ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (G834, 2023) review – no game can challenge this beast

Design and construction

Even though it has beast hardware and an 18-inch display, this laptop’s dimensions are not that big. Yes, it weighs 3.10 kilos and has a profile that goes from 23.1 to 30.8mm, but we all remember the 5 kg monsters from the past. By the way, the low front, high back design looks really cool and really helps with aesthetics.

In addition to that, the device is made out of aluminum and plastic and has a pretty good flex resistance. It’s also interesting that the ROG logo on the back lights up, as does the middle of the ventilation grill on the back, and the front side. What could be improved for next year, however, is the location of the LEDs on the back – it will look better if they are centered in the middle.

Naturally, the lid opens easily with one hand. And lo and behold – there is a camera! Finally, the Strix SCAR users get the HD Webcam treatment they deserved. It appears that ASUS was clever-enough in this field, as it integrated a notch in order to keep the bezels slim.

Now, let’s take a trip down to the keyboard. There, we find the translucent top part of the base, which reveals… almost nothing. In addition, you get to see the power button and the media keys, which also include a shortcut to the Armoury Crate.

In this case, the keyboard has a number pad, as well as large Arrow keys, which is also a novelty for the ROG Strix SCAR 18. Furthermore, the key travel is really long, while the feedback is clicky. This makes it a very comfortable keyboard for both typing and gaming. For backlight, you get a per-key RGB unit, which supports Aura Sync.

Further down below, you will see the touchpad. While it may look small for the overall area of the base, you have to remember that this is an 18-inch device – it is huge. So, the touchpad itself offers smooth gliding, as well as accurate tracking. In our opinion, the response rate is a bit too fast, which may be great for people with fast fingers, but not for us mortals.

Lastly, let’s turn the laptop upside down. This reveals the two speaker cutouts, as well as the ventilation grill, which features an interesting pattern. Once again, the hot air exits the machine through three vents – one on each side, and one huge grill on the back.

Ports

On the left side, there is the charging plug, a 2.5Gbit LAN port, an HDMI 2.1 connector, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and an Audio jack. Then, on the right, there are two USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) ports.

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Tommy

2 years ago

Apparently no average wallet can afford this beast either 😅

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kenod

1 year ago

obviosly written by asus itself, so not independent

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