The Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 feels like it takes the Xzibit Yo Dawg meme, applies it to RGB lighting, and then sprints away with it.
Nowadays, gaming laptops can basically be divided into two groups. More grown-up models can subtly fit into a boardroom or CAD design classroom. And then there are classic gaming laptops with bombastic chassis features and flashing RGB lights. ROG Strix Scar 15 boldly and bluntly belongs to the latter.
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 feels like it takes the Xzibit Yo Dawg meme, applies it to RGB lighting, and then sprints away with it. Asus has heard you like RGB lighting, that’s for sure. First, the keyboard has full RGB backlighting on each key. Then a massive RGB strip runs across the front of the case and about a third of the sides of the case.
Compared to the previous generation Scar 15, the 2022 model is based on the latest 12th generation Intel hardware platform and the latest Nvidia RTX 3000Ti graphics card. Asus also increased the power settings of the components, added a MUX, improved cooling and updated the display, IO and keyboard.
Also Read – Asus ZenBook Pro 14 Duo OLED review
Design
Design plays a vital role in any gaming laptop as it helps the laptop stand out from the crowd with its gaming accents. And in this regard, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 scores well. The notebook is well designed with attractive RGB accents and a glowing ROG logo on the back of the lid. There is also a thin RGB strip running under the laptop that looks great and enhances the overall gaming experience.
Asus has even made the keyboard panel on the right side a bit transparent so users can get a quick look at the laptop’s internals, a clever party trick. But that’s not all: the company has also included special Armond caps that can be attached to the hinge cover and look fantastic. The laptop is also built like a tank and you won’t have any issues with the keyboard or deck, which is always a good thing.
Keyboard And Touch Pad
The 15-inch screen offers plenty of space for the keyboard, and the lack of a dedicated numeric keypad increases the space for the keys. In addition to the usual six-row chiclet-style layout, there are dedicated hotkeys for volume control, ASUS Armory Crate, fan speed and microphone mute. The arrow keys are reduced in size and serve as dual keys for additional functions. The keyboard wouldn’t be complete from ASUS’ perspective without the massive amount of RBG customization that can be accessed via Armory Crate.
The backlight can be set to three brightness levels. As for the typing experience, the keys have decent travel and quick response, which makes it easy to play e-sports accurately. The armrest is coated with a matte finish that somewhat prevents smudges and fingerprints. The trackpad on the bottom is spacious enough for everyday work, but we didn’t like the latency and responsiveness. Using an external mouse with the device may be a good idea. Pressing the top-right corner of the trackpad will open the capacitive numeric keypad, even if you can’t access the trackpad until it’s closed.
Display
The Scar screen doesn’t do anything extraordinary, but it’s still a design highlight. Our unit featured a 2560×1440 IPS panel with a 240Hz refresh rate (300Hz is possible if you’re happy with 1080p). Colors are accurate and surprisingly bright for an IPS panel, enhanced by a 4mm bezel on three sides. A small shadow can be seen in the lower corners.
If we had a choice, we would always go for a higher resolution and a lower refresh rate. Not only do games look better, but you can do more conventional work in Windows and use space. Of course, aspiring e-sportsmen will disagree with us on this. While it won’t replace an OLED panel, the Scar’s screen is impressive enough to sell you over other models.
Sound
That was our complaint with most gaming laptops. The speakers on the ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 sound good, especially with Dolby Atmos support. However, they are not loud enough, especially compared to some gaming laptops from Alienware.
ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 does not have an integrated webcam. However, the brand does include one in the retail box, albeit at 720p. With brands like Lenovo, Acer and MSI offering an integrated 1080p webcam, we expect the same from this premium gaming laptop.
Graphics and games
Compared to the previous generation Scar-15, the 2022 model is based on the latest 12th generation Intel hardware platform and the latest Nvidia RTX 3000 Ti graphics chips. Asus also increased the power settings of the components, added a MUX, improved the cooling a bit and updated the display, IO and keyboard.
In the Grand Theft Auto V (1080p, Ultra) test, the ROG Strix Scar 15 achieves 86 frames per second, leaving the Omen X 2S (81 frames per second, RTX 2080 Max-Q), the Predator Triton 500 (60 frames per second, RTX 2080 Max – Q) and an average premium gaming laptop (85 fps) in a row. It does similarly well in Far Cry New Dawn, hitting 90 fps, putting the Omen X 2S (61 fps) to shame, but leaving the GE66 Raider (99 fps) behind. An average premium gaming laptop plays Far Cry at 86 fps.
Performance
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 is equipped with an RTX 3070 Ti, which has the usual 5,888 stream processors and 8 GB of memory, while the TDP of 125 W can reach 150 W with Dynamic Boost. These performance figures are at the top of the thermal envelope for this GPU. The Intel Core i9-12900H processor has six Hyper-Threaded P cores that reach a maximum speed of 5 GHz and eight slower, efficient E-cores.
That’s an excellent start for any laptop, and the Scar hardware is complemented by 16GB of 4800MHz DDR5 memory and a 1TB Samsung SSD with lightning-fast read and write speeds of 6961MB/s and 5074MB/s. Unsurprisingly, Asus delivered impressive benchmark results. It ran Horizon Zero Dawn at 1080p at an average of 96 fps and passed the 2560 x 1440 test at 80 fps.
Battery life
Asus also equipped the new Strix Scar 15 with a 90 Wh battery, with a 240 W power supply included in the package. As with most Intel laptops, battery life was rather average. we managed about four hours of runtime on a single charge while simultaneously using MS Word and Google Chrome, which isn’t bad for a gaming laptop. But compared to what some AMD devices can do, the new Strix Scar 15 falls a bit short.
You can use Armory Crate software to further increase battery life with several tweaks, including Panel Power Saver and MSHybrid Mode when Nvidia Optimus is enabled. The former switches the panel’s refresh rate to 60Hz when the charger is disconnected, while the latter disables the discrete graphics and runs the laptop with integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics. Battery life on the Strix Scar 15 (2022) was pretty good for a gaming laptop, but rather average by consumer laptop standards.
Heat
Strictly speaking, the most demanding users should consider upgrading to 32GB of RAM. But that is an available option. Not surprisingly, with all that power comes heat. The fans on the Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 are quite loud. If you want that kind of performance with more discretion, it’s probably not possible with a laptop. This performance can only be achieved by Apple laptop professionals.
Configuration options
At around $2199 or £2398 in the configuration shown here, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 2022 is a bit pricey in the UK. But overall, it’s a competitive price for this class of notebook. You’ll definitely pay a lot more for similar components in a thinner and lighter system like the Razer Blade 15 or Dell Alienware X15. The more powerful Alienware M15 is roughly comparable in price.
Conclusion
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 2022 is currently a bit expensive in the UK. But overall, it’s a competitive price for this class of notebook. You’ll definitely pay a lot more for similar components in a thinner and lighter system like the Razer Blade 15 or Dell Alienware X15. The more powerful Alienware M15 is roughly comparable in price.