31 Jan
Blog

Asus ROG Strix Flare II Animate review: My keyboard endgame

asus rog strix flare 2 animate review ii antimate 11

ROG Strix Flare II animation

RRP $220.00

"ROG Strix Flare II Animate is the gaming keyboard of choice for 2022."

benefits

  • Hot swappable keys

  • 8,000 Hz polling rate

  • USB passthrough

  • Comfortable leatherette palm rest

  • Beautiful anime matrix

disadvantage

  • Software could be more focused

  • Expensive for a wired keyboard

Year after year we see a ton of great gaming keyboards that are more or less identical to the competition. None of them are bad, but they are nothing to get excited about. The ROG Strix Flare II Animate is.

It's not just the anime matrix that makes the keyboard stand out. It's not even the 8,000Hz polling rate, the supremely comfortable palm rest, or the hot-swappable keybed. It's the combination of features that sets the ROG Strix Flare II Animate apart.

When Asus announced the keyboard earlier this month, I hoped it would be my gaming keyboard endgame. And after using it for a few weeks, I now know that it is.

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ROG logo on the anime matrix.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

ROG Strix Flare II Animate wastes no time impressing you. From the moment I opened the box it was clear where the $220 was going. This is a premium keyboard from top to bottom, and Asus is quick to make you feel like it's money well spent.

As with the budget-oriented Akko 3068B, it's the details that make the difference with the Strix Flare II Animate. The thick braided cable comes with a ROG-branded cable tie already attached, and the keycap pullers are custom-designed to match the look of the keyboard. They even snap together so you don't have to store them separately.

You'll soon forget all these details once the star of the show lights up: The 320 LED AniMe Matrix. By default, it shows a ROG logo that slowly pulsates, and no matter how you configure it, the matrix lights up when you use function and media keys on the keyboard.

I'll cover configuring the matrix below, but I had a custom animation up and running in a few minutes. The Matrix is ​​just a small bundle of gamer influence, but a company could still screw that up. Asus not. The AniMe Matrix is ​​useful when you need it, downright cool when you want it, and it finishes off the look of the keyboard.

Lauter logo on ROG Strix Flare II Animate.

ROG Strix Flare II Animate lock icon.

Opposite the matrix you will find some function and media keys. There's a metal volume wheel, a forward/back toggle, a play/pause button hidden on the side, and dedicated buttons for Windows lock and LED brightness.

On the front you'll find the RGB light diffuser, which is similar to the RGB strips on the sides of the Corsair K100 RGB. Without the palm rest, it offers an even glow that integrates the lighting of your keys. A rain effect, for example, is carried beyond the bottom row of keys into the diffuser.

Asus wanted to include all the features a gaming keyboard could have and they succeeded.

It looks fantastic. Even better, you can snap off the diffuser to attach the faux leather palm rest and let the lighting shine through. It seems that in 2022 Asus wanted to integrate all the functional and visual features of gaming keyboards and they succeeded across the board.

The palm rest plays a major role in this. It's plump and comfortable, and goes a long way in elevating the Strix Flare II Animate against rivals like the Razer Huntsman V2. It locks into place perfectly and refuses to budge, but it does require a bit of adjustment. When the back is raised, the palm rest is almost as high as the bottom row of keys.

Light diffuser of the ROG Strix Flare II Animate.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

Luckily, it doesn't affect the typing experience. I ended up closing the rear kickstands with the palm rest attached and it typed Nirvana. In this configuration, the height peaks at the intersection of the keyboard and palm rest, with a subtle downward slope away from the keyboard. No customization here; I loved using the Strix Flare II Animate like this from the very first button press.

My only complaint about the Strix Flare II Animate's design is that there are no tenkeyless or 65% versions. That's just my preference, and if Asus ever decides to branch out, I'll be first in line.

counter

Keyswitch on ROG Strix Flare II Animate.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

The Strix Flare II Animate model I tested came with Asus NX Red switches, which aren't my favorite. Asus offers one of three of its NX switches: either red, brown, or blue, which closely match the feel of their Cherry MX counterparts. I don't like linear switches, but that's the beauty of the Strix Flare II Animate's hot-swappable switches.

The only other mainstream keyboard with this feature is the Logitech G Pro X, which didn't start a trend toward hot-swappable switches. More than two years later, I hope the ROG Strix Flare II Animate is the catalyst.

You can plug any 3-pin switch into ROG Strix Flare II Animate, including switches from Cherry, Gateron, and Kailh. I'm more excited about the smaller switch options – switches from Akko, Glorious PC, and TTC. There has been a boom in third-party switches in recent years, and the ROG Strix Flare II Animate is primed to take advantage of these benefits.

Empty key slot on ROG Strix Flare II Animate.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

All my complaints with the switches don't matter because you can just swap them out. I don't like red switches for typing, so I immediately replaced most of them with my set of Akko Jelly Blues. But I like linear switches for my spacebar where I need to jump fast in games like Destiny 2. The ROG Strix Flare II Animate didn't make me decide.

Given how cheap many third-party switches are, the ROG Strix Flare II Animate encourages experimentation and bridges the gap between mainstream gaming keyboards and boutique options like the Cyberboard R3. Hot-swappable switches are a great way to bring customizations found in gaming PCs to peripherals, and I'm glad Asus is taking the lead with them.

gaming performance

Finger on WASD on a gaming keyboard.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

Given how much else the ROG Strix Flare II Animate has to offer, I assumed it would have the same cookie-cutter gaming capabilities as any branded board you could buy at Best Buy or Micro Center. You know what they say about assumptions.

The keyboard has a polling rate of 8,000 Hz, which is only available on a small number of keyboards (including the Corsair K70 RGB TKL). Most keyboards only have a 1,000 Hz polling rate. What's the difference? The higher the polling rate, the faster your keyboard can report keystrokes to your PC.

With mice like the Corsair Saber Pro RGB, however, it's more important than with keyboards. 1,000 Hz already reports keystrokes every millisecond, so increasing it only further divides that millisecond. At 8,000 Hz, for example, it is 0.125 ms. That's not particularly important for a keyboard where you probably won't feel the split-millisecond difference between keystrokes.

I used the 8,000 Hz polling rate for about a week, occasionally switching back to 1,000 Hz for reference. I couldn't tell the difference. It didn't matter if it was Destiny 2, Halo Infinite, or even Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy – the ROG Strix Flare II Animate felt the same regardless of the polling rate.

The gaming experience on the ROG Strix Flare II Animate is great.

It's technically better, but the 8,000Hz polling rate isn't this keyboard's selling point. It's just an advantage. Unfortunately, it is only an advantage for some players. You'll have to be a highly competitive gamer to notice a difference, and you'll need at least a 9th Gen Intel i7 or a 2nd Gen AMD Ryzen 7 to even take advantage of the higher polling rate.

Polling rate aside, the gaming experience on ROG Strix Flare II Animate is great. It's not the switches or keycaps that you can get on any gaming keyboard, it's the palm rest and construction. Angled with attached wrist rest is my new favorite way to play games. It's comfortable and moving between rows immediately felt natural.

software

Asus Armory Crate dashboard.

You can configure the ROG Strix Flare II Animate via Asus Armory Crate. The app comes with all the settings you want, including macro recording, custom RGB effects, and per-key remapping. But it doesn't reach the same heights as Corsair iCue or Logitech G Hub.

Part of the problem is focus. Armory Crate is a hub that includes additional features such as machine-wide profiles, game offerings, and system updates. The extras are great, but they drown out the settings for the ROG Strix Flare II. Razer has this problem with Synapse. There's too much going on, and making fundamental changes harder than it needs to be.

That doesn't mean it's difficult overall. Armory Crate doesn't look as good as iCue or G Hub, but it's just as fast. I managed to update my firmware, adjust my polling rate, choose one of the 10 pre-made lighting effects, and create a custom anime animation in about five minutes after finding the right location.

Keyboard settings in Asus Armory Crate.

Outside of lighting, Armory Crate lets you remap any key with an application shortcut, text input, macro, or anything in between. This also spreads to the media keys. And if you don't want to mess around with the software, you can record your macros on the fly. I was hoping for a more robust macro recorder – Armory Crate sits at 100 commands – but it's still more than enough for most people.

Once you've set everything up, you can save your macros, button assignments, and lighting to one of five built-in profiles.

After learning Armory Crate's quirks, you'll be able to get around without too many problems.

Again, Armory Crate doesn't reach the heights of iCue or G Hub, especially when it comes to custom lighting effects (which are delivered via a separate app, Aura Creator). But it doesn't do anything too outrageous, and after you learn its quirks you'll be able to get around without too many problems.

The anime settings are a bit more complicated. Use one of the presets or a simple image and you'll be fine. Everything else falls apart. The animation timeline is imprecise and lacks settings, and adding your own images or GIFs is an exercise in patience.

Anime settings in Asus Armory Crate.

The problem is that the anime matrix only has 320 LEDs. It becomes harder to tell what you're seeing as the image gets smaller, limiting you to basic shapes and patterns. The built-in clock doesn't show itself well either. You can view your system clock, including a notification for alarms, but numbers don't always play well with the matrix.

It's just an expectation versus reality situation. The anime matrix is ​​limited. Within those limits, however, it's great. It's a fantastic way to get quick status updates about your PC or to check the time, and if you can find an image that goes well with this format, the Matrix will add a lot of personality to a setup.

Our opinion

ROG Strix Flare II Animate is a keyboard that refuses to say no. Plump and comfortable wrist rest? Check. Excellent lighting and customization options? You are here. hot-swappable switch? Asus has them. It's the ultimate gaming keyboard for early 2022, combining distinct elements from both mainstream and boutique gaming keyboards to create something that feels truly special.

It's still a $220 wired gaming keyboard that's hard to swallow. However, if you're like me and are willing to pay a premium price for premium products, it's money well spent.

Are there better alternatives?

Nothing combines all the features of the ROG Strix Flare II Animate, but a few keyboards come close:

  • $200 Razer Huntsman V2 — The closest competitor to the ROG Strix Flare II Animate, with a leatherette palm rest and 8,000 Hz polling rate, but no hot-swappable key switches.
  • $150 Logitech G Pro X keyboard — Comes with hot-swappable keyswitches but is limited to a tenkeyless design and no media or function keys.
  • $230 Corsair K100RGB — Packed with extra macro keys and better software, and designed to match the ROG Strix Flare II Animate with leatherette wrist rest. However, it still lacks hot-swappable key switches.

How long it will take?

Until the LEDs fail. With hot-swappable switches, you can breathe new life into ROG Strix Flare II Animate as long as you can buy button switches.

should you buy it

Yes. ROG Strix Flare II is the gaming keyboard endgame. In early 2022 there is no other keyboard that can do everything this one does. It's expensive, but even similarly priced competitors can't top what Asus offers.

Editor's Recommendations



21 Dec
Blog

Asus ROG GA35 Review: A Great Gaming PC, But Not The Best

asus rog ga35 test g35dx 07

Asus ROG GA35

RRP $ 4,999.00

"A top-of-the-line gaming PC held back by some frustrating design decisions."

benefits

  • Stay cool under loud

  • Vertical GPU looks great

  • Two USB-C ports on the front

  • Hot-swappable SSD drives

  • Standard size components

disadvantage

  • No horizontal GPU option

  • A little loud

  • Upgrades are more frustrating than they should be

If you want one of the best gaming PCs available in 2021, building your own isn't an option. Pre-built versions used to be overpriced, underperforming options compared to building your own PC, but thanks to the lack of a GPU, they're downright a bargain. And that's the Asus ROG GA35 G35DX – a great offer for 2021.

I have some issues with this compared to boutique options from Origin and Maingear, but the ROG GA35 still has plenty of power to impress. It's not too expensive either, at least in the price crisis that is plaguing PC components at the moment. If I didn't already have a graphics card from queuing at Best Buy, the ROG GA35 would be at the top of my option list.

It probably wouldn't make the cut, however. Small issues like poor cable management and the lack of thumbscrews keep the GA35 from reaching the top tier of pre-built gaming PCs. That doesn't mean it's a bad choice, especially with high-end Asus hardware under the hood.

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Earlier Asus G-series desktops used a taller, more traditional mid-tower case design, but the GA35 did not. It has a squat case design that is 16.5 inches long and just under 11 inches wide to accommodate a two-chamber design. I'm a fan of dual chamber cases, but it doesn't feel like the GA35 is making effective use of space.

Asus G35DX sits on a table.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

I'll talk more about the internal build later. For now, all you know is that both chambers are the same size. The rear contains the power supply and the tangled cables, and the front contains all of the beautiful RGB components required for any modern gaming rig. Hiding ugly things, showing glitter – that's what double-chambered covers offer.

There are some strange design choices, however. The all-in-one (AIO) liquid cooler is installed in the rear chamber and sucks air that has no inlet. It also causes the braided fluid hoses to be clumsily laid across the motherboard, which I noticed with the GA35's internal layout.

Air circulation wasn't a problem, but it could have been better. The only fan included is a 92mm vent on the back of the case, and there is no space to mount other fans. The device was a bit noisy during my test, but it wasn't like the Lenovo Thinkstation P620. It didn't get too hot either, because the CPU climbed to 48 degrees Celsius after a 30-minute AIDA64 stress test.

The GA35 is a cohesive, RGB-controlled PC that looks wonderful.

This is mainly due to the back of the open case design. On the angular edges of the GA35 there are filters that are cleverly hidden in the corners and edges of the housing. None of them have dust filters, so you need to be careful to keep the inside clean.

The temperature surprised me as the GA35 uses a vertical mount for the power-hungry RTX 3090. The vertical bracket also works wonders visually. The GA35 is adorned with as many ROG Strix products as possible, including the RTX 3090. The result is a cohesive, RGB-controlled PC that looks wonderful when lit.

Connectivity

Connections on the front of the Asus G35DX.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

Asus makes some of the best gaming motherboards you can buy, so I wasn't surprised that the GA35 comes with great connectivity. You get a pair of USB-C and USB 3.0 ports on the front of the case, as well as separate headphone and microphone inputs that put even expensive devices like the Origin Neuron in the shade.

On the back you have access to a further seven USB 3.2 ports, another USB-C port, Gigabit Ethernet and the usual audio connections. All of these ports are great, but the two front USB-C ports make all the difference to me. My personal rig, which I built with a Lian Li PC-011 Dynamic, only has a single USB-C port on the front. I'm jealous that I don't have a second now because I was able to plug both my Samsung T5 and Steelseries Prime Wireless into the GA35 without reaching around the back.

The memory expansion is also excellent. The case offers two hot-swappable SSD slots on the front as well as an additional slot for a 3.5-inch hard drive in the HDD cage. The motherboard has two M.2 expansion slots – one of which is filled from the factory – though you'll have to struggle to get the GPU out to access it.

Expansion ports on the Asus G35DX.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

The port selection is great and can rival boutique designs like the Falcon Northwest Talon. I also like the additional storage space, but I would have liked Asus to focus this effort on swapping out other components rather than adding more storage space.

Specifications and internals

Asus had four models of the GA35 that offer different GPU and CPU configurations. Each model has the same specifications otherwise – 16 GB DDR4-3200 memory, a custom Asus X570 motherboard, an 80 Plus Gold power supply and 3 TB total storage (1 TB NVMe SSD and 2 TB HDD).

Central processor AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
GPU Asus ROG Strix RTX 3090
Motherboard Customized Asus ROG Strix X570-F motherboard
case Customized Asus ROG case
reminder 16 GB DDR4-3200. unbranded
warehouse 1 TB PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD, 2 TB HDD
Power supply Delta 850W 80+ gold
USB ports Nine USB-A, three USB-C
Networking 1Gbit Ethernet

I tested the GA35DX-XB999 which comes with a Ryzen 9 5900X and an RTX 3090. This machine costs around $ 5,000, which is a better deal than you might think. I configured a machine that is identical to the GA35 and it was actually $ 100 more expensive (thanks, GPU shortage). A similarly configured Origin Neuron was $ 500 more expensive, but with better cable management and more RGB.

The GA35 is good business on the component front. My only complaint is the PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD. Ryzen 5000 chips support PCIe 4.0 so it's just a matter of Asus where it is possible.

I like the dual chamber design of the GA35, but I don't like how closed it is for upgrades.

The GA35 has some internal problems outside of the components. Cable management is sloppy, component swaps are annoying at best and impossible at worst, and the case actively fights you when you try to get inside. I like the dual chamber design of the GA35, but I don't like how closed it is for upgrades.

It's not like the Alienware Aurora R10. You can still swap out components as everything inside complies with ATX standards. It's just a hassle to get there. There are extra screws on every corner, and they're buried. There aren't even thumbscrews to unlock the side panels, let alone a tool-less design like the HP Omen 30L.

A plastic cover covers the outside of the chassis, which is cheap and frustrating. I immediately broke one of the plastic tabs holding the front cover and didn't apply enough pressure to get off. There are long plastic tubes in the center of each part of the bowl to keep you out and that's all they're good for.

Cable management is sloppy, but you don't see it right away. It's like shining a flashlight on a dusty desk in a dark room, revealing all the messy things you didn't know about. When I opened the case, I quickly noticed that ketchup and mustard cables led to the graphics card, an additional CPU power connector hung just on the side, and several small wires for RGB and fan connections that were pressed into crevices around the motherboard. All of the chunky cables are also routed through a single channel, exposing a small bird's nest of cables in the front that only grows in the rear chamber.

Cable in the back of the Asus G35DX.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

The vertical GPU bracket is a welcome addition, but it's your only option. The RTX 3090 fits straight flat and the GA35 does not have a bracket for this type of configuration. It only has two vertical brackets that will keep you from upgrading to a triple-slot GPU in the future.

In terms of specs, the GA35 is as high-end as PCs have come. Asus has made some clear design choices to deter users from upgrading, even though the form factor allows for those upgrades.

Productivity performance

CPU pump on the Asus G35DX.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

The Asus GA35 is a powerful machine, but the Ryzen 9 5900X is slowly showing its age compared to the best and brightest from Intel. It's still way ahead of Intel's 10th and 11th generation chips, and the single-core performance is great for gaming. However, the higher number of cores of the Ryzen 9 5950X and the hybrid architecture of the Core i9-12900K give them an advantage over the Ryzen 9 5900X.

Asus ROG GA35 Custom PC (Core i9-12900K, RTX 3090) Origin Neuron (Ryzen 9 5950X, RTX 3080 Ti)
Cinebench R23 multicore 21,907 27,344 25.166
Cinebench R23 single core 1,501 1,989 1,587
Geekbench 5 multicore 12,695 18,282 15,872
Geekbench 5 single core 1,692 1,962 1,682
PugetBench for Premiere Pro 1,115 1,283 1,088
Mixer (average in seconds, lower is better) 53 N / A 53
Handbrake (seconds, lower is better) 58 47 50

You can see that clearly in my results. In terms of single-core performance, the machine corresponds to the Ryzen 9 5950X in the Origin Neuron in Cinebench and Geekbench. Unsurprisingly, the Ryzen 9 5950X scores well above the 5900X in the multi-core tests, with the four additional cores providing an increase of up to 15%.

Outside of pure processor benchmarks, the GA35 shows more performance. It was able to score higher than the Origin Neuron in PugetBench for Premiere Pro, which shows the RTX 3090's slow acceleration, and it matched the Neuron in Blender. I tested Blender with CUDA rendering, so this is my most interesting result. The RTX 3090 showed no advantages over the RTX 3080 Ti.

Intel's Core i9-12900K raises this tricky comparison between the Ryzen 9 5950X and 5900X. It's faster across the board, sometimes by up to 25%. However, this does not apply to older Intel chips. Go back to the Core i9-11900K, and the GA35 can mop the floor.

The GA35 does about what I expected. It's great, but I wouldn't recommend configuring it with the RTX 3090. In some cases it gives a small boost, in others it is of no use at all. That's even more true when it comes to gaming performance, which is probably why you're interested in the GA35.

Gaming performance

Components inside the Asus G35DX.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

The GA35 is built for 4K – and better with an RTX 3090 under the hood. I ran a number of benchmarks across resolutions, but I only recorded my results in 4K with the highest graphics preset possible. This should tie performance to the GPU and remove the CPU from the equation. But my results show some big differences.

Asus ROG GA35 Custom PC (Core i9-12900K, RTX 3090) Origin Neuron (Ryzen 9 5950X, RTX 3080 Ti)
Forza Horizon 4 147 fps 160 fps N / A
Red Dead Redemption 2 73 fps 79 fps 72 fps
Assassin & # 39; s Creed Valhalla 69 fps 66 fps 55 fps
3DMark time spy 17,356 19,511 17,937
Fourteen days 78 fps N / A 89 fps

In Forza Horizon 4 and Red Dead Redemption 2, the GA35 underperformed my custom built rig with an RTX 3090. The processors are different, but they shouldn't affect performance much. Even the aging Core i9-10900K performed better in these two games when paired with the RTX 3090.

RAM is the problem. The GA35 only comes with 16 GB of RAM, which is an odd configuration for such a high-end system. Asus does not use any branded RAM modules beyond the capacity. I was told by a company representative that the modules use Samsung, Micron, and Hynix memory. And if you know anything about Ryzen processors, you know how much of a difference these these can make.

I couldn't verify the chips used for the modules in my tester. However, I used Corsair memory in the other two machines that use Samsung B-Die modules (which are known to work best with Ryzen chips). With 16 GB DDR4-3200, Asus chose the lowest reasonable option – and it shows in my results. DDR4-3600 modules would solve the problem, but otherwise leave slightly lower performance on the table.

In fact, the RTX 3090 shows a great advantage in Assassin's Creed Valhalla.

3DMark Time Spy shows how well the device compares to the Origin Neuron. My custom rig was able to get a higher score, but that's on the back of the Core i9-12900K.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is also interesting. This game is still having issues with Intel's 12th gen platform which explains the lower scores I've seen with my custom PC. The RTX 3090 actually shows a big advantage here by sliding the GA35 over the Origin Neuron. In most other cases, the added power of the RTX 3090 was of no use.

The GA35 is a super fast gaming PC. There is no doubt about that. However, there are a couple of small issues that are mostly related to system memory. In most cases the differences are no more than a few frames. But they are there and you should keep them in mind if you are planning on losing $ 5,000.

Guarantee and support

Asus offers a one-year warranty for the GA35 as standard. Finding that out, however, was tedious. The warranty information is not printed on the warranty card and you cannot find it on the Asus website. Instead, it's listed on a sticker on the back of the device, just labeled "12M" with no context. It is frustrating that Asus encloses a copy of this sticker with the warranty card – just without the warranty information.

Warranty sticker on Asus G35DX.Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

You can purchase insurance cover plus accident protection for up to three years. The standard warranty only covers defects and workmanship. One year is common for desktops. However, Asus could make it easier to access the warranty instead of splitting the information across three locations.

A product support card is included with the warranty information. Asus offers 24/7 phone support as well as live chat and email. For the second two, the support brochure points you to a website that is not working. I had to navigate through the Asus support site to find the right post.

Like the device itself, Asus doesn't go wrong with its warranty or support. There are just additional unnecessary steps that can make the process frustrating.

Our opinion

The Asus GA35 is a damn good gaming PC. It's packed with top-notch hardware that provides gaming and productivity without getting too hot (even though the fan is noisy). It also uses a standard form factor so upgrades are possible even though they may not always be practical.

It's just not all it could be. Thumbscrews, black power cords, and paying more attention to upgrades would put it at the top of our list of best desktop computers. I recommend the GA35, but you should know its quirks before you lose $ 5,000.

Are there alternatives?

Yes. The Origin Neuron and Maingear Vybe are the most direct competition, and the Vybe costs about $ 1,000 less. The HP Omen 30L is also a solid alternative thanks to its high-end hardware and tool-free housing design.

The Alienware Aurora R14 and Falcon Northwest Talon are also high-end gaming options, although they are both slightly different from the GA35. The Aurora R14 is more restrictive when it comes to upgrades, while the Northwest Talon uses all off-the-shelf parts and costs a little more.

How long it will take?

The GA35 is packed with powerful hardware, so what's in it should last for years. You can upgrade at any time, but the case doesn't make upgrades as easy as they could be.

Should you buy it?

Yes, as long as you considered the other options. The Maingear Vybe and Origin Neuron are both top-of-the-range gaming PCs, and the GA35 is just a small step below. It still works fine, but the options from Maingear and Origin are a bit easier when it comes to upgrading.

Editor's recommendations



02 Nov
Blog

Asus ROG Gladius III Review: Hot, Underappreciated Gem

Asus ROG Gladius III with chili peppers

Asus ROG Gladius III Wireless

RRP $ 119.00

"The Gladius III from Asus is a breathtaking, underrated mouse that is particularly suitable for casual games thanks to its comfortable, tactile design."

advantages

  • Great ergonomics for a gaming mouse

  • Hot-swappable switches

  • Satisfactory Omron optical switches included

  • Excellent connectivity options

disadvantage

  • Not quite as good for competitive gaming

Even the best gaming mice aren't usually known for their comfort. That's a shame because not all of us play Twitchy shooter games all of the time.

Today we're taking a look at the Asus Gladius III wireless mouse, which promises both great performance and a more ergonomic design.

While it's not the highest quality option in the line – that's the ROG Chakram – the Gladius III isn't cheap. It costs $ 119 for the wireless version. Fortunately, the Gladius III justifies its price with user-replaceable switches, a great sensor, and a comfortable grip.

Design & comfort

Top view of the Asus ROG Gladius III.

The design of the Gladius III is clearly optimized for comfort, with a large, bulbous body that presses nicely into the palm of your hand. That larger size, coupled with the right-handed design, makes it one of the more comfortable mice I've tested. It's not meant to be clawed or fingertip gripped as much, but this could be a healthier option than something like Razer's Orochi V2 and Logitech's G Pro X Superlight.

In terms of convenience, the Razer Pro Click is the best match I've had with Asus' Pointer, and while this isn't a pure gaming mouse – as evident from the lack of RGB – it's kind of a wolf in sheep's clothing. as it contains solid switches and a great sensor.

However, the Razer mouse has a better overall shape. The pear shape with the larger underside of the gladius requires you to fully grip the mouse; If you grab it a little deeper, it will point slightly to the left on a fingertip.

Angled view of the Asus ROG Gladius III.Niels Broekhuijsen / Digital Trends

Apart from the comfort, the Gladius III does not present itself with many high-quality materials. The plastic is soft and the embossed artwork on the left and right serves as a handle enough to pick up the mouse.

At only 89 grams, it's also light. That's not super easy terrain, but – at less than 100 grams for a large, comfort-oriented pointer like this one – it's respectable.

The RGB lighting is also present in three zones: the main logo, the scroll wheel and the artwork of the thumb rest. A supplied 2.4 GHz dongle, Bluetooth and USB-C ensure connectivity.

Under the hood

Bottom of the Asus ROG Gladius III.

Under the hood of the mouse – this time not metaphorically – we find a handful of interesting functions. For starters, the mouse's main sensor is one that tracks at up to 19,000 DPI, even though it has a tune on 26,000 – designed for accurate tracking up to 400 inches per second with a maximum acceleration of up to 50g. I don't have the test equipment to verify these numbers, but I can confirm an accurate follow-up in more intense gaming sessions.

There is a more compelling reason to buy the Gladius III, however: you can literally remove the top shell – the hood – and replace bits internally.

The Asus ROG Gladius III was opened to provide hot-swappable switches.Niels Broekhuijsen / Digital Trends

To remove the top, simply remove two rubber seals from the bottom, loosen two screws and pull off the hood. From here, the inside of the mouse is completely exposed, although the only thing you are supposed to do here is replace the primary switches.

The Gladius III comes with Asus' own ROG 3-pin microswitches pre-installed from the factory, but it also comes with a set of 5-pin Omron D2FP-FN switches. The former are mechanical, the latter optical – hence the additional pins – eliminating the need to consider debouncing and theoretically leading to faster performance.

The switches contained in the Asus ROG Gladius III.Niels Broekhuijsen / Digital Trends

In practice, I find that the difference is mainly due to the click action. The standard ROG switches aren't bad, but the Omron optical switches feel and sound absolutely better. The click is a bit easier, certainly clearer, and sounds less muffled.

The catch is that they are finicky about their sound, which can get annoying.

When I returned to the ROG switches I found that they felt a bit soft and mushy, so I leave the Omrons on to enjoy their spiciness. The scroll wheel is also pleasantly choppy, so they go well together.

What is significant, however, is the fact that the mouse supports hot-swappable switches in the first place. For the most part, Asus is the only company that does this. Most mice won't open at first, and when you do, the switches must be desoldered to replace them.

Asus also includes a set of four replacement mouse pads that will extend the life of the mouse. So easy to open, I can also imagine that the battery can also be exchanged, provided that a compatible replacement can be found if necessary.

Gaming performance

Jump into a game and the Gladius III shines immediately. I've played a fair amount of Insurgency Sandstorm on this mouse, as well as a couple of hours of Mass Effect Legendary Edition, and the Gladius III Wireless has been a comfy companion all along.

Hover over the view of the Asus ROG Gladius III.Niels Broekhuijsen / Digital Trends

That being said, there's a reason most gaming mice aren't built for comfort: competitive gaming performance. While I was still good at Insurgency Sandstorm with the Gladius III, I wasn't as good as my previous all-time favorite, the Logitech G Pro X Superlight, and I think that's because of the shape and weight. The Logitech has a shape that requires a more aggressive grip and is much lighter at 63 grams instead of 89 grams.

It's not a big change, but in competitive games it makes a noticeable difference: I didn't feel quite so in control.

However, when I switched to the Mass Effect Legendary Edition, that difference in performance between the two mice immediately disappeared. In this story-oriented game, I preferred the Asus mouse by far – my sensitive hands thanked me for taking a break from the G Pro X. I didn't feel hindered by the mouse, like in a competitive game.

Our opinion

The Asus ROG Gladius III Wireless is an excellent gaming mouse that is clearly designed for use with more casual games and for gamers who spend long hours in virtual worlds with a mouse that doesn't punish them for it. In fact, I'll go as far as to say that it's 80% as comfortable as a truly ergonomic mouse like the MX Master 3, while it's 90% as effective in-game as the G Pro X Superlight. If you play mostly single player titles, the Gladius III is certainly a mouse in question.

Hang that on the fact that it's a serviceable and adjustable mouse with user-replaceable switches and I'm wondering "why isn't this clicker more popular?" The Gladius III is an underrated gem in my book.

Are there alternatives?

If you're looking for a mouse with a neat and bulbous ergonomic shape, the only real alternative that comes to mind is the Razer Pro Click. It's $ 20 cheaper but doesn't have RGB or hot-swappable switches and is only available in white. Other ergonomic mice like the G502 Lightspeed from Logitech or the Basilisk from Razer are too narrow and aggressively shaped to match the comfort of the Asus.

How long it will take?

Normally I wouldn't say a mouse would last three to five years, but with interchangeable parts, I could imagine the Gladius III would last well into a decade. Whether you still use it is another question.

Should you buy it?

Absolutely. If your main focus is on story-based gaming and you spend hours on your PC, your right hand will thank you for using one of the most comfortable palm-grip gaming mice available.

Editor's recommendations



25 Aug
Blog

Asus ROG Flow X13 Review: 13-Inch Gaming Laptop, Done Right

The ROG Flow X13 on a table overlooking a city.

Asus ROG Flow X13 Review: The King of Small Gaming Laptops?

RRP $ 1,500.00

"The ROG Flow X13 is an ultra-compact and surprisingly powerful gaming laptop."

advantages

  • Amazing portability

  • Good performance for its size

  • Comfortable keyboard and touchpad

  • XG Mobile is a great option

  • 120 Hz refresh rate

disadvantage

  • Mediocre battery life

  • Screen could be brighter

  • Cumbersome port configuration

The Razer Blade Stealth 13 has long been the smallest gaming laptop you could buy. The Asus ROG Flow X13 has a lot to say about this.

It's the second 13-inch gaming laptop you can buy right now, but in some ways it goes further. With up to an RTX 3050 Ti GPU and Ryzen 9 5900HS processor, you can be sure that these are the most powerful components you can cram into a laptop this size.

Most configurations come with the interesting XG Mobile external graphics case. But my review unit is a standalone model that sells for $ 1,500 exclusively at Best Buy. That's not a bad price for a premium gaming laptop. Despite a few minor issues I've had, the ROG Flow X13 keeps the promise of playing in the smallest possible package on the go.

draft

The structured lid of the ROG Flow X13.

Judging by its size, the ROG Flow X13 is what was formerly known as an “ultrabook”. Thanks to the 360 ​​hinge and touchscreen, it is also a convertible 2-in-1.

But with its design and performance, it's unabashedly a gaming laptop. A small gaming laptop. The sleek, all-black exterior is similar to the rest of the ROG line of gaming laptops, including the Zephyrus G15 or some of the older M-series laptops. The lid features structured diagonal lines on the front and a small name tag in the lower corner for the logo. A more subtle version of this texture can be found on the palm rests. It's a pretty minimal design as long as you can overlook the typical gamer font used on the keycaps.

Asus claims that the textured lines add extra strength to the structure as well. Whether it's true or not, the Flow X13 feels very sturdy. The lid doesn't bend too much, especially at the top. The weakest point of the laptop is on the lid along the hinge. This is a common weak point, especially on laptops with a 360-degree hinge – another unique aspect of this laptop. The keyboard gives very slightly, but overall it's a laptop with a rigid feel.

Of course, the size of the Flow X13 is its calling card. I cannot stress enough how impressively small this thing is. A laptop this size just shouldn't be able to handle an 8-core CPU and discrete RTX graphics card – and yet it is here.

Play Fortnite on the ROG Flow X13.

The ROG Flow X13 is not alone, however. The dimensions of the Razer Blade Stealth 13 are almost identical. Razer's 13-inch gaming laptop is 0.2 inches thinner than the Flow X13 and has a different shape due to the screen view. The higher 16:10 shape of the Flow X13 makes it a bit longer on the table, while the 16: 9 Razer Blade Stealth 13 is wider. The ROG Flow X13 is lighter at just 2.87 pounds. In terms of portability, I can happily call it a tie, which makes the Flow X13 one of the smallest gaming laptops you can buy.

There are also some 14-inch gaming laptops that are only marginally larger than the ROG Flow X13. It certainly has a smaller overall pressure than laptops like the Razer Blade 14, ROG Zephyrus G14, or Predator Triton 300 SE – but not as much as you might suspect. Each is about an inch taller in either direction, depending on the laptop, and most are heavier. Still, they are a solid alternative to the ROG Flow X13.

Ports

The connections of the ROG Flow X13.

In terms of connections, the ROG Flow X13 offers the essentials for a gaming laptop. On the right side there is a USB-C port for charging and USB-A. On the left is a headphone jack and HDMI. That's pretty limited, especially on the USB side.

Then there is the most original thing about the ROG Flow X13: its proprietary PCIe interface is located on the left side of the laptop under a flap.

Laying the USB-C cable is particularly annoying for right-handed people. Due to the need for ventilation openings, the ports are located further down the side. This is common with gaming laptops, but since the system is powered by USB-C (and because there is only one USB-C port) there is only one place to plug it in – and right-handed people will be with the cord have to fight space with your mouse. Annoying that a second USB-C port on the left could have solved. Unfortunately, this space is reserved for Asus' proprietary port for connection to the external XG Mobile graphics card housing. However, if you don't want to use it, it's just a waste of space.

Another little annoyance? The position of the power switch. Like many convertible 2-in-1s, it is on the side of the device, right next to a USB port. However, this button is extremely sensitive, resulting in a lot of accidental presses while looking for a port or even just readjusting the laptop on my desk.

Keyboard and touchpad

I may not like the aesthetics of the ROG keyboard used here, but I can't deny its typing enjoyment. It's a big, luxurious layout – the same size you'd find on a 15-inch laptop. In addition, the keys have a chunky 1.7mm travel, which is practically unknown these days. The long stroke ensures fast, precise typing, which I immediately enjoyed. No learning curve.

Interestingly, the ROG Flow X13 doesn't include an RGB backlight. There isn't a rainbow of colors anywhere on this laptop. Some may find the refreshing, albeit individually illuminated, keypad to be a cost-saving measure. There are three levels of backlight control which is the minimum I would expect from a laptop.

The illuminated keyboard of the ROG Flow X13.

The touchpad is also good. I wouldn't have minded if it was a bit wider, but it has a smooth finish and the tracking feels accurate.

The ROG Flow X13 does not contain a Windows Hello IR camera for facial recognition, but the fingerprint reader is integrated into the power button.

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The ROG Flow X13 uses a 13.4-inch display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200. That strange resolution comes from the 16:10 aspect ratio, which is increasingly becoming the new standard and is what you see on the MacBook Pro, Find the Dell XPS 13 and Lenovo Legion 5 Pro. Taller screens aren't great for watching movies, but for everyday work and general use, the 16:10 aspect ratio gives a bigger screen for almost anything you do.

The ROG Flow X13 has a glossy, touch-enabled display that is unique compared to the Razer Blade Stealth 13. It makes for a brighter and clearer screen, although reflections can be an issue. The screen achieves a maximum output of around 300 nits, which is good enough for everyday use as long as you're not sitting in a bright room or next to a window. In the dark lighting of a horror movie or game with lots of shadows, you might find yourself staring at yourself. That is not optimal.

The corner of the display of the ROG Flow X13.

However, the screen has other strengths. First, it has a refresh rate of 120 Hz. That's perfect for this performance. Most games won't hit this threshold, which means there's plenty of bandwidth to tweak settings in games and maximize frame rates.

The color saturation is good with 98% in sRGB and 76% in AdobeRGB color spaces. More expensive laptops like the Razer Blade 14 are better in this regard as well as color accuracy. Asus did a good job of keeping the colors natural and not too warm. They are "Pantone-validated", which means that they correspond exactly to the common colors within the Pantone matching system.

All in all, this is a solid screen for both work and play.

Asus has paired it with a decent set of speakers too. They're on the bottom of the laptop, which is fine if you have the laptop on a desk.

The good news, however, is that they sound great. Although facing down, they provide clearer and fuller sound than many laptops, whether it's audio for a video or sound effects in a game. Thanks to the solid separation, it's not bad to listen to some music either. There's not a lot of bass here – and they still don't hit the speakers in MacBooks.

power

You are right if you are skeptical about the performance of the ROG Flow X13. I was also special because of its size. My configuration includes an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS, RTX 3050 Ti, 16GB of dual-channel RAM, and a 1TB SSD for $ 1,500. The RTX 3050 Ti is a newer graphics card that we haven't seen in many laptops, but it is a replacement for both the older GTX 1660 Ti and GTX 1650 Ti. These were common in budget-range gaming laptops, and the GTX 1650 Ti is currently included in the Razer Blade Stealth 13. Razer's 13-inch laptop hasn't been upgraded to the RTX 30 series yet, which means the ROG Flow X13 is really the only option in that regard.

So while the ROG Flow X13 is one of the first to hit the market, you can expect the RTX 3050 to show up in a number of budget gaming laptops under $ 1,000. That means the ROG Flow X13 will likely be one of the more expensive laptops with this GPU. Of course, you can also buy a version with an RTX 3050 bundled with an XG Mobile that includes an RTX 3080. That gets you much better frame rates, but it also costs you $ 2,800.

The ROG Flow X13 alone was able to hold its own in terms of performance.

Laptop 3DMark time spy Cinebench R23 Underdog bench 5 PCMark 10 Fortnite (1080p Epic) Civilization VI (1080p Ultra)
Asus ROG Flow X13 (RTX 3050 Ti) 4503 1420/9701 1415/7592 6429 47 fps 65 fps
Acer Swift X (RTX 3050 Ti) 4073 1437/10135 1287/6663 6247 43 fps 66 fps
Acer Predator Triton 300 SE (RTX 3060) 6038 1412/5855 1503/4606 5776 78 fps 84 fps
HP Envy 14 (GTX 1650 Ti) 3147 1343/5028 1398/4741 5178 39 fps n / A

There's only one other laptop we've tested with the RTX 3050 Ti and that is the Acer Swift X. The ROG Flow X13 does well with this, with a slight head start in graphics performance. That's what you would expect from a gaming laptop.

The RTX 3050 Ti is a significant improvement over the GTX 1650 Ti, with an increase in 3DMark Time Spy scores of up to 30%. We don't have any GTX 1660 Ti laptop scores to compare, but that's a promising generational leap.

In games, however, you might get a little disappointed. Civilization VI was the only game I could play with maximum settings that stayed above 60 frames per second (fps). Fortnite and Battlefield V had to reduce the settings to get over 60 fps. The difference between the ROG Flow X13 and 14-inch gaming laptops with the RTX 3060 is clear.

The amount of VRAM makes a huge difference. The 4 GB in the RTX 3050 Ti (compared to the 6 GB in the RTX 3060) represent a hurdle for games like Assassin's Creed Valhalla. The game is almost unplayable on the ROG Flow X13 with an average of only 20 fps in 1080p at high settings.

Ryzen and Nvidia RTX stickers on the palm rests of the ROG Flow X13.

So if you are interested in the ROG Flow X13 it is important that you know what you are buying. Don't expect to play modern games at maximum settings, at least not without putting up with some choppy frame rates.

However, the processor performance is quite impressive. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS is a 35-watt processor with eight cores and 16 threads. Intel's Core i7-11370H is the direct competitor of this chip and comes in the Predator Triton 300 SE. But like many of the Intel vs AMD matches, AMD's additional cores offer improved multithreaded performance. The ROG Flow X13 achieved a whopping 40% better results than the Triton 300 SE in the multi-core test of the Cinebench R23 and was even able to beat it easily in the single core. I've never seen the Flow X13 go up to the promised 4.6GHz, but it did step up to 4.5GHz on occasion. That's not bad.

All of this plays out well in day-to-day tasks and productivity. The ROG Flow X13 scores great across the entire PCMark 10 suite, which ensures that it is a system that works just as well for web surfing, video conferencing, and word processing as it does in games.

Battery life

The Windows lock screen on the ROG Flow X13.

The battery life of the ROG Flow X13 is a disappointment. Given the 120 Hz screen and RTX graphics card, I'm not particularly surprised.

A 62 watt hour battery is big for a 13 inch laptop, but it turned out to be not quite enough to make the Flow X13 the battery life champion.

The system lasted just five hours and 25 minutes in our web browsing test, which ran through a series of difficult websites until the battery was drained. That's not great even when compared to other larger gaming laptops. The ROG Flow X13 did better in our lightest video playback test, which repeated a local 1080p video until the battery was drained. It took over nine hours in this test.

The Razer Blade 14 is still the most durable gaming laptop, even with the RTX 3070 that I tested in my test device. Despite a larger, higher resolution screen, it lasted a few hours longer than the ROG Flow X13.

Our opinion

The ROG Flow X13 is a one-of-a-kind gaming laptop thanks to its unique eGPU and incredible portability. Despite some strange design choices and mediocre battery life, it's hard not to be impressed with how much power Asus has put into this compact laptop.

Are there alternatives?

The Razer Blade Stealth 13 is the primary alternative. It's more expensive, however, and is currently still related to older graphics card and processor options.

The various 14-inch options are all good options, although they are a bit larger. The Razer Blade 14, Acer Predator Triton 300, and ROG Zephyrus G14 are all great 14-inch laptops that are more powerful than the ROG Flow X13 for a similar price.

How long it will take?

The ROG Flow X13 should last four or five years, assuming you don't want to keep abreast of the latest games and technology. Even if you do, the ability to add the XG Mobile is a nice addition that could extend the life of this laptop.

Should you buy it?

Yes, as long as you know what you're getting yourself into. This is nowhere near the most powerful gaming laptop in the world, but if portability is an attractive proposition, you've found an incredibly unique laptop that will fit your life.

Editor's recommendations



14 Jul
Blog

Asus ROG Swift PG32UQX Review: A $2,999 HDR Dream Monitor?

Asus ROG Swift PG32UQX

Asus ROG Swift PG32UQX

RRP $ 2,999.00

"The Asus ROG Swift PG32UQX is a brilliant PC gaming device, but its shortcomings are hard to swallow."

advantages

  • Mind-blowing HDR performance

  • Extremely high peak brightness

  • Excellent colors

  • Built-in thread for camera mounting

  • Fast, fluid play

disadvantage

  • No HDMI 2.1

  • Has audible fan

  • Still not a perfect HDR experience

  • Expensive

The ROG Swift PG32UQX was first teased about two years ago, and unlike any gaming monitor in recent history, it has hyped the PC gaming community. You will find forum threads full of excitement. And for a good reason.

According to Asus, the ROG Swift PG32UQX offers overwhelming HDR performance unlike any other monitor currently on the market. In addition, it was the first 32-inch 4K gaming monitor based on mini-LED technology with full-array local dimming (FALD) for HDR lighting with 1,152 individual zones and a peak brightness of up to 1,400 nits.

The catch, of course, was the price. $ 2,999 is more than most complete PC gaming setups, including the PC, monitor, and peripherals. Therefore, it is only realistic to expect absolute and absolute perfection. The ROG Swift PG32UQX does a lot of things amazingly well, but it's not perfect.

design

Asus ROG Swift PG32UQXNiels Broekhuijsen / Digital Trends

The ROG Swift PG32UQX is quite a large monitor. That's what is expected from a 32-inch display, but the PG32UQX is slightly larger than most 32-inch panels because of its FALD lighting panel, which gives the display a noticeable thickness.

The design style is also quite aggressive, whereby Asus does not shy away from any chance that the PG32UQX is recognized as a Republic of Gamers product. The stand of the monitor has the new but classic tripod design with a downward-facing lighting stamp, the back of the display has strong shapes and a huge, RGB-illuminated Asus ROG logo, and the display's large chin has a small OLED panel in it to display entertaining graphics or system information, such as B. CPU temperature.

Niels Broekhuijsen / Digital Trends

Indeed, there is a lot to discover here. However, if styling isn't your thing, it's easy to slide the back of the monitor toward a wall, replace the stand with a VESA mount, and then that's all that's left of the display's chin, which may look a bit aggressive .

The tiny OLED display is pretty nifty though – I doubt anyone will mind, especially because it's customizable.

Asus ROG Swift PG32UQX

Asus ROG Swift PG32UQX

The display's power brick is external, which I think is a good thing because otherwise the PG32UQX would have been even bigger, and there is a thread on top of the monitor for inserting a camera mount – I've tried and this monitor will happily hold mine mirrorless camera with a large lens. Streamer, do you get this?

At the top right there is even a USB port to which you can connect your webcam or camera without having to fumble around behind the monitor.

Connections and controls

Niels Broekhuijsen / Digital Trends

The ROG Swift PG32UQX offers a variety of connectivity options, but it is not complete. There are three HDMI 2.0 ports, a single DisplayPort 1.4a port, a three-port USB hub, and a headphone jack.

But HDMI 2.1 is actually missing, and that's a big one. HDMI 2.1 is now the standard for multimedia connectivity, with all 2020 and 2021 GPUs and consoles having the interface. Without them, your Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 can't run at 4K 120Hz with full color support, and that's unacceptable for a high-end 4K monitor in 2021 – especially one that costs $ 3,000. Most new gaming laptops even ship with support for HDMI 2.1.

HDMI 2.1 is missing, and that's unacceptable for a high-end 4K monitor in 2021.

There is an opposite side to this argument, namely that there are hardly any PC monitors with HDMI 2.1 at all. That, and the official Nvidia G-Sync module has not yet been developed to support HDMI 2.1. Still, I find it inexcusable on a monitor of this price and caliber. If you want to use the PG32UQX with a modern console, keep in mind that you are limited to 60Hz or have to sacrifice color: you will never have the best experience.

The display's OSD has somewhat weird controls with a spinning wheel in the center and a button on each side, but it's easy to navigate and most of the settings you need are there.

Asus ROG Swift PG32UQXNiels Broekhuijsen / Digital Trends

However, there is no brightness control in HDR mode, which is a problem. One can argue whether this matters as the brightness in HDR is supposed to be controlled by the PC and not the monitor, but I still prefer to see some kind of brightness control at all so that the basic brightness for the room is set to a comfortable level can be level.

There is a fan

Before packing up, there is one more drawback worth mentioning: the display has a fan. It turns on the moment the display does, and even though it's not loud, it's audible. This isn't a problem if you're using headphones or playing soft music, but it can be annoying if you enjoy a quiet room and have an otherwise quiet computer.

Mini LED and HDR

If there's a reason to buy the PG32UQX, it's mini LED and its HDR performance. I'll start with the good things: when using the right HDR content, the visual results the PG32UQX can produce are simply amazing. As if the monitor wasn't worth the price all the time, suddenly it was, almost.

LCD panels cannot block all of the light even when they are black, so the ability to dim selected areas (HDR on PC monitors, explained) is necessary to achieve full black levels. By dimming selected areas, the display can also increase the peak brightness in a small area without overly illuminating the entire display. Most PC monitors are edge-lit, with a lamp illuminating the entire display. On "better" HDR monitors, this edge lighting is divided into at least eight zones that illuminate selected columns of the display as required.

As you can imagine, this illuminated pillar effect is undesirable, which is why manufacturers are experimenting with mini-LEDs: a lighting technology that does not illuminate the edge of the display, but rather an array with a large number of individually controllable LEDs placed directly behind the board. This lighting technology is called Full-Array Local Dimming (FALD), and in the case of the PG32UQX these are 1152 zones, which offers complex local dimming control.

In a certain way, FALD actually eliminates the major disadvantages of IPS panels: Backlight bleeding and IPS glow are no longer a problem, since the affected area is simply not illuminated when the display is black. The static contrast ratio is also no longer so relevant, since the area would simply not be illuminated if a black image was displayed.

Asus ROG Swift PG32UQXNiels Broekhuijsen / Digital Trends

Individual zones can reach a brightness of up to 1,400 nits when displaying highlights, and although I couldn't test that number due to the limitations of my tester, I'll use Asus & # 39; Word on it: Bright lights, sun, fire and others The lights really shot from the screen in almost breathtaking brightness, which was really a sight when an area to the left of this object was completely dark and showed an inky black night sky.

This kind of realistic brightness control is exactly what HDR is all about, and the PG32UQX does more than just deliver. The PG32UQX is a pleasure especially in games with higher frame rates and activated G-Sync. It's not the fastest panel, but it's a lot fast for non-competitive gameplay.

Launch a game that does HDR right and you will be in for a spectacle.

But the technology is not perfect. The IPS panel is only capable of blocking that much light, and although 1,152 zones are orders of magnitude superior to an 8-zone edge-lit display (which barely feels like HDR after the PG32UQX), they're still visible zones, in particular on darker scenes. Simple desktop use is the worst culprit for this – take a black or dark background and hover your mouse over it: you'll see a circular halo of blue light nervously walking around the mouse as it jumps between zones. Or take a white dialog box on a dark background, the edges of which have a strange yellow sheen. This effect can get used to, but it is difficult to ignore and is always reminded of how imperfect the technique is.

However, desktop use is not a really fair test, as individual elements are often much too small for the zones. It doesn't take into account the higher peak brightness levels, and Microsoft's HDR implementation has yet to be refined. However, the halo effect is far less pronounced in dynamic content such as games, movies, or TV shows. This is because individual bright elements are often larger, but also because there is simply a lot more movement going on on the screen.

Launch a game that does HDR right, go into the settings and properly calibrate the maximum darkness and maximum brightness so that the game engine properly addresses the monitor's HDR brightness sensitivity and you will be in for a spectacle. Trust me, you will forget about the halo effect in games and videos.

picture quality

Thanks to its IPS panel, the PG32UQX has great color performance, which, coupled with the 4K resolution at the 32-inch size, make it a dream as an editing display, especially if you are producing HDR content.

We tested the monitor in SDR mode because our tester does not support HDR and the color performance of the panel is impressive. At the beginning of the test, I came across sRGB color clamping, which set color coverage at a perfect 100% of sRGB, which is a much appreciated feature: unclamped sRGB colors can often look oversaturated on monitors with wide color gamut, so it's nice to be around to see the inclusion of this limiter.

When the terminal is switched off, the panel covered a decent 100% of the AdobeRGB and 97% of the DCI-P3 color space, with a Delta-E (difference to the real value) of 1.77 for the color accuracy. Any Delta E below 2 is considered good enough for professional work. The calibration of the display did not bring any notable improvements, but the performance out of the box is quite good.

Gamma performance was perfect too, although I wasn't impressed with the panel's native static contrast ratio. While IPS panels, especially flat samples, generally achieve a result of around 1000: 1, the best recorded contrast ratio I got when testing this sample was 810: 1, which is what I would expect from a curved IPS panel, that occurs due to a bit more bleeding to the print. But that's a flat screen.

Asus ROG Swift PG32UQXNiels Broekhuijsen / Digital Trends

However, this was tested without HDR and switched off the variable backlighting of the panel. We test in this way to properly assess the panel's native contrast ratio without automatic backlight changes affecting the result. With the variable backlight on, the contrast ratio was much better, producing really deep blacks even in SDR mode – and I think most users of this monitor will want to keep the variable backlight on. The only exception would be for color-critical work, as dimmed backlighting causes color shifts in the adjacent areas.

This begs the question of how important it really is that the panel's contrast performance isn't great, which is a difficult question to answer. On the one hand, it shouldn't matter with this type of backlighting, but a panel with a better static contrast performance would block the light better and thus counteract the haloing of the PG32UQX better.

Keep in mind that contrast performance varies widely from sample to sample, and since I have a feeling that this sample performs at the lower end of the spectrum while other reports indicate much higher contrast ratios, you are likely to be luckier.

How about OLED as an alternative?

If you're looking for the perfect HDR experience that doesn't halo under any circumstances, you're probably thinking of something like, "How about just getting an OLED panel instead?" And I wouldn't blame you for this. In fact, that's a good idea, but OLED panels have their own dangers.

The attraction would be that each pixel is its own light source. One pixel could be illuminated with peak brightness and the ones directly next to it pitch black. No halo, just pure and perfect brightness control over the entire panel. HDR would look great on the Windows desktop and in all movies and games without sacrificing visual quality.

But there are a few catches. First and foremost, there are no OLED PC gaming monitors, and the smallest OLED TVs are around 48 inches diagonal right now. This is a little too big to be used on a desk as a PC monitor, especially without a bulge. They're all shiny too, burn-in is a potential risk, especially with the amount of static content that affects PC desktop usage, and to reduce burn-in, peak brightness is also limited so you never quite get the "I have to" get look the other way because it's so bright "dive in."

Ultimately, the choice between mini-LED and OLED is a concession: which one you will tolerate and which one you will not. However, if you're wondering whether to get the PG32UQX or a content-consuming OLED TV, then the PG32UQX is probably not for you – an OLED TV might not last as long, but it costs less than half – and so do I. I'll bet the PG32UQX depreciates in value faster than an OLED reaches $ 0 in value.

Our opinion

The Asus ROG Swift PG32UQX is an amazing device. With an array of 1,152 mini-LED lighting zones, it creates an HDR experience that cannot be compared with any other PC monitor currently available on the market. There aren't many 32-inch 4K gaming monitors on the market anyway, so sitting in front of one that is not only this size but also has FALD lighting is like sitting in front of a unicorn. At least at this point, the PG32UQX offers the most breathtaking HDR performance available on a PC without relying on an OLED TV.

The PG32UQX is at the forefront of what PC monitor technology can do these days, and if you're looking for an HDR spectacle for your desk, it's the tool for the job. But like any cutting edge technology, it's far from perfect and in that regard the PG32UQX feels a bit like a prototype: there's no HDMI 2.1 so it's not exactly future proof and I feel the mini LED tech as it looks well now, will soon be out of date due to new developments. Add to that the usual panel performance lottery, no basic HDR brightness controls, and an annoying fan, and it quickly becomes a very difficult proposition to spend $ 2,999 on a monitor.

Are there alternatives?

No. There are currently no other PC monitors that offer fast 4K gaming performance paired with FALD and this color performance. Your other best choice is an OLED TV like LG's 48-inch C1 model, but it comes with its own tradeoffs, assuming you have enough desk space at all.

How long it will take?

From a functional point of view, I don't see any reason why the ROG Swift PG32UQX couldn't last for at least five years. But between the lack of HDMI 2.1 and the rapidly evolving alternative display technologies, you'll likely itch to replace it long before it breaks, especially if you're someone who loves to be at the forefront of technology.

Should I buy it?

For most players, no. It has a few weaknesses that are guaranteed to be a deal breaker for large groups of buyers, especially at this price point.

If you have deep pockets and just want the best HDR gaming monitor you can buy right now, then the ROG Swift PG32UQX is as good as it gets. But for most of us it's like an exotic sports car: I want to rent it just to experience it, but I don't want to own it.

Editor's recommendations



04 Nov
Blog

Asus ROG Swift 360Hz Review: Only Skill Will Hold You Back

asus rog 360hz pg259qnr review dsc02115

Asus ROG Swift 360Hz PG259QNR

"The Asus ROG Swift 360Hz PG259QNR is a great, competitive gaming monitor."

  • Unmatched clarity of movement

  • Very low entry delay

  • Buttery, fluid gameplay

  • Excellent stable stand

  • Including desk clamp

  • 1080p only

  • Limited mainstream appeal

When buying a new gaming monitor, you need to find the perfect balance between price, picture quality, gaming performance, and features. Finding the best monitor for all of your needs can be difficult. But what if all you care about is absolute gaming performance and nothing else?

Asus' new ROG Swift PG259QNR may fit your bill just right. Be warned, however, that thanks to its ultra-fast 360Hz 1080p display, this monitor is a one-trick pony intended only for the most competitive gamers.

design

As a monitor designed for competitive gameplay, two things stand out. First and foremost, it is not very large at just 24.5 inches diagonally. More importantly, the stand is set up like a tank.

You might not think it matters, and while I'd normally agree with you, competitive gameplay is quite a physical activity. From quick mouse movements to quick slamming of the keyboard, your movements can jolt your desk, and the vast majority of monitors jiggle like fresh jelly.

But not the PG259QNR. The stand Asus built for this display absolutely plants it on your desk and won't let it move no matter how aggressive you get with your gameplay.

For those who don't like a large stand, the display also comes with a desk clamp that replaces the funky stand, as most monitor arms again allow too much wobble. So we can't help it that VESA mounts are not supported.

Regardless of your choice, the stand offers a range of settings including height, tilt, rotate to portrait, and swivel. This is impressive when you consider the stability of the monitor. Rotating it to portrait is of course not required, but it helps if you connect the cables after you have run them through the stand.

The ROG Swift 360Hz isn't afraid to take a stand.

This display has no curve, and its 24.5-inch size may seem small to some gamers. For competitive people, however, this means that they can see the entire game without moving their heads. If you've ever wondered why 24-inch monitors are popular in tournaments, now you know.

All in all, this is one of the most aggressive displays I've seen, with tons of accents and a huge RGB LIT Asus ROG logo on the back that engulfs a quarter of the property.

Connections and controls

There isn't much connectivity to be found on the PG259QNR, but it doesn't have to be. You want to use the DisplayPort 1.4a interface to get the most out of this monitor, as the HDMI 2.0 connection limits the maximum refresh rate to "only" 240 Hz instead of the full 360 Hz. DisplayPort also enables G-Sync at 1 Hz to 360 Hz. This is the largest range I've seen on a monitor.

Next to these two inputs there is a power connection socket that is fed by a small external 90 watt power module. There is also a headphone jack and a two-port USB hub with an upstream connection to your PC.

Asus' on-screen display (OSD) is not particularly attractive, but it is functional and extremely easy to navigate. The monitor has a main direction switch that will bring up the main menu when it is interacted with in any way. This menu contains segments for activating Nvidia Reflex Analyzer, a game menu with game-related settings like FPS counter, fraudulent crosshair, dark gain, overdrive settings and more.

Of course, there are also settings to adjust brightness, contrast and color, as well as options for shortcuts, lighting effects and general monitor settings.

picture quality

When it comes to image quality, you may be wondering why the display doesn't come as a QHD monitor. After all, 1080p isn't very sharp, and today's GPUs should be powerful enough to run popular esports titles at high frame rates at QHD.

There's a simple reason: bandwidth. DisplayPort 1.4a offers just enough bandwidth to transmit 1080p at 360 Hz to the monitor. Until we get a new interface or a manufacturer implements DSC (Display Stream Compression), 1080p is the upper limit if you want a 360 Hz monitor. Since the panel is not very large, the picture still looks quite sharp.

Asus has equipped the PG259QNR with an IPS panel, which means that the viewing angles are excellent. Slight bleeding and IPS glow are minimal on our sample and much better than curved ultrawide monitors. The PG259QNR produces a very consistent, even and clean image.

But where IPS normally produces star colors, it seems that some sacrifice had to be made with this panel. It's by no means terrible, but with coverage of 98% of the sRGB space and 73% of the AdobeRGB and DCI-P3 space as tested on our Spyder X Elite, you won't be blown away with vibrancy. saturated colors.

We also tested the color accuracy, which resulted in a Delta-E (Difference from Real) of 2.12 in the standard “Racing” mode, with the sRGB profile achieving a better result of 1.68. Note that sRGB mode disables brightness control and instead uses the built-in light sensor to determine the brightness.

Oddly enough, both values ​​are worse than the calibration report provided by Asus, which stated a Delta-E of 0.53. However, this may be due to different devices and test conditions. Either way, the PG259QNR produces accurate colors so you can use it for non-professional color grading if necessary.

The Asus PG259QNR delivers too much in terms of brightness and contrast performance.

The display is characterized by brightness and contrast. Asus claims a brightness of 400 cd / m2, but our sample exceeded 415 cd / m2. The panel also exceeded the stated contrast ratio with a contrast of 1200: 1, which is an impressive performance for an IPS panel. The white point was exactly at 6500K, which is great.

We calibrated the monitor to see if we could improve its performance but made few gains. Only the color accuracy has been improved to 1.35 so calibrating the PG259QNR can produce some gains.

But let's face it, you're not buying this monitor anyway because it can reproduce colors, and its color rendering is more than enough for competitive gameplay. Given this monitor's focus on the raw refresh rate, Asus could have cut the color accuracy and contrast – but thankfully, it didn't.

Gaming performance

It's time to get down to the brass nails and talk about what really matters – gaming performance. In that regard, the PG259QNR is at home with a mind-boggling 360Hz refresh rate. You are probably wondering why you need 360 Hz and if you can tell the difference.

At 360 Hz it's not about fluidity and smoothness. It's about reducing latency

If you are not a competitive gamer this monitor is not for you. The jump from 144 Hz to 360 Hz takes a trained eye to see, but at 360 Hz it's not really about increasing fluidity and smoothness. Rather, the point of this insanely high refresh rate is to reduce latency so you can see the enemy before they can see you. The difference is only milliseconds (we're talking less than 10 milliseconds compared to a 144Hz display) but that's a lot in the competitive world.

Now, I'm not a competitive gamer (I just don't have the time or the skills) but I asked a veteran friend to try this monitor out in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and you should have seen the grin on his face. He landed shot after shot, shot after shot, and definitely felt like a better player compared to his 144Hz panel. The PG259QNR is for when you want to know that the only thing holding you back is your skills.

This monitor is so fast that all you can do is hold back your skills.

There is one thing to keep in mind when viewing this ad. We tested it on a PC with an AMD Ryzen 9 3900X and an Nvidia RTX 2080 Super graphics card. When we launched Destiny 2, the highest frame rate this system managed was around 170 FPS with the graphics at the lowest settings. Even in CS: GO, we only occasionally jumped over 300 FPS.

If you are going to buy this display, make sure your system has a processor with a very powerful single core performance.

So I checked out the Task Manager to see what happened and this confirmed my suspicions. The CPU had a bottleneck in the system, as only a few cores worked almost 100% and the graphics card was used to around 70 or 80 percent, often even less. I picked the 3900X for its multi-core performance, but it's not as powerful as Intel's alternatives on single-core, and games rely on that to get really high frame rates at low resolutions like these.

When buying this display make sure you have a processor like Intel Core i9-9900K, Core i9-10900K, or wait for AMD's Ryzen 5000 CPUs as these are expected to deliver amazing single-core performance.

Of course, even if you don't, you will still benefit from this advertisement. You don't have to hit 360 FPS to take advantage of it as you will benefit from reduced latency and become a more competitive gamer even at lower frame rates.

Nvidia Reflex Latency Analyzer

As I said, the PG259QNR is all about latency, which is why Nvidia's Reflex Analyzer technology is packaged in. This is essentially an extension of the G-Sync module that allows you to measure the time from click to display. When combined with the right hardware, you can numerically display the benefits of faster viewing. We tested the function with Destiny 2 and the ROG Chakram Core mouse from Asus. (You should note that not many games are currently supported.)

You use it by connecting the monitor with DisplayPort and the USB hub to your PC, and then connecting the compatible mouse to the red USB port on the monitor. This allows the monitor to recognize when you click. Then activate the Reflex Analyzer via the OSD of the monitor, which displays a detection rectangle that you place over the trigger, the nozzle or the part of your weapon that reacts first so that the monitor can recognize when your click is visible on the screen Changes.

With the Nvidia Reflex Analyzer, you can be sure that you will see your actions as soon as possible.

With this option in Destiny 2 with the minimum settings, we achieved a response time of approx. 14 milliseconds. Increasing the settings to the highest value increased this number to about 21 ms. This isn't a huge difference, but it can be the difference between landing a shot or landing a shot. We couldn't run these tests in CS: GO because the game is incompatible.

However, if you are not using an RTX 2080 Super but a GTX 16 series card, the latency will be longer. The same goes for other factors like graphics settings or background tasks that can decrease your frame rate. Ultimately, it's just a tool that lets you see the real latency benefits of upgrading your system or changing game settings, rather than estimating latency based on your frame rate.

Our opinion

Asus' ROG Swift 360Hz PG259QNR is an extremely fast gaming monitor that shows the entire view in a relatively small area so you can see everything at once. With a response time of 360 Hz and 1 ms it ensures that you see the enemy and shoot them before they see you. This can help you get a head start on competitive online games.

However, at $ 699, the PG259QNR isn't affordable. So you have to wonder if you need a monitor as fast as this or if you prefer something more immersive like an ultrawide display.

Are there alternatives?

Yes. MSI is expected to launch its Oculux NXG253R monitor with similar specs for $ 799 in November. Acer built the Predator X25, which also has a 360 Hz panel. If you don't mind dropping to 240 Hz to save real cash, Dell's Alienware 25 is a great half-price option.

How long it will take?

The Asus PG259QNR should last as long as any monitor – at least five years. However, if you're using it for competitive gameplay, don't be surprised if something even faster pops up in esports.

Should I buy it?

Yes. It's not for everyone, but the Asus ROG Swift 360Hz PG259QNR absolutely raises the bar for competitive gaming monitors while avoiding any major issues that could affect the fun.

Editor's recommendations




03 Aug
Blog

Asus ROG Strix G15 Review: A Gaming Laptop That Glows

Asus Rog Strix G15 review 01

Asus ROG Strix G15 review: the gaming laptop that lights up

"The Asus ROG Strix G15 offers just enough power to justify its 144 Hz refresh rate."

  • Solid gaming performance

  • RGB lighting is unmistakable

  • High refresh rate

  • Good thermals

  • Thick and chunky

  • No webcam or secure registration

Higher refresh rates have become the main theme for gaming laptops in recent years. Thanks to the performance increase, even gaming laptops at the budget level receive refresh rates of more than 60 Hz.

Asus' eye-catching new gaming laptop, the ROG Strix G15 for $ 1,000, is one of the cheapest laptops you can get with a 144 Hz screen. My test device was only equipped with an Nvidia GTX 1650 Ti, the entry-level option for serious mobile games.

Is that enough to properly power a 144 Hz display? Let's find out.

design

Asus designed the ROG Strix G15 in collaboration with BMW, which at first sounds interesting. Unfortunately, the car-inspired aesthetic is nothing new – it has been in the DNA of gaming equipment for many years.

The design collaboration leads to a plastic gaming laptop with many ribs, lines and structured materials. This is fake brushed metal that you can feel at your fingertips. Nevertheless, I prefer the look over something gaudier like the Acer Predator Helios 300.

The ROG Strix G15 is made entirely of plastic, although the structural integrity of the ROG Strix G15 is rather tank-like. The lid is the only weak point. It is easy to bend or bend and the hinge slams the lid unless it is at least 50% open.

The all-round light bar brightens your desk with a dash of RGB color.

My device came completely in black and Asus says it is a "professional person". Frankly, nobody will confuse it with anything other than a gaming laptop. Laptops like the Razer Blade or MSI GS66 Stealth are better suited for a meeting (if you still have them).

What the ROG Strix G15 has are lights. A lot of lights. The keyboard has a backlight for each key. This is just the beginning. The ROG Strix G15 has an “all-round light bar” that brightens your desk with a dash of RGB color. The LEDs themselves are not directly visible and leave a diffuse glow underneath. It's a nice effect that sets the Strix G15 apart from the sea of ​​other black gaming laptops.

The ROG Strix G15 is not thin or light. It weighs 5.7 pounds and is just under an inch thick. Even the Dell G3 gaming laptop, which is chunky in itself, outperforms the Strix G15 in portability. The Strix G15 also has a large footprint thanks to the placement of the connections on the back. To compensate, the laptop has a solid chin bezel. There is a significant gap between the display and the rest of the case. This means that the screen sits higher than some 17-inch laptops when open.

The ROG Strix G15 has a typical keyboard layout, although there are some eccentricities. I like the colorful WASD buttons and the additional function buttons on the side. Asus has also pulled some important keys from the function bar, e.g. B. the volume control. Unfortunately, the buttons used are mushy and feel imprecise.

The touchpad works well for a gaming laptop in this price range. It has a smooth surface and traces well enough, although Asus has opted for old-school, left and right physical buttons that feel dated and cut into the usable touchpad area. As with many Asus laptops, you can turn on a digital number pad on the touchpad because the keyboard lacks one. It works pretty well, but the accountants won't be happy.

Ports

The ROG Strix G15 follows the trend to move many less used ports into the background. Here are your video output options, whether via HDMI 2.0 or USB-C. The USB-C connector is not a Thunderbolt 3 and does not support a power supply. To charge, you have to stick to the proprietary barrel connector, which is also on the back next to an RJ45 Ethernet socket.

The only ports on the sides of the device are three USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports and a headphone jack. The right side is completely port free.

The Strix G15 does not include a webcam like most Asus gaming laptops sold today. This decision makes sense in a vacuum, as Asus knows that gamers who stream need a better external webcam. However, this decision is timed poorly due to the sudden popularity of work from home.

Finally, the Strix G15 does not include an IR camera or fingerprint reader for secure Windows Hello logins. It includes the latest Wi-Fi 6 for connectivity and Bluetooth 5.0.

display

The display makes the ROG Strix G15 an interesting gaming laptop. But not because the picture quality of the panel is so impressive. It's sub-par in almost every way, and the colors are the biggest downside.

It only affects 65% of the sRGB color space, which is poor compared to 98% of a laptop like the Razer Blade or MSI GS66 Stealth. Even the affordable Dell G5 SE reaches 98%, as do midrange laptops like the Lenovo Yoga C640. It has a light green hue, which makes my skin look almost sick in a YouTube video we recorded. However, this is less noticeable in games.

It's not a bright panel with a maximum of 278 nits, but the matte finish helps avoid sharp reflections. Let's face it, you'll likely be playing games in dimly lit rooms anyway.

The refresh rate is the outstanding feature of the display. A year or two ago, 144 Hz was the standard for high-end gaming laptops like the Razer Blade. Nowadays 300 Hz screens have raised the standard, while the ROG Strix G15 can be configured up to 240 Hz. At this price, it is still rare on gaming laptops, which makes the screen of the ROG Strix G15 a highlight of its gaming experience.

Game performance

The ROG Strix G15 may only have a poor Nvidia GTX 1650 Ti for graphics on board, but don't underestimate it. Modern 3D titles can be played back without any problems even at maximum settings. It can reach 64 fps (frames per second) in Fortnite, 56 in Battlefield V and 63 in Civilization VI. These are high enough, although they don't use the 144 Hz refresh rate much. If you only play with maximum settings, you won't notice the difference between this and a standard 60 Hz screen.

But it really seems if you reduce the graphics settings a bit. Frame rates increase significantly, and you feel the true power of a higher refresh rate. At medium settings, Civilization VI plays at 108 fps, while Fortnite reaches 86 fps at high settings (less than Epic). Interestingly, it matches the performance of the equally equipped Dell XPS 15 in almost every game for $ 600 less.

The problem? Not all games are as good as these easier titles. Battlefield V is a good example that still only achieves an average of 60 fps at medium settings. Of course you can set it to low if you really want to break 60 fps, but it's not fun. Assassin's Creed Odyssey is an even better example. In the middle setting "high", the game on the ROG Strix G15 only achieves an average of 42 fps. With Ultra High it is only 23 fps.

The system keeps the surface temperatures surprisingly cool even while gaming.

That is why Asus classifies this laptop as "E-Sport". If you're trying to play something more sophisticated – or just want to see more graphic details in your games – the ROG Strix G15 isn't for you.

Here the AMD-based Dell G5 SE is a convincing argument in itself. The AMD Radeon RX 5600M of the Dell G5 SE far outperforms the Nvidia GTX 1650 Ti – in some cases even 48%. On the other hand, Dell sells the G5 SE without 144 Hz in lower configurations. The high refresh rate of the ROG Strix G15 is more suitable for a certain type of player.

Of course, Asus also offers more powerful configurations of this laptop. For example, an attractive option might be the $ 1,500 model, which is equipped with an RTX 2070, a refresh rate of 240 Hz, 16 GB RAM and 1 TB solid-state memory. Razer offers a very similar blade configuration for a whopping $ 500 more.

In addition, the ROG Strix G15 has a cooling advantage over smaller gaming laptops. The system keeps the surface temperatures surprisingly cool even while gaming. This comes at the expense of fan noise (and case thickness), but you'll appreciate the cooling temperatures on the palm rests after long gaming sessions.

Performance in content creation

When it comes to non-gaming performance, the Dell G5 SE is again a problem in comparison. It has an eight-core processor compared to the six-core option in the ROG Strix G15. This means significantly better performance in high threading applications. With a focus on gaming, this may not be a deal breaker for the ROG Strix G15.

My test device came with the Intel Core i7-10750H, 8 GB RAM and a 512 GB SSD. The performance in Cinebench R20 worried me a little. The single-core value even lagged behind measly 15-watt laptops like the Microsoft Surface Book 3. Thanks to the two additional cores, the Dell G5 SE was 26% faster in the multi-core test from Cinebench.

This directly led to how quickly the ROG Strix G15 also ran when encoding video. The Dell G5 SE was 27% faster encoding a 4K film trailer to H.265 in Handbrake. Of course, the ROG Strix G15 was not designed for this type of workload, but if you want to create content on the side (which doesn't depend on the quality of the screen), the ROG Strix G15 can do the job.

The ROG Strix G15 also has an empty M.2 slot for future expansion. You can also upgrade the RAM up to 32 GB.

Battery life

The ROG Strix G15 is not suitable for long sessions outside the wall.

Three hours and 50 minutes in our light web browser test are not good even for a gaming laptop. The Dell G5 SE lasted more than six hours in the same test.

The Strix G15 has proven itself in the video playback test, in which a local 1080p video clip is repeated until the battery is empty. The Strix G15 lasted eight hours and even beat the Dell G5 SE by an hour and a half. Unfortunately, this doesn't match the battery life of a typical workload.

In my daily workload, which consisted of a dozen browser tabs and some applications, it took about four hours on a single charge. There are far better gaming laptops for battery life.

Our opinion

The Asus ROG Strix G15 is a good choice for a certain type of player. It is the cheapest 144 Hz gaming notebook you can buy and offers just enough power to use it in some games. The image quality of the display is disappointing and there are a lot of frills missing from more expensive gaming laptops. Most gamers will be happier upgrading to a laptop with at least one Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti, but the ROG Strix G15 is a good place to start if you need cash.

Are there alternatives?

The Dell G5 SE is a problem for the ROG Strix G15. It is more powerful in almost every way. If you can raise the price to $ 1,050, it even comes with a 144 Hz screen. However, the ROG Strix G15 offers a higher refresh rate with cheaper configurations and has a more polished housing.

The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i for $ 920 is one of the few cheap gaming laptops with a high refresh rate. It's 120 Hz instead of 144 Hz, but you probably won't notice the difference. It comes with a slower Core i5 processor, but it's also a little cheaper than the ROG Strix G15.

How long it will take?

The ROG Strix G15 is a well-built laptop, but its graphics card isn't the fastest. In a few years, you may find that newer games find it difficult to play smoothly. However, the ability to update RAM and memory is a plus for the durability of the ROG Strix G15.

Asus offers a standard one-year warranty on its laptops. After that you are alone.

Should you buy it

Yes. If you're an e-sports player who cares more about frame rates than graphic details, the ROG Strix G15 gives you just enough power.

Editor's recommendations




23 Jul
Blog

Asus ROG Phone 3 Review: An Incredible Feat Of Mobile Gaming

Asus Rog Phone 3 review

"The Asus ROG Phone 3 is a powerful, focused gaming smartphone that makes you feel like a champion."

  • Incredibly powerful

  • Breathtaking sound

  • Focused, useful game features

  • Large, smooth screen

  • Great software

  • Camera could be better

  • Heavy

Asus has shown how serious mobile gaming is with the launch of Republic of Gamers' ROG Phone 2 last year, which is equipped with technologies and features specifically designed to improve gameplay. Now it's back with the ROG Phone 3. Not much has changed externally, and if anything, the design of the space age has become less noticeable – but the story is different inside.

The difference that the internals make is remarkable. It's so powerful that when he plays PUBG Mobile, Thanos would do it on a ROG Phone 3.

design

The ROG Phone 3 has a similar look and almost the same size as the ROG Phone 2, but the sci-fi madness is somewhat weakened. The glass back is glossy rather than matte, and the exposed vents on the back of the ROG Phone 2 have disappeared and have been replaced by a cool, transparent area that shows the new cooling system inside. I have never seen a glass transition between transparent and dark, and it looks great.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Despite its exterior, the ROG Phone 3 has not collected any fingerprints, and the ROG logo with RGB looks even brighter and more colorful than the matt glass of the ROG Phone 2. The camera module has been given another lens for a total of three. and it runs horizontally across the device. Asus has reduced the silver angled lines on the body, making the design more mature.

Nevertheless, the gaming focus remains. The USB Type-C connector on the bottom is arranged on the side so that the phone can be held more comfortably in landscape format when plugged in. There is another USB Type-C charging port behind a rubber plug on the opposite side. The phone also has shoulder-mounted "AirTrigger" on the side of the phone (we'll talk more about that later).

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Although it's comfortable to hold, this is a great smartphone. It is 9.8 mm thick, 171 mm long and 78 mm wide. For comparison: The OnePlus 8 Pro is 8.5 mm thick, 165 mm long and 74.5 mm wide.

At 240 grams, the ROG Phone 3 is also one of the heaviest phones ever. The orientation in landscape is well balanced, but in portrait I noticed that the weight was tilted towards the front of the phone. In combination with the slippery body, it often threatened to fall in the face when I lay it down.

One thing that ROG Phone 2 users may notice is the disappearance of the 3.5mm headphone jack. The integration of 5G antennas in the ROG Phone 3 is one of the reasons why the connection no longer fits into the phone. However, if you really want it, there is a dongle in the box. There is also an additional AeroActive Cooler 3 accessory that attaches to the case to assist cooling. You will also receive these accessories in the packaging.

It is a great accessory. Asus has added two very helpful features: a space to store the rubber connector cover that you remove from the phone to attach the AeroActive Cooler 3, and a stand.

The stand is great and puts the phone in the perfect angle for watching movies or playing with a controller. The AeroActive Cooler 2 developed for the ROG Phone 2 is not compatible with the new phone. However, if you bought other accessories, including the Twin View Dock or the Kunai controller, these will work because the two phones are almost identical in size.

I appreciate the new, more sophisticated design of the ROG Phone 3, but I miss the madness of the ROG Phone and ROG Phone 2. I think gaming phones need craziness. Nothing in their existence makes sense. So why not celebrate a little more?

Play

The ROG Phone 3 is the king of gaming smartphones.

I'm a casual gamer, which means I don't spend hours playing online every day, but the ROG Phone 3 still manages to make the games I play look better and smoother while providing useful tools, that improve the experience. When I feel that way, I have no doubt that people who are more interested in mobile games will see even greater benefits.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The shoulder-mounted AirTrigger are a good example of where the ROG Phone 3 is successful. You can easily map, tap, press, swipe, or even split controls on the screen to effectively create four buttons. They made the simple controls of Asphalt 9 Legends faster to use and prevented my fingers from covering the screen.

The function is activated in the game via the Game Genie menu on the slide-in screen. When you position the AirTrigger activation points on the screen, they vibrate when you get the correct placement. In Transformers: Forged to Fight, I used both the tap and swipe functions, and while typing worked well, it can be difficult to activate the swipe function at the right time.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Pressing the sides of the phone activates X mode, which increases phone performance and minimizes distractions while gaming. Use the "Advanced X mode" setting, where everything is set to maximum and the processor is not throttled at all. I haven't noticed any slowdown, dropouts, or other performance issues while playing on the ROG Phone 3.

The 6.59-inch AMOLED screen has a refresh rate of 144 Hz, 270 Hz touch sampling, 10-bit HDR, HDR 10 Plus support and a touch latency of 25 ms. It reacts incredibly quickly. Dariusburst is played in a small window in the center of the screen and requires skillful, careful controls to switch between the landscape and the onslaught of bullets. The ROG Phone 3 made this much easier thanks to its large, very responsive touchscreen.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Then there is the sound. Asus worked with an audio company called Dirac and skipped major brands like Dolby. The result is often exceptional. There is a level of detail, clarity and definition that you won't always find on phones, as well as a wide sound stage and really full sound through the two stereo speakers. The ROG Phone 3 sounds like no other smartphone.

Within a few hours I played Asphalt 9 Legends, 1945, Real Racing 3 and Dariusburst as well as a few other casual titles and it went perfectly. You can feel some heat coming from the phone, but it's in the landscape format at the middle bottom of the device, so you'll have to look around for it. My hands didn't get sweaty and I never felt the need to move my grip because the body of the phone was warm.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The ROG Phone 3 is also compatible with Google Stadia and offers three months of free Stadia Pro access, so it's not just about Google Play games. It is easy to pretend gaming phones as meaningless, but if done properly and thoughtfully, the benefits are obvious. The Asus ROG Phone 3 demonstrates this perfectly.

camera

Asus has worked hard to make the ROG Phone 3 a usable smartphone for everyday use whether you are dedicated to gaming or not. The camera is an integral part of it.

The rear-view camera with three lenses has a 64-megapixel IMX686 main sensor with an aperture of 1: 1.8, together with a 13-megapixel ultra-wide sensor and a 5-megapixel macro sensor. There is a 24 megapixel selfie camera in the bezel above the screen. The rear view camera has several modes, including a night mode, a portrait mode, a motion tracking video mode and a pro video mode. It records videos in 4K and in HDR with electronic stabilization.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

It's decent and more than powerful enough, provided it's your second priority on a smartphone. There is no zoom mode, but both wide-angle and macro modes offer creative fun, so it is not necessarily overlooked. It can be inconsistent, especially under cloudy conditions where it is quite underexposed, which leads to loss of detail. HDR shots on sunny days can look great, and the macro camera definitely surprises with its ability.

The selfie camera has a cumbersome beauty mode as standard, a portrait mode with only average edge detection, which can also wash out skin tones.

I found the ROG Phone 3's camera to be okay for general use. While there are more versatile camera phones, it's solid. For a gaming phone where the camera is always a secondary concern, it's much better than many expect.

Power and battery

Asus wants to "take the industry to the next level" with the ROG Phone 3. It has pioneered 120 Hz screens and high touch sampling rates and explains how best to use a high-end processor ROG Phone 2. For the ROG Phone 3, the 144 Hz screen wins 270 Hz touch sampling rate and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus processor with up to 16 GB RAM easily handle the current wars of smartphone data sheets.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Snapdragon 865 Plus is a monster and the first mobile processor to exceed 3 GHz clock speed. In combination with 16 GB LPDDR5-RAM and 512 GB UFS 3.1 memory in my test phone, it is hard to imagine ever needing more power or capacity.

This is how it went in some benchmark tests:

3DMark Sling Shot Extreme: 6,601 volcano (Without X mode. App crashes with active X mode)

Geekbench 5: 970 single core / 3340 multi core

These values ​​exceed the ROG Phone 2, but are only slightly higher than the OnePlus 8 Pro. They are very similar to the Red Magic 5G, where the 3DMark test on the ROG Phone 3 was actually lower. However, this can be related to app problems as X mode is not active on the Asus phone.

The 6,000 mAh battery lasts two days, which seems somewhat disappointing given the total capacity. However, don't forget that it powers a lot of high-end hardware. According to Asus' own tests, 9.6 hours of Asphalt 9 Legends are played with a full charge compared to 5.7 hours with a OnePlus 8 Pro.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Asus has added a new PowerMaster app to extend the battery life. Interestingly, it has a slow charge mode, definable limits to make sure the battery doesn't stay 100% fit all night (not good for a long life, Asus says), and a choice of battery modes. Wired charging delivers 30 W of power, but there is no wireless charging.

If you take the phone apart, you'll find carefully placed WiFi antennas elsewhere to ensure the best possible portrait or landscape signal, four microphones positioned so that they won't be covered while playing in landscape mode, and 5G support. The cellular and WiFi reception was consistently excellent, and the call quality is also excellent. I don't have 5G reception in my region, so I couldn't test this aspect.

software

There are two main theme options on the ROG Phone 3: eye-catching, stylized themes and a classic theme so that the phone looks more like Android on a pixel. This is the same approach the company followed with the ROG Phone 2 and Asus Zenfone 6, and a very sensible decision. Both work identically, but the Classic theme undoubtedly makes the phone look more mature and may be a little faster for everyday use.

Apps are hidden in a drawer in both subject areas, while the notification shadow provides interactive notifications and there is a standard dark mode. Asus installs its own game app called Armory Crate, which stores all of your games together. You can define for each individual parameter, e.g. These include automatic activation of X mode, increasing the screen refresh rate and assigning macros. You can also change the system lighting here.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

I used swipe gesture controls that worked fine. Although there is an option that always appears on the screen, the notification options are limited, which reduces its usefulness.

Asus' software on the ROG Phone 3 was reliable and fast, and it's great to see the company continue the good work it started on the Zenfone 6. The built-in fingerprint sensor is fast and reliable and has a face unlock to secure it. I also had no problems with it.

Price, guarantee and availability

Asus did not announce the final price in US dollars for the ROG Phone 3 at the time of writing, but only the price in euros. The 16 GB / 512 GB version tested here costs 1,099 euros and a 12 GB / 512 GB version costs 999 euros. The phone will be available in Europe from the end of July, but will start with the basic version "Strix", which offers a Snapdragon 865, 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage for 799 euros.

The ROG Phone 3 will be available in North America before September. We expect the euro prices to be converted directly to US dollars, which means that the 16 GB / 512 GB model should cost around $ 1,099. Asus will officially confirm prices when the U.S. launch date is announced. The cheapest Strix model is not sold in the United States.

Our opinion

The ROG Phone 3 is unrivaled among gaming phones. This should tell you everything you need to know if it's for you. It's a special monster that offers all the power everyone needs for just about any task they want to do on a phone. If a game doesn't run well on the ROG Phone 3, it won't run well on a phone.

What if you are not a big mobile player? The ROG Phone 3 is one of the best multimedia phones available. The video is outstanding due to the excellent screen and speakers of the phone. However, you won't be able to take advantage of the many game-centered features and may miss a better camera.

Is there a better alternative?

If you want a direct gaming smartphone, no. If you're looking for an all-round phone, the OnePlus 8 Pro for $ 900 offers good credentials and a lot of performance, while the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus for $ 1,100 and the Oppo Find X2 Pro for $ 1,300 are flagship products that focus on the camera. Perhaps the best alternative to the ROG Phone 3 is the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max, not only because of the performance of the phone, but also because of the games available on the App Store.

How long it will take?

Asus promises that Android 11 will be available for the ROG Phone 3 and will receive security updates for at least two years. However, no timeframe for the arrival of Android 11 has been set. The ROG Phone 3 is not waterproof. It is made of glass and is quite heavy, so it is advisable to buy one of the cool cases from Asus.

Aside from that, the massive specs keep the phone fresh to the touch in a few years, and Asus' efforts to help the battery perform better for longer should help add to the usefulness of the phone in recent years increase two years. If you want to hold onto your new phone, the ROG Phone 3 is a very safe purchase.

Should you buy one?

Yes. It is the mobile game champion who has the courage and the ability to make you a mobile game champion too.

Editor's recommendations




22 Jun
Blog

Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 Review: Dual-Screen Gaming

Asus Rog Zephyrus Duo 15 Rating 05

Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 review: dual-screen gaming in your lap

"The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo Pro 15 offers PC games with two screens like no other laptop."

  • Good performance

  • Intuitive secondary screen

  • Beautiful 4K screen

  • Relatively thin and light

  • Insanely expensive

  • Bad battery life

You have never seen a gaming laptop like the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15.

Of course there are other dual screen laptops like the HP Omen X 2S or the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo. The Zephyrus Duo 15 surpasses them all with its flip-up secondary screen, which is integrated directly into the housing.

The starting price of $ 3,700 will put off anyone who is not committed to the idea of ​​having a built-in second screen on their gaming laptop. But for those who are ready to do the dive, the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 may be the most interesting gaming laptop ever made.

ScreenPad Plus

The secondary screen of this laptop, which Asus calls the ScreenPad Plus, is located under the primary screen and is automatically flipped up when the lid is opened. The frame of the screen looks a bit thin, but I was impressed with how stiff it was. Behind it is a back plate made of magnesium alloy for support. Everything is built into a hinge that enables seamless and stable opening.

The idea of ​​a tiltable secondary screen seems exaggerated – and maybe also. However, the inclination of the ScreenPad Plus has one purpose. The secondary screens of other laptops are all flat on the keyboard deck, which is not a good viewing angle. This is particularly noticeable when you have lights over you.

The Zephyrus Duo 15 solves the problem by supporting the screen in a more natural viewing angle. No more bending or angling. The angle that Asus has reached is not perfect, but far better on a flat surface. However, this angle cannot be adjusted, which is a shame.

While playing, you can easily slide a guide down or create an order, reducing the need to remove the Alt Tab key from a game.

This increased usability may sound easy, but it has inspired me to want to use the second screen more and more. Asus offers a number of proprietary applications and functions for the ScreenPad Plus. There is a handwriting app, a calculator and of course the Armory Crate settings app. Armory Crate is useful for monitoring your system, changing performance modes, and changing lighting settings.

However, the most useful feature of the ScreenPad Plus is a second screen. If you are working from home and do not have access to an external monitor, the ScreenPad Plus ingeniously replaces this. It is great to shutdown Spotify or YouTube while using the primary screen to write or edit photos. While playing, you can easily slide down a guide or build order, reducing the need to remove the Alt Tab key from a game.

Windows 10 already has excellent snap-in functions and lights up on the ScreenPad Plus. With a 20 cm diagonal, the ScreenPad Plus feels big enough to do these types of tasks with ease. The touchscreen function helps and only requires a short swipe to where your hands rest on the keyboard. The possibilities feel endless.

This does not mean that the ScreenPad Plus is a perfect implementation. It's still a little strange to see your cursor shrink down, and there's a slight shade of green on the second screen. I also wish that the distance between the screens was slightly smaller to create a more uniform field of view.

From a software perspective, there are still a few missed options. Windows is simply not well set up to support a second touchscreen. When you play a game, touching the ScreenPad Plus freezes your controls or pauses the game. This is a limitation of Windows, but it stands in the way of the full potential of this design.

performance

The angle of the ScreenPad Plus has a second advantage. According to Asus, there is also a performance gain. Other Zephyrus laptops have a ventilation opening that rises from below and supports the laptop at an angle. The angle of the ScreenPad Plus offers the same advantages for cooling. The fans are located under the gap in the screen and promote airflow and thermal throughout the system, while the bottom of the laptop stays flat.

This is important because some very hot components need to stay cool. The Zephyrus Duo 15 is available in two configurations – and both are extremely high quality. The model I checked is the 4K configuration that was created for content creation. The other is a game-oriented device with a 1080p 300Hz screen. Both cost $ 3,700 and only offer premium specs. You get an Intel Core i9-10980HK processor, an Nvidia RTX 2080 Super Max-Q, 32 GB RAM and 2 TB solid-state storage.

The processor gives you 8 cores and 16 threads to work with, resulting in powerful processor performance. This is also from the latest 10th generation Intel product line, which contains slightly faster boost clock speeds than the previous generation. The Zephyrus Duo 15 impresses in Cinebench R20 and Geekbench 5 with record values ​​for a laptop. The Asus ZenBook Duo Pro was another powerful Core i9 laptop with a second screen last year. The Zephyrus Duo 15 outperforms it in both single-core and multi-core performance. It also gains single-core performance against the Zephyrus G14, an AMD Ryzen 4000 laptop with the same number of cores and threads.

It has a trusted screen where professional color corrections and edits can be done.

I encoded a 4K handbrake video clip in H.265 to test the processor. It wasn't as consistent as I hoped. The first runs were incredibly fast and only lasted one minute and 38 seconds. From there, the runs slowed down 33% and stayed there for the next few tries. That's a solid speed for this processor, although some less expensive laptops like the Dell G5 SE can keep up.

However, the Zephyrus Duo 15 has a powerful CPU and GPU. To see how the system balances a heavy workload, I rendered a two-minute 4K clip in Premiere in ProRes 422. I was particularly interested in these results because Nvidia Dynamic Boost, a new function supported by the Zephyrus Duo 15, is managed by a unique thermal system. The power supply can be shared between the GPU and the CPU. In other words, if an application or game can use more of the GPU, it can run over 100 watts.

The Zephyrus Duo 15 completed the task in 7 minutes and 44 seconds. This is slightly faster than the Dell G5 SE and offers a big head start on the 9th generation Razer Blade that I tested in 2019. However, there are no other Core i9 options like the Dell XPS 15 or the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo. The ZenBook Pro Duo’s thicker casing seems to do more for its video rendering capabilities than Nvidia's Dynamic Boost for the Zephyrus Duo, which is disappointing.

Since my computer was the model for creating 4K content, these tests are critical. The 4K screen is beautiful in itself – a color-calibrated panel with precise colors, 96% AdobeRGB and a contrast ratio of 1,040: 1. The maximum brightness is 381 nits, although the matte surface of the display reduces reflections to a minimum. All of this ensures a trustworthy screen on which professional color corrections and edits can be performed.

Gaming performance

The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 offers fantastic gaming performance. If smooth frame rates are your top priority, the 1080p 300Hz model is clearly the model you want. Thanks to the Nvidia RTX 2080 Super Max-Q and G-Sync panel, even the 4K option I tested is a functional gaming laptop.

Because the 4K panel is locked at a refresh rate of 60 Hz, much of the 1080p is wasted, so 4K resolution is a solid option in some games. Civilization VI is a good example. The Zephyrus Duo 15 averaged 70 FPS (frames per second) at 4K with settings at Ultra. The same was true for Battlefield V, where it achieved an average of 56 FPS for Medium in 4K. Sure, the over 90 FPS at 1080p are better, but if you're not connected to an external gaming monitor, those extra 40 FPS won't help.

G-Sync was a big help with gaming and made up for the lower refresh rate of the 4K display.

Assassin's Creed Odyssey was the exception. The Zephyrus Duo 15 mastered this difficult game with 1080p Ultra High with an average of 59 FPS quite well. At 4K, however, it was choppy.

Other gaming laptops that use the RTX 2080 Super Max-Q are slightly faster than the Acer Predator Triton 500. While the Zephyrus Duo 15 isn't the fastest gaming notebook I've tested, I was happy with how It balances warmth, size and performance.

G-Sync has been a great help throughout to compensate for the display's lower refresh rate. Remember that G-Sync is not enabled on the laptop by default. You need to go into the armory and restart the system to turn it on.

design

The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 is a large laptop. Although Asus only had a 15-inch screen, it took up a lot of space to push in the ScreenPad Plus without crushing the keyboard. The result is a massive bottom bezel under the primary screen. It is absolutely huge and supports the screen higher than a normal 15-inch laptop.

Elsewhere, the Zephyrus Duo 15 does its best to stay in shape. It's only 0.78 inches thick and weighs only 5.3 pounds. The whole system uses a magnesium alloy to keep things light. Asus is right that the use of aluminum would have resulted in a heavy laptop, although the magnesium alloy leaves the slightest bend in the lid.

This is not the right laptop to take to a coffee shop.

This is not my favorite keyboard in the world. Because of this second screen, the keyboard and touchpad are pressed to the bottom of the keyboard deck. This is not the first time Asus has tried this design. Even the Zephyrus S used this design. There are disadvantages, such as the lack of wrist-rest. This makes using the Zephyrus Duo 15 on your lap pretty uncomfortable. On a flat surface, it can even be exhausting and requires a lot of additional space on a table. This isn't the right laptop to take to a coffee shop, but few gaming laptops fit that bill. However, Asus has a palm rest in the box, which is a nice addition.

The key drop feels a bit flat at 1.4 mm, although this is comparable to laptops like the Dell XPS 15 or the Razer Blade. The fast typing takes getting used to when I come from the Dell XPS 15, although I typed quickly after a few hours. The keyboard is equipped with RGB lighting per key, which can be fully adjusted in the settings of the armory.

The Zephyrus Duo 15 uses the same key layout as other Asus gaming laptops like the Zephyrus S. There are some special features, e.g. B. the print screen key between the Alt and Ctrl keys. The function bar (and above the touchpad) gives you quick access to helpful shortcuts such as deactivating the ScreenPad Plus or switching it off completely.

The thin touchpad is to the right of the keyboard, which will always be an afterthought in these designs. The tracking feels responsive, although the size isn't ideal, especially if you're left-handed.

Asus still does not have a built-in webcam for its gaming laptops. This makes the Zephyrus Duo 15 unsuitable for the home life that many of us are currently living. That's a shame for a laptop that can act as both a work machine and a gaming laptop. The laptop also lacks Windows Hello login support, either in the form of a fingerprint reader or an IR camera. Other high-end gaming laptops like the Razer Blade have taken this up in recent years.

The port selection is fantastic and offers a solid mix of gaming must-haves and future security. On the sides of the case there are two USB-A ports, a USB-C Thunderbolt 3 port, a headphone jack, a microphone input and your barrel-shaped power plug. Thanks to the Thunderbolt 3 connector, you don't have to constantly lug around the power adapter to keep the laptop charged during occasional use. For full performance, you should of course use the cylinder plug.

On the back, Asus adds HDMI 2.0, an Ethernet socket and an additional USB-A port. The location of these rear ports is convenient and ensures a cleaner desk configuration when fully docked.

Battery life

The battery life of the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 is not a highlight. I assumed that this was based on the 4K screen alone. Throw in a second screen and a powerful GPU – and you can't expect much.

The Zephyrus Duo 15 is a G-Sync laptop that blocks GPU usage on the Nvidia card and usually results in terrible battery life. Asus offers the option to switch to Nvidia Optimus mode, which allows the system to automatically switch between graphics. That didn't seem to help – at least not enough.

Without the secondary screen on, the laptop only lasted about two hours. With the screen on, this was reduced to just one hour. Yikes. According to Asus, there were some issues with turning on the Nvidia GPU when it wasn't. During local video playback or surfing in Google Chrome, the system occasionally taxed the graphics card.

That would explain the bad battery life, but it's not a good excuse. Regardless of whether Dynamic Boost or Optimus is the culprit, I expected at least a few more hours from the Zephyrus Duo 15. Despite a large 90 watt hour battery, you should leave this battery connected most of the time.

Our opinion

The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 is based on a great idea. I like it when experimental designs like this leave the prototyping stage. The second screen is great, but the Zephyrus Duo 15 is more than just a one-trick pony – it offers both the performance and usability of its second screen. However, $ 3,700 is a high price. That's $ 400 more than a comparable Razer Blade, which was already one of the most expensive gaming laptops you could buy.

This is not the final form of Asus' vision for second-screen computing, but it is the best there has been.

Are there alternatives?

If you are only interested in the second screen, Asus offers the ZenBook Duo. It's not a gaming laptop, but it does offer a similar second screen – except without the raised angle.

Apart from that, no other laptop can reproduce the functions of the Zephyrus Duo 15 on the second screen. There are many gaming laptops that offer excellent performance at a much cheaper price.

How long it will take?

The Zephyrus Duo 15 is robust and well built. The gap under the ScreenPad Plus is worrying. It is not difficult to imagine that things get stuck inside, whether they are small objects or just dust.

Should you buy it

Yes. Not everyone is willing to pay the bill for a second screen bonus, but it's undoubtedly one of the most interesting gaming laptops ever made.

Editor's recommendations




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