Asus ROG Strix G16 2023 Review: Gaming laptop with good autonomy
With its impressive specifications and sleek design, the Asus ROG Strix G16 is undoubtedly set to exceed expectations and deliver outstanding gaming performance. The laptop boasts a powerful Intel Core i9-13980HX Raptor Lake processor, which ensures seamless multitasking and enhances gaming experiences. Combined with Nvidia’s latest GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card, gamers can expect smooth and immersive gameplay with high frame rates and exceptional visuals.
One of the standout features of the ROG Strix G16 is its transition to a 16:10 aspect ratio display. With a 16-inch 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA) 165 Hz IPS panel, users can enjoy a more extensive and more immersive viewing experience, providing a slight advantage in competitive gaming scenarios.
The Asus ROG Strix G16 promises to be a strong contender among gaming laptops on the market. It has the hardware to handle the latest games and demanding tasks with ease, while its sleek looks and high-quality build make it an appealing choice for gamers who value both performance and aesthetics. Whether it’s casual gaming, esports competitions, or content creation, the ROG Strix G16 is well-equipped to meet the needs of gamers and power users alike.
Asus ROG Strix G16: Video Review
| Specs | Asus ROG Strix G16 2023 |
| CPU | Intel Core i9-13980HX |
| GPU | Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070, 8GB GDDR6 |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4-4800 (2x 8GB) |
| Storage | 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD |
| OS | Windows 11 Home |
| Display | 16-inch, 1920x1200, 165 Hz, 16:10 |
| Camera | 720p |
| Networking | Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211, Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Ports | 1x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB 3.2 Type-C Gen 2, 2x USB 3.2 Type-A |
| Gen 2, 1x HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm headphone jack, 1 Gbps Ethernet | |
| Battery | 90 Wh |
| Power Adapter | 280 W |
| Dimensions | 13.94 x 10.39 x 0.89 inches (354 x 264 x 304 mm) |
| Weight | 5.51 pounds (2.5 kg) |
Design
The 2023 Asus ROG Strix G16 showcases a remarkable redesign that brings aesthetics tailored to gamers, combining a sleek appearance with impressive build quality. The laptop features an aluminum lid, adding a touch of elegance and durability, while the rest of the chassis is crafted from plastic. However, Asus has gone above and beyond to ensure that the plastic used doesn’t compromise the laptop’s overall premium feel. The result is a high-quality fit and finish with a luxurious satin-like sheen that sets it apart from standard gaming laptops.
Asus wisely opts for subtle yet customizable RGB lighting to complement the gaming experience. A sleek “under-glow” LED strip traces along the front edge and wraps around the sides, providing a tasteful accent to the laptop’s appearance. Additionally, the per-key RGB lighting for the keyboard adds a touch of personalization and can be configured using the Aura Sync feature in the Asus Armory Crate software.
Despite packing impressive hardware, the Asus ROG Strix G16 manages to maintain a relatively portable form factor. Measuring at 13.94 x 10.39 x 0.89 inches (354 x 264 x 304 mm) and weighing 5.51 pounds (2.5 kg), it strikes a balance between performance and portability. The laptop is available in two color options: gray and green, catering to different preferences.
Connectivity options are plentiful, ensuring that users can easily hook up their peripherals and external displays. The right side of the laptop houses two USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A ports, while the left side boasts a Thunderbolt 4 port, a USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port, a GbE port, an HDMI 2.1 port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a proprietary barrel-style power port. The inclusion of these ports caters to various gaming and productivity needs.
The ROG Strix G16 keyboard also receives an enhancement with the addition of five programmable hotkeys (M1 through M5) situated at the top. Users can customize these hotkeys to perform functions such as adjusting volume, toggling the microphone on or off, or creating shortcuts to the Armory Crate software, enhancing the convenience of gaming and general usage.
It’s worth noting that despite its spacious design, the ROG Strix G16 foregoes a number pad on the keyboard. While some users may prefer a number pad, the decision allows for a more centered and ergonomic typing experience.
Display and Webcam
The Asus ROG Strix G16 is equipped with a 16-inch IPS panel featuring a 165 Hz refresh rate and a 1920 x 1200 resolution. While laptops with similar CPU and GPU power tend to come with higher resolution displays, such as 2560 x 1440 or 2560 x 1600, the ROG Strix G16 offers a more traditional resolution in its review sample. However, it is worth noting that Asus does offer versions of this laptop with a higher resolution 2560 x 1600 panel, which might be more appealing to users seeking sharper visuals and greater screen real estate.
Despite the slightly lower resolution, the display on the ROG Strix G16 still impresses with its bright and colorful palette, making content vibrant and visually engaging. The IPS panel provides wide viewing angles, ensuring that the colors remain consistent and accurate from different positions.
In instrumented testing, the ROG Strix G16’s display may not be as vivid as some of its competitors, but it still holds its ground well. It covers approximately 76 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut, indicating good color reproduction for multimedia content and gaming. Additionally, it covers about 106 percent of the sRGB color gamut, which further highlights its ability to produce vibrant and accurate colors.
In terms of brightness, the ROG Strix G16 performs admirably, reaching a brightness of 280 nits. This level of brightness allows the laptop to achieve second place in comparison to similar laptops, with only the HP Omen 16 outshining it in this regard.
While a higher resolution display might be preferred by some users for tasks like content creation and productivity, the 1920 x 1200 resolution on the ROG Strix G16 should still provide a pleasant and visually appealing experience for gaming, media consumption, and everyday tasks.
Users seeking an even higher resolution experience can explore versions of the laptop equipped with a 2560 x 1600 panel, which may offer sharper visuals and more screen real estate for specific use cases.
While the display excels in performance, the laptop’s built-in 720p webcam is perhaps its weakest point. While it serves its purpose adequately for video calls and conferencing, the image quality might not meet some users’ high expectations, especially for content creation or streaming purposes.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The Asus ROG Strix G16 comes with a full QWERTY keyboard layout that offers a comfortable and satisfying typing experience. Additionally, it boasts several programmable hotkeys at the top, providing quick and convenient access to various functions. By default, these hotkeys control volume, microphone settings, fan options, and the Armoury Crate software. However, users have the flexibility to customize the function of these keys through the Armoury Crate software, tailoring them to their specific needs and preferences.
The individual RGB backlighting for each key adds a touch of personalization and allows users to create a vibrant and visually appealing keyboard setup, enhancing the overall gaming atmosphere.
Typing on the keyboard feels pleasant, with the keys offering a decent 2 mm of travel, which strikes a balance between responsiveness and comfort. The soft finish on the keys further adds to the typing experience, making them comfortable to use for extended periods without causing fatigue.
While the keyboard is well-designed and user-friendly, some users might be disappointed to find that Asus did not include a number pad on the Asus. While this omission might not significantly impact gaming performance, it could be an inconvenience for users who frequently work with numbers or prefer the convenience of a number pad.
The touchpad on the ROG Strix G16 is a notable highlight, offering ample space with its generous dimensions of 5.12 inches x 3.5 inches. Covered with a smooth glass surface, the touchpad provides a pleasant and responsive user experience. While gaming enthusiasts might prefer using a dedicated gaming mouse for precise control, the touchpad proves to be a reliable and spacious option for everyday tasks and casual use.
Audio
The Asus ROG Strix G16 features a two-speaker system that delivers decent audio performance.
When it comes to gaming, the audio performance might not be the laptop’s strongest point. The lack of bass can be noticeable, which can impact the overall immersive experience, especially during explosions or intense gaming moments. However, the speakers can handle higher volumes without distortion, allowing users to crank up the sound to drown out background noise or internal fan noise during intensive gaming sessions.
To enhance the audio experience, Asus includes the Dolby Atmos app with the ROG Strix G16. This app provides several audio profiles, such as Dynamic, Game, Movie, Music, and Voice. While experimenting with the various settings, users might find that the differences between the profiles are not particularly significant. As a result, opting for the “Dynamic” mode, which automatically adjusts based on the content being played, can be a practical choice for most users.
Users who prioritize audio quality may still benefit from using external speakers or headphones, especially for more immersive gaming experiences or for enjoying movies and music to their fullest potential. However, for casual use and everyday tasks, the built-in speakers on the ROG Strix G16 get the job done.
Software
The Asus ROG Strix G16, like many other laptops, comes with pre-installed software and apps, some of which may be considered bloatware. These apps are included in the Windows 11 Home operating system and offer a mix of productivity, entertainment, and trial versions of Microsoft Office apps. While some users may find these pre-installed apps useful, others may prefer to remove them to free up storage space and streamline their experience.
The inclusion of Armoury Crate, MyAsus, and Aura Creator brings added value for gamers and power users seeking to optimize their laptop’s performance, customize their RGB lighting, and access customer support and warranty information conveniently. As with any pre-installed software, users have the option to tailor their laptop’s software environment according to their preferences and requirements.
Asus ROG Strix G16: Performance
The Asus ROG Strix G16 is a gaming laptop powerhouse equipped with top-of-the-line hardware, making it a formidable gaming and performance machine. It features an Intel Core i9-13980HX processor with eight performance cores, 16 efficiency cores, and a max turbo boost clock of 5.6 GHz. The laptop also boasts an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, 16GB of DDR5-4800 RAM (two SO-DIMMs), and a spacious 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD.
When it comes to gaming, the ROG Strix G16 offering a smooth and immersive experience. During gaming sessions, the laptop maintains an impressive 165 fps at the display’s 165Hz refresh rate, even when handling intense gaming scenarios with plenty of on-screen action. This level of performance ensures that users can enjoy their favorite games at their highest graphical settings without experiencing any slowdowns or frame drops.
In benchmark tests, the ROG Strix G16 showcases its processing power, delivering impressive scores on Geekbench 5. With a single-core score of 2,148 and a multi-core score of 18,227, it outperforms its competitors, including the Gigabyte Aorus 15X. The laptop’s Alder Lake-based processor proves its worth, outshining the Razer Blade 15 and HP Omen 16, especially in multi-core performance.
In file transfer tests, the ROG Strix G16 secures second place, exhibiting a respectable transfer speed of 1,238.04 MBps when copying 25GB of files across the SSD. While not the fastest PCIe 4.0 SSD on the market, the Micron 2400 SSD used in the laptop still performs well, though slightly slower than the first-place Aorus 15X.
Similarly, in the Handbrake test, which involves transcoding a 4K video to 1080p, the ROG Strix G16 demonstrates its processing capabilities, completing the task in five minutes and five seconds. Although the Aorus 15X takes the lead with a slightly faster completion time of three minutes and 55 seconds, the ROG Strix G16 remains competitive and efficient in handling CPU-intensive tasks.
The Asus ROG Strix G16 stands as a powerhouse gaming laptop with remarkable gaming performance and efficient processing capabilities. While it may not always claim the absolute top spot in benchmark tests, it competes admirably against its high-end competitors. Overall, the ROG Strix G16 proves to be an exceptional choice for gamers and power users seeking a top-tier laptop that can handle demanding tasks and provide a superior gaming experience.
Battery
The Asus ROG Strix G16 defies the typical stereotype of gaming laptops with its impressive battery life. Equipped with a sizable 90 Whr battery and a powerful 280W power adapter, this gaming laptop can deliver long-lasting performance, even during intensive gaming sessions.
In comparison to its competitors, the ROG Strix G16 stands out for its exceptional battery endurance. When pitted against the less powerful Razer Blade 14, the laptop outlasts it by almost four additional hours. Moreover, it surpasses the battery life of other high-performance laptops like the HP Omen 16 and the Gigabyte Aorus 15X by at least three hours.
During the Laptop Mag Battery Test, the laptop impressively lasted for 8 hours and 49 minutes, showcasing its ability to sustain itself during long periods of use. This remarkable battery performance rivals that of the Zephyrus G15, a notable achievement in itself.
This remarkable battery life makes the ROG Strix G16 a standout option for gamers and power users who value portability and the convenience of extended battery endurance. With the ability to last through extended gaming sessions and demanding tasks without requiring frequent charging, the laptop offers a level of flexibility and usability not often associated with gaming laptops.
Asus ROG Strix G16: Conclusion
The Asus ROG Strix G16 proves to be a solid contender in the competitive ~$2,000 gaming laptop segment. Its closest competitor, the Gigabyte Aorus 15X, offers a higher resolution display at 2560 x 1600 but comes at a slightly higher price. However, the ROG Strix G16 compensates with an impressive battery life, lasting an additional three hours, which is a noteworthy advantage for users who prioritize portability and extended gaming sessions.
Performance-wise, the ROG Strix G16 demonstrates the strength of Intel’s new Raptor Lake mobile processor and Nvidia’s latest GeForce RTX 40 Series GPUs, providing excellent gaming performance and multitasking capabilities. The laptop’s solid build quality, balanced RGB lighting, and comfortable keyboard add to its appeal, making it an attractive option for gamers seeking a high-quality gaming experience.
While the laptop’s 1920 x 1200 resolution may seem underwhelming considering its powerful hardware, customers do have the option to upgrade to the higher 2560 x 1600 resolution by paying extra. Additionally, the laptop’s speakers and webcam leave room for improvement, with the webcam being a notable drawback for users who rely on video conferencing and remote work.
Despite these minor flaws, the Asus ROG Strix G16 deserves consideration as a premium 16-inch gaming PC, offering powerful performance in an aesthetically pleasing design. Gamers and power users looking for a capable and portable gaming laptop should include the ROG Strix G16 on their shortlist, appreciating its strengths and recognizing the option to customize certain aspects to suit their preferences. Overall, the Asus ROG Strix G16 stands as a competitive and impressive choice in the gaming laptop market.
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