Larger than life – this short phrase can be used to properly describe the (relative) behemoth that is the ROG Strix G18 – seriously, when I’m carrying the Strix G18 from one location to another, lugging it on my side, you almost feel like you shouldn’t have bothered displacing it from its original situation – but we are talking about a full powered gaming laptop from our friends at Asus right here and boy are you in for a treat!
The ROG Strix G18 refresh for 2024 is not something you take lightly (literally or otherwise) – this thing sends a message that speaks about whomever is behind the screen utilizing its supremely capable hardware configuration – a desktop class, OC capable 24-core Intel Core i9-14900HX, 16 GB RAM, and an RTX 4070.
V-ray benches follow as per usual. There’s hardly any difference between burst and sustained values.
There’s thoughtful consideration present all around the device with the key ports situated away from unwanted interactions while dominating the battlefield. Everything power related is to the left – this includes the pair of USB-C power delivery ports to sustain “unexpected” gaming sessions. You can definitely do gaming with just the 100W charger but the Strix G18 enters a state almost similar to “bypass” in that no power is getting into the batteries and everything is being dedicated into your gaming endeavor – this reminds me of the famous Trekkie phrase: “divert all auxiliary power to deflector shields!” Naturally if you stop stressing out the GPU then expect a steady pace of regaining battery power then. This is pretty good utilization and a clear priority on what the Strix line of devices does best.
A full sized HDMI port is available for external video connections without having to go through dongles or hubs – the chassis can support it anyway so it is a very welcome addition, not that you’d need even more screen because of the naturally amazing QHD+ 240Hz IPS panel that the Strix G18 comes with – you would be doing this to share the experience in the most epic fashion, transforming any living room into an immersive arcade through the single cable.
It is something to be expected quite naturally – triple A gaming on the go comes with a big check mark with the ROG Strix G18 at its core. First hand experience with Black Myth Wukong allows the title to show you just how the developers imagined the game to be experienced especially when you’re completely configured with a controller (sold separately) and connected to the mains with its proper power brick.
The Strix G18 comes with two possible sources of juice out of the box. There’s the smaller, more portable and bag friendly USB-C 100W power delivery adapter and then there’s the 280W affair which is recommended for serious gaming sessions.
Once you have a dedicated space for the Strix G18, IE your desk – the center of your gaming station, you’ll likely have the barrel attachment always on the ready to push the RTX4070 to its limit. Do keep in mind that fan noise will be present for these more intense processing scenarios so best keep a headset on the ready, maybe an ROG Delta to be fully immersed in the environment that you’ve chosen to step into.
The per key RGB illumination that is controlled by the Armoury Crate takes immersion a step further – I personally prefer using the “music” mode which basically makes the entire length of the keyboard act as an equalizer of sorts – just make sure that the sensitivity is set to your personal preference because that provides you with the right amount of spikes that shows the auditory dynamic range better rather than a pulsating single color. Starry Night comes in at a very close second.
The Strix G18 maintains the underside light bar visually extending the overall presence of the device on any surface that is not transparent glass.
Aura Sync extends further to the ambidextrous ROG Strix Impact as well as the ROG Eye on the reverse of the screen letting everyone close (or simply looking even slightly towards your way) know that there is this domain that is not to be crossed unless otherwise asked to… else face elimination from the unrestricted power that is being wielded.
The Strix G18 2024 refresh comes in at Php159,995 and while this might be over twice the amount one may be willing to spend on a laptop/desktop configuration, there is a lot that is going for the Strix G18 making it a very compelling proposition. The sheer computing power is something that can be clearly quantified and considered. Add to that the immersive gaming experience that the G18 can offer each and everyone around it.
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