Asus showcased its new lineup of ROG and TUF gaming laptops at the CES event in January 2023. Following the launch, the company introduced high-end models in India in March, followed by mid-range variants in May. In this article, we will be reviewing the ROG Strix Scar 18 (2023), which is part of the earlier batch. Priced at Rs. 2,79,990, this powerful gaming laptop is perfect for gamers who are willing to splurge. However, keep in mind that the variant we are reviewing comes with Nvidia’s latest laptop GPU, raising the cost to Rs. 3,59,990.
Curious to know if the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 is worth considering for your gaming needs without any budget constraints? Keep reading to find out.
Design and Features of the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2023)
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 is a massive and heavy gaming laptop designed for stationary use on a desk rather than placed on your lap. During my testing period, I rarely moved it from its position near the power outlet. Its eye-catching design is specifically tailored to attract its target audience.
Featuring a sleek matte black finish, the laptop is adorned with RGB lighting across its exterior. The lid boasts a backlit ROG logo, while there’s a light strip above the exhaust vent at the back and another strip along the bottom edge at the front. The plastic sides surrounding the ports are translucent, as is the upper portion of the keyboard deck. Overall, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 showcases an intimidating and futuristic look that will appeal to many gamers.
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2023) boasts a sturdy build and an intimidating appearance. It comes with a chunky 330W AC power adapter that requires a 16A power outlet. However, this might pose a problem as most homes do not have many 16A wall sockets, and the existing ones are usually occupied by heavy appliances like air conditioners. This limits the charging and usage options for the laptop, so it’s advisable to consider installing an additional 16A wall socket if you plan on purchasing this laptop. Additionally, the laptop includes extra hinge covers called Armour Caps, which can be magnetically attached to the rear of the laptop. Users can even 3D print their own custom caps for a personalized touch.
One of the key highlights of the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 is its display. It features an 18-inch QHD (2560×1600) IPS panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a 240Hz refresh rate. The display boasts slim borders on three sides, with a small lip at the top for the webcam. It meets Asus’ ROG Nebula specifications, delivering 500 nits of brightness, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut reproduction, Pantone validation, Nvidia’s G-Sync technology, and Dolby Vision playback compatibility for video streaming OTT apps. However, the lower-priced variant in India offers a full-HD resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate, missing out on ROG Nebula certification.
The keyboard on the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 offers per-key RGB LED backlighting, allowing for a customizable lighting experience. The laptop’s size enables a full-sized keyboard with a number pad, dedicated buttons for volume control, microphone control, and performance modes, as well as quick access to Asus’ Armoury Crate software. Users can customize these dedicated buttons to perform other functions or program macros. Asus touts the keyboard as “professional esports-grade,” with switches designed to withstand over 20 million presses. The laptop also features a large trackpad with smooth tracking and responsive gestures, thanks to its glass coating.
All the ports are situated on the sides of the laptop, leaving a massive exhaust vent on the back. The port selection includes two USB 3.2 (Gen2) Type-A ports, one Type-C port, a Thunderbolt 4 (Type-C) port, full-sized HDMI 2.1, a headphone/microphone combo socket, Gigabit LAN, and a power socket. However, there is no SD card slot or security lock slot.
Specifications and Software of the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2023)
The variant I am testing features an Intel Core i9-13980HX mobile CPU with a total of 24 cores (eight performance and 16 efficiency). The “HX” designation signifies Intel’s high-performance mobile CPUs, allowing for easy overclocking for even better performance. The CPU is paired with 32GB (2x 16GB) of DDR5 4800MHz RAM, occupying both RAM slots in the laptop. For storage, there’s 2TB of PCIe 4.0 SSD storage using two 1TB SSDs in a RAID 0 configuration. As for the GPU, this laptop is equipped with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 laptop GPU featuring 16GB of GDDR6 RAM.
The lower-priced variant in India shares the same CPU and RAM configuration but comes with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 GPU and 1TB of storage.
Keeping these high-powered components cool is no small feat, but Asus claims to have redesigned the chassis and motherboard to accommodate a full-width heatsink with seven heat pipes and three fans. Furthermore, the laptop utilizes a liquid metal compound instead of thermal paste for improved heat transfer.
Additional features of the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 include a 720p webcam, four speakers with Dolby Atmos enhancement, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and a 90WHr battery. The laptop can also be charged via a USB Type-C cable provided the adapter is powerful enough.
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 comes preinstalled with Windows 11 and includes trial versions of Microsoft Office suite and McAfee anti-virus software. The MyASUS app offers basic functions such as firmware updates and battery mode switching. For more comprehensive control, the Armoury Crate app serves as a one-stop solution for tweaking various settings on the Strix Scar 18. The app’s home screen displays real-time CPU and GPU usage, fan speed, and system settings snapshot. Users can rearrange the panels on the home screen for easy access. The tabs on the left side of the app allow customization of individual settings, such as default power mode for the GPU, hotkeys, lighting patterns, and microphone mode.
Performance and Battery Life of the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2023)
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 delivers exceptional performance, as expected from its top-tier specifications. It showcases impressive responsiveness and smooth functioning across all tasks, without any hint of lag. The keyboard provides a comfortable typing experience with quiet keys.
The spacious palm rest and tall display enhance user comfort, while the display offers excellent color reproduction and brightness. However, I noticed that the laptop tends to run warm even in the “Silent” power mode and when running on battery. Even with only Chrome running and the discrete GPU disabled, the area above the keyboard and the vents on the sides feel warm to the touch.
In terms of performance benchmarks, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 achieves outstanding results. In POV-Ray, its trace time was a mere 27 seconds. In the Cinebench R20 CPU benchmark, the laptop scored 778 points in single-core and an impressive 8,227 points in multi-core tests. PCMark 10 recorded an overall score of 7,803 points, measuring system performance across tasks like video conferencing and spreadsheets.
Graphics benchmark 3DMark yielded a score of 13,753 points in the Time-Spy test suite and 10,438 points in the ray-tracing test of Port Royale. Thanks to the RAID 0 configuration of the SSDs, the laptop achieved impressive read and write speeds.
The cooling system of the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2023) proves effective, especially in the “Turbo” power mode.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2023) is an absolute powerhouse in terms of performance. It offers a stunning design, an impressive display, and a comfortable keyboard. The extensive range of ports and customizable features, along with Asus’ innovative cooling system, make it a top choice for gamers.
However, it’s important to note that this laptop’s high price tag and bulky design may not make it suitable for everyone. Additionally, the limited availability of 16A power outlets may pose a problem for charging or usage in certain households.
Overall, if you are seeking an uncompromising gaming laptop and budget is not a concern, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2023) is definitely worth considering.
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Basant Kasayap is an entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to Bollywood to regional cinema, she offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
