Can a gaming laptop be truly thin? This question has been asked by both manufacturers and gamers for a long time. With the advent of the new NVIDIA Max-Q technology on the market, manufacturers have the opportunity to demonstrate their vision of gaming laptops with top-end hardware in one ultra-thin case.
Today we will talk about just one of these models: the very, very thin (and stylish) ASUS ROG Zephyrus M.
Characteristics:
CPU: Intel Core i7-8750H (6 cores, 12 threads, 2.2/4.1 GHz)
Display: 15.6″, 1920x1080, 144 Hz, 3 ms
RAM: 16 GB DDR4-2666
Video card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (6 GB GDDR5)
SSD drive: 256 GB M.2 NVMe PCIe
SSHD-drive: 1 TB 5400 rpm
Connectors: 4x USB Type-A (USB 3.1 Gen2); 1x USB Type-C (USB 3.1 Gen2, Thunderbolt 3); 1x HDMI v2.0; 1x headphone/microphone jack (3.5 mm)
Dimensions: 35.4 x 26.2 x 17.5-19.9
Weight: 2.45 kg
On style
At just 2.45kg and a thickness of around 19mm, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M (GM501) is definitely one of the most compact gaming machines available today.
The design of the new product differs from most laptops in its very extraordinary appearance. And if the exterior of the device looks strict, in ASUS ROG’s signature black and red design, then the most extravagant detail is hidden, for the time being, from an unprepared observer, in order to then produce a 100% wow effect. But more on that later.
The body of the Zephyrus M is all metal, with thin bronze lines visible on the edges of the main part, and the cover is treated with two metal polishing methods, which creates a very beautiful effect: it seems that the structure consists of two components.
While the laptop is in the closed position, dark colors predominate on the lid. When you open the device, the colors change, becoming close to the color of gray, “weapon” metal. Beauty!
So, you opened your laptop and... What is this?! The main body block (with the keyboard) has risen! It's all down to the incredibly extravagant cooling system, which includes a retractable bottom panel. It promotes more efficient air movement and, accordingly, better cooling. In this case, the bottom of the case moves back a few millimeters, which gives the keyboard a more ergonomic position.
Communication capabilities
The laptop frame is literally stuffed with various interfaces. In particular, on the left side there is an HDMI output, as many as three USB ports with the current 3.1 Gen2 standard, as well as a 3.5 mm audio output. Through the latter you can connect both a microphone and headphones.
On the right side you can find a fourth USB 3.1 port, as well as a Thunderbolt 3 interface. Although there is no separate DisplayPort here, this situation can be easily corrected using the Thunderbolt output.
Performance
The latest top games on the Zephyrus GM501 can be played without any problems at the highest settings thanks to the fast Intel Core i7-8750H processor with 6 cores (from 2.2 to 4.1 GHz), 16 GB of DDR4 RAM and dedicated graphics Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 card.
To get a practical impression of the quality of graphics, we picked up such current A-titles as The Witcher 3, The Evil Within 2 and Far Cry 5. All three games ran at the highest graphic settings in Full-HD resolution with a constant 60 fps . In the case of Far Cry 5, the average was even more than 70 fps.
Screen
Vivid, matte, high-contrast - the Asus ROG Zephyrus GM501GS 15.6-inch display does everything right. We noted an excellent maximum brightness of 302.8 cd/m2, a staggered contrast ratio of 148:1, and good color space coverage. The resolution, as is usual for this screen size, is 1920x1080 pixels.
The 144-Hz display frequency is perceived differently than usual. It provides, especially during rapid camera movements, significantly less flickering of the image than with conventional 60 Hz monitors.
In addition, there is the already mentioned support for the G-Sync function, which is also still a rarity for gaming laptops.
Innovative AAS cooling system
While its pricier sibling, the ROG Zephyrus GX501, features the manufacturer's unique AAS cooling system that is very quiet, the GM501's is a little less efficient—at least when it comes to volume.
But the cooling system stably holds the video card during long gaming sessions at an acceptable 70 degrees. At the same time, the keyboard in the area of the WASD keys practically does not heat up.
RGB keyboard
Unlike its “colleague” on the GX501, the keyboard has more convincing characteristics - a clearly defined pressure resistance, a pleasant free travel height of the keys and clearly demarcated buttons. Of course, there is also RGB lighting.
On board the laptop there is a separate digital pad and dedicated buttons for both adjusting the speaker volume and calling the Asus Gaming Center.
However, the layout may take some getting used to due to the small size of the Enter button. Well, in the end, we can also call the precise touchpad with dedicated mouse buttons, whose surface is neither too sticky nor too slippery, convincing.
Conclusion
The Asus ROG Zephyrus M offers everything you could expect from a modern gaming laptop. During testing, the 15.6-inch laptop managed to score a large number of rating points thanks to its excellent performance, display and equipment.
Despite the presence of obvious advantages, which include top-end hardware and a bright original design with a well-thought-out cooling system, the Zephyrus M can only be criticized for its not very long battery life.
Those who do not mind this will receive a gaming laptop with a large reserve for the future and an original cooling system, which fully justifies its cost.
The ROG Strix GL503VD laptop - it was with the advent of this series of mobile computers that ASUS presented its new concept and, so to speak, its vision of what a gaming laptop should be. Now on sale you can find versions of mobile devices called SCAR and HERO. The first option is intended for fans of shooters. Just such a model arrived at our testing laboratory - ROG Strix SCAR II (GL504GS). The HERO version is aimed at MOBA players and strategy fans. Otherwise, these laptops are very similar and have a number of proprietary features, which I will definitely talk about later.
In my case, the ROG Strix SCAR II included only an external power supply with a power of 230 W and a weight of about 600 g.
As always, along with the Windows 10 operating system, the laptop comes pre-installed with many proprietary ASUS ROG utilities, which are activated using the button of the same name located above the keyboard. You can read more about all programs.
ASUS representatives asked to clarify that ROG series laptops with 8th generation Core processors are included in the Premium Pick Up and Return service program for a period of 2 years. This means that if problems arise, owners of new laptops will not have to go to a service center - the laptop will be picked up free of charge, repaired and returned as soon as possible.
Appearance and input devices
Externally, ROG Strix SCAR II is very recognizable. If you read reviews of models such as, and, you will find many similar features in them - strict, defined forms and familiar materials used in assembly. Thus, the lid is made of metal, and the Republic of Gamers logo is illuminated during operation. The rest of the body is made of matte plastic. The manufacturer claims that the surface of the laptop is non-staining, but still “traces of human presence” on it are very noticeable.
HERO II has a unique cyberpunk design on its body. The SCAR II version is made in a metallic gray body, and its finish resembles the surface of a bulletproof vest, which combines camouflage and elements reminiscent of Kevlar armor.
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But all these are “little things” - ROG Strix SCAR II looks interesting primarily due to the use of a display with thin frames (6 mm). In particular, this is why the laptop's webcam has been moved under the display. Compared to the previous generation model, the new product is 2.3 cm narrower - and this is noticeable to the naked eye.
The weight of the laptop is 2.4 kg, that is, taking into account the power supply and other peripherals, you will have to carry around a little more than three kilograms of selected “technical progress”. A gamer in full bloom will undoubtedly cope with such a task.
The laptop lid opens up to about 150 degrees - the mechanism uses tight hinges, they clearly position the screen and do not allow it to dangle during intense gaming battles.
On the left side of the ROG Strix SCAR II there is a connector for connecting the power supply, an Ethernet port, mini-DisplayPort, HDMI, two USB 3.1 Gen1 A-type, one USB 3.1 Gen2 C-type and a combined 3.5 mm headphone jack or headsets. On the right is another USB 3.1 Gen2 A-type and a card reader. On the same side there is a loop for a Kensington lock.
The air heated by the cooling system is exhausted outside the case through grilles on the rear wall. There is an RGB strip on the front end; the backlight can be configured in the ROG Aura Core application.
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The laptop has a full-size keyboard with a numeric keypad, which is called HyperStrike Pro. A fairly standard scissor mechanism for gaming devices is used; to operate the switch, you must apply a strictly defined force - 62 grams. The key travel is 1.8 mm. The manufacturer claims that the keyboard can handle an infinite number of keystrokes, and the lifespan of each key is 20 million keystrokes.
The photo clearly shows that the WASD button block is additionally highlighted. The entire keyboard is equipped with three-level RGB backlighting with the ability to highlight four zones in different colors. The color and type of glow are configured in the ROG Aura Core program, which is activated by pressing the proprietary ROG key. Seven modes are available to the user.
There are no serious complaints about the keyboard layout. So, ROG Strix SCAR II has large Ctrl and Shift, which are often used in shooters. Personally, I would like to have a large Enter in my arsenal, but even such a button can really get used to in just a couple of days. The only thing that is inconvenient to use is the arrow keys - they are traditionally made very small in ASUS laptops.
The power button is located where it should be - away from the other keys. Four buttons are located separately from the main keyboard: with their help, the volume of the speakers is adjusted, and the built-in microphone is turned on and off. When you click on the button with the brand logo, the Gaming Center application opens, which I wrote about earlier.
I believe the remote buttons are made specifically to quickly control voice chat. It would be great if the ROG Strix SCAR II was also suitable for streaming, but the webcam only works at 720p resolution at 30 Hz. As you yourself understand, the image quality of such a webcam is very poor. And if a cloudy and noisy picture is enough for Skype calls, then, for example, for streams on Twitch and YouTube, it’s definitely not.
The central processor and mobile GeForce GTX 1070 are cooled by the HyperCool Pro system, equipped with two tangential fans and five copper heat pipes. Two heat pipes cool the CPU, three cool the GPU. Another heat pipe is designed to remove heat from chip power converters. The manufacturer claims that HyperCool Pro uses aluminum radiators with fins only 0.1 mm thick, and this solution has increased the total number of fins, increased the heat dissipation area by 10%, and reduced air flow resistance by 7%. It also uses two 12-volt fans, which provide more power than conventional 5-volt fans. According to ASUS, their new Carlsons spin 20% faster, generate 42.5% more airflow and 92% higher air pressure. Each fan's 71 blades are made from liquid crystal polymer, 20% more than the blowers found in previous-generation laptops.
Well, I hope this cooler can cope with very hot components.
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As for the test sample, there is no point in changing anything about it yet. There is simply no room to increase the 32 GB of RAM. The system uses SK Hynix HMAB2G56CJR8N-VK modules operating at an effective frequency of 2666 MHz with delays of 19-19-19-43. Unless, over time, the 1 TB Seagate ST1000LX015 hard drive can be replaced with some SSD with a SATA 6 Gb/s interface. As the main drive, the Samsung MZVLB512HAJQ 512 GB will last for a very long time.
All ROG Strix GL504 series laptops are equipped with the Intel Wireless-AC 9560 wireless module, which supports IEEE 802.11b/g/n/ac standards with a frequency of 2.4 and 5 GHz and a maximum throughput of up to 1.73 Gbps and Bluetooth 5.
ASUS ROG STRIX GL504GM HERO II and ASUS ROG STRIX GL504GS SCAR II laptops replace the GL503 Hero Edition and Scar Edition. The updated models are still adapted for MOBA games and shooters, and differ in their appearance and contents.
ASUS ROG Strix GL504 SCAR II and HERO II are by far one of the most productive gaming devices. Their modern hardware is ideally combined with thin cases and a powerful cooling system. Moreover, the displays received special attention in these laptops. The screens have thin frames and very high-quality matrices, which can compete with displays for designers in image quality, with low Delta E color rendering error and excellent viewing angles. And the most important thing is that you can choose the Scar or Hiro modification with the same cool screens, only with a refresh rate of 144 Hz and a response time of 3 ms.
Appearance of ASUS ROG STRIX GL504GM HERO II
The closed ASUS ROG STRIX GL504GM HERO II resembles other laptops from the ASUS ROG and ROG Strix lines. It's all about the design of the lid: a trapezoidal cutout and a diagonal line that visually divides the portable PC into two parts. These elements have become a signature feature in recent times.
The cover of ASUS ROG STRIX GL504GM HERO II is visually divided into two parts. Its lower part is made of matte, smooth and pleasant-to-touch plastic, and the upper part, on which the ASUS ROG logo is located, has a “brushed metal” texture. By the way, the previous version of Hiro, model GL503, had a “dragon scales” pattern painted on the lid, and the radiators were painted red. When updating the line, ASUS abandoned the “scales”, but decided to keep the red radiators. The change of clothes benefited the “Hero”. The portable PC began to look more solid and even more brutal.
The trapezoidal cutout at the bottom of the lid serves two purposes. Firstly, thanks to it, the indicator LEDs will always be visible. And secondly, the open cover will not stand in the way of the “exhaust” of the cooling system - thanks to the same cutout in its lower part.
The screen has been transformed, it has thin side and top frames. The width of the side frames has decreased by 2.33 centimeters compared to the previous model. But the bottom frame turned out to be thick, and this was done for two reasons. Firstly, it gives more rigidity to the lid, and secondly, at the bottom there is a matrix backlight and a webcam along with an array of microphones. Looking ahead, it is worth noting that it is more convenient to play and work behind such a “raised” screen. You don't have to bend your head low, like when working on a regular laptop. As a result, the user’s neck gets less tired. By the way, the camera that was moved down copes with its task normally - showing the owner in chats or Skype. Fingertips lying on the main gaming keys will not be included in the frame.
The appearance of the workspace has changed a lot when compared to the previous version of “Hero”. Here, as on the lid, the “dragon scales” ornament was previously applied, instead of which another pattern appeared, designed in the “cyberpunk” style. It decorates the left side of the work area. And on the right is the usual, pleasant-to-touch matte plastic. Another important detail lies in the manufacturing process of the work area. During production, a new stage of multilayer lithography was used, directly in the mold. Thanks to him, it was possible to obtain a beautiful pattern and a smooth surface. And at the same time apply a coating that prevents fingerprints.
The ASUS ROG STRIX GL504GM HERO II keyboard is specially optimized for games, namely the MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) genre. The QWER keys are made transparent to make them easy to find in the dark. All keycaps have a 0.25mm concave surface, a short travel and an actuation point that is located halfway across the key path, rather than ¾ of the way away like other mobile keyboards. As a result, the player’s reaction speed increases and, along with it, such an important parameter for gamers as the number of clicks per minute increases. Also, all keys are processed independently, which prevents the keyboard from going into a stupor with three simultaneous presses, and the resource of the buttons is 20 million operations.
Separately, it is worth noting the location of the Power button. It is located a short distance from the main keyboard to prevent accidental clicks that may occur when working with the number pad. As a result, HERO II will not turn off due to a freak accident or go to sleep mode for the same reason.
The Hero's touchpad is designed according to the classic design. Its keys are mechanical and do not hide under the touch surface. The touchpad supports gestures, scrolling, and other features found on modern touchpads.
The connectors are optimally located, with most of them grouped on the left panel. So that the mouse - which is usually on the right - does not encounter flash drives and does not trip over connected cables at the most important moments. Therefore, on the left are: two USB 3.1 Gen 1, one USB 3.1 Gen 2 (Type-C), HDMI 2.0, Mini DisplayPort 1.2, Gigabit Ethernet, 3.5 mm audio input for a headset and a charging connector.
On the right side of the ASUS ROG STRIX GL504GM HERO II is the latest USB 3.1 Gen 1 and a slot for SD memory cards.
The HERO II has another important feature that is essential for any modern gaming laptop. Beautiful lighting, played by ASUS AURA Sync. With its help, the keyboard, the logo on the lid and the LED “strip” on the front panel will glow in the color that the user chooses. Aura has five preset profiles (static, pulsation, strobe, color cycle and rainbow), the color of which can be customized, and two separate modes. The backlight zones can pulsate to the beat of the music and change color depending on the load on the system. The higher it is, the redder the backlight. Also, AURA Sync can work synchronously with all connected devices that support the same backlight.
Appearance of ASUS ROG STRIX GL504GS SCAR II
The chassis of ASUS ROG STRIX GL504GM HERO II and ROG STRIX GL504GS SCAR II are the same. Therefore, laptops differ from each other in their external design, keyboards and video cards. The Scar's cap is lighter in color than the Hero's and is finished in anodized aluminum, reminiscent of gunmetal.
Scar's workspace was also created using a multilayer lithography process, only two textures were applied to it. The entire work area is covered with a “kevlar fiber” pattern, and the right side of the area is supplemented with a pattern stylized as a camouflage mesh.
The ASUS ROG STRIX GL504GS SCAR II keyboard has other gaming buttons. This is WASD, because Scar was created for fans of shooters. In all other respects, the SCAR II keyboard is identical to that of the “Hero”. Curved keycaps, independent processing of each keystroke, a convenient actuation point and a short stroke - everything is in place.
The touchpad, connector layout and backlight have not undergone any changes.
Specifications ASUS ROG STRIX GL504GM HERO II
- Screen: 15.6 inches, 1920x1080 pixels, IPS, 60 Hz, matte finish;
- CPU: Intel Core i5-8300H;
- RAM: 4 + 8 GB DDR4-2666;
- Video card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (6 GB) + Intel UHD 630;
- Wireless connection: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2x2, up to 1.73 Gbps. Bluetooth 5.0
- The local network: 1,000 Mbit/s;
- Connectors: 3x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 1x USB 3.1 Gen 2 (Type-C), HDMI 2.0, Mini DP 1.2, RJ-45 (1 Gbps), 3.5 mm headset jack, charging connector, Kensington lock;
- SSD storage: 256 GB Toshiba THNSN5256GPU07;
- HDD storage: 1 TB SSHD Seagate Firecuda ST1000LX015;
- Power unit: 180 W (19.5 9.23A);
- OS: Windows 10 Pro;
- Dimensions: 361x262x26 mm;
- Weight: 2.4 kg.
Inside the ASUS ROG STRIX GL504GM HERO II test unit, a 4-core Intel Core i5-8300H processor is installed. Its clock speeds range from 2.3 to 4.0 GHz when using Intel Turbo Boost 2.0. Hyper Threading technology is supported, the L3 cache is 8 MB, and the TDP is 45 W. This is a powerful processor that is enough for modern games and even difficult work like video editing, creating special effects or batch processing of RAW photos. Also, some modifications may include a faster processor, a six-core Intel Core i7-8750H. The amount of RAM is 12 gigabytes, DDR4-2666 is used.
Two video adapters are responsible for graphics processing. For games and work tasks that are GPU-demanding, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 with 6 GB GDDR5 video memory is installed. And for long battery life and for performing simple work, such as rendering the Windows interface and the Internet, the Intel UHD Graphics 630 processor video core is useful. Graphics switching occurs through NVIDAI Optimus. The GeForce GTX 1060 discrete graphics card is the only available option for the HERO II models. It will be found in all its modifications.
The solid-state drive is represented by the Toshiba THNSN5256GPU07 solution with a capacity of 256 GB. This size can be called optimal for a laptop. In addition, the SSD operates using the NVMe protocol, which guarantees high read and write speeds.
The hard drive is a hybrid version of SSD and HDD, a Seagate Firecuda ST1000LX015 drive with a capacity of 1 TB and a spindle speed of 5400 rpm. In other modifications, conventional HDDs with a spindle speed of 5400 or 7200 rpm may be found.
Another important feature of the ASUS ROG STRIX GL504GM HERO II is its screen. The basic version has a 15.6-inch IPS matrix with Full HD resolution and a refresh rate of 60 Hz. Also on sale there may be a modification with a cool gaming matrix, which can be updated at a frequency of up to 144 Hz.
Specifications ASUS ROG STRIX GL504GS SCAR II
- Screen: 15.6 inches, 1920x1080 pixels, IPS, 144 Hz, 3 ms, matte finish;
- CPU: Intel Core i7-8750H;
- RAM: 16 + 16 GB DDR4-2666;
- Video card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 (8 GB);
- Wireless connection: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2x2, up to 1.73 Gbps. Bluetooth 5.0;
- The local network: 1000 Mbit/s;
- Connectors: 3x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 1x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C, HDMI 2.0, Mini DP 1.2, RJ-45 (1 Gbps), 3.5 mm headset jack, charging connector, Kensington lock;
- SSD storage: 512 GB Toshiba THNSN5512GPU7;
- HDD storage: 1 TB SSHD Seagate ST1000LX015;
- Power unit: 230 W (19.5V, 11.8A);
- OS: Windows 10 Pro;
- Dimensions: 361 x 262 x 26 mm;
- Weight: 2.4 kg.
The configuration of the test ASUS ROG STRIX GL504GS SCAR II turned out to be more powerful than that of the HERO II. This is also due to the positioning of Scars - they are created for shooters, which are much more demanding on graphics than MOBA games. Therefore, only inside SCAR II can a video card of the GeForce GTX 1070 level be installed, although if desired, you can also find a version with a GeForce GTX 1060 in stores. The remaining characteristics of Hero II and SCAR II may be the same - it all depends on the modification.
Inside the tested ASUS ROG STRIX GL504GS SCAR II there is a top-end (for “Hero” and “Scar”) six-core Intel Core i7-8750H processor. Its clock speeds range from 2.2 to 4.1 GHz, and it supports Intel Hyper Threading technology, which doubles the number of computing threads to 12. The L3 cache capacity is 9 MB, and the TDP is 45 W. The maximum possible amount of RAM is set for it - 32 GB.
The processor video core is disabled. This was done due to limitations of NVIDIA G-Sync. This technology does not allow using NVIDIA Optimus at the same time, so we had to sacrifice the “integration” for the sake of a beautiful, smooth picture on the screen. In addition, NVIDIA itself has worked on its energy-saving technologies, so gaming laptops with powerful graphics can run on battery power for several hours. If, of course, we are talking about browsing the Internet and regular office work.
The SCAR II has the best solid state drive available for these models. This is a Toshiba THNSN5512GPU7 with a capacity of 512 GB. To store large data, a 1 TB Seagate ST1000LX015 hybrid hard drive is provided.
Another feature of the SCAR II that simply cannot go unnoticed is its screen. The tested modification has a 15.6-inch IPS matrix with Full HD resolution, a frame refresh rate of 144 Hz and a response time of 3 ms.
General technologies of ASUS ROG STRIX GL504GM HERO II and ASUS ROG STRIX GL504GS SCAR II
The two laptops have some common ASUS proprietary technologies that should make life easier for the user. Since they are the same, it was decided to devote a separate section to them.
The first technology is called ASUS RangeBoost, it increases the quality of wireless network reception. The innovation lies in the fact that each laptop has four antennas instead of two. In this case, only two antennas will work. A special algorithm will be responsible for their selection, which activates the pair of antennas that is aimed at the source of the wireless network signal. As a result, the Wi-Fi coverage range will be increased by 30%, and with it the data transfer speed will increase.
Many improvements have been made to the cooling system. To prevent thin gaming tags from overheating, their CO has been seriously redesigned. In particular, it uses powerful fans with thin blades that operate on 12V instead of 5V. Radiators with thin fins and low air resistance are complemented by separate channels necessary for automatic removal of dust from the cooling system. Thanks to all these changes, it was possible to increase the air flow by 45% and increase the air pressure created by the system by 95%. The cooling system can operate in three modes: quiet (Silent), normal (Balanced) and maximum (Fan Overboost). The choice of mode also affects the overall system performance. For example, in Silent mode, laptops will work a little slower, but quietly. And when Overboost is turned on, on the contrary, it is loud and at maximum performance.
Testing
Since there are two laptops involved in the review, the right decision would be to compare them with each other. To do this, the same set of processor benchmarks, 3DMark tests and popular games was launched on ASUS ROG STRIX GL504GM HERO II and ASUS ROG STRIX GL504GS SCAR II. All gaming benchmarks were run at a resolution of 1920x1080, with anti-aliasing enabled and maximum graphics settings.
As expected, Scar won the processor tests, along with its 6-core Intel Core i7-8750H processor. However, the performance of its CPU, like the quad-core HERO II (Intel Core i5-8300H), is enough for all occasions. Simple office work, the Internet, games and even photo or video editing will not be an obstacle for either of these processors.
In the 3DMark results, SCAR II again takes the lead, thanks to its GeForce GTX 1070 video card. There is nothing more to comment here.
In games, the victory of SCAR II, equipped with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070, is again visible. The lag of HERO II (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060) on the one hand can be called noticeable, and on the other hand, it showed high FPS in all games. With the GeForce GTX 1060 you can comfortably play at a resolution of 1920x1080 and high (and sometimes maximum) graphics settings.
The read and write speeds of the SSDs of both models were high. They significantly exceed the maximum read and write speeds that can be obtained from SSDs connected via SATA III. The increased write speed of the SCAR II (relative to the HERO II) can be explained by the increased storage capacity.
It is also necessary to say a few words about the screens of the two laptops. This time ASUS took the best matrices available. The color rendering quality of HERO II and SCAR II is excellent - screens like these models can be easily equipped in designer laptops. Brightness, color rendition and contrast were above all praise. Also worth noting is the fast SCAR II matrix, which was updated at a frequency of 144 Hz. For shooters, this is the best solution - thanks to the “fast” screen, you can notice the enemy in time and have time to take aim even before the enemy notices the owner of such a display.
Conclusion
The update of two versions of gaming laptops ASUS ROG GL503 HERO and SCAR was successful. New items created for fans of MOBA games (GL504GM HERO II) and for shooter fans (GL504GS SCAR II) received a new design and at the same time retained all other proprietary features. These are dedicated QWER keys for the new “Hero” II and WASD for “Skar” and the unique design of each model. If previously the keycaps of the main gaming keys were only outlined around the perimeter with a wide border, now they have become completely transparent. As for hardware, both laptops received 8th generation Intel Core processors and fast hardware. Regardless of the selected modifications, Intel Core i5-8300H or i7-8750H processors, as well as NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or 1070 video cards, are enough for any modern games.
Asus has launched another model of a 15-inch gaming laptop: ROG Strix GL503V Scar Edition powered by a 7th generation Intel Core processor. In this article we will look in detail at all the features of this model.
Options and packaging
The Asus ROG Strix GL503V Scar Edition laptop comes in a small black cardboard box with a handle.
In addition to the laptop itself, the package includes a quick user manual, a warranty card, a 230 W (19.5 V; 11.8 A) power adapter, and even an Asus ROG gaming mouse.
Laptop configuration
Judging by the information, the configuration of the Asus ROG Strix GL503V Scar Edition laptop may be different. The differences lie in the model of the video card used, the processor model, the amount of RAM, the type of screen and the configuration of the storage subsystem. In particular, the GL503VS model uses an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 video card, the GL503VM model uses an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060, and the GL503VD model uses an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050.
We tested the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop model with the following configuration:
| CPU | Intel Core i7-7700HQ | |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Intel HM175 | |
| RAM | 16 GB DDR4-2400 | |
| Video subsystem | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 (8 GB GDDR5) | |
| Screen | 15.6 inches, 1920x1080, matte, IPS, 144 Hz (AUO B156HAN07.0) | |
| Sound subsystem | Realtek ALC295 | |
| Storage device | 1×SSD 256 GB (Samsung MZVLW256, M.2 2280, NVMe, PCIe 3.0 x4) 1×HDD 1 TB (Seagate ST1000LX015-1U7172, SATA III) |
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| Optical drive | No | |
| Card reader | SD (XC/HC) | |
| Network interfaces | Wired network | Realtek RTL8168/8111 |
| Wireless network | Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 | |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.2 | |
| Interfaces and ports | USB 3.0/2.0 (Type-A) | 4/0 |
| USB 3.0 (Type-C) | 1 (Thunderbolt) | |
| HDMI 2.0 | There is | |
| Mini-DisplayPort 1.2 | There is | |
| RJ-45 | There is | |
| Microphone input | yes (combined) | |
| Headphone output | yes (combined) | |
| Input Devices | Keyboard | with backlight and NumPad block |
| Touchpad | clickpad | |
| IP telephony | Webcam | HD |
| Microphone | There is | |
| Battery | 62 Wh | |
| Dimensions | 384×262×25.4 mm | |
| Weight without power adapters | 2.4 kg | |
| Power adapter | 230 W (19.5 V; 11.8 A) | |
| operating system | Windows 10 Home (64-bit) | |
| average price |
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So, the basis of the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop is a quad-core processor (Kaby Lake). It has a nominal clock speed of 2.8 GHz, which can be boosted up to 3.8 GHz in Turbo Boost mode. The processor supports Hyper-Threading technology (8 threads), the size of its L3 cache is 6 MB, and the estimated power is 45 W.
This processor has an integrated graphics core Intel HD Graphics 630. However, since the laptop supports Nvidia G-Sync technology, the processor graphics core is not used. Instead, a discrete Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 video card with 8 GB of GDDR5 video memory is used.
As it turned out during testing, when the video card is loaded under stress (FurMark), the graphics processor operates at a frequency of 1607 MHz, and the memory at a frequency of 2003 MHz, which is not bad at all.
There are two slots for installing SO-DIMM memory modules in the laptop.
In our case, the laptop had two DDR4-2400 memory modules with a capacity of 8 GB (Samsung M471A1K43CB1-CRC). The maximum memory supported by the laptop is 32 GB.
The storage subsystem in the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop is a combination of two drives: a 256 GB Samsung MZVLW256 SSD and a 1 TB 2.5-inch Seagate ST1000LX015-1U7172 HDD.
The Samsung MZVLW256 SSD is installed in the M.2 connector and has a 2280 form factor. The interface is PCIe 3.0 x4.
In general, the laptop has one slot for installing a 2.5-inch SATA drive and one M.2 connector with an M type key, which supports drives with PCIe 3.0 x4 and SATA interfaces. So other SSD drives with an M.2 connector (with a SATA interface) can be installed in the laptop.
The communication capabilities of the laptop are determined by the presence of a dual-band (2.4 and 5 GHz) wireless network adapter Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265, which complies with the Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 4.2 specifications.
In addition, the laptop has a gigabit network interface based on a pair of Realtek RTL8168/8111 controllers.
The audio subsystem of the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop is based on the Realtek ALC295 HDA codec. There are two speakers located in the laptop body, on the left and right.
It remains to add that the laptop is equipped with a built-in HD webcam located above the screen, as well as a non-removable lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 62 Wh.
Appearance and ergonomics of the case
The case of the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop is made of metal and plastic. The top cover of the laptop is made of a thin sheet of aluminum in a dark silver color.
On the lid there is a mirror-colored emblem of the ROG gaming series, which lights up in red when the laptop is turned on.
The thickness of the laptop cover is very thin - only 6 mm. However, the rigidity is quite satisfactory. Of course, when pressed, the lid bends a little, but this is not critical.
The working surface of the laptop, framing the keyboard and touchpad, is made of black plastic, textured like carbon fiber. The disadvantage of the work surface is that it quickly gets dirty, that is, sweat and grease marks from your hands remain on it.
There are ventilation holes on the bottom panel of the case. Rubberized feet ensure a stable position of the laptop on a horizontal surface.
The thickness of the frame around the screen on the sides is 19 mm, on the top - 22 mm, and on the bottom - 34 mm. On the top of the frame there is a webcam and holes for two microphones, and at the bottom there is a mirrored logo of the ROG series.
The power button on the laptop is located in the upper right corner of the work surface.
In the left corner of the work surface, above the keyboard, there are four separate laptop control keys. This is a proprietary key with the ROG logo, designed to launch the ROG Gaming Center application, a microphone on/off key and two sound volume control keys.
LED laptop status indicators are located on the rear edge of the work surface. Moreover, they are visible even when closing the laptop lid. There are four indicators in total: power indicator, battery charge level, data storage subsystem activity and wireless adapter operating mode.
The system for attaching the laptop screen to the body consists of two hinges located at the bottom of the screen. This mounting system allows you to tilt the screen relative to the keyboard plane at an angle of approximately 120 degrees.
On the left side of the laptop body there are two USB 3.0 (Type-A) ports, an HDMI connector, a Mini-DisplayPort connector, an RJ-45 connector and a combined mini-jack audio connector. In addition, the power connector is located right there.
On the right side there are two more USB 3.0 (Type-A) ports, a USB 3.0 Type-C (Thunderbolt 3.0) port, a memory card slot and a hole for a Kensington lock.
At the rear end of the laptop case there are only ventilation holes for blowing out hot air.
Disassembly capabilities
On the bottom panel of the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop case there is a hatch in the shape of a beveled hexagon. By removing it, you can access the HDD, SSD and memory.
By unscrewing a few screws, you can remove the entire bottom panel of the case. After this, you can gain access to all components of the laptop.
Input Devices
Keyboard
The Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop uses a membrane-type keyboard with an increased distance between the keys.
The key travel is 1.8 mm. The key size is standard (15.5×15.5 mm), and the distance between them is 3.5 mm.
The keys themselves are black, and the symbols on them are the same.
The keyboard has three-level RGB backlighting. The backlight automatically turns on when you press a key and turns off if you don't press anything for a while. To configure the backlight, use the Asus Aura utility, which is included in the Asus Gaming Center package. The entire keyboard is divided into four zones and Asus Aura allows you to customize the color of each zone, as well as select a color effect (static or breathing).
The WASD gaming key area is highlighted: the side edges of these keys are white.
The base of the keyboard is quite rigid. When you press the keys, if it bends at all, it is only slightly.
The key actuation force is 59g and the key release force is 28g.
The keys are spring-loaded rather weakly and when typing you can barely feel the pressure being pressed. On the other hand, the keys do not make any clicking sound when typing; the keyboard is generally very quiet. Overall, typing on this keyboard is comfortable. We'd rate the keyboard as good but not great.
Touchpad
The Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop uses a classic two-button touchpad. The dimensions of its touch surface are 108×64 mm. The touch surface of the clickpad is slightly recessed. It is very convenient to work with such a touchpad.
Sound path
As already noted, the audio subsystem of the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop is based on the Realtek ALC295 HDA codec, and the laptop has two speakers.
Subjective testing of the built-in acoustics revealed that at the maximum volume level nothing rattles, and there are no metallic tints when reproducing high tones. The maximum volume level is quite sufficient. The sound reproduced by the built-in acoustics is rich.
Traditionally, to evaluate the output audio path intended for connecting headphones or external speakers, we conduct testing using an external Creative E-MU 0204 USB sound card and the RightMark Audio Analyzer 6.3.0 utility. Testing was carried out in stereo mode, 24-bit/44.1 kHz. According to the testing results, the audio path received a “Very Good” rating.
Test results in RightMark Audio Analyzer 6.3.0
General results
Frequency response
| 20 Hz to 20 kHz, dB | ||
|---|---|---|
| 40 Hz to 15 kHz, dB |
Noise level
| RMS power, dB | ||
|---|---|---|
| RMS Power, dB(A) | ||
| Peak level, dB | ||
| DC offset, % |
Dynamic range
| Dynamic range, dB | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dynamic range, dB (A) | ||
| DC offset, % |
Harmonic distortion + noise (−3 dB)
Interpenetration of stereo channels
Screen
The Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop uses an AUO B156HAN07.0 IPS matrix with LED backlighting based on white LEDs. The matrix has a matte anti-reflective coating and its diagonal size is 15.6 inches. The screen resolution is 1920×1080 pixels and the frame rate is 144 Hz. Let us remind you once again that the laptop screen supports Nvidia G-Sync technology.
The matrix in the laptop does not flicker throughout the entire brightness range.
According to measurements, the maximum screen brightness on a white background is 298 cd/m². At maximum screen brightness, the gamma value is 2.13. The minimum screen brightness on a white background is 26 cd/m².
The color gamut of the LCD screen in the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop covers 85.4% of sRGB and 62.4% of Adobe RGB, and the color gamut is 94.2% of sRGB and 64.9% of Adobe RGB. This is a very good color gamut.
LCD matrix filters do not distinguish the spectra of primary colors very well. The green and red color spectra overlap, which, however, is quite typical for matrices used in laptops.
The color temperature of the LCD screen of the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop is stable across the entire gray scale and is approximately 7500 K.
The stability of color temperature is due to the fact that the primary colors are well balanced across the entire gray scale.
As for color rendering accuracy (delta E), its value does not exceed 7 across the entire gray scale (dark areas can be ignored), which is a good result for this class of screens.
The viewing angles of the screen of the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop are very wide, both horizontal and vertical. This is inherent in all IPS matrices.
Overall, we can say that the screen of the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop deserves high marks.
Working under load
To stress load the processor, we used the Prime95 utility (Small FFT test), and stress load the video card using the FurMark utility. Monitoring was carried out using AIDA64 and CPU-Z utilities.
Under moderate processor load (Stress CPU test using the AIDA64 utility), the core clock frequency is stable and amounts to 3.4 GHz.
The temperature of the processor cores reaches 75°C, and the power consumption of the processor is 26 W.
If you load the processor in stress mode using the Prime95 (Small FFT) utility, the core frequency will drop to 3.0 GHz.
The temperature of the processor cores is 86°C, and the power consumption is stabilized at 45 W.
With simultaneous stress loading of the processor (Prime95) and video card (FurMark), the frequency of the processor cores again stabilizes at 3.0 GHz.
But in this loading mode, the cooling system can no longer cope and the temperature of the processor cores reaches a critical value, after which throttling begins.
Drive performance
As already noted, the storage subsystem of the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop is a combination of two drives: a 256 GB Samsung MZVLW256 SSD and a 1 TB 2.5-inch Seagate ST1000LX015-1U7172 HDD.
Of interest, first of all, are the speed characteristics of the SSD, which is used as a system drive.
The ATTO Disk Benchmark utility pegs its maximum sequential read speed at 3.1 GB/s and sequential write speed at 1.2 GB/s. This is a very high result for a single drive.
We also present the results of testing using the CrystalDiskMark utility.
The CrystalDiskMark utility produces a slightly more modest result for sequential read speed, which is due to the different task queue depths used in the CrystalDiskMark and ATTO Disk Benchmark utilities.
Noise level
The cooling system of the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop includes two low-profile fans. One fan is for the CPU and the other is for the graphics card. It remains to be seen how noisy such a cooling system is.
The noise level was measured in a special sound-absorbing chamber, and the sensitive microphone was positioned relative to the laptop so as to simulate the typical position of the user's head.
According to our measurements, the noise level emitted by the laptop when idle is 22 dBA. This is a very low noise level, which actually merges with the level of the natural background during the day in the office, and it is impossible to “hear” the laptop in this mode.
In stress loading mode of the video card using the FurMark utility, the noise level is 42.5 dBA. This is already a high noise level. In this mode, the laptop will stand out from other devices in a typical office space.
In stress CPU load mode using the Prime95 (Small FFT) utility, as well as in simultaneous CPU and video card load mode, the noise level increases to 48 dBA.
This, of course, is a bit much, but fortunately, this laptop boot mode is rather an exception to the rule.
| Load scenario | Noise level |
|---|---|
| Idle mode | 22 dBA | 42.5 dBA | 48 dBA | 48 dBA |
In general, the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop can be classified as an average device in terms of noise level.
Battery life
We measured the laptop's offline operating time using our method using the iXBT Battery Benchmark v.1.0 script. Let's remember that we measure battery life at screen brightness of 100 cd/m². Let us also remind you that the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop can only use Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 video cards. The test results are as follows:
| Load scenario | Working hours |
|---|---|
| Work with text | 3 hours 44 minutes |
| Watch video | 2 hours 52 minutes |
As you can see, the battery life of the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition is quite modest.
Performance Research
To evaluate the performance of the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop, we used our performance measurement methodology using the iXBT Application Benchmark 2017 test package, as well as the iXBT Game Benchmark 2017 gaming test package. For clarity, we have added to the table the results of testing a 17-inch gaming laptop, which uses a similar processor, but a slightly weaker video card and a less powerful SSD drive.
The test results in the iXBT Application Benchmark 2017 are shown in the table. The results are calculated from five runs of each test with a confidence level of 95%.
| Logical test group | Reference system (Core i7-6700K) |
Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition | Asus ROG Strix GL703VD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video conversion, points | 100 | 83.27±0.17 | 82.85±0.26 |
| MediaCoder x64 0.8.45.5852, with | 105.7±1.5 | 127.0±0.5 | 126.8±0.8 |
| HandBrake 0.10.5, s | 103.1±1.6 | 123.75±0.15 | 125.21±0.23 |
| Rendering, points | 100 | 83.4±0.4 | 83.5±0.3 |
| POV-Ray 3.7, with | 138.09±0.21 | 164.4±0.3 | 163.77±0.15 |
| LuxRender 1.6 x64 OpenCL, with | 252.7±1.4 | 303.4±1.1 | 302.8±1.0 |
| Blender 2.77a, with | 220.7±0.9 | 267±4 | 267±3 |
| Video editing and video content creation, points | 100 | 95.2±0.9 | 94.0±0.6 |
| Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2015.4, with | 186.9±0.5 | 128.32±0.05 | 128.63±0.09 |
| Magix Vegas Pro 13, with | 366.0±0.5 | 418.2±1.62 | 429.6±0.7 |
| Magix Movie Edit Pro 2016 Premium v.15.0.0.102, with | 187.1±0.4 | 218±10 | 225±7 |
| Adobe After Effects CC 2015.3, with | 578.5±0.5 | 673±3 | 673.4±2.0 |
| Photodex ProShow Producer 8.0.3648, with | 254.0±0.5 | 304.6±0.7 | 306.6±1.1 |
| Digital photo processing, points | 100 | 81.1±0.9 | 80.8±0.4 |
| Adobe Photoshop CC 2015.5, with | 520.7±1.6 | 521.0±1.1 | 538.2±1.2 |
| Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC 2015.6.1, with | 182.4±2.9 | 296.5±0.8 | 298.4±0.9 |
| PhaseOne Capture One Pro 9.2.0.118, with | 318±8 | 367±12 | 356±5 |
| Text recognition, points | 100 | 81.2±1.9 | 81.8±0.5 |
| Abbyy FineReader 12 Professional, with | 442.4±1.4 | 545±13 | 514±3 |
| Archiving, points | 100 | 84.2±1.4 | 80.4±0.4 |
| WinRAR 5.40 CPU, with | 91.65±0.05 | 111.5±0.2 | 114.0±0.6 |
| Scientific calculations, points | 100 | 84.2±1.4 | 83.5±1.4 |
| LAMMPS 64-bit 20160516, with | 397.3±1.1 | 464±2 | 462.2±1.7 |
| NAMD 2.11, with | 234.0±1.0 | 278.5±2.0 | 277.9±0.9 |
| FFTW 3.3.5, ms | 32.8±0.6 | 38±3 | 40±3 |
| Mathworks Matlab 2016a, with | 117.9±0.6 | 147.3±1.8 | 146.9±1.3 |
| Dassault SolidWorks 2016 SP0 Flow Simulation, with | 252.5±1.6 | 298±3 | 298.5±2.2 |
| File operation speed, points | 100 | 125.7±2.7 | 60.8±0.9 |
| WinRAR 5.40 Storage, with | 81.9±0.5 | 63.0±1.2 | 129.5±2.7 |
| UltraISO Premium Edition 9.6.5.3237, with | 54.2±0.6 | 51.3±1.1 | 92.1±2.4 |
| Data copying speed, s | 41.5±0.3 | 28.7±1.7 | 68.9±1.8 |
| Integral CPU result, points | 100 | 84.2±0.4 | 83.72±0.25 |
| Integral result Storage, points | 100 | 125.7±2.7 | 60.8±0.9 |
| Integral performance result, points | 100 | 95.0±0.7 | 76.1±0.4 |
According to the integral result in processor tests, the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop lags behind our reference system based on the Intel Core i7-6700K processor by 15.8%, and according to the integral performance result taking into account tests that depend on the system drive - only by 5% . This is a very good result, which demonstrates that the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop can well replace a productive desktop PC.
In general, based on the overall result, the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop can be classified as a high-performance device. Let us recall that, according to our grading, with an integral performance result of less than 45 points, we classify devices as entry-level performance; with a result in the range from 46 to 60 points, we classify devices as an average performance level; with a result from 60 to 75 points, as categories of productive devices, and a result of more than 75 points is already a category of high-performance solutions.
As for comparing the performance of the laptop Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition and Asus ROG Strix GL703VD, in processor tests these laptops demonstrate approximately the same performance, which, in fact, is quite logical. But in tests, the results of which also depend on the system drive, the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop demonstrates twice the performance.
Now let's look at the results of testing the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop in games. Testing was carried out at a resolution of 1920x1080 in game settings for maximum and minimum quality. When testing in games, we used an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 video card with video driver version Nvidia ForceWare 388.59. The test results are as follows:
| Game test | Result, FPS | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum quality | Minimum quality | |
| World of Tanks | 115.8±0.4 | 115.60±0.10 |
| Battlefield 1 | 42.2±0.9 | 192.2±1.5 |
| Deus Ex: Mankind Divided | 16.14±0.10 | 115.20±1.20 |
| Ashes of the Singularity | 52±3 | 66.1±1.6 |
| Far Cry Primal | 83.7±0.9 | 115±9 |
| Rise of the Tomb Raider | 51.9±0.5 | 161.4±3.3 |
| F1 2016 | 91.00±1.20 | 117.2±0.8 |
| Hitman (2016) | 107.59±0.07 | 107.69±0.23 |
| Total War: Warhammer | 41.1±0.8 | 221±5 |
| Dark Souls III | 59.90±0.10 | 59.90±0.20 |
| The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | 60.00±0.10 | 60.00±0.10 |
As can be seen from the testing results, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 video card can handle almost all games in the maximum quality setting mode at a resolution of 1920x1080. Actually, that says it all. The Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop can be classified as a top-level gaming solution.
conclusions
The undoubted advantages of the Asus ROG Strix GL503VS Scar Edition laptop include a stylish design, a high-quality screen, a good keyboard and touchpad. Let's add here high performance, including in games: such a laptop can be used to work with any resource-intensive applications, and for the most demanding games. It is perfect as a replacement for a productive desktop. Of course, miracles do not happen, and at the time of preparing the review, a laptop in the configuration we described cost from 125 to 145 thousand rubles in Moscow retail.
