Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 G733 Gaming Laptop Review

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Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 G733 Gaming Laptop

ASUS has released a new version of the gaming laptop ROG Strix SCAR 17 G733 – improved. The model received the most advanced hardware and features that make it unique even in the range of the manufacturer. However, first things first.

Bigger than TUF, bigger than Zephyrus

ASUS has several series of gaming laptops, each with its own twist. For example, ASUS TUF is a relatively inexpensive model with a simple design but serious hardware. And Zephyrus devices are distinguished by compactness and strict style.

As for the ROG Strix line, it’s made up of oversized laptops without compromising on design or performance. The prefix SCAR indicates the esports bias of the model. What exactly is the Asus ROG Strix SCAR 17 G733 luring advanced gamers too?

The Best of AMD and NVIDIA

The novelty boasts the most productive CPU and GPU among mobile devices. It is an overclocked AMD Ryzen 5900HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 for laptops. And in order for the player to fully appreciate the possibilities of such a duet, the engineers put a 17-inch Full HD screen with a refresh rate of 300 Hz.

Specifications

Processor	AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX 8 cores, 16 threads, up to 4.6 GHz
Display	17.3”, 1080p, IPS, 300Hz, matte
Video Card	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop 16GB GDDR6
RAM	16GB DDR4 3200MHz
Storage Device	1 TB NVMe SSD PCI-E 3
Wireless Interfaces	Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1 (Dual band)
Battery and Charger	Li-ion battery, 90 Wh 240 W AC adapter, optional 100 W
Weight	2.7 Kg

Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
High TGP graphics card	Battery life for intense games is very poor
12-generation Intel processor	No webcam
High-speed display with perfect color reproduction	No card reader
Outstanding sound quality
Awesome keyboard with RGB backlit keys
Spectacular design with quiet fans

The power of Zen 3 on the go

At the heart of the Asus ROG Strix SCAR 17 G733 is the octa-core AMD Ryzen 5900HX, one of the most powerful processors with a TDP of 45 watts. The CPU is made according to the Zen 3 architecture, which increased the IPC by 19%. Along with this, the frequencies have increased, and now one core can deliver 4.6 GHz.

In addition, AMD has finally eliminated the weak link – the Infinity Fabric bus. All cores now have direct access to a shared 32MB L3 cache, minimizing latency. The CPU is built on TSMC’s improved 7nm process, which should reduce heat and power consumption.

To put this in simple terms, this processor is insanely powerful and has the features to match.

NVIDIA technologies are on guard for framerate

The mobile NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is responsible for the graphics. RTX 3080 for laptops received 6144 CUDA cores, 16 GB of GDDR6 video memory, and a 256-bit bus with a bandwidth of 384 Gb / s. The tensor cores, sharpened for the functions of AI, have not disappeared anywhere either. They are responsible for the smart reconstruction of the DLSS image, increasing the frame rate and image quality. There are also dedicated RT cores for ray tracing.

The TGP of the graphics card reaches 115 watts with the ROG Boost function and 130 watts with the Dynamic Boost function. Responsible for heat dissipation is a cooling system with two coolers, copper radiators, and pipes, as well as liquid metal as a thermal interface.

Frame

The top panel is made of aluminum, while the rest of the body is plastic. The surface is equipped with a soft-touch coating and a translucent insert. Of course, there is also RGB lighting. Using the AURA app, you can individually customize the color of each key, as well as the ROG logo, LED strips on the back, and lower LEDs. Another way to customize is to change the corner panels.

The build quality and materials are solid. The screen hinges are tight enough so that it does not tremble like a leaf in the wind. The underside also feels solid, with the keyboard not flexing under pressure.

The power button is located on top of the numeric keypad and made in a corporate angular style. Moving away from other keys eliminates the risk of accidental pressing, which is convenient when typing. But the fingerprint scanner is not available. There is no webcam here.

ASUS has its own solution for privacy lovers – the Keystone NFC tag. It is included in the kit and installed in a special compartment on the right. With its help, you can hide an entire partition on the built-in drive: it will be visible only when the NFC key is connected to the laptop. Keynote also saves system settings for quick migration.

The laptop weighs 2.7 kg, making it a breeze to carry around. And not every bag will fit such a colossus. It’s good that ASUS understood this and put a branded backpack in the kit.

Display and sound

Asus ROG Strix SCAR 17 G733 received a 17.3-inch Full HD screen. The combination of a matte finish and not the highest pixel density (127 ppi) works here as a plus – the crystalline effect is minimized. The readability of the picture under direct light is also pleasing, although the maximum brightness of 330 nits is not a record.

The color gamut is 100% sRGB and 75% Adobe RGB – an excellent result for a gaming model. The contrast level does not raise questions, and the black color does not look faded. The uniformity of the backlight is also pleasing, and no light is visible at the edges. The refresh rate is 300Hz, and the claimed response time is 3ms. There were no loops in the games. Adaptive sync is also supported.

There are four speakers. The sound is so loud, and there is even a good bass. And although the vocal range sounds a bit boomy, it’s easy to fix in the equalizer. In headphones, everything is just fine. The localization of sounds in games is accurate, the volume headroom is generous, and background noise is not audible with sensitive multi-driver IEMs.

Keyboard, touchpad, and ports

Notebook feature – optical-mechanical keyboard. Hidden under each button are an LED and an optical sensor that detects the interruption of the beam when pressed. This solution minimizes input lag, which is very important in competitive games.

Nice and clear feedback. The key travel is quite tight and deep, and pressing is accompanied by a click – in other words, typing is a pleasure. Other pluses include a number pad, full-size hands, and an extra row of function buttons. The touchpad is good too. Its area is large, the finger glides so well on the glass, and it is convenient to work with Windows Precision gestures. Clicks at the bottom are very tight and clear.

The set of ports includes three USB 3.2, USB-C with support for DisplayPort 1.4 and PowerDelivery, HDMI 2.1, and gigabit Ethernet.

Noise, heating, and autonomy

Asus ROG Strix SCAR 17 G733 supports three operating modes: Quiet, Efficient, and Turbo. It is noteworthy that even in the latter, the noise of the fans almost does not bother. At the same time, the case heats up slightly, even with a long load, the keyboard area remains barely warm.

The built-in 90 Wh battery was enough for 10 hours of YouTube video playback at 50% screen brightness. Work in Microsoft Office with parallel web surfing discharges a laptop in 7 hours. If you play on battery power, the charge lasts only an hour.

The kit comes with two charging adapters at once: A large one for 240 watts and a camping one with USB-C for 100 watts.

Conclusion

Asus ROG Strix SCAR 17 G733 is a gaming laptop without compromise. It has the finest components available. AMD’s latest processor excels in both gaming and workloads, and Intel will have to work hard to at least release something competitive, let alone superior to the mobile AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX. The same goes for graphics performance: inside is not just top-end laptop graphics but an RTX 3080 in 16-gig performance. Add an efficient cooling system, original design, high-quality screen, great sound, and a great mechanical keyboard. You get a really cool gaming laptop: built with a margin of safety for several years to come.