The requirements for a gaming laptop are always high. A potential buyer wants to get not only a productive Setup but also a high-quality screen, nice design and high practicality. All this is combined with the new models of the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR III series, which allow you to enjoy new games with excellent graphics on a high-speed screen with a high frequency of refresh rate. And all this in a stylish case with backlight and other attributes of a modern gaming laptop.
Contents
ASUS ROG Strix SCAR III G531GW
This is a laptop with a 15.6-inch display on a high-quality IPS-matrix with a refresh rate of 240Hz. The setup focuses on the graphics subsystem. This is a combination of the Intel Core i7-9750H processor and the GeForce RTX 2070 video card, which allows you to activate effects based on ray tracing and has sufficient performance for this. There are simpler modifications of the G531G series with GeForce RTX 2060, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, and even with the GeForce GTX 1650 Ti (in the most budget version). this model has 16 GB of RAM and 1TB PCIe Nvme SSD. All this is packed in a case with dimensions of 360x275x25 mm and a mass of 2.4 kg.
G531GW specifications
Speaking of technical specifications and performance, ROG Strix SCAR III differs little from its competitors. Yes, ASUS has kept the balance of “noise/temperature/frequency”, but in this case it mastered everything. ROG Strix SCAR III is distinguished by trifles and interesting features, which just turn this model into one of the best on the market.
Design
when we talk about ASUS ROG Strix SCAR III G531GW Design Do not forget that we are dealing with a separate division of Asus. ROG specializes in the release of Laptops for gamers and has recently been directly pleased with its unique design.
The laptop is not like its competitors. It is based on a plastic case, but the top cover is aluminum. Grinding is quite smooth and does not feel to the touch, but it looks excellent. The glossy ROG logo conceals a pair of RGB LEDs.
A much more striking look is the light stroke around the bottom of the device. If you haven’t guessed yet, then it’s worth explaining that there is also a neatly hidden RGB backlight.
On the back you can see neat slots and a small signature “pattern”. It’s nice that even from this side the device looks interesting. As many as seven rubberized legs are spread all over the lower part, but no filters were found.
On the sides, everything is no less interesting. The left side immediately received three USB 3.1 ports, in addition to which there is a combined 3.5 mm jack for headphones and a microphone. On the starboard side.
All the main connectors are concentrated in the back. Namely: Type-C, HDMI, RJ45 and a charging socket. Along the edges you can see cute radiators of the cooling system. Again no protection, everything is designed for maximum performance.
In addition, I note that right behind the hinges of the screen is a decent plastic part with additional slots, presumably for cooling systems. Directly on it are the LEDs for indicating sleep mode, power, hard disk loading and airplane mode.
Such a technique will make the working part smaller, so the screen is not too far from the keyboard, which is located directly on the front panel and does not have its own substrate.
In appearance, the material resembles Kevlar, and to the touch closer to Soft-touch plastic. We will not deny it looks beautiful.
Keyboard and touchpad
ROG Strix SCAR III has a full-sized keyboard. The keys are membrane, the click is quite distinct, but here the move, in my opinion, could be bigger. The fact is that during the game you do not always understand whether you have pressed Shift, whether you simply hold your finger on the space bar or have already clamped it.
Those who previously worked with laptops will be quite comfortable. But lovers of rigid mechanics have to get a little used to it. It is pointless to find fault with the speed of operation. It is maximum, naturally adjusted for a membrane.
As noted above, the keyboard does not have its own backing, that is, each key has its own slot. So that under no circumstances will one button drag its neighbors in a row.
Separately, it is worth considering the volume keys, the microphone on and off, and the control of fans and proprietary software handed down at the top.
Their activation does not require the use of a combination with FN. It is strange that the same performance control is available on the F5 key. I would like to bring up the backlight control. In the meantime, you have to use the + FN arrows.
By the way, the keys can glow immediately at three brightness levels. The LED is located in the central part. Accordingly, English-language characters are best highlighted, but the Cyrillic alphabet suffers a little from dullness.
The touchpad is touch but not glass. It perfectly perceives gestures and allows you to make double-clicks with the left mouse button. The finger glides well, but not perfect. For those who like to control every click, there are two mechanical buttons.
Rog Strix Monitor
The display literally hangs in the air on two hinges. The frames are minimal, with the exception of the lower chin, which on the left side reaches its maximum “grandeur”, immediately there is a glossy inscription “ROG STRIX”.
The outer surface of the matrix is black hard and semi-matt (specularity is well defined).
There are no special anti-reflective coatings or filters, and there is no air gap between the outer glass and the LCD matrix itself. When powered by mains or battery and with manual brightness control (there is no automatic adjustment by the light sensor), its maximum value was 302cd/m² (in the center of the screen on a white background). The maximum brightness is not very high. However, if you avoid direct sunlight, even this value allows you to somehow use the laptop on the street on a summer sunny day.
In the best traditions of gaming devices, it is matte. The second advantage is FullHD Resolution.
Excellent color rendition is instantly striking. The screen copes with rich colors. The only thing that is difficult to give to the IPS matrix is the black color. Like it or not, it will give a little gray. Although the precepts of illumination were not noticed.
Asus rog Strix scar iii monitor comes with a refresh rate of 240Hz, with a delay of 3 ms. If you try to explain, it turns out that the display can demonstrate a high frameskip. Most often, this is more than the human eye can catch.
But hardware quietly fulfills more than 60 frames per second. The result is a smooth and smooth image, without delays or jerking rendering.
But in fairness it’s worth noting that outside the games it’s impossible to catch the difference.
Hardware and performance
In our test, Rog Strix scar backed with an Intel Core i7-9750H processor and a top-end NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 graphics solution with 8 GB of video memory.
I happened to kill a couple of hours on the expanses of Dota 2 and CS: GO, but nothing unexpected happened. The laptop stably gives high FPS, which stays within a couple of hundred frames per second.
And then I had to remember about a reliable measure of all gaming systems – GTA V. We start the game with maximum graphics settings (very high), do not forget to include the Nvidia TXAA proprietary anti-aliasing and high-resolution textures. Vertical sync is also active. Yes, do not forget to set the display refresh rate to 240Hz in the settings.
The result is a constant 90 FPS. At the same time, the minimum frame drop was 80 FPS, and the maximum was 103 FPS. If you turn off vertical sync, you’ll be able to play another 10 FPS.
In this case, the temperature regime is very serious. The processor heats up to 90 degrees. On average, it turns out about 80. But the video card warmed up to only 70 degrees.
If you believe the manufacturer, then these are normal indicators. Cooling and software do not allow the stone to warm up to 100 degrees, although I personally already saw such numbers on my i7-4790K during overclocking.
With normal surfing on the Internet, the temperature regime drops to 40-50 degrees. There are clearly no cooling problems. And the game session lasted long enough, about an hour. So the system managed to reach its peak mode.
Asus Rog Accessories
ASUS ROG Gladius II mouse
with Asus Rog Strix Scar III comes a branded wired mouse ASUS ROG Gladius II. And in addition to the painfully familiar form, which was clearly spied on by Razer, it has very impressive characteristics.
The main advantage of rog gladius ii is the optical sensor with a resolution of 12,000 DPI. At the same time, the maximum acceleration is 50G, so according to the characteristics, it is a completely top mouse.
The case made of matte plastic does not collect prints well, glossy buttons look beautiful and have no backlash. The main keys received an easy dead move and a very clear click, which is important for games.
Side panels have rubberized inserts with a pattern. The same material can be found on the scroll wheel. In addition, it glows, as does the logo on the main body.
Cool looks at the bottom of the device. While the mouse is not active, it practically does not give out itself. And after activating the laptop, it goes well with the glow of its contour lighting.
Rog GC21 webcam
The Asus ROG Strix Scar III G731GV is equipped with a ROG Eye webcam (ROG GC21) connected to the laptop with a USB cable and placed either directly on the top frame of the display or anywhere else near the laptop.
This camera model is capable of recording video with Full HD (1080p) resolution and a frame rate of 60 FPS, and also supports Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) technology. Two built-in microphones can record audio at a sampling frequency of 96 kHz / 24 bit.
The module has a double hinge that allows you to put the camera on a table or fix it in a stand, you can also put the design on top of the display cover. You are free to choose the perspective yourself.
It is worth noting that the camera body is plastic, but the complete metal stand. This makes sense to mount the camera on the table in it. Because of the slight movement of the cable, the angle may shift. And in the weighty stand is no longer there. Plus, in its lower part there is a thread for a tripod.
Asus ROG Keystone
On the right side of the laptop is an Asus ROG Keystone electronic key.
Through the Armory Crate application, you can bind the user settings of the laptop and Shadow Drive (a hidden area on the hard drive for reliable storage of personal information and confidential data).
Armory Crate application
To manage the main functions of the device, the proprietary Armory Crate software was created. And here is just the time to remember the red little thing on the right side of the device. This is the key, when installed in a certain place, this program launches.
It can also be called by pressing the ROG key in the upper left part of the keyboard. It is here that you can configure various profiles for working with iron. Including manage the power of the processor, graphics card, memory overclocking, etc.
From here, you can indulge in various backlight modes. And you will also see all additional devices from ASUS here, be it a mouse or an external keyboard.
The toggle switches that are most needed here are responsible for presets of the screen, which can be adjusted to cinema, shooters, action games, the music system and display delay. I don’t see a particular point in touching the cooling system; it’s better to set it to maximum cooling once.
The profiles themselves can be manually activated from a computer or located on a key and enabled when it is connected to a computer. In the same way, you can limit the capabilities of a PC without a label.
But what is a pity is the lack of the ability to set individual keys a separate color. For example, you are going to ride in Dot, and you have selected keys for abilities, and in different colors.
In an attempt to customize this, I installed the additional program Aura Creator, but it only allows you to develop your own effects. You can get confused, but I do not need a timeline here at all.
Packaging and packaging
The Asus ROG Strix Scar III G731GV is packaged in a cardboard box with a scarlet ROG logo on the front and a plastic carrying handle on top.
In the box, along with a laptop, you can find numerous instructions and memos, a power adapter with cable, a webcam and a Keystone electronic key.
The latter is made in the form of a keychain with a carbine on a leather strap and looks very stylish.
The webcam in this laptop model is a separate device, connected to a USB port and can be placed on a table or mounted on top of the laptop display.
Impressions
A modern gadget should be able to surprise and Asus ROG has no problems with this. At first you are struck by the backlight and appearance, then the delight is picked up by decent performance, but everything has its own price. And it’s not even about the money.
I absolutely do not recommend trying to work on a lap with a laptop. Even with everyday tasks, the hardware decently heats up. The cooling system fulfills the load and discharges air, which heats the surface under the laptop. and if you are looking for the best laptop for work check this list.
During the game, pay attention to the position of the right hand and mouse. After all, if they are close to the device, then it will certainly warm them. Yes, in turbo mode, the greatest discharge of hot air falls on the right side.
In the same zone, the case itself is heated, so that around the power button there can be about 30-35 degrees. Comparable to the heating of modern smartphones.
At the same time, maximum performance is available only when powered by an outlet. And without recharging from the network, the device will work from one to three hours. This depends on the brightness of the screen, backlight mode and power saving.
Testing on a MacBook laptop is easy. Yes, and to find fault with the assembly is stupid, it is solid. The materials are selected wisely so that with active use, fingerprints do not rush into the eyes.
There are questions about setting up profiles. We set the Turbo mode, go play and suddenly turn the browser around, at this moment the device can reset the frequency and weaken the speed of the cooling turbines. Apparently the user does not have full control.
If we talk about noise, then it is not much. It should be borne in mind that the fans accelerate to 5000 rpm, and are much quieter than two 2800 rpm screws that drive air into the CBO radiator on a stationary PC.
Regarding the complete key, for me this chip remained a mystery. The kit includes a silicone case with a carabiner. Apparently, for most buyers, the key will live either in a laptop or in this very case.
Sometimes they can be pampered, get and paste to see the effect on the keyboard and run proprietary software. You can do this several times per second, but such entertainment quickly bothers.
Most journalists unanimously praise the sound. It is loud, with good bass, but the detail at peak volume is lame. Most often, small distortions are heard.
It’s impossible to find fault with volume. In trying to find speakers, I had to twist the laptop in my hands for a couple of minutes. As it turned out, they are located at the bottom. They play the table and the outputs on the sides.
ROG Strix Scar III Test results
We will tell you what this is enough for. The video card takes almost desktop frequencies. The chip produces 1875 MHz at a normal temperature of 80 ° C. The processor depends on the type of load. If you score all the cores, you get 3.5-3.6 GHz. In real modes, when some of the cores are not used at 100%, 4.2 GHz comes out. The temperature does not rise above 83 ° C. For a laptop, the figure is absolutely normal, although if ASUS made the legs a little longer and raised the back, the temperature would be even lower.
Bundle performance is sufficient for all modern games. The third Borderlands and the last Total War give out 61 frames per second, The Division 2 – 75, Shadow of the Tomb Raider – 83. Sometimes the counter drops below 60, but this only applies to Metro Exodus, as well as the included Ray Tracing. For example, in Control, he drops the bar from 60 to 38 frames. But what about 240 Hz? According to the tests of World of Tanks, the processor provides them, but in games with graphics level CS: GO, War Thunder or StarCraft 2.
Asus rog Strix scar iii battery life
For the battery, Four hours of Movies and an hour of gaming. But the processor comes with only 20 W of battery power, which lasts a maximum of 2GHz. And this, as you know, is too little for games in camping mode
Conclusion
ASUS ROG STRIX SCAR III is indeed a top-end laptop, despite being part of the more affordable ROG Strix line. In terms of features and capabilities, it overtakes even older Zephyrus solutions.
Approaching the third version of the famous Scar/Hero laptops, the manufacturer created an almost perfect device that takes into account all the slightest subtleties. They are ideally balanced in terms of cooling, do not overheat and do not make a lot of noise, even despite the fact that quite powerful Intel Core i7 and RTX 2060 components are installed inside the case.
The screen traditionally produces a good picture, which in combination with high frequency updates, is almost the best solution among all gaming laptops.
Otherwise, this is just a very good laptop, which has virtually no negative sides.
The only thing you can really complain about is the lack of a full-time webcam. And then, this fact is more than compensated by manufacturers. You are invited to a very powerful and cool external webcam, which in its functionality outstrips the usual solutions several times. If it’s really important for you to communicate through video services or a streamer career, then this solution (ROG Eye) will even benefit you.
Based on the results of testing the ASUS ROG STRIX SCAR III laptop, we safely recommend it for purchase