROG Strix G18: Battery efficiency

Considering this laptop computer’s massive 90WHr battery, environment friendly new technology {hardware} and Advanced Optimus expertise that may change off the discrete GPU to save lots of energy, I had excessive hopes for a protracted battery life within the Strix G18.

Regrettably, although, it lasted simply shy of seven hours in our light-weight 4K video rundown take a look at. For that motive, for those who’re not close to an outlet you possibly can count on roughly 4 hours gaming time unplugged, as a result of greater energy drain you’ll get while gaming.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

If that’s a deal breaker, then maybe it is best to take a look at the Asus Gaming A16 Advantage Edition as an alternative. This 16-inch laptop computer lasted a whopping 11 and a half hours once we ran the identical take a look at on it–which is really a powerful consequence.

Asus ROG Strix G18: Should you purchase it?

The Asus Strix G18 is a top-notch gaming laptop computer, there’s no denying that. While it does have just a few drawbacks, particularly its common battery life and steep worth, the G18 is stacked with a lot energy to be thought-about a prized possession in any gamer’s family. Put merely, for those who’re after a desktop alternative with the easiest efficiency on provide and you’ll afford to purchase one, you completely ought to.