Asus’ line of ROG gaming laptops has always stood out thanks to its colorful RGB lighting and aggressive aesthetics. Asus isn’t afraid to try anything new either. Last year he launched the well-received ROG Zephyrus G14, one of the first ROG gaming laptops powered by an AMD processor, as well as the all-Zephyrus Duo 15, a dual-screen gaming laptop. All the usual suspects in ROG gaming training are updated, but Asus has also launched a new 2-in-1 convertible gaming laptop in the mix, the ROG Flow X13. Even wilder, all gaming laptops only include AMD as an option for a CPU. No trace of Intel anywhere.
A 2 in 1 gaming laptop is not something I would have imagined I would want in my life, but here I am completely intrigued. I like Lenovo Yoga Laptops or Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, the Flow X13 also has 360-degree hinges that allow the screen to fold completely back. The idea of playing on my laptop at the desk and then crawling into bed and using it as a The e-reader or sketchbook is brand new and yet I can’t help but wonder why one of these things didn’t happen before. It’s a great idea!
Oh wait: better performance means more heat, it means a thicker laptop. Yes, it is obvious why they have never happened in the past. But the hardware is now powerful and thin enough, so it’s possible to have a gaming laptop that doesn’t turn into an even bigger brick when you turn the screen back The Flow X13 weighs just 2.9 pounds. and is 0.62 inches thick. Definitely the right weight and dimensions … hopefully.
The 16:10 and 13-inch screen includes the option of 120 Hz refresh or the Ultra HD 4K screen covered with Corning Gorilla Glass. Both display options also support Adaptive Pantone synchronization and validation are to ensure color accuracy.
G / O Media may receive a commission
Inside, there’s even an 8-core AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS CPU that’s covered with a liquid metal thermal compound, which would help keep the CPU cooler than the thermal paste. The GTX 1650 GPU is powered by a battery that can last up to 10 hours of life. The GPU is disappointing – I would have preferred at least something closer to a 1660 Ti – but the Asus XG Mobile, a compact eGPU, is compatible with the Flow X13.
Asus says the XG Mobile is 6% the size of typical eGPUs, but can hold up to an RTX 3080. It weighs approximately 2.2 pounds, only measuring 6.1 x 8.2 x 1.1 inches, and cooled by a steam chamber. It also connects directly to the CPU via a custom PCIe 3.0 x8 interface, which Asus says is faster than Thunderbolt eGPUs. It also has a built-in 280W AC adapter that powers both the XG Mobile and the Flow X13, so you don’t need to carry a separate charging cable unless you want to just in case..
The ROG Flow X13 and the XG Mobile are currently available as a package in North America.
Asus also has a new Zephyrus Duo 15 SE, a special edition of its dual-screen gaming laptop. There is an updated 16.5inch main screen, with 4K UHD with an update frequency of 120 Hz or an FHD screen with an update of 300 Hz. The smallest, 14.1 inches comes the touch screen with a 4K option at 3840 x 1100 or a 1920 x 550 alternative. Both use IPS level technology, which lies between a true IPS panel and a TN panel, and upgrade to 60 Hz.
The Zephyrus Duo 15 SE is equipped with a new AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU and an Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU, up to 2 TB of SSD storage and up to 32 GB of DDR4-3200 memory.
Asus claims to have increased the cooling efficiency of its Active Aerodynamic System (AAS), which has existed since the original ROG Zephyrus. The latest Zephyrus Duo 15 was the last to use it, which had a 28.5mm inlet after tilting the touch screen, but this next SE version will allow more airflow. Asus also said it changed the design of its fan blades (now each fan has 84 blades) and also covered the CPU with liquid metal.
This gaming laptop is not cheap. Absolutely not. It is currently available for booking in North America for about $ 2,900.
Other ROG laptops to upgrade are the ROG Strix Scar 15 and 17, which now include the first optical-mechanical keyboard of a Strix laptop. The 15 is 15.6 inches screen with a refresh rate of 300 Hz, while the 17 is 17.3 inches screen with a 360 Hz refresh rate and an IPS level panel. Both are available with new WQHD panels that have a refresh rate of 165 Hz and a resolution of 1440p.
By specs, both are available with an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX and Nvidia RTX 3080 CPU up to 64 GB of DDR4-3200 and dual RAM 1 TB solid state drives in RAID 0. Memory and storage are also fully upgradeable and easily accessible, according to Asus. Both also have a smaller footprint, up to 7% smaller than last year’s models, and they have a battery life of just over 12 hours, says Asus.
The ROG Strix Scar 15 and ROG Strix Scar 17 will be available in North America starting in the first quarter of 2021.
There are also the new ROG Strix G15 and ROG Strix G17, which should not be confused with the Strix Scar 15 and 17, as the Strix G is similar to the Strix Scar. This Strix 15 and 17 will feature an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX processor, up to a GeForce RTX 3070 GPU, up to a 1 TB SSD and up to 32 GB of memory. The display options are between a 300 Hz FHD display or a 165 Hz WQHD display. Aside from the GPU and display variants, there isn’t that much difference between the G and the Scar.
The ROG Strix G15 will be available in North America starting in the first quarter of 2021 and the Strix G17, available for booking, for a nicer, but still expensive, price at $ 1,800.
We are live from our sofas covering CES 2021. Click here to read our full coverage.