Asus’ line of ROG gaming laptops has always stood out thanks to its flashy RGB lighting and aggressive aesthetics. Asus is also not afraid to try something new. Last year, it launched the well-received ROG Zephyrus G14, one of the first ROG gaming notebooks with an AMD processor, as well as the entire Zephyrus Duo 15, a dual screen gaming laptop. All the usual suspects in the ROG gaming line are being updated, but Asus has also launched a new 2-in-1 convertible gaming laptop in the mix, the ROG Flow X13. Even more wild, all gaming laptops come with AMD as a CPU option. No sign of Intel anywhere.
A 2 in 1 gaming laptop is not something I would have ever imagined I wanted in my life, but here I am, completely intrigued. To 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 on my desk and then crawling into bed and using it as a e-reader or sketchbook is brand new, but I can’t help wondering why one of these things didn’t happen before. It’s a great idea!
Ah, wait – better performance means more heat, it means a thicker laptop. Yes, it is obvious why this has not happened in the past. But the hardware is powerful and thin enough now, so having a gaming laptop that doesn’t turn into an even bigger brick when the screen is turned back is possible; The Flow X13 weighs just 2.9 pounds. and has 0.62 in. of thickness. definitely the right weight and dimensions … I hope.
The 13 inch 16:10 screen comes with a choice of 120 Hz refresh rate or Ultra HD 4K screen covered with Corning Gorilla Glass. Both display options also support Adaptive Synchronize and are validated by Pantone for color accuracy.
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Inside, there’s even an 8-core AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS CPU covered with a liquid metal thermal grease, which should help keep the CPU cooler than the thermal grease. The GTX 1650 GPU is powered by a battery that can last up to 10 hours. The GPU is disheartening – I would have preferred something closer to a 1660 Ti, at least – but the Asus XG Mobile, a compact eGPU, is compatible with the Flow X13.
Asus says that The XG Mobile is 6% the size of typical eGPUs, but can feature up to an RTX 3080. It weighs around 2.2 lbs., Measures only 6.1 x 8.2 x 1.1 inches, and is cooled by a steam chamber. It also connects directly to the CPU via a custom PCIe 3.0x8 interface, which Asus says is faster than Thunderbolt eGPUs. It also has an integrated 280 W AC adapter that powers the XG Mobile and Flow X13, so you don’t need to carry a separate charging cable, unless you just want to..
The ROG Flow X13 and 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 16.5-inch main screen with 4K UHD with a refresh rate of 120 Hz or an FHD screen with a refresh of 300 Hz. The smallest, 14.1 inches touchscreen screen comes with a 4K option at 3840 x 1100 or a 1920 x 550 alternative. Both use IPS-level technology, which is between a true IPS panel and a TN panel, and updates at 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 says it has 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 28.5 mm inlet after tilting the touchscreen – but this next SE version will allow for more airflow. Asus also said that it changed the fan blade design (each fan now has 84 blades) and also covered the CPU with liquid metal.
This gaming laptop doesn’t come cheap. Not at all. Currently available for order in North America for an impressive $ 2,900.
Other ROG laptops that need an update are the ROG Strix Scar 15 and 17, which now feature the first optical-mechanical keyboard on a Strix laptop. The 15 is a 15.6 inch screen with a refresh rate of 300 Hz, while the 17 is 17.3 inches display with a 360 Hz refresh rate and an IPS level panel. Both are available with new WQHD panels that feature a refresh rate of 165 Hz and a resolution of 1440p.
In terms of specifications, both are available with AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU and Nvidia RTX 3080, up to 64 GB of DDR4-3200 RAM and dual 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 has 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 from the first quarter of 2021.
There is also the new ROG Strix G15 and ROG Strix G17, not to be confused with Strix Scar 15 and 17, since Strix G is similar to Strix Scar. This Strix 15 and 17 will have up to 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 FHD 300 Hz screen or a WQHD 165 Hz screen. Apart from the GPU and the screen variants, there is not much difference between G and Scar.
The ROG Strix G15 will be available in North America from the first quarter of 2021, and the Strix G17 available for pre-order for a tastier but still expensive one for $ 1,800.
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