ASUS ROG Strix Scar G17 (2021): Ultimate Gaming Laptop
Hey guys! Are you ready to dive into the world of high-performance gaming laptops? Today, we're going to explore the ASUS ROG Strix Scar G17 (2021), a beast of a machine designed to deliver top-tier gaming experiences. We will cover everything from its design and display to its performance and features, helping you decide if this is the ultimate gaming laptop for you. Buckle up, and let's get started!
Design and Build Quality
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar G17 (2021) makes a bold statement right out of the box. The design is aggressive yet stylish, embodying the ROG (Republic of Gamers) aesthetic. The laptop features a robust build with a combination of metal and high-quality plastic, ensuring durability and a premium feel. The aluminum lid adds a touch of elegance, while the customizable Armor Caps allow you to personalize the laptop to your liking.
One of the standout design elements is the Keystone II, a small, physical key that docks into the side of the laptop. This isn't just for show; it can be customized to launch specific apps, restore system settings, or even unlock a hidden Shadow Drive for secure storage. The keyboard deck is solid with minimal flex, providing a comfortable typing and gaming experience. The RGB lighting is another highlight, with per-key customization options that allow you to create stunning lighting effects. The light bar that wraps around the front edge of the laptop adds an extra layer of flair, making it a real head-turner.
In terms of portability, the G17 is not the most lightweight option, but that's expected for a gaming laptop of this caliber. It's designed more for stationary gaming setups, where you can take full advantage of its powerful hardware. The hinge feels sturdy, allowing the screen to be adjusted smoothly and staying firmly in place. Overall, the design and build quality of the ROG Strix Scar G17 are top-notch, making it a premium device that looks and feels like a high-end gaming machine.
Display and Visual Experience
The display is arguably one of the most crucial components of a gaming laptop, and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar G17 (2021) does not disappoint. It features a stunning 17.3-inch display with options for high refresh rates and resolutions. The most common configuration includes a Full HD (1920x1080) or QHD (2560x1440) panel with a refresh rate of up to 300Hz. This high refresh rate ensures incredibly smooth and fluid motion, which is essential for competitive gaming. The response time is also impressively low, minimizing ghosting and blurring during fast-paced action.
The color accuracy of the display is excellent, covering a wide color gamut that makes games and multimedia content look vibrant and true to life. Whether you're exploring lush open worlds or engaging in intense firefights, the colors pop off the screen, enhancing the overall visual experience. The brightness levels are also commendable, making the display easily viewable in well-lit environments. The matte finish helps to reduce glare, ensuring comfortable viewing even under bright lights.
For gamers who demand the best visual fidelity, the QHD option provides a sharper and more detailed image. The higher resolution makes textures and details stand out, creating a more immersive gaming experience. The display also supports Adaptive-Sync technology, which synchronizes the refresh rate of the display with the GPU to eliminate screen tearing and reduce stuttering. This results in a smoother and more responsive gaming experience, especially in graphically demanding titles. The combination of high refresh rates, excellent color accuracy, and Adaptive-Sync support makes the ROG Strix Scar G17 a visual powerhouse, perfect for both gaming and content creation.
Performance and Hardware
Under the hood, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar G17 (2021) packs some serious firepower. It's equipped with the latest AMD Ryzen or Intel Core processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics cards. The specific configuration can vary, but you can expect to find options ranging from the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX or Intel Core i9-11900H to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 or RTX 3080. These high-end components ensure that the laptop can handle even the most demanding games and applications with ease.
The CPU provides excellent multi-core performance, making it ideal for tasks such as video editing, 3D rendering, and streaming. The GPU delivers stunning graphics performance, allowing you to play games at high settings with smooth frame rates. The laptop also features ample RAM, typically ranging from 16GB to 32GB, ensuring smooth multitasking and preventing bottlenecks. Storage options include fast NVMe SSDs, providing quick boot times and snappy application loading.
The cooling system is crucial for maintaining optimal performance, and the ROG Strix Scar G17 features an advanced cooling solution. It includes multiple heat pipes, large heatsinks, and high-performance fans that efficiently dissipate heat. The laptop also uses liquid metal thermal compound on the CPU, which further improves heat transfer. Despite the powerful hardware, the cooling system manages to keep temperatures under control, preventing thermal throttling and maintaining stable performance during extended gaming sessions. Overall, the ROG Strix Scar G17 delivers exceptional performance, making it a top choice for gamers and content creators who demand the best.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The keyboard and touchpad are essential input devices, and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar G17 (2021) offers a great user experience in both areas. The keyboard features a comfortable layout with well-spaced keys and a decent amount of key travel. The keys provide tactile feedback, making typing and gaming feel responsive and accurate. The per-key RGB lighting adds a touch of customization, allowing you to create unique lighting effects.
The keyboard also includes dedicated function keys for quick access to volume controls, brightness settings, and other system functions. The Overstroke technology ensures that keystrokes are registered quickly and accurately, giving you a competitive edge in fast-paced games. The anti-ghosting technology prevents key rollover issues, allowing you to press multiple keys simultaneously without any input errors. The touchpad is smooth and responsive, providing accurate tracking and gesture support. It's also adequately sized, making it comfortable to use for everyday tasks.
The touchpad supports multi-finger gestures, such as scrolling, zooming, and swiping, which enhance productivity and ease of use. The integrated buttons provide a satisfying click, and the overall feel is premium and well-built. While most gamers will likely use an external mouse for gaming, the touchpad is perfectly adequate for general use and productivity tasks. The combination of a comfortable keyboard and responsive touchpad makes the ROG Strix Scar G17 a pleasure to use for both gaming and everyday tasks.
Audio Quality
Audio quality is often overlooked in gaming laptops, but the ASUS ROG Strix Scar G17 (2021) delivers a surprisingly good audio experience. It features dual speakers that are strategically positioned to provide clear and immersive sound. The speakers are powered by smart amplifier technology, which boosts the volume and enhances the audio clarity. The sound quality is rich and detailed, with a decent amount of bass and clear highs.
The laptop also supports virtual surround sound, which creates a more immersive audio experience, especially when using headphones. The virtual surround sound enhances spatial awareness, making it easier to pinpoint the location of enemies in games. The microphone array is also decent, providing clear voice recording for online gaming and video conferencing. The noise cancellation technology helps to reduce background noise, ensuring that your voice is heard clearly.
While the audio quality is not on par with dedicated external speakers or high-end headphones, it's more than adequate for most gaming and multimedia needs. The speakers provide a balanced sound profile that is suitable for a variety of content, from gaming to movies to music. The combination of clear speakers, virtual surround sound, and noise-canceling microphone makes the ROG Strix Scar G17 a well-rounded audio performer.
Battery Life
Battery life is typically not a strong suit of gaming laptops, and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar G17 (2021) is no exception. With its powerful hardware and high refresh rate display, the battery life is relatively limited. You can expect to get around 4-6 hours of light use, such as browsing the web or watching videos. Gaming will drain the battery much faster, typically lasting for only 1-2 hours on a single charge.
The laptop comes with a large power adapter that is necessary to provide enough power for the high-performance components. The power adapter is quite bulky, making it less convenient to carry around. The laptop supports fast charging, which allows you to quickly recharge the battery when needed. However, it's important to note that performance may be limited when running on battery power, as the laptop may throttle the CPU and GPU to conserve energy.
For serious gaming sessions, it's recommended to keep the laptop plugged in to ensure optimal performance. While the battery life is not exceptional, it's comparable to other gaming laptops in its class. The ROG Strix Scar G17 is designed more for stationary gaming setups, where you can take full advantage of its powerful hardware without worrying about battery life. Overall, the battery life is a trade-off for the high performance and features that the laptop offers.
Connectivity and Ports
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar G17 (2021) offers a wide range of connectivity options to meet the needs of gamers and content creators. It includes multiple USB ports, including USB 3.2 Gen 1 and USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, which provide fast data transfer speeds. The laptop also features a USB Type-C port with DisplayPort support, allowing you to connect external displays and peripherals. The HDMI port allows you to connect to TVs and monitors for a larger viewing experience.
For networking, the laptop includes Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), which provides fast and reliable wireless connectivity. The Wi-Fi 6 technology ensures low latency and stable connections, which are essential for online gaming. The laptop also includes a Gigabit Ethernet port for wired network connections. Other ports include a headphone/microphone combo jack and a Kensington lock slot for security.
The placement of the ports is well-thought-out, with most ports located on the sides of the laptop to prevent cable clutter. The wide range of connectivity options makes the ROG Strix Scar G17 a versatile device that can easily connect to a variety of peripherals and devices. Whether you need to connect external storage, displays, or gaming accessories, the laptop has you covered.
Conclusion
So, what's the final verdict on the ASUS ROG Strix Scar G17 (2021)? It's a powerhouse gaming laptop that offers exceptional performance, a stunning display, and a stylish design. The powerful hardware ensures that you can play the latest games at high settings with smooth frame rates. The high refresh rate display provides a fluid and immersive gaming experience. The comfortable keyboard and responsive touchpad make it a pleasure to use for both gaming and everyday tasks. The advanced cooling system keeps temperatures under control, preventing thermal throttling and maintaining stable performance.
While the battery life is not exceptional, it's comparable to other gaming laptops in its class. The ROG Strix Scar G17 is designed more for stationary gaming setups, where you can take full advantage of its powerful hardware without worrying about battery life. Overall, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar G17 (2021) is an excellent choice for gamers and content creators who demand the best. If you're looking for a high-performance gaming laptop that delivers top-tier performance and features, the ROG Strix Scar G17 is definitely worth considering. What do you guys think? Is this the ultimate gaming laptop for you? Let us know in the comments below!
