ROG 2020 Gaming Notebooks: Choosing the right notebook

Choosing a mean high-end notebook or a lean on-the-go wonder has always been a mind-blogging decision to make for many gamers. But it should not be the case. For instance, ROG’s excellent gamut of gaming notebooks means there’s always something for everyone. First, you just need to find out which of the gaming persona below fits you best to narrow the ideal notebook for both work and play.

1) The No-Compromise Working Gamer

Most laptops are restrained on purpose, balancing power and portability to meet different budgets. The notebooks here ignore those restraints and are also what we would like to call the ‘Swiss Army Knives’ of gaming notebooks. They are absolute power beasts and can be expected to handle most of today’s power-hungry PC games and applications, such as Red Dead Redemption 2 and Adobe Photoshop, with ease.

For example, the new ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 (GX550) is a 15-inch ROG flagship gaming behemoth, with an innovative ROG ScreenPad Plus secondary display that allows you to multi-task easier and features optimised apps that enhance your workflow. For instance, you can keep chats and stream controls on the deck while gaming on the main screen and enjoy a larger working area for your creative projects with screen space to spare for critical tools.

The ROG Zephyrus Duo 15, with its 10th-Gen Intel Core i9-10980HK and NVIDIA RTX 2080 Super Max-Q processors, coupled with a PANTONE validated 300Hz screen, may seem like an overkill for a notebook to some. But hardcore gamers and content creators will know better – the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 is the epitome of what a gaming notebook should be like in this new decade.

Check out our full review of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 (GX550) for more insights.

But if portability and power are your key considerations, then the ROG Zephyrus S15 and ROG Zephyrus G14 are fantastic gaming notebooks just below the pecking order.

The ROG Zephyrus S15 (GX502) is built with a reinforced metal chassis that keeps it resilient against everyday use. It is also a 15-inch gaming laptop but at 18.9mm thin and under 2kg, this powerhouse is 25% thinner and 42% lighter than typical 15-inch gaming notebooks. Powered by a 10th-Gen Intel Core i7-10875H processor and with a choice of either an NVIDIA RTX 2080 Super Max-Q or RTX 2070 Super GPU, it refuses to compromise between work and play, delivering great performance and a refined style that’s truly the best of both worlds.

If you love the freedom of personalisation, then meet the world’s most powerful 14-inch gaming notebook – the ROG Zephyrus G14 (GA401). The AMD Ryzen 7 4800HS processor and the up to GeForce RTX 2060 graphics powering it will speed through everyday multitasking and gaming. It also comes with a 120Hz Full-HD Pantone Validated screen, but it’s the ground-breaking display on the notebook’s cover that makes the ROG Zephyrus G14 a one of a kind. Called the AniMe Matrix, the display is made up of 1,215 individual mini-LEDs that can be used to display custom images and animations that express your creativity and audio visualizations that matches music playback!

Check out our performance review of the ROG Zephyrus G14 (GA401) with GeForce RTX 2060 GPU to find out what makes it special.

2) The Esports Enthusiast and Professional

Esports gamers’ requirements for gaming notebooks are a little more unique than conventional gamers. Portability and a fast screen are key criteria, and this is where the ROG Strix SCAR 15 (GL532) leads the way. The 15-inch notebook’s 300Hz panel enables true high-FPS gameplay for competitive gaming at the highest level, ensuring the on-screen action look impeccably smooth, while the 3ms grey-to-grey response time minimizes motion blur for precision target tracking.

Another unique feature of the ROG Strix SCAR 15 is its built-in Keystone II. These physical, NFC-enabled keys fit neatly into the notebook’s chassis, adding a subtle accent along the trim. When docked, Keystones can unlock access to personalized settings that transform your machine, quick-launch apps or games of your choice, reveal a hidden Shadow Drive for covert private storage, and more. (The Shadow Drive / Data encryption is for Windows Pro Users Only)

3) The Everyday Gamer

Perhaps a functional, no-frills, fuss-free, gaming notebook is more right up your alley. ROG’s got your back too. The ROG Strix G15 (G512) is a 15-inch gaming notebook that comes paired with the latest 10th-Gen Intel Core i7 CPU and a GeForce RTX 2060 GPU, with a blazing fast 144Hz display – ensuring your work and play experience is unequalled. A 17-inch version, dubbed the ROG Strix G17 (G712) is also available if a much larger screen area is preferred.

What’s exceptional about the ROG Strix G15 and G17 is that it was designed in collaboration with BMW Designworks Group to project a futuristic look that incorporates raised ridges and swooping gills for a distinctive sculpted surface. Two colour palates available for you to choose, starting from the “Original Black” design that wraps the Strix G in a professional-looking stealthy black, and there’s the striking “Electro Punk” option, which adds a pop of bold colour.

Even if it’s not the top tier ROG notebook, the ROG Strix G15 and G17 are endowed with an excellent cooling system that’s utilized in the ROG Zephyrus notebooks that feature high density fan blade designs, dust ejection to improve longevity and even a liquid metal compound to improve the heat transfer process between the processor and the cooling module. This same compound is also used on the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 (GX550) and ROG Zephyrus S15 (GX502) as well.

Lastly, thanks to the more generously sized notebook enclosure, the ROG Strix notebooks are endowed with side firing speakers and Smart Amp technology to maximize volume output and bass production for a more thrilling gaming session without having to rely on your headphones all the time.

4) The Budget-Conscious Gamer

Unlike many other ‘entry-level’ gaming notebooks in the market, ASUS’ TUF Gaming A15 (FA506) is a no-holds barred model that won’t break the bank account. For one, the Gaming A15 is certified for military-grade toughness after successfully surviving a rigorous battery of MIL-STD-810H tests. These tests include drops, vibration, humidity, and extreme temperatures to ensure reliability. With the Gaming A15 in hand, you’re ready for battle anywhere, anytime.

Powered by AMD’s Ryzen 7 4800H multi-core mobile processor and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, the Gaming A15 is made for optimizing value, performance and features. You still get a 144Hz screen, adaptive sync courtesy of a NVIDIA G-Sync, Nano-Edge IPS panel for slim bezel experience, Aura RGB keyboard backlighting, Dolby DTS:X Ultra multi-channel audio optimization and a whole slew of ports to connect just about anything, including a plethora of USB ports ranging from Type A USB 2.0 standard, all the way to Type-C USB 3.2 that’s DisplayPort 1.4 compatible.

The TUF Gaming A15 also comes with an easy-upgrade design that gives you fast access to memory slots and storage bays. With a standard screwdriver, you can easily remove the screws at the bottom of the chassis to make your desired modifications. A special pop-open screw raises one corner of the bottom panel, making it easier to separate. This allows you to upgrade your RAM, or even to add a second PCIe drive for additional storage and ensures your gaming notebook will continue to run optimally for years to come.

Availability

You can find them at all popular electronics stores and online stores, including ASUS' own e-store here.

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