but what is so special about them?
Asus currently offers ultra high-end laptop PCs for sale with prices ranging from 4,000 to 5,300 euros. What are these prices hiding and who are these PCs really aimed at?
It’s difficult for the new Asus ROG Scar and Asus ROG Strix laptops to go unnoticed. Their prices are remarkable to say the least: they range from 3,799.99 euros to 5,299.99 euros depending on the model. But why such prices?
Because these machines simply concentrate the best of 2023 technologies. Compact, they are more mobile than a tower, but of equivalent power, with the latest generations of Nvidia graphics cards. These ultra-premium laptops have no problem meeting gamers’ expectations. And especially creative professionals.
In short :
Guarantors of graphic excellence at all levels
With such a high price, Asus laptops have not made any concessions. They feature the best graphics cards of the moment for laptops: the RTX 4080 and 4090 from Nvidia. GPUs rarely integrated into laptop PCs (in the desktop version they cost nearly 1,800 euros) which are capable of running all recent games in 4K above 60 FPS.
With these cards based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, the Asus ROG Scar or Strix benefit from the best hardware and software technologies from Nvidia. Like DLSS 3 and DLSS 3.5 for starters. This new version of DLSS has the ability to fully generate images and thus double performance in certain games thanks to deep learning. Ray tracing and path tracing (applications like D5: Render have supported it for a few days) are also perfectly supported by these cards. This function allows a light rendering as close as possible to reality thanks to real-time processing of light, shadows and reflections. A feat that is all the more remarkable for graphics cards that have the luxury of consuming only 175 watts.
The RTX 4080 and 4090 do not lack resources since they are equipped with a minimum of 12 GB of GDDR6 VRAM. Powerful cards that allow Asus computers to be ready for years and to face the many games to come without trembling. To guarantee optimal performance over time, they benefit from technologies Whisper And Battery Boost which reduce ventilation noise and optimize the battery.
Graphics cards designed above all for professionals
Obviously, these racing computers are not primarily aimed at gamers. Such performances are of particular interest to creative professionals (editors, graphic designers, 3D professionals), for whom price is more secondary than performance.
For this audience, even more demanding than the players, performance is above all a story of saving time. Nvidia graphics cards allow them to save precious hours every day on their rendering work. To help them, Nvidia Studio graphics drivers have been designed in such a way that the graphics card’s resources are devoted entirely to demanding software.
In 2023, more than 110 creative applications will benefit from the performance boosts offered by Nvidia Studio drivers. Professional applications like Blender or OBS Studio can benefit from these drivers.
In terms of time savings, Nvidia graphics cards and drivers can reduce the encoding time of a 4K video by up to 20% with an RTX 4090 on Adobe Premiere Pro or by 8.5 times faster in terms of graphics rendering on architectural design software like V-Ray.
Technical data sheets designed for power
To run such cards, which alone do not justify the price of these laptop PCs, Asus machines rely on impeccable technical sheets. Starting with 13th generation Intel Core i9 processors, natural and high-performance allies of Nvidia graphics cards.
These ultra high-end PCs also feature perfectly calibrated 2K screens, again, for professionals. Excellent brightness, Pantone certifications, refresh rate of up to 240 Hz: these are machines that make no concessions.
Such a riot of power in such “compact” computers is the whole point of such machines for image professionals. Rather than being burdened by a tower that forces them to do sedentary work, they can, thanks to Asus PCs, benefit from high-end performance even on the move. We are thinking in particular of photographers who can start editing their photos between two photo sessions to quickly get an idea of the final result and thus adapt the sessions accordingly.
Excellence at all levels
While they feature the crème de la crème of GPUs and CPUs, Asus’ ultra-high-end laptops do not all offer a similar experience. In order to see things more clearly, we have selected 2 extremely efficient machines, but intended for different profiles.
The Asus ROG STRIX SCAR 16 at 3,799.99 euros
This is the most “affordable” computer in our selection. Does this mean it is an “entry level” model? Far from there. It easily meets the highest demands of gamers thanks to an Nvidia RTX 4080 card, coupled with 32 GB of DDR5 RAM and a 13th gen Intel Core i9 processor.
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 can therefore run recent games as well as all the titles to come for the next 5 years. Especially with a 1 TB SSD, it is possible to store numerous games, while launching them in a few seconds.
Especially since it has a screen that matches its power. The 16-inch IPS panel offers 2K definition with a 240 Hz refresh rate. Not only does this save gamers the hassle of looking for an external display that will do justice to the computer’s performance, but it also allows them to rest assured to enjoy AAA games in excellent graphics conditions.
Players can obviously connect many peripherals, such as a mouse, a controller, an additional keyboard thanks to the numerous ports distributed on the edges. There are 2 USB-A ports, a USB Type-C port, an RJ45 socket, an HDMI 2.1 port, a Thunderbolt 4 port and a jack socket.
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 is priced at 3,799.99 euros at Carrefour.
The Asus ROG Scar 18 at 5,299.99 euros
With the presence of an Nvidia RTX 4090 card, 64 GB of DDR5 RAM and a few RGB LEDs under the keyboard and on the edges, one might think that the Asus ROG Scar is only aimed at gamers. However, this appreciably sober laptop PC is a great ally for creatives and other audiovisual professionals.
Already, this computer marks the return of large 18-inch panels, with a 16:10 format. This massive display surface therefore ensures that no details are missed during video editing or image retouching. Above all, its QHD+ definition (2,560 x 1,600 pixels) and its Pantone certification offer an image of incredible accuracy. The impressive 240 Hz refresh rate guarantees a smooth image, perfect for video renderings without the slightest artifact. Players will also be able to take full advantage of this display quality in competitive games.
Videographers know that video files can quickly saturate an SSD. To overcome this problem, and prevent professionals from collecting external drives, the Asus ROG Scar 2 integrates a colossal 2 TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD. Suffice to say that it is possible to store several projects without having to sacrifice one to win of the place.
Such powerful components are not without consequences on the heat of a computer. Asus is aware of this, which is why the manufacturer opted for cooling with three fans and Conductonaut Extreme liquid metal thermal paste. This luxurious machine certainly relies on the best components available, but it doesn’t do so at the expense of the user experience.
Finally, in terms of connectivity, we find an RJ45 socket, two USB-A ports, a USB Type-C port, an HDMI 2.1 port and a Thunderbolt 4 port.
The Asus ROG Scar 18 is sold for 5,299.99 euros at Carrefour.
