On paper, at least, the ROG STRIX G16 looks like one of the best laptops in 2023 due to its specs and price. However, there’s a lot you need to know about this device before you buy it since the RTX 4070 laptop GPU has some serious limitations, even though the Intel 13th gen CPU is one of the fastest laptop processors you can buy.
We have Asus ROG Strix G16; it sits right below the Scar series, which offers more features and a wider choice of components. I recently checked out the Scar 17 featuring AMD’s flagship Ryzen 9 mobile CPU, but that came in a previous-generation design. The G16 that I have over here comes with an Intel CPU and a new design, but it’s not priced as high as the Scar Intel series or even AMD, for that matter.
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Rog Strix G16 Specs and Prices
ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2023) Gaming Laptop, 16-inch Nebula Display 16:10 QHD 240Hz, GeForce RTX 4050
However, the specs for this particular lineup are all over the place. The lowest-priced variant comes with a Core i9 3980 HX CPU and an RTX 4050 laptop GPU, powering a Quad HD Plus 240Hz display. If you upgrade to an RTX 4060, you get downgraded to an i7 CPU with a 1200p 165Hz panel. The i9 CPU makes a comeback with the RTX 4070 variant that I have here, but it seems like they want to stick to a 1200p display instead of Quad HD. I really have an odd spec here. However, if you really need that fast refresh rate, it’s going to cost you around $2200 US dollars. So, it appears that Asus is trying to cut back on certain parts in order to cover the Nvidia attacks.
Display
Now, I’m going to address the first thing that people have been talking about with these laptops, and that’s the horrible backlight bleed that some of you have been experiencing. Well, it’s true. I’ve been noticing it myself. STRIX G16 panel exhibits some of the worst bleeding spots around the corners, notably the top left-hand side on my sample. That’s just not acceptable for a laptop in this price range, and it gets distracting when you’re watching movies at night.
Now, keep in mind that a Nebula display and not Nebula HDR, which comes with the Scar Intel series and supposedly has a better color gamut and better brightness levels. In terms of color, this panel is pretty average. It only covers 99% sRGB, 76% Adobe RGB, and 79% P3, so it’s not as vibrant as the Scar series. Brightness levels are some of the worst I’ve come across. Our sample was only able to sustain around 300 nits at 100%.
| Razer Blade 16 (QHD+ 240hz) | 497 |
| Asus STRIX Scar 17 (QHD – 240Hz) | 357.4 |
| MSI GT77 Titan (1080P – 360Hz) | 323.9 |
| ROG STRIX G16 (1200P – 165Hz) | 303.8 |
So, all in all, for the price, this display is below average, and that’s not okay. Now, my gaming experience was pretty good, but as a content creator, it lacks sharpness for my workflow, and I miss having more screen real estate. But that’s because I’ve been spoiled by high-resolution displays in the same form factor. You see, a 1200p at 240Hz or even 360Hz would have made more sense, especially for esports players since they value high refresh rate above anything else.
This particular spec, in my opinion, is just so-so. I would highly recommend upgrading to the Quad HD Plus 240Hz display because it’s a lot brighter and also covers a wider color gamut.
Design
Now, I want to showcase the gears and discuss the design of Rog Strix G16 laptop because there are many cool details that Asus has implemented, making it somewhat unique compared to the competition. The top cover is made out of aluminum and comes in this Eclipse Gray finish that looks awesome. The PRG logo is not backlit but rather laser-etched, giving it a nice subtle and stealthy look, which I personally like. You also get cool cyberpunk-inspired patterns that shape around the exhaust vents. I really appreciate the continuity here. Even the alphanumeric code at the bottom that translates to ROG is a nice touch.
I like the little notch around the webcam; it makes it easier to open the lid with just one hand. The build quality is pretty good. Other than the aluminum top lid, everything else is made out of plastic, but it’s put together really well. There’s less keyboard flex, and the hinge is pretty stiff. I didn’t notice any major wobbling with my unit.
In terms of size, even though this is a 16-inch gaming laptop, it has a fairly thick chassis, coming in at 1.2 inches or 30 millimeters. That’s the largest height I’ve ever seen on a gaming laptop. That’s partly due to the new ROG Intelligent Cooling System, that’s what Asus calls it. It comes with three fans and a larger heatsink compared to previous generation designs. ROg Strix G16 is a thick chassis that weighs around two and a half kilos or roughly five pounds.
The power adapter is pretty compact as it’s rated for 280 watts, and it charges the laptop with a standard barrel-style connector.
Ports
On the Asus ROG Strix G16 port setup is pretty decent. On the left side, you get a 2.5G LAN port, HDMI 2.1, Thunderbolt 4, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port with DisplayPort and Power Delivery (PD) up to 100 watts, and an audio jack. Towards the right side, you have a couple of USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports. I was hoping for more ports at the back, but it’s not surprising considering the cooling setup.
Keyboard and Trackpad
The keyboard and trackpad haven’t changed all that much, but there are some tasteful design cues on the deck that complement the rest of the chassis. However, there are a few things that caught my attention. First of all, the marketing image that Asus has on their official website does not align with the G16 that I have. Some images show an RGB-lit logo at the back and a built-in numpad within the trackpad, but that’s just not true at least with the spec that I have here. We reached out to Asus about this, and it turns out that they’re a bit confused as well. They are cross-checking with their marketing team to see which one is accurate. This is what happens when you have 50 different models spanning across the Scar and G Series.
Anyways, the keyboard is awesome. The RGB lighting looks okay, but I was hoping for a brighter output since some of the keys lack consistency. However, the light bar located underneath the keyboard has improved in terms of diffusion. The trackpad is awesome. It is a Precision Glass surface, so it’s super smooth to navigate.
Webcam and Speakers
The webcam of Strix G16 quality is not super great because they are using a 720p sensor, so the details aren’t the greatest. However, the microphone sounds really good because Asus has implemented their AI noise-canceling setup, so it’s great for casual meetings and various other purposes.
The speakers are placed at the bottom, so they do lack clarity and bass, and the volume output is pretty low. So, for general content consumption needs, this setup may not work out. However, this is a laptop after all, used for everything else and not just gaming. I’m just curious to see if you guys really care about built-in speakers.
Redesigned Cooling System and G16 Upgrade Options
Now, getting underneath the hood is pretty straightforward. Asus has finally integrated the light bar with the PCB, so you don’t have cables dangling around. You’ll also notice the upgraded cooling system with an additional fan for better airflow. There are two SODIMM slots, and the maximum supported memory is only 32 gigabytes, whereas the Scar 16 can handle 64 gigabytes. That’s a really odd trade-off in my opinion. The primary NVMe SSD is located right over, and there’s also an extra M.2 slot for storage expansion.
ROG STRIX G16 Battery Life
| Alienware M17 R5 (97Wh) | 7:05 |
| ROG STRIX G16 (90Wh) | 6:23 |
| MSI GT77 Titan (2023) (99.9Wh) | 5:43 |
| Asus Zephyrus M16 (2023) (90Wh) | 5:16 |
| Rog Scar 17 2023 (90Wh) | 4:07 |
The battery life on the Rog STRIX G16 is surprisingly pretty good, even though it’s equipped with a top-tier Intel CPU. I mean, getting over six hours in a web browsing test is unheard of on a gaming laptop with these specs. But we believe the RTX 470, paired with a 1200p display that only goes as far as 300 nits, plays a major role here. Even our 4K YouTube playback test performed fairly well on the G16.
CPU Power, Frequencies and Temperatures
| Mode | Power | Clock Speed | Temperature | Noise Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo | 140W | 4.0 GHz | 92℃ | 55 dB |
| Performance | 100W | 3.5 GHz | 83℃ | 45.1 dB |
| Silent | 75W | 3.0 GHz | 77℃ | 39.2 dB |
So, by now, You know that we have a pretty bizarre spec layout with Intel’s absolutely high-end laptop processor but with a mid-tier graphics card. If you’re looking to maximize your CPU horsepower, it is an interesting option, especially when you consider how far the ROG team ended up pushing this thing. The turbo setting hits 4 gigahertz at 140 watts. While this isn’t one of the highest power levels we’ve seen, the noise this thing puts out is pretty insane at 55 decibels. It still runs at 92 degrees, which goes to show how power-hungry and hot Intel’s 13th-gen chips are.
If you’re okay with taking a 500 megahertz clock speed hit, performance mode is there with a good balance of speeds, temperatures, and noise. And you won’t have to put up with the clock speed kneecapping that silent mode does.
Real-World Benchmarks
| ROG STRIX G16 (i9-13980HX – Turbo – 140W) | 2,148 |
| ROG STRIX G16 (i9-13950HX – Perf – 100W) | 2,138 |
| MSI GT77 Titan (2023) (i9-13980HX – Bal. – 120W) | 2,065 |
| Asus Zephyrus M16 (2023) (i9-13980HX – Perf – 9W) | 2,024 |
| ROG SCAR 17 2023 (Ryzen 9 7945HX – Perf – 92W) | 1,913 |
| ROG STRIX G16 (i9-13980HX – Turbo – 140W) | 3:29 |
| ROG STRIX G16 (i9-13950HX – Perf – 100W) | 3:49 |
| MSI GT77 Titan (2023) (i9-13980HX – Bal. – 120W) | 3:40 |
| Asus Zephyrus M16 (2023) (i9-13980HX – Perf – 9W) | 5:08 |
| ROG SCAR 17 2023 (Ryzen 9 7945HX – Perf – 92W) | 3:24 |
And what does that lead to in terms of overall performance? Well, the Strix G16 is actually the fastest Intel-based laptop we’ve ever tested. It even beats the MSI Titan, which is a lot bigger, weighs a lot more, and looks like a device designed in 2010 rather than a modern laptop. That really goes to show how far the G16 has come in terms of overall performance versus size. The only thing that’s faster is the insane Scar 17, which is rocking a Ryzen 9 7945 Aja. However, I need to mention that the Scar 17’s processor only needed 92 watts to match a 3988 checks running at 140 watts. I mean, that’s bad news for Intel, guys.
| ROG STRIX G16 (i9-13980HX – Turbo – 140W) | 4:49 |
| ROG STRIX G16 (i9-13950HX – Perf – 100W) | 5:02 |
| MSI GT77 Titan (2023) (i9-13980HX – Bal. – 120W) | 5:27 |
| Asus Zephyrus M16 (2023) (i9-13980HX – Perf – 9W) | 5:07 |
| ROG SCAR 17 2023 (Ryzen 9 7945HX – Perf – 92W) | 4:46 |
| ROG STRIX G16 (i9-13980HX – Turbo – 140W) | 2:43 |
| ROG STRIX G16 (i9-13950HX – Perf – 100W) | 2:43 |
| MSI GT77 Titan (2023) (i9-13980HX – Bal. – 120W) | 2:36 |
| Asus Zephyrus M16 (2023) (i9-13980HX – Perf – 9W) | 3:19 |
| ROG SCAR 17 2023 (Ryzen 9 7945HX – Perf – 92W) | 2:35 |
In terms of resolving Premiere, on the other hand, it’s pretty hard to beat Intel CPUs by a wide margin or at all since they can leverage their QSP cores in Premiere, in particular, and are still pretty strong in Resolve too.
GPU Power, Frequencies & Temperatures
| Mode | Power | Clock Speed | Temperature | Noise Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo | 102W | 2.34 GHz | 75℃ | 55.1 dB |
| Performance | 102W | 2.31 GHz | 76℃ | 47.1 dB |
| Silent | 55W | 2.22 GHz | 53℃ | 40.6 dB |
And what about gaming performance? Because remember, this laptop has an odd spec with a Core i9 CPU paired with an RTX 4070. So, you’re paying a premium for the processor, which has a pretty limited influence on gaming frame rates, while getting a mid-tier GPU.
Well, on the positive side, the G16 has this GPU running close to its maximum 115 watts TGP in both turbo and performance modes. As a matter of fact, these two settings run the GPU at pretty much identical clock speeds, with one key difference: noise. Considering the frequencies here, I don’t see any reason to use turbo mode since it’s super loud, and the benefits it gives you are minimal to none.
The third fan doesn’t seem to be doing much, but that’s how it handles the hardware inside. So, what happens when we use performance and turbo modes in a real-world gaming scenario? And what about the RTX 470? Because I know that GPU has received a lot of criticism lately, but you have to remember that Asus is running it at just over 100 watts, which is a heck of a lot more than what some other laptop manufacturers set as their TGP. However, that still doesn’t hide the fact that this GPU only has around 8 gigabytes of memory running across a 128-bit bus. So, let’s run this thing through 1080p, 1440p, and 4K resolutions to see what happens.
1080p Gaming Results
| MSI GT77 Titan (2023) (RTX 409 – Bal. 150W) | 146.0 – 237.4 |
| ROG SCAR 17 2023 (RTX 4090 – Perf. – 160W) | 143.8 – 207.9 |
| Asus Zephyrus M16 (2023) (RTX 4090 – Perf. 88W) | 122.3 – 174.4 |
| ROG STRIX G16 (RTX 4070 – Turbo – 102W) | 142.6 – 168.9 |
| ROG STRIX G16 (RTX 4070 Perf. – 102W) | 133.8 – 167.8 |
| MSI GT77 Titan (2023) (RTX 409 – Bal. 150W) | 233.4 – 402.1 |
| ROG SCAR 17 2023 (RTX 4090 – Perf. – 160W) | 289.9 – 412.2 |
| Asus Zephyrus M16 (2023) (RTX 4090 – Perf. 88W) | 122.5 – 276.2 |
| ROG STRIX G16 (RTX 4070 – Turbo – 102W) | 132.5 – 278.5 |
| ROG STRIX G16 (RTX 4070 Perf. – 102W) | 131.3 – 271.9 |
| MSI GT77 Titan (2023) (RTX 409 – Bal. 150W) | 93.5 – 130.9 |
| ROG SCAR 17 2023 (RTX 4090 – Perf. – 160W) | 82.0 – 116.6 |
| Asus Zephyrus M16 (2023) (RTX 4090 – Perf. 88W) | 89.1 – 124.1 |
| ROG STRIX G16 (RTX 4070 – Turbo – 102W) | 91.0 – 133.0 |
| ROG STRIX G16 (RTX 4070 Perf. – 102W) | 87.9 128.2 |
So, it ended up being a lot more competitive than I thought, especially at Strix G16 native 1200p resolution. As a matter of fact, when the RTX 4070 is running at around 100 watts, it can easily match or even sometimes beat the low-wattage RTX 4090 running in Asus’s own M16. However, when we move beyond 1080p, things start to go a bit downhill. At 1440p, the G16 trails behind other laptops by a lot, and at 4K, the RTX 470 simply runs out of memory. But I can’t really hold that against it since this particular spec doesn’t even come with a 4K display.
Final Thoughts
So, that’s everything you need to know about the ROG Strix G16. Would I recommend it? Well, if performance is your number one priority, sure. But you have to realize that the RTX 4070 has limitations at high resolutions, especially when connected to an external monitor or if you opt for a Quad HD Plus panel. For CPU-focused tasks, this laptop is incredibly fast.
However, when I look at the big picture, there are a few drawbacks. Firstly, the laptop is really thick and barely fits in my backpack. The 1200p display is dim and has a lot of backlight bleed. I was hoping for more I/O options. And most importantly, Asus’s marketing for G16 laptop is misleading. They show it with a numpad within the trackpad, but it doesn’t actually have one.
That being said, I do appreciate the design elements, and ROG certainly deserves a round of applause. But considering the price of $2000 for this particular spec, I feel like there are better options out there.
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Design10
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Display8.5
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Ports8
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Keyboard and Trackpad9
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Webcam and Speakers8
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Upgrade Option7.5
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Battery Life9
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Performance and Benchmarks9.5
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Temperatures / Fan Noise8.5
