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    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024) vs ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024) – Equally Powerful, Just Choose the Display

    From: Severin Kolakov | 0

    18-inch monster laptops should be the most powerful, right? Well, they should, but today we might see a battle that will go against the grain, as the SCAR family from ASUS goes head to head. These are two identical laptops that bring the best cooling and power that ASUS ROG has to offer. The sole difference between them is the chassis size, so it will be interesting to see what an effect that has on overall usability.

    We’ll compare the design, to see if there are any weak spots, check out the keyboards, displays, I/O, and more. Both laptops are powered by the Core i9-14900HX, as well as either an RTX 4080 or an RTX 4090, running at a whopping 175W. We’re very excited to see how the cooling will perform and if the extra space inside the SCAR 18 will deliver additional airflow and lower temperatures.

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024) – Full Specs / In-depth Review

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024): Full Specs / In-depth Review

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024) configurations:

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024) configirations:

    Specs table

    SpecificationASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)
    ProcessorIntel Core i9-14900HXIntel Core i9-14900HX
    GPUNVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 (Laptop, 175W)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (Laptop, 175W)    		NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 (Laptop, 175W)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (Laptop, 175W)
    Display18.0″, WQXGA (2560 x 1600), 240 Hz, Mini LED16.0″, WQXGA (2560 x 1600), 240 Hz, MiniLED
    Memoryup to 192GBup to 192GB
    Battery90Wh90Wh
    Weight6.8 lbs (3.10 kg)5.8 lbs (2.65 kg)
    Dimensions15.71″ x 11.57″ x 0.91″
    (399 x 294 x 23.1 – 30.8 mm)    		13.94″ x 10.39″ x 0.89″
    (354 x 264 x 22.6 – 30.4 mm)
    Ports
    • 2x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)
    • 1x USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps), Power Delivery (PD), DisplayPort
    • 1x USB Type-C Thunderbolt 4, DisplayPort
    • HDMI 2.1
    • Ethernet LAN 10, 100, 1000, 2500 Mbit/s
    • Wi-Fi 802.11ax
    • Bluetooth 5.3
    • Audio jack 3.5mm Combo Jack
    • 2x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)
    • 1x USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps), Sleep and Charge
    • 1x USB Type-C 4.0, Thunderbolt 4
    • HDMI 2.1
    • Ethernet LAN 10, 100, 1000, 2500 Mbit/s
    • Wi-Fi 802.11ax
    • Bluetooth 5.3
    • 3.5mm Combo Jack

    Unboxing

    Both laptops are packed well in sturdy cardboard boxes. Inside, you find the laptops themselves, a 330W power adapter, as well as an ROG backpack to carry your laptop around. Depending on your region, the package can also contain the ROG Fusion II 300 headphones, an ROG Gladius III P514 Mouse, or a 100W Type-C travel adapter.

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)
    Charger power330W330W

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)

    Design and construction

    On the outside, the laptops look pretty much identical, with RGB on the front, the back, and the lid (also on the keyboard). In terms of dimensions, the 18-inch laptop is noticeably heavier (450 grams / 1 lbs). In terms of thickness, there’s pretty much no difference, as both laptops are around 30 mm (1.18″) thick at the back, which is chunky.

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)
    Weight6.8 lbs (3.10 kg)5.8 lbs (2.65 kg)
    Dimensions15.71″ x 11.57″ x 0.91″
    (399 x 294 x 23.1 – 30.8 mm)    		13.94″ x 10.39″ x 0.89″
    (354 x 264 x 22.6 – 30.4 mm)

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)

    Keyboard and touchpad

    The SCAR 18 brings a lot more space on the base, which allows it to have a NumPad and still deliver large arrow keys. The SCAR 16 lacks a classic NumPad, however, gives you a NumberPad, a digital version that appears over the touchpad, so you can still have this functionality. Key travel, feedback, and touchpad quality are the same between the two laptops. The input devices are great for gaming and overall typing.

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)

    Ports

    The port selection is the same between the two laptops. You get plenty of USBs, an HDMI connection, and a LAN port, which is great if you want to have a hard-wired connection.

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)
    Ports
    • 2x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)
    • 1x USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps), Power Delivery (PD), DisplayPort
    • 1x USB Type-C Thunderbolt 4, DisplayPort
    • HDMI 2.1
    • Ethernet LAN 10, 100, 1000, 2500 Mbit/s
    • Wi-Fi 802.11ax
    • Bluetooth 5.3
    • Audio jack 3.5mm Combo Jack
    • 2x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)
    • 1x USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps), Sleep and Charge
    • 1x USB Type-C 4.0, Thunderbolt 4
    • HDMI 2.1
    • Ethernet LAN 10, 100, 1000, 2500 Mbit/s
    • Wi-Fi 802.11ax
    • Bluetooth 5.3
    • 3.5mm Combo Jack

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)

    Display and sound quality

    The laptops have the same display, a QHD+ MiniLED panel. The display on the SCAR 16 is sharper, thanks to the smaller screen size.

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)
    Resolution2560 x 16002560 x 1600
    Aspect ratio16:1016:10
    Panel technologyMiniLEDMiniLED
    Pixel density168 PPI189 PPI
    Dot pitch0.15 x 0.15 mm0.14 x 0.14 mm
    Retina distance20.47″ (52 cm)18″ (46 cm)

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)

    Here you can check the viewing angles of the two displays, which deliver excellent viewing experience from wherever you look.

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)

    The brightness and contrast are close to even, while the color temperature of the SCAR 18 is slightly warmer. Overall, the uniformity of the brightness is low, which means that the displays are evenly lit across the entire screen area.

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)
    Peak brightness (middle of the screen/average for the entire display area)540/542 nits546/545 nits
    Max deviation4%3%
    Color temperature (on white screen)6350K6520K
    Contrast ratio1130:11140:1

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)

    Color coverage

    Here are some illustrations (Fig. 1) & (Fig. 2). The whole “sail-shaped” map below consists of all the colors we can see, while the black crooked line shows all the colors from real-world scenes and nature around us.

    Then, we’ve drawn some of the most important and interesting color spaces, compared to the colors that the panels of the laptops can display:

    Standard/For Web: sRGB – widely used color space for most consumer devices, ideal for Web design and development
    For Print: AdobeRGB – used in professional photo editing, graphic design, and print
    For Photographers/Video Editors: DCI-P3 – used in high-end film production, post-production, and digital cinema
    Premium HDR: Rec.2020 – the widest consumer ITU color standard, covering a massive 75.8% of the visible spectrum, a benchmark for premium HDR content

    The yellow dotted line shows the color coverage of the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024) and the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024).

    Both laptops cover the entire sRGB and DCI-P3 gamuts, resulting in a vibrant image with tons of colors. This makes the laptops suitable for creator work, especially with the color accuracy that’s achievable.

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)
    sRGB100%100%
    DCI-P3100%100%

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)

    Color accuracy

    Now let’s see how big the difference is between the real colors and the ones you’ll see on the three laptops. We measure that distance in DeltaE – the bigger the number, the more different they look.

    For the next illustration, we’ve chosen 24 common colors like dark and light skin, blue sky, green grass, etc.

    Below you can see the results of the two laptops with our Web Design and Office Work profile applied. The ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024) is the more accurate of the two, with a dE value of 0.9.

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024) 18.0″ BOE NE180QDM-NM1 (BOE0C58) (2560×160) Mini LED IPS: Buy our profiles

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024) 16.0″ BOE NE160QDM-NM7 (BOE0C24) (2560×1600) Mini LED IPS: Buy our profiles

    PWM

    Both panels utilize PWM for brightness adjustment. PWM are pulsations of the backlight, which are used so your eyes perceive the display as dim, as less overall light enters your eyes. In the tests, the frequency of the flickering is a bit low, so your eyes will get tired the longer you use the laptop, so take often breaks.

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)

    Sound

    You can see how close the audio charts are. Well of course they would be, considering that the two laptops have the same speaker setup, with two speakers on the rear and two on the front, providing great audio that really feels like surround sound.

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)

    Performance – CPU, GPU, Gaming, Storage

    Below we’ve highlighted the configurations that we’ve tested.

    SpecificationASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)
    ProcessorIntel Core i9-14900HXIntel Core i9-14900HX
    GPUNVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 (Laptop, 175W)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (Laptop, 175W)    		NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 (Laptop, 175W)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (Laptop, 175W)

    CPU benchmarks

    Testing the same CPU in what’s pretty much the same cooling solution leads to rather similar performance. Interestingly enough, the SCAR 16 scores a tad higher, with a 1% higher score.

    Here, we evaluate the CPU's performance using a real-world 3D rendering task, assessing its ability to handle complex computations and rendering workloads efficiently.

    Results are from the Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core test (higher is better)

    Intel Core i9-14900HX ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)
    1735
    Intel Core i9-14900HX ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16
    1752

    GPU benchmarks

    Here the difference is negligible, with both laptops performing well. The SCAR 18 is 0.3% faster in 3DMark Time Spy and 1% faster in 3DMark Wild Life.

    The results are from 3DMark Time Spy (Graphics). Higher is better.

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (Laptop, 175W) ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)
    19083
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (Laptop, 175W) ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16
    19008

    Results are from 3DMark Fire Strike (Graphics) benchmark (higher the score, the better)

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (Laptop, 175W) ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)
    40436

    The results are from 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited. Higher is better.

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (Laptop, 175W) ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)
    36990
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (Laptop, 175W) ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16
    36575

    Gaming tests

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)

    Borderlands 3Full HD, V.Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Badass (Check settings)
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 – RTX 4080 175W227 fps203 fps177 fps151 fps
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 – RTX 4080 175W237 fps (+4%)208 fps (+2%)179 fps (+1%)154 fps (+2%)

    Far Cry 6Full HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 – RTX 4080 175W198 fps159 fps149 fps
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 – RTX 4080 175W200 fps (+1%)162 fps (+2%)152 fps (+2%)

    Gears 5Full HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 – RTX 4080 175W279 fps221 fps202 fps190 fps
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 – RTX 4080 175W281 fps (+1%)224 fps (+1%)210 fps (+4%)190 fps

    Metro ExodusFull HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Extreme (Check settings)
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 – RTX 4080 175W259 fps155 fps75 fps
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 – RTX 4080 175W271 fps (+5%)156 fps (+1%)76 fps (+1%)

    The RTX 4080 inside the smaller SCAR 16 delivers a bit more FPS across all titles that we tested.

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    Battery

    Despite carrying the same battery and internal components, the SCAR 16 endured for more during the Video playback test, with a 24.8% (1 hour 20 minutes) longer battery life.

    Brightness: 180 nits; Display Mode: SDR
    Time to Full Discharge: Higher is Better

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024) 90Wh, 4-cell
    5h 22m
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 90Wh, 4-cell
    6h 42m+24.8%

    Cooling and temperatures, Gaming comfort

    The cooling solution is all the same, with the SCAR 18 naturally getting a bigger version, which should contribute to more cooling capacity.

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)

    CPU stress test

    The SCAR 16’s CPU maintains slightly higher clock speeds, at the same temperatures.

    Intel Core i9-14900HX (55W Base Power)0:02 – 0:10 sec0:15 – 0:30 sec10:00 – 15:00 min
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)3.71 GHz @ 3.06 GHz @ 77°C @ 175W3.61 GHz @ 3.01 GHz @ 88°C @ 169W3.34 GHz @ 2.74 GHz @ 87°C @ 141W
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)3.82 GHz @ 3.13 GHz @ 81°C @ 175W3.64 GHz @ 2.98 GHz @ 87°C @ 169W3.38 GHz @ 2.75 GHz @ 86°C @ 141W

    Real-life gaming

    The GPU inside the SCAR 18 runs at higher clock speeds and lower temperatures.

    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080GPU frequency/ Core temp (after 2 min)GPU frequency/ Core temp (after 30 min)
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)2222 MHz @ 77°C @ 175W2245 MHz @ 79°C @ 172W
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)2217 MHz @ 80°C @ 174W2210 MHz @ 83°C @ 174W

    Upgradeability

    Both laptops offer two SODIMM slots for up to 192GB of DDR5 memory, as well as two M.2 slots for PCIe Gen 4 SSDs.

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024)
    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024)

    Verdict

    Choosing between these two laptops comes to be pretty easy, as they’re pretty much identical. The only differences are in the dimensions (the SCAR 16 is significantly lighter), as well as with the keyboard, where the SCAR 18 gets a physical NumPad that you can work with faster and is more comfortable than the digital NumberPad of the SCAR 16.

    Also, the SCAR 16 lasts longer in our battery life tests, with an extra hour that can come in handy. In the end, the most important parts for gaming (the display, CPU, GPU) all perform rather evenly, so whichever one you get, you’ll be happy.

    If you’ll move around more often, the SCAR 16 will be easier to carry. If you’re looking to replace your desktop with a laptop that you won’t move from your desk, the SCAR 18 could be the option. In the end, check the pricing and pick whichever one’s more affordable or pops up on sale.

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024) – Specs sheet / In-depth Review

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024): Full Specs / In-depth Review

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2024) configurations:

    ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634, 2024) configirations:

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