Asus ROG Strix G18 (18-inch, 2023)

Rendering demanding, ray-traced games at playable frame rates requires Nvidia's DLSS frame-generation and resolution-scaling tools; Its build doesn’t feel especially premium for the cost; Its matte finish makes the display look dull versus...

The MSI Raider 18 HX AI remains our Editors’ Choice award winner for maximum speed in this power-focused category, but you may like what the Strix G18 serves up for a lower price.

2x SODIMMs + 2x 2280 Gen 4 slots ; Very good overall performance ; High CPU clocks and power limits during heavy stress in “Turbo” mode (3.37 GHz P-core clock + 135W) ; Capable “Performance” preset that offers lower fan noise and the 2.8 GHz P-core...

Hefty (23.1 – 30.8 mm / 3.00 kg) ; High SSD temperatures during benchmarking ; Lacks goodies such as Wi-Fi 7, Gen 5 SSD slot, cooling pad for the memory, and bigger pads for the SSDs ; The battery connector is placed below the lower fan ; Plastic base...

refreshed design and sturdy build quality ; good inputs, IO and IPS display ; one of the most powerful options in the mid-tier segment ; versatile power profiles ; better cooled than the Strix G16 variant ; good value in most markets

all the IO is on the sides, with the rear entirely reserved for cooling ; no card reader, Lock, or biometrics ; high CPU temperatures under load, especially with the laptop flat on a desk

It’s not without flaws, like heat spikes and some keyboard and webcam qualms, but even so, Asus effectively put a desktop into a portable-enough package that you can plop onto your lap (or desk, ideally) to dive into some killer gaming.

Pros: ; – Top-notch performance thanks to the CPU and GPU ; – Razor-sharp display, with a high refresh rate ; – Pretty decent non-gaming battery life ; – Price-to-performance ratio ; – Cooling solution. The fan stays quiet most of the time under light...

– Hefty. Difficult to carry around ; – Uses plastic for the main chassis ; – Integrated webcam leaves a lot to be desired

The Asus Strix G18 comes with a high price tag that might not fit everyone’s budget. Plus, its super powerful abilities are only really needed for specific tasks, so not everyone would benefit from such intense performance. So, who should be interested...