CES 2021: Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 laptop boasts the fastest laptop in the world

This story is part of CES, where our editors will bring you the latest news and the most popular articles from the all-virtual CES 2021.

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

However, before you dive into the design, we need to talk about the exhibits. On the 17-inch model, the Scar is available with an IPS level panel of 1,920×1,080 pixels with a refresh rate of 360Hz, 3 millisecond response time and 100% sRGB color gamut coverage. It’s the fastest screen on any laptop, says Asus. If you’d rather have a higher resolution panel, there is also a 2,560×1,440 pixel panel with up to 165Hz refresh rate, 3ms response time and 100% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage. The screen is available for the 15-inch version as well as a 1080p 300Hz option.

Configurations include:

• AMD Ryzen 7 5800H or Ryzen 9 5900HX processor
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 with 8 GB VRAM or 3080 with 16 GB VRAM graphics
• Up to 64 GB dual channel DDR4 3200 MHz SDRAM memory
• 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (RAID 0) storage

In terms of design, the unique look is inspired by athletic clothing, says Asus. The bodies are smaller and thinner than last year’s models, with increased screen-to-body ratios, partly due to slimmer frames around the screens. The aluminum lid has a slash and a dot matrix design that extends to the back of the laptop. RGB lights wrap around the front of the laptop and illuminate the large logo on the lid.

The keyboard lid is similarly clipped, and most of the deck has a soft touch texture that feels fantastic. The rest is covered with a smoky translucent plastic so you can see some of the underlying components. The keyboard has RGB lighting per key, but more importantly, Asus used an optical mechanical keyboard for a response time of 0.2 ms. The keys are tactile and click with 1.9mm movement, giving you both a good typing and playing experience, if you think you are not bothered by the extra noise.

The keyboard on the 17-inch Scar has room for a complete number pad. Asus for the 15-inch model, Asus used one of its NumberPad touch pads, and when you press the Num Lock key, the glass-covered touchpad turns into an LED-lit number pad. Press it again and it disappears. Asus has also included ROG’s Keystone II technology: insert a key into a notch on the right side of the keyboard, and you can have the system do things like start games automatically, change performance modes, or a hidden, encrypted disk partition to unlock.

To keep things cool, Asus uses liquid metal on the AMD processors, an extensive heat dissipator and up to six heat pipes. New 84-blade fans push air out of the four rear vents of the laptop. Asus has even improved how the system removes dust from the coolers and fans while increasing airflow.

Asus has outdone itself with the design and features of these new Strix Scar models, but I can not yet tell you what the performance looks like. Although I spent some time on it, it was a pre-production model, so it was not 100% the same as you would be able to get if they started shipping somewhere in the first quarter. There is also no price announced for any size.

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