ASUS ROG is refreshing the Strix series with the Scar 17. As part of their premium Strix series, the notebook comes with an updated 10th generation Intel processor, a 17.3-inch 300Hz display, and the latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPU for a complete gaming package.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17, as the name suggests, sports a 17.3-inch IPS 1920 x 1080 display. ASUS, however, has increased the refresh rate of the display to 300MHz with a 3ms response time for a more fluid and responsive gameplay experience.
Pushing the display is an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super. ASUS has given special attention to the GPU in order to push more frames. Thanks to a better cooling solution, the GPU is able to run up to 1560MHz at full 150watts in Turbo mode.
Complementing the GPU is an 8-core, 16-thread 10th generation Intel Core i9-10980HK processor. Like the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15, single core performance is increased with the processor able to reach 5.3GHz in one core. In addition, the device can be equipped with up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM running at 3200MHz allowing for faster multi-tasking capabilities.
Storage is provided by two NVMe PCIe 3.0 x4 SSDs running in RAID 0 for peak performance. ASUS is also providing a third SSD mount for additional storage. Upgrading the RAM and storage is now easier as they have placed the SODIMM and M.2 slots just behind the bottom panel. Just remove a couple of standard Philips screws and the bottom plate will pop open for an easy upgrade process.
All the power inside the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is cooled by four heatsinks while the CPU gets special attention by getting liquid metal for a more effective heat transfer. Two n-blade fans with 83 blades each spin to deliver fresh air to the components inside.
To reduce thermal build up near the keyboard where your hands are, the ROG CoolZone design places the vents around the WASD keys to create airflow through the area. This reduces heat by around 14% compared to other designs.
Designed in collaboration with BMW Designworks Group, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17’s concept is based around the new ROG Keystone II. Introduced with last year’s Scar III, the Keystone II allow users to link quick commands and other functions to a physical, NFC-enabled key placed via the side of the chassis.
Specific commands can be programmed to the keystone such as opening an app or a game of choice. Removal of the Keystone II can also activate stealth mode that logs out Windows or locks the notebook. A private shadow drive can also be used in order to keep all your files from prying eyes.
As usual, the notebooks comes with a slew of RGB customization options. The keyboard can be customized with your choice of lighting as well as the light bar at the edges of the chassis. ROG Aura Creator offers more advanced controls such as per-key customization and complex effects. Of course, you can also synchronize RGB effects of other Aura Sync compatible peripherals connected to the notebook.
| ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 | |
| CPU | Up to Intel Core i9-10980HK |
| GPU | Up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super |
| OS | Windows 10 Pro |
| RAM | Up to 32GB 3200MHz DDR4 |
| Display | Up to 17.3-inch IPS, 1920 x 1080, 300Hz, 3ms |
| Storage | 2x M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 x4 up to 1TB SSD with RAID 0 support. Up to 3 SSDs |
| I/O Ports | 3x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C (DisplayPort), 1x RJ-45, 1x HDMI 2.0b, 1x 3.5mm combo jack |
| Connection | 2×2 Intel WiFi 6 (802.11ax) with RangeBoost, Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Weight | 2.9kg |
| Dimensions | 39.97 x 29.34 x 2.79cm |
| Battery | 66Whr |
| Audio | 2x 4.2-watt speakers, Smart Amplifier, Sonic Studio |
| Others | Backlit Per-Key RGB keyboard, Aura Sync, Armoury Crate, GameFirst V, GameVisual, Aura Creator |
ASUS hasn’t announced the availability or price of the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17. We expect to get more information about its arrival in the local market in the coming weeks.
