Started in 1989 as a small computer manufacturing enterprise, Asus managed to become, in the relatively short span of 27 years, the fourth biggest IT vendor in the world. This was due to the sheer abilities of its founders, who managed to secure an important contract with Intel very soon after the company was started, and also due to the fact that the company caters to the necessities of all computer users. Asus now produces both mainframe computers and all sorts of PC’s, as well as mobile phones, components, and peripherals.
There must be one focal point of the activity, though, and for Asus, it’s the gaming computers. Along with MSI and Alienware, Asus is one of the top three competitors on the gaming computer market, especially when it comes to laptops. The Asus line of gaming laptops, under the name “Republic of Gamers”, or simply ROG, is their most premium line of products and delivers some of the best products around and, quite significantly, one of the cheapest.
Speaking of which, we’ve made a list of the things we would buy, and we hope you like it. Here’s the list of the best Asus gaming laptops:
Contents
1. Asus ROG G752VS-XB78K OC Edition
Do you have to be crazy to get such an overpowered laptop? Yes. Is it worth it, if you have the money? Also yes. This OC (OverClocked) Edition ROG is truly a monster among monsters, with only a few models from Alienware and MSI able to keep up with it – all of which are a fair bit more expensive. This gaming laptop looks like a gaming laptop and feels like one from every point of view, including the solid 1.4” and 12.7lbs build and the innovative Asus Vapor Chamber cooling technology.
This beast of a laptop is powered by an Intel i7-6820HK, quad-core, 2.9GHz and overclockable up to 4GHz due to the construction particularities of this laptop. Its graphics card is an overclocked GTX 1070, with 8GB GDDR5 VRAM, and the memory is a completely insane and also overclocked 64GB DDR4. Add a 512GB SSD and a 1TB HDD, and you obtain the strongest model Asus has to offer right now – which, we have to agree, is pretty damn awesome.
2. Asus ROG Strix GL702VM-DB74
Comparing this model with the OC edition, you really wouldn’t say this is a gaming laptop. Design-wise, it looks cool and classy, with a satin black finish, and only the lines of the lid and the air vents on the back show that it’s designed for heavy use. Its exceptional thinness and lightness are remarkable even compared to 15.6” models, let alone 17-inchers, at 0.97” and 6lbs. Is cooling an issue? Not really. With its triple coolers, triple thermal module, and expanded air vent grid, you can play the latest releases of next year without being afraid of setting it on fire.
It’s not really as overpowered as the OC one, but it’s second best Asus gaming laptop. It features the i7-6700HQ, 2.6GHz and up to 3.5GHz with Turbo Boost, and a GTX 1060 with 6GB GDDR5, as well as 16GB DDR4 RAM, and a 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD storage combo.
3. Asus ROG Strix GL502VM – DB74
Just in case our nr.2 doesn’t exactly suit your taste, there’s a downsized 15.6” model that you may find likable. Its components’ configuration is identical in every aspect to its bigger brother, except for the fact that it lacks an SSD. It does, however, have the advantage of portability, being only 0.9” and 4.7lbs, and it also has improved battery life. Not to mention that the display is also FHD, which means that it has greater pixel density than the GL702VM.
In case you want to take your gaming laptop to a corporate meeting and play games while the rest look at graphs, we recommend this laptop. Nobody’s going to notice.
4. Asus ROG G752VY
Yet another gaming model that completely looks the part, this ROG is a somewhat cheaper alternative to the GL702VM and its smaller counterpart. It’s a bit thicker than even the OC edition, at 1.9”, but a bit lighter at only 9.5lbs. It has a darkened brushed aluminum case and a very interesting design for the air vents which is clearly made for high performance.
The same processor powers this one and the GL702VM, an i7-6700HQ. However, this model has a nVidia GTX 980M with 4GB GDDR5, a high-end graphics card which is not exactly like the 1060 but still strong enough to handle everything that’s out right now. It also has the usual 16GB DDR4, as well as a 128GB SSD and 1TB HDD.
5. Asus ROG GL552VW-DH74
This model is somewhat similar in appearance to the G752VY, but it’s drastically reduced in size, being 15.6”, 1.3” thick and 5.6lbs heavy – a classic laptop, for that matter. It features the same dark brushed aluminum, with satin black interior and red LED-backlit one-piece keyboard for comfortable typing.
As far as performance goes, it’s about the same as the G752VY. The same i7-6700HQ is accompanied by a GTX 960M, an upper mid-range graphics card with 4GB GDDR5, as well as 16GB DDR4 RAM and 128GB SSD + 1TB HDD.
6. Asus ZX53VW
The only laptop in this category not belonging to the ROG series, this model is nonetheless an excellent affordable gaming rig and, besides, the lack of the ROG logo, it looks a lot like one. It’s a classic laptop not very big in size, at only 0.8” and 5.5lbs, and it has a satin black finish with red highlights and the red LED-backlit keyboard we’ve already gotten used to seeing in Asus gaming laptops.
The ZX53VW is equipped with an i5-6300HQ, 2.3 and up to 3.2GHz with Turbo Boost, and it features a GTX 960M with 4GB GDDR5. With 8GB DDR3 RAM and a surprising 512GB SSD, this is a great choice.
For gamers, Asus is one of the best bets if we’re talking laptops. You can get an excellent design, high-performance components, and certified solidity, for less money than you’d expect. There’s also the fact that Asus gaming laptops benefit from the best cooling technologies around, with Asus currently implementing the new Vapor Chamber technology on high-spec gaming rigs. What’s more, while Asus’ less expensive models don’t benefit from the very good warranty, ROG products do, and the company takes return fees and such upon itself. The downside is that upgrades to the RAM or storage will void the warranty, to the chagrin of most. However, chances are you won’t ever need those upgrades, as the components are excellent and sufficient anyway.
How to choose the best Asus gaming laptop? Well, the actual question is “how to choose the best Asus gaming laptop for you?” as there are many different models which cater to different needs. There are epic hardcore models for those who want a future-proof gaming rig and budget models for those who want to enjoy some light to medium gaming, as well as many others in-between. What you have to decide, first and foremost, is your budget. Otherwise, you’ll be inclined to spend a lot more than what you actually should when you’re doing the shopping. Secondly, there’s the question of performance, and there are a few aspects to consider according to your needs and budget.
To begin with, the CPU is the very heart of your computer, and you need to pick one carefully. Fortunately, it’s quite easy. Modern Asus ROG models only offer two versions: Intel i7-6700HQ, which is an excellent choice, and the i7-6820HK, which is an even better one.
The graphics card is the most important component of a gaming PC, and this is the choice that will mostly influence what you’ll be playing. Currently, Asus uses Nvidia GTX 960M, 1050, 970M, 980M, 1060, and 1070, in order of performance, for its gaming laptops. GTX 960M is for more affordable gaming computers, with either 2 or 4 GB GDDR5, while GTX 1060 and 1070 are more expensive high-end ones, with 6-8GB GDDR5 and desktop-level performance.
There’s also the problem of memory and storage. You will need at least 8GB RAM, preferably DDR4, for a “budget” gaming laptop, while a high-end rig will require at least twice that. Powerful Asus gaming laptops have 32GB, and there’s even an insanely overpowered version with 64GB DDR4. As far as storage is concerned, we recommend that you get something with an SSD. While it’s a bit more expensive and not an absolute necessity for gaming, it will noticeably improve the overall speed of your laptop, and that’s quite important in the long run. Many Asus gaming laptops feature a 128, 256, or 512GB SSD.
Finally, there’s the question of design and construction. Laptops designed for gaming always face heating issues, which Asus solved by introducing innovative cooling solutions. However, a slim and light model will unavoidably heat up faster than a bulkier model, simply because the bigger one has more room for coolers, and thus can take heavier use with less stress on the components. A related issue is also that of portability – some 17” models are huge and heavy, while some 15.6” ones are no different from a traditional laptop. You should think whether you carry it around often before making your choice.
That’s about all for the “how to” part. As for other details, such as the display and keyboard quality of each particular laptop, we recommend that you read the reviews to whatever you want to buy.
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