Product: ASUS ROG STRIX GL503V
Type: Gaming Laptop
Price: ~ $2,999.00
Availability: Out Now
Link: asus.com/Laptops/ROG-Strix-SCAR-Edition/

No doubt there’s an ASUS Republic of Gamers laptop to suit just about any budget, with even the GL503V model - which we’re reviewing here - coming in GeForce GTX 1050, 1060, and 1070 variants. Which, as per the similarly decked out GL502 we tested last year, keeps the well-worn gaming laptop trend continuing into 2018. A trend that is the combo of an Intel Core i7 7700HQ CPU and a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070. This means that from a benchmarking perspective the ASUS ROG Strix performs as expected – exceptionally well at the native 1080p resolution of the screen.

And speaking about the screen, the main drawcard for the 1070 version has to be the addition of a true 144Hz NVIDIA G-Sync IPS panel. An impressively bright display with wonderful colour response, adding an extra layer of goodness on top of an already impressive package.

Under the Lid

Which it manages to pack all the below in the now standard gaming laptop weight of around 2.5kg. Now, when you consider getting this sort of power in such a small form would have been inconceivable a few years ago – it’s strange just how accustomed we’ve become to gaming laptops performing as good as or better than desktop PCs.

Processor: Intel Core i7 7700HQ Processor (2.80GHz)
Display: 15.6" (16:9) LED backlit FHD (1920x1080) 144Hz Anti-Glare Panel with NVIDIA G-Sync
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070
Memory: 16GB DDR4
Storage: 256GB SATA3 M.2 SSD and 2TB SeaGate FireCuda SSHD
OS: Windows 10
Interfaces: 1 x Type C USB3.1, 4 x USB 3.0 ports, 1 x Ethernet, 1 x HDMI, 1 x mini Display Port, 1 x Headphone

Another great touch is the inclusion of a fast M.2 SSD drive for the main OS coupled with a Seagate FireCuda drive – which blends large storage space with a quick-access SSD cache. And well, more ports than you’d know what to do with. Five separate USB ports on a laptop isn’t just unusual, it might be a little overkill. But, overkill that we like – especially when we’re able to connect external drives, a dedicated gaming mouse, USB speakers, and a phone with still one port spare. Maybe one of those USB desk fans?

Look and Feel

Design-wise the ASUS ROG Strix GL503 follows on from previous models from the ASUS ROG Strix line but refined to include an impressive RGB backlit keyboard and a sturdy brushed metal casing. That also feels like it was built to last. Looks aren’t everything of course, but this is one of the better-looking gaming laptops we’ve seen – with a great aesthetic that is part industrial part competitive online shooter. It’s subtle too, with nice little touches. Like the angular arrangement of the keys.

But not too subtle, because there’s no mistaking the design of an ROG laptop as anything but something for playing the latest games on the go.

Gaming Performance

When it comes to the current crop of modern games, there’s very little noticeable benefit of pushing resolutions past 1080p for a 15.6” screen. At this size it’s hard to surpass the 144Hz display with NVIDIA G-Sync as found in the ASUS ROG Strix GL503. Also, at 1080p something like a GeForce GTX 1070 is more than enough to max out cutting edge games like Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Origins without noticing any major performance issues.

Which, as per the numbers above take full advantage of the display’s adaptive refresh rate for silky smooth in-game performance. Where even a fluctuating frame-rate looks better than more powerful hardware utilising a standard 60Hz display. We’re total converts of the whole G-Sync and Freesync display tech here at AusGamers, and like good HDR implementation on a TV screen – it’s almost impossible to go back once you’ve experienced it.

We also ran a couple of 3D Mark tests, with the Fire Strike and Time Spy benchmark results turning in decent numbers – placing them in the realm of a current-day gaming rig.

Overall

Like with several smaller form gaming laptops the GL503 does make its presence known, sound-wise, when being pushed. Or, whilst playing any of the games from our benchmark list. When using the inbuilt speakers, the fans can drown out some of the finer detail which is a shame. But then again, using a laptop’s inbuilt speakers for sound falls way short of what you get from a decent pair of headphones or a gaming headset. On the flipside to this the GL503 is almost completely silent when used for everyday stuff like browsing.

It isn’t an issue per-se but does point to the what the next major step in gaming laptop design has got to be – quieter cooling. We’ve got the power, we just need the silence. Also, better battery life would have been nice, as unfortunately the ASUS ROG Strix lasts around 90 minutes when not plugged into a power source. Playing intensive games. In the end though it’s hard to fault this latest gaming laptop from ASUS as all the right effort was put into the right areas. By including a brilliant 144Hz IPS G-Sync panel with impressive brightness and colour reproduction it only serves to highlight just how impressive a GeForce GTX 1070 in a laptop can be.