I used a gaming laptop for the first time (and I was blown away)

Summary

The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 is a top-of-the-line Windows 11 gaming laptop PC.
The device ships with a powerful NVIDIA dedicated GPU, a high-end Intel Core Ultra CPU, a 240Hz display, and a ton of RGB lights.
As someone who is decidedly not a PC gamer, here are my observations after testing out the ROG Strix Scar 18.

Since the very beginning, I’ve been a

console gamer
through-and-through. My first video game system was the handheld Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP — a device I still hold dear to my heart to this very day. I later graduated to the

GameCube
and Wii systems, eventually branching out and exploring other home consoles like the

Xbox 360
as well. These days, I remain a dedicated game console fan, but I’ve also developed an interest in the PC side of the gaming industry.

PC gaming
has intrigued me for some time — the vast potential for customization, the freedom to choose hardware components, the power to adjust performance and graphics metrics, and the ability to switch between platforms are all compelling PC attributes. Recently, I had the opportunity to test out a

Windows 11
gaming laptop, marking my first-ever foray into the world of PC gaming.

With an open mind, I lifted the lid on the state-of-the-art Asus ROG Strix SCAR 18 gaming laptop, and pressed its power button. After testing the device for several days, here are my initial thoughts, observations, and impressions as someone who operates (decisively outside) the sphere of PC gaming.

Asus ROG Strix SCAR 18

The ROG Strix SCAR 18 is an 18-inch gaming PC from Asus that comes with Windows 11, an Intel Core Ultra processor, and a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPU.

1

The SCAR 18 basks in RGB glory

The gaming rig is decked out with RGB lights from head to toe

I’ve always associated PC gaming with multicolored

RGB LED lights
, and the Asus Strix SCAR 18 affirms this particular preconceived notion. From the moment I powered on the SCAR 18, the laptop was embellished in hues of blue, red, green, orange, and purple. Several parts of the PC pulse with light during operation: the keyboard deck, the ROG emblem and intake grills on the lid, and the bottom section of the device.

Overall, I have mixed feelings when it comes to RGB setups on PC. The minimalist in me finds the multicolored aesthetic to be garish and gaudy, though I appreciate the ‘gamery’ vibe of the whole thing. Thankfully, both Asus and Microsoft provide plenty of software customization tools to illuminate the LEDs as I see fit. The former provides a dedicated section within its Armoury Crate app, while the latter offers a

Dynamic Lighting page
within the main Settings app.

4 reasons I ditched my iPad Pro for the Asus ROG Flow Z13

The Asus ROG Flow Z13 is a versatile gaming tablet that made me reconsider my iPad.

2

The SCAR 18 is a monstrously sized laptop

I could get used to having a portable 18-inch display

Over the years, I’ve grown accustomed to ultrabook-style laptops, which privilege a thin and light form factor over performance. Switching over to the Asus ROG Strix SCAR 18 was quite a culture shock. By virtue of its massive 18-inch display panel, its beefy internals, and its robust cooling system, the laptop is built less like a sedan, and more like a Mack truck.

The SCAR 18 measures in at 15.71 x 11.73 x 0.93 ~ 1.26-inches (39.9 x 29.8 x 2.35 ~ 3.20 cm), and it tips the scales at a whopping 7.05lbs (3.2kg). During my time using the PC, I generally left it sitting stationary at my desk — the device is simply too unwieldy to stow away in my backpack when heading for an impromptu coffee shop pitstop. I can see why handheld PCs (including

Asus’ own ROG Ally line
) have been gaining steam in recent years. Of course, the more powerful internals of the SCAR 18 demand a large and in-charge casing; there’s no escaping physics here.

Asus ROG Ally X’s new features aren’t convincing me to upgrade

There’s a fresh model of the Asus ROG Ally handheld gaming console on the way, but is there enough here to justify an upgrade? I’m not convinced.

3

The SCAR 18 is a powerhouse, and then some

It eats benchmarking apps for breakfast

Speaking of internals, Asus has kitted the ROG Strix SCAR 18 with cutting-edge silicon. The device is powered by the high-end Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, and is supplemented by the equally-powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 GPU. Other notable specifications include up to 32GB of DDR5 RAM, two slots for PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 solid state drive (SSD) storage, and 2 Thunderbolt 5 ports. The LCD display is also suitably premium, with its 2.5K 2560 x 1600 pixel resolution, its Dolby VIsion HDR and G-SYNC certifications, its 500 nits of brightness, and its lightning-quick 240Hz refresh rate.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t even come close to tapping into the SCAR 18’s raw power potential. If you’re invested in

AAA gaming experiences
, whether it be via Steam or otherwise, then this laptop is ideal; it can keep up with the most intense computational workloads, provided you plug it into a wall outlet. For good measure, I ran Geekbench 6 benchmarking tests: the PC’s CPU landed 3,001 in single-core and 13,424 in multi-core. The GPU, meanwhile, achieved an OpenCL score of 131,398. Even while conducting these synthetic tests, the end-to-end vapor chamber, tri-fan design, and sandwiched heatsink worked to keep fan noise to a minimum.

9 Asus ROG Ally tips and tricks: Level-up your handheld console

The Asus ROG Ally is a powerful handheld PC, and with these tips and tricks, you can get even more out of your gaming experience with it.

4

The SCAR 18’s charger is big and brauny

The included charging brick is an absolute unit

Understandably, the ROG Strix SCAR 18 ships with a beastly charging brick in the box. The PC’s 90Whr battery tops up via a 280W AC adapter, and it uses a proprietary port that looks a lot like a scaled-up USB-C plug. I appreciate the subtle ROG styling on the brick’s exterior, but I do wish the adapter offered an additional USB port for topping up my phone or other accessories at the same time.

USB-C
would’ve been a convenient inclusion, but the standard currently maxes out at a theoretical 250W of power throughput. If nothing else, the SCAR 18’s demanding power requirements are a testament to just how powerful its internals are.

A pair of gaming laptops, one showing Xbox PC Game Pass.

4 reasons why gaming laptops are actually great

Consoles and handhelds are great, but there’s only so far they can take you.

5

The SCAR 18 comes with useful software

Asus provides a ton of configurability out of the box

When it comes to

Windows
, I’m generally not a fan of built-in third-party OEM software, as I find many such apps to be clunky and bloated. In the case of a gaming laptop like the Asus ROG Strix SCAR 18, however, the included MyASUS and Armoury Crate programs are welcome. The former makes it easy to glance at CPU and memory loads, while displaying and monitoring the current internal temperature. The latter app, however, is where the real magic happens.

Armoury Crate is a useful bit of software that lets you dig deep into the customization side of the PC. Aside from monitoring the rotations per minute (RPMs) of both the CPU and the GPU fans, the app lets you configure game visuals, dictate power profiles, tweak RGB light synchronizations, lock and unlock the keyboard and trackpad, and more. I do wish the app itself felt more native to Windows 11 and utilized Fluent Design principles, but I have a feeling I’m in the minority on this one, and that many wouldn’t appreciate having their settings reorganized.

This device was provided to Pocket-lint by Asus.