ASUS ROG Strix G16 Overview: Balanced Efficiency Meets Gaming Worth

Discover The ASUS ROG Strix G16 @ Amazon

Proper from the highest line, we’re taking a look at one thing particular. That is the second laptop computer we have ever examined with a Ryzen 9 9955HX3D inside. The 9955HX3D is in fact AMD’s premier laptop computer gaming CPU, which is partly as a result of it is actually only a Ryzen 9 9950X3D on a BGA interposer. It sports activities the identical sixteen desktop-class Zen 5 CPU cores cut up into two CCDs, one in all which is residence to a 3D V-Cache chiplet beneath for a whopping 96 MB of L3 cache out there to these CPU cores. The opposite CCD “solely” has the usual 32MB, nevertheless it clocks a bit greater consequently.

That is additionally the very first laptop computer we’re testing with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop computer inside. Primarily based on the specs, we are able to say that that is similar to the desktop GeForce RTX 5070, albeit with two fewer Streaming Multiprocessors (SMs) and a significantly decrease TDP. The place the desktop GeForce RTX 5070 comes with a 250W TDP, the laptop computer model slims down to simply 115W, plus the 25W it might probably get from Dynamic Increase, the place the system borrows unused TGP from the CPU to use to the GPU when out there.

We’ll cowl the remainder of the {hardware} throughout our benchmarks on the following couple of pages, or throughout our walk-around beneath. With out additional ado, let’s get into that.

ASUS ROG Strix G16 Design and Options

The place the final gaming laptop computer we checked out, the HP Omen Max, had a comparatively restrained look, the ROG Strix G16 is not shy about what it’s. That’s to say that anybody taking a look at your laptop computer goes to instantly know it is a gaming machine via and thru. Whether or not or not that is a fault is dependent upon how you are feeling about being often known as a gamer. For our half, we fairly just like the aesthetics.

The system has an uncommon hinge design that we like fairly much more than the same old heart hinge you get on gaming laptops. It provides room in the back of the system for a thicker portion that enables for 3 indicator lights (energy, battery, disk entry) proper in your area of view, and it additionally permits the machine to have front-firing audio system. The audio on this method is loud and crisp as nicely; we have been more than happy.

The display is an ASUS ROG Nebula IPS-type LCD that helps a 240-Hz refresh charge, G-SYNC, and a measured 450 nits peak brightness. The 16″ display has a local QHD+ decision, or 2560×1600. The display provides vibrant colours and quick response time, however you are going to need to max out the brightness to make use of in a well-lit room, which is to say that it is not notably shiny, and consequently the distinction is not notably wonderful, both. Total, a reliable show with strong efficiency for aggressive video games, nevertheless it’s not going to blow you away when you’re a creator.

The keyboard on the Strix G16 doesn’t include a bodily numeric keypad, which we discovered disappointing for about ten seconds earlier than noticing the sticker caught on the trackpad, seen above. If you press the printed “NUMLK” space on the trackpad for one second, the numeric keypad inputs gentle up, as seen beneath. Utilizing the numeric keypad this fashion is slightly clumsy due to the place it is positioned, nevertheless it’s a rattling sight higher than not having one in any respect.

For players taking part in video games that make use of these inputs, like GTA On-line, the digital numpad could be fairly helpful. Significantly when taking part in with an exterior mouse, this numeric keypad characteristic is simply superior.

As for the keyboard itself, it is completely advantageous. We just like the media keys over on the appropriate facet, however might need most popular the modifying block to be there as a substitute of on the Fn layer, just because video games can bind capabilities to the modifying block and to not media keys. We even have the identical complaints with the M1 to M5 keys within the prime that we had on the Strix Scar 18, the place one of many keys simply duplicates performance that is actually on a diagonally adjoining key. Fortuitously, you may rebind this within the ASUS software program.

A lot of the ports are on the left facet of the system, together with the barrel plug for the 280W DC energy adapter, the RJ-45 Ethernet jack, the HDMI port, the twin USB4 ports, and the three.5mm combo audio jack. Over on the appropriate facet, there is a pair of USB Sort-A ports, which is surprisingly sensible on the a part of ASUS; it is on the appropriate facet the place most players will need to plug in a mouse and maybe a gamepad. Superb port placement in our opinion.

There’s not a lot to see on the again of the system, as the whole rear is taken up by exhaust vents for the cooling equipment. There are further cooling vents on the perimeters, too. ASUS actually wasn’t taking part in round when designing the cooling {hardware} for this method. We do just like the “For These Who Dare” accent on the left facet, though it actually does not diminish the “gamer-y” aesthetic of the system.

Whilst you’re inspecting these pictures, take an in depth take a look at the weird form of the underside of the machine…

Flipping over the Strix G16, we see a remarkably embellished underside. It is a quizzical aesthetic option to put this a lot effort into adorning the underside of the laptop computer, however we sort of prefer it. That unusual “18.15.7” quantity has appeared on ROG {hardware} earlier than; it spells out “R.O.G.” when you convert the numbers to their alphabet place.

We positively do not like what a ache it’s to get into this laptop computer, although, particularly after how straightforward it was on the ROG Strix Scar 18. No easy pull-latches right here; it’s a must to unscrew at least 11 screws (one in all which is a captive screw) to get into the factor. Even after you unscrew all these screws, you continue to need to pop quite a few clips across the edges of the chassis. It is not an enormous drawback for an skilled tech, nevertheless it does really feel extreme, notably (as soon as once more) compared to the Strix Scar 18.

As soon as you’ve got obtained the underside casing off—which is completely plastic, by the best way—you are uncovered to the system’s innards. Over on the appropriate, you may see the PCIe 5.0 x4 slot for the first SSD—not that this machine ships with a PCIe 5.0 SSD—and on the left, the second M.2 socket which is empty. Within the heart is the DDR5 reminiscence beneath an EM protect, and working alongside the underside is the 90-Whr battery.

Altogether, the Strix G16 is a bit lighter than the HP Omen Max, but in addition misses a few of that system’s premium really feel because of the plastic backside and grey (slightly than black) colour scheme. That is smart given the almost 100% disparity in worth, although. Let’s check out the put in software program, after which get into some benchmarks…