CES 2021: The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 gaming laptop has the world’s fastest laptop screen

This story is part of CES, where our editors will present the latest news and the hottest gadgets from CES 2021 entirely virtual.

While more gaming laptops are being made with smooth designs to appeal to a wider range of users, the new ROG Strix Scar from Asus is unmistakably made for gamers. Announced by CES 2021, the new Scar flagship – available in 15.6 and 17.3 inch sizes – is aimed at sports players who want superior performance and the aggressive design aesthetics that gaming computers are known for.

Before diving into design, though, let’s talk about screens. On the 17-inch model, the Scar will be available with a 1,920×1,080 pixel IPS level panel with a 360Hz refresh rate, 3 millisecond response time and 100% sRGB color gamut coverage. It is the fastest screen on any laptop, says Asus. If you prefer a high-resolution panel, however, a 2,560×1,440 pixel panel with a refresh rate of up to 165Hz, 3ms response time and 100% DCI-P3 color range coverage will also be available. This screen will be available for the 15-inch version, as well as a 1080p 300Hz option.

The settings will include:

• AMD Ryzen 7 5800H or Ryzen 9 5900HX processor
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 with 8GB VRAM or 3080 with 16GB VRAM graphics
• 3,200 MHz DDR4 SDRAM memory up to 64 GB dual channel
• 1 TB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (RAID 0) storage

As for the design, the unique look was inspired by sportswear, says Asus. The bodies are smaller and thinner than last year’s models, with a higher screen-to-body ratio due in part to the thinner frames around the monitors. The aluminum cover has a bar and a dot matrix design that continues on the back of the laptop. RGB lights surround the front of the laptop and illuminate the large logo on the lid.

The keyboard deck is also cut and most of the deck has a smooth touch texture that looks fantastic. The rest is covered with a smoky translucent plastic so you can see some of the underlying components. The keyboard has RGB key illumination, but more importantly, Asus used an optical-mechanical keyboard for a response time of 0.2 ms. The keys are tactile and clickable with a displacement of 1.9 mm, providing a good typing and gaming experience, assuming you don’t mind the extra noise.

The 17-inch Scar’s keyboard has room for a full numeric keypad. For the 15-inch model, Asus used one of its NumberPad touchpads, where if you press the Num Lock key, the glass-covered touchpad turns into an LED-lit numeric keypad. Press it again and it will disappear. Asus also included ROG’s Keystone II technology: Insert a key into a notch on the right side of the keyboard deck and you can have the system do things like start games automatically, change performance modes, or unlock a hidden encrypted drive partition.

To keep things cool, Asus uses liquid metal on AMD CPUs, an extended heatsink and up to six heat tubes. New 84-bladed fans push air out of the laptop’s four rear openings. Asus has even improved how the system removes dust from heat sinks and fans while increasing airflow.

Asus has outdone itself with the design and features of these new Strix Scar models, but I can’t say how the performance is yet. Although I spent some time using one, it was a pre-production model, so it was not 100% the same thing that you can get when they start shipping in the first quarter. In addition, no price was announced for any of the sizes.