ASUS ROG SCAR 17

amazon ASUS ROG SCAR 17 reviews

If I had to briefly describe my experience with this year’s ASUS ROG, in general, it could be seen as an increase in satisfaction. With Strix G17, that will be the potential strength of the Cezanne – Ampere duo that can bring to ROG in general and beyond. As for SCAR 15 is an exciting experience of personalization and new hardware elements (together with a strong Red – Blue configuration, of course).

The SCAR 17 2021 I have here will combine all the factors that I have just mentioned above. A new experience in many ways but will be expanded to a large 17-inch size. For me, when everything has no limit, that will be the next step of satisfaction.

Appearance: More personality

As one of the leading products of the ROG series, the SCAR 17 carries the most modern and modern features of ASUS at the time of its launch. While it still has a familiar look (hinge, general form, etc.), the futuristic additions are still quality enough to make the machine stand out. Not only with the Strix G17 2021 but for me, it will be the predecessor SCAR 17 2020.

On the A-side, the two-part design, as usual, is still used by the company for stylization at first sight. Like the SCAR 15, the 17 version also has differences in grainy textures to distinguish it from the Strix G17 – a 17-inch product launched a little before. Specifically, instead of printing a series of small “ROG” characters, we will have a system of tiny squares where ASUS imprints unique characters.

I like this decoration more because you can see the synchronization with the hunchback pattern below when you fold the device. In addition, the feeling when touching this part is also quite lumpy, suitable for those who often hold the device in their hands to move. In general, this is still an A side that I feel quite satisfied with, and at least it is much more attractive than the SCAR 17 2020 with only one layer of roughness.

The entire area will be sturdy aluminum metal as a premium SCAR line. Feeling cool to the touch, moderate roughness thanks to the coating, and good resistance to force – pressing quite hard but giving very little flex. With such a good build quality, it is also a good thing that ASUS has favored using it for even lower names from the Strix series like the G17.

On SCAR 17, the ROG logo will still display RGB colors – a long-standing feature of the series. Combined with the LED part on the keyboard and bottom, we will have a bunker combo, color; suitable for those who have personality and like to personalize products. With this year’s SCAR line, we also have a rather small LED strip at the bottom of the screen if we pay attention.

It’s also convenient to look down; the 2021 version is no longer a cascading form like last year’s version. The removable cover also appears as an interesting feature that is probably the first time appearing on the series. This time, not only the traditional black color, but ASUS also includes two other cases with transparent and rubber gray colors for us to replace.

The ring hinge is still sturdier than we imagined when looking at it. Especially when instead of plastic, we have steel material in this component. The feeling of opening and closing is quite smooth, and because it is keeping the 17-inch screen, it may be a bit more compact than the SCAR 15.

Ultimately, all of the styling cues we’ve just seen will be housed in a 395 x 282 x 23.4mm body – compared to last year’s version, which has been reduced in width and height. The weight of the device is also streamlined, only 2.7kg without charging – not too bad for a 17-inch machine with a terrific configuration.

Screen: Clear and smooth

Regarding the screen, being significantly thinned on all four edges will be a big plus for SCAR 17 2021. That helps to maximize the user’s visual experience and plays an important role in making the screen size bigger. The simplified size that I mentioned above. Like the Strix G17, the refresh rate of this screen also reaches 300Hz, helping all experiences appear before your eyes to achieve high smoothness. In addition, the machine also has Adaptive-Sync technology, ensuring coordination between the screen and GPU to prevent screen tearing, optimizing the viewing experience.

In terms of color parameters, I measured with SpyderX Elite and got very good results: 100% sRGB, 78% AdobeRGB, 82% DCI-P3, and DeltaE color deviation of 1.44. As for the 165Hz WQHD option, as far as I know, its DCI-P3 index can also be up to 100%. Combined with the brightness and (344 nits) and good contrast (1000:1), this will be a screen of sufficient quality to serve the user experience with the vast majority of tasks (Doing office tasks), watching high-quality movies, editing photos, videos, etc.).

The unfortunate point is that although the screen border is still thick enough, as usual, the webcam cluster will still disappear. That will make it somewhat difficult if we need to meet online, stream games, etc. But according to my understanding, with this product, some resellers will also include the ROG Eye gaming webcam. So if we need a camera, this may be information that we can pay attention.

Keyboard and touchpad: Adequate, spacious, not for all

With SCAR 17 2021, the machine’s keyboard will also be equipped with a high-end optical-mechanical switch, making typing experience and general operation more “powerful.” The clicky sound is not too loud but quite sharp; if you think about it, it is quite similar to Blue Switch on traditional mechanical keys. If you are used to fighting games with mechanical gear, switching to this keyboard will be an interesting experience.

However, like on SCAR 15, the optical-mechanical key will still only be effective when placed in the “main” task of playing games. When switching to data entry, the weight of the mechanical switch becomes a barrier, causing the typing speed to decrease significantly. Also, after typing continuously on the optical switch; Our fingertips tend to tire quickly. So if I were to comment on the SCAR 17 keyboard, I think the phrase “not for everyone” would be the most appropriate.

Regarding the layout, everything, in general, remains unchanged. With the 17-inch version, we will have an additional number key next to it, suitable for inputting data or using macros in some cases. The most noticeable difference on SCAR 17 will be the size of the F key, which will be as large as the letter and number keys below. The quick action keys will still be small in size, and they will still be regular keys instead of mechanical keys – in keeping with the inherent quick-to-use nature.

The rest of the SCAR 17 is quite spacious, comfortable to put your hands on. However, the entire surface is only made of plastic, possibly to serve the transparent design I mentioned earlier. The drawback of this material is that it sticks to many fingerprints, so we will need to clean the device regularly to ensure aesthetics.

On the right side, we will have the Keystone 2.0 key. That is where users can store profiles of keys, macros, etc., even take advantage to unlock the hidden Shadow Drive folder to save important data. If you want to lock this item so that others don’t see it, you need to pull out the Keystone and bring it with you.

The SCAR 17’s touchpad is large, covered with a glass surface, and uses Windows Precision drivers to increase accuracy in manipulation. Thanks to that, the swiping experience I get is quite comfortable, especially the multi-finger swipe. The physical number pad is available because it is a 17-inch machine; the virtual number key will no longer appear on this product.

Performance: Worthy of the “last boss” title?

The Performance of SCAR 17 2021 will be made up of today’s most powerful hardware components, focusing on the newly released AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX 8-core 16-thread CPU. The version of the machine I have, according to the lookup, has the strongest configuration, with 32GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, and an optional NVIDIA RTX 3080 16GB graphics card.

With the Ryzen 9 5900HX, the biggest impression will still be released when running heavy tasks. Similar to another option, the Ryzen 7 5700H that I have tested, when set to Turbofan mode, our CPU will be able to last quite a long time at 80-85W power, with a clock frequency ranging from 4.4 – 4.6GHz. When left in other modes like performance, the power usage is somewhat more moderate (about 65-70W), but the pulse level is still quite high (4.3 – 4.4GHz) to give an impressive score. Having this high pulse level will help you perform 2D, 3D rendering tasks that can be fast and smooth.

In terms of temperature, with the use of the 7nm FinFET process, the 5900HX also produces at a good level (about 80 degrees Celsius when used at Performance settings) with most tasks. Unless you have a very high usage demand and leave it in Turbo mode, then the CPU temperature will sometimes reach 90 degrees or more.

In addition, with the new HX suffix released earlier this year, this is the first time we have a Mobile CPU that the company supports in terms of overclocking, promising to open up even more powerful performance if users are really necessary.

The RTX 3080 graphics card essentially uses the same die as the desktop version of the RTX 3070 and increases the amount of VRAM to reach the 16GB threshold. It’s just that compared to the RTX 3080 Desktop version, we will see a little fewer CUDA cores. So I’m not too surprised when it achieves very high performance with the vast majority of current games, whether at FHD resolution or experimental calculations at WQHD or 4K (in 3DMark).

At the same time, the power level that ASUS “drops” for it is also very high, ranging from 125 – 140W depending on the game testing.

In addition, with a large 16GB VRAM, this is a card model that we can completely trust to plow AAA games with a large open world – promising to be released quite a lot in the future. Not only for gaming, but this number will also serve users with specific jobs similar to 3D rendering, for example.

Internal memory: High access speed, good upgradeability

In terms of internal memory, the version I have will be equipped with a 1TB NVMe SSD from SK Hynix, customized specifically for this year’s ROG line-up. Regarding the read and write speed, I measured it with Crystal DiskMark and got an impressive number, both in terms of sequential read and write speed and 4K read and write speed.

If users have even higher storage needs, the machine still has an empty slot to upgrade or run RAID 0.

Connection ports: Full, optimal location

With SCAR 17 2021, the connection port system will still be a maintained advantage, with most of the wire-related ports (RJ-45, HDMI, …) being pushed back to avoid entanglement when in use. We will have all 3 USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, 1 USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port supporting DisplayPort and Power Delivery, 1 HDMI 2.0 port, 1 RJ-45 LAN port, and one combo 3.5 headphone jack – basically comfortable for connecting peripherals. Although the machine is theoretically sufficient for high-level multimedia needs, a somewhat unfortunate point is the absence of an SD card slot.

Regarding the Power Delivery port, the supported charging level can be up to 100W. Thanks to that, in some cases, often emergencies, users can also take advantage of other Type-C chargers to power the device.

Battery: Large capacity, support power-saving technology

With a 90Wh battery, SCAR 17 has come a long way compared to what it does in the 2020 version (66Wh). In addition, with the feature of turning off the discrete graphics card equipped in Armory Crate, the machine will be able to switch to the Radeon Vega 8 GPU to save power significantly. Regarding the usage time I have tested, the time can last from 5h – 6h for basic tasks and about 6h30 if the discrete card is turned off.

Ending

A screen that balances scan frequency and quality (can be further improved), high-end mechanical gear system, especially powerful hardware, etc. SCAR 17 is almost perfect for me when it has converged most of the latest in the laptop world up to the present time. But it’s not just about putting it in the same chassis; ASUS is also commendable for making a lot of efforts to bring them together, thereby creating a special experience in 2021.

Also, do not forget to mention the improvements in the design that the company has created; although not completely renewed, it is enough to make buying a new SCAR more attractive. Compared to the not-so-impressive points that SCAR 2020 possesses, SCAR 17 2021 will leave more impressions, especially in the personalized story – which I think will become a trend shortly.

where can you get a ASUS ROG SCAR 17 online

ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 (2021) Gaming Laptop, 17.3” 360Hz IPS FHD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080, AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX, 16GB DDR4, 1TB SSD, Opti-Mechanical Per-Key RGB Keyboard, Windows 10 Pro, G733QSA-PB96: Buy it now