Introduction
ASUS introduced the ROG Strix SCAR II laptop’s GL704GM model in 2018. ASUS redesigned the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II GL704GW laptop shortly after.
The rest of the hardware is virtually the same as it was before. The same Intel Core i7-8750H, 16GB of DDR4, and 15.6-inch 1080p 144Hz IPS display are employed. Every major storage choice has been increased by one tier; thus, instead of the base model’s 128GB SSD, it now has 256GB, and so on. The primary option on Newegg and Amazon, as well as the review device, both include 512GB PCIe SSDs. The 144Hz display on this laptop makes it the first gaming laptop in the world. Its start-up cost of $1,425.55 is reasonable, given its unique features.
Let’s learn more about the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II’s performance now that you know its price.
Features of ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II GL704GW
Dimension, Size, and Weight
A sleek appearance is provided by the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II’s brushed, dark-gray metal chassis. Thanks to its aluminum chassis, you can anticipate a fair amount of longevity from this laptop.
ASUS chose to cover the lid of this laptop with a shiny ROG symbol on the left side to give it a more imposing appearance. This logo is impressive enough, and when the computer is turned on, it emits a lovely RGB light.
A glowing RGB strip is in front of the laptop, facing the user. Thanks to these RGB lights, nobody will misinterpret the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II as a non-gaming laptop.
After going through the capabilities on its lid, this laptop has even more intriguing characteristics when opened. You will “be greeted” by a 17.3-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) quality display when you open the lid of this laptop.
However, there are two choices for the display on this laptop. The ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II’s initial display setting gives complete sRGB color space coverage.
For simplicity, sRGB is the most popular color space for photo viewers and browsers. Since this display choice has 100% sRGB coverage, the graphical colors of the display would jump out dramatically.
Display
This first display choice has outstanding color coverage and a refresh rate of 144 Hz. The display can redraw a picture up to 144 times per second at this refresh rate. This suggests that your eyes won’t notice motion blur during high-speed games.
Additionally, these display alternatives have excellent viewing angles because they use IPS panels. Because the screen can be seen from any angle, playing a game while seated in a corner won’t be a problem.
Moving on, there is an anti-glare coating included with each of the two display choices. Even outside, the display is easier to read because of this coating’s ability to reduce reflections. The display content is more immersive and free of distractions because of the thin bezels.
Camera
The ROG logo was placed in the middle of the bottom bezel by ASUS, considering the thinness of the bezels. Additionally, ASUS includes an HD webcam on the right-side bottom bezel.
But the webcam’s placement could be more convenient. Therefore, the camera will primarily catch the chin during video conversations rather than the face. On the plus side, this laptop’s robust hinges prevent the lid from rattling when you turn it over.
Keyboard
You can find the keyboard by descending to the base. The keyboard has a pleasing layout and four areas with RGB color backlighting that may be adjusted.
Playing games at night feels fantastic on this laptop, thanks to the quad-zone keyboard backlight. This keyboard employs anti-ghosting, which is impressive, to ensure that no erroneous orders are ever recorded when a key is pressed.
Additionally, this keyboard has a respectable 1.8 mm key travel with adequate feedback. Key travel refers to how far a key travels after being depressed, which impacts the key’s feedback.
The ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II keyboard still has translucent WASD keys for gaming movement. Due to their transparency, these four keys on the keyboard are simple to recognize.
It is also situated at the upper of the keyboard to prevent accidental presses of the power button when gaming. A smooth-textured touchpad with its dedicated buttons is also included underneath the keyboard. The touchpad is snappy and respectable, measuring approximately 10.7 x 5.9 cm.
Processor (CPU)
A six-core Intel Core i7-8750H CPU powers the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II. The cache memory on this 8th-generation Intel CPU is 9 MB.
Take note that this CPU was produced by Intel using the Coffee Lake H microarchitecture, which was developed following the Whiskey Lake architecture. The most recent technology from Intel, known as Coffee Lake H, offers immersive media and graphics performance.
ASUS is quite aware of the importance of a gaming laptop’s CPU operating at high speed. The ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II’s CPU thus has a base frequency of 2.20 GHz and a turbo frequency of 4.10 GHz.
Review of Storage Options and Performance
16 GB of DDR4-2666 SO-DIMM RAM is included with the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II. Even better, using its two RAM slots, this laptop’s RAM can be up to 32 GB.
A PC with 16 GB of RAM should typically be able to handle heavy multitasking. The ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II ought to be capable of running up to 40 Chrome tabs simultaneously, thanks to its 32 GB of RAM.
Let’s now delve more deeply into the memory performance of this laptop. I’ll share the laptop’s performance in a PC Mark 10 benchmark as proof of this. A PC Mark benchmarking program assesses a laptop’s overall performance. In this test, the computer performs better the higher the score.
Unfortunately, the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II only received 5,555 points in this evaluation. This is because of the 6,210 point average for the class on this test. Additionally, the HP Omen 17t performed higher, earning a maximum of 5,939 points during the same test.
However, in this test, the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II outperformed the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3i. The IdeaPad Gaming 3i scored 4,692 points on the same test.
Battery life
The Strix Scar II charger didn’t last very long, like many gaming laptops. The Scar II’s charge lasted 3 hours and 37 minutes while continuously browsing the web over Wi-Fi at 150 nits of brightness, which is just under the 4:03 average for mainstream gaming laptops. The Dell G7 15 recorded an astounding 5:39, while the Helios 300 SE only completed the task in 3 hours.
Webcam
The photographs would still be blotchy and fuzzy even if Scar II’s webcam were on the top bezel. My hair appeared to have been photo-shopped onto my head.
Last Verdict
An elevated gaming laptop that is almost perfect is the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II. Additionally, it has the most incredible display and a powerful GPU to meet all game requirements. Its battery life isn’t the best, and its camera is strangely placed.
