ROG Strix Scar 17 SE review: raw power without compromise

Today we are tackling a somewhat special machine, since it is located at the very top of the food chain in the (trans)portable gaming segment. In any case, this is what Asus claims with this ROG Strix Scar 17 SE (for Special Edition), a machine that collects superlatives.

We find the typical metal-plastic mixture of the range, with an overall impeccable finish and a look that will appeal to fans of old-fashioned transparent electronics. A little retro touch reminiscent of old GameBoys while contrasting with the overall modern look of the device; it is a machine that assumes its gaming DNA without ambiguity and with originality.

But beyond its unique design, it is above all at the level of the technical sheet that this model stands out.

Screen: a beautiful, very balanced panel

No change in display technology; we stay on IPS of excellent quality with a WQHD panel (2560 x 1440) which does not lack arguments. With 240 Hz on the clock, excellent colorimetric coverage (100% DCI-P3), a very decent level of contrast and an anti-reflective coating that does the job, there’s not much to complain about with this screen.

Only two points come to blacken the table, literally for the first since it is about luminosity. It is a bit weak, which makes it uncomfortable to use as soon as the sun comes to play the spoilsports. The other small disappointment is that Asus has chosen to keep its 16:9, unlike many competitors who have already converted their flagships to 16:10. But no fatal defect comes to question the quality of this slab.

Note that there is also a 360 Hz option for the most hardcore competitive players. But this will require giving up on QHD and going back to FHD. 100% DCI-P3 coverage also falls by the wayside in this case.

Finished, the mechanical switches that were invited on the ROG Strix Scar 17 of 2021. Asus has gone back to the membrane keyboard, but the experience remains completely satisfactory. Even if this aspect remains intrinsically subjective, tactile feedback is usually well balanced on Asus laptops and this model is no exception.

The very short stroke makes it possible to react to the quarter turn in play. It even proves to be quite correct during an extended writing session such as the writing of this test. In this context, the well-thought-out layout of the keyboard allows you to find your bearings quickly. Special mention to the full-size numeric keypad, always very appreciable on a laptop.

Hardware: the compromise is for others

Compromises are not really part of the program of this special edition; the objective is to reach records in terms of raw power. After all, to claim the title of the most powerful laptop in the world, you have to give yourself the means!

For the builder, the choice was therefore not one; Asus has quite naturally selected the most powerful GPU/CPU pair on the current market, neither more nor less. On the menu: an Intel Core i9-12950 HX CPU and a portable GeForce RTX 3080 Ti graphics card, all served by 32 GB of DDR5 RAM clocked at 4800 MHz.

We still can’t help but wonder what is the point of packing such monsters into a portable chassis, especially this processor capable of peaking at a staggering 157W. Is this really reasonable, knowing that in practice, it’s not the CPU that limits gaming performance on modern machines anyway?

The question needs to be asked. Is this a way to gratinate the technical sheet for marketing purposes, even if it means delivering a less relevant machine? It must be admitted that with this model designed to serve as a standard meter, the “why” no longer really has a reason to exist; obviously, it’s the “why not?” who won it.

In any case, relevant or not, the verdict is clear on the majority of our becnhmarks: the Strix imposes itself by a short head against the Alienware x17R2, in particular thanks to breathtaking graphics performance. On 3DMark, one of the reference benchmarks for applications related to video games, it reached a score of 12452. This is indeed the highest score ever measured on a laptop at the JdG.

We must also mention the performance of the machine in terms of data transfer. The numbers speak for themselves, as you can see from this CrystalDisk benchmark; this Scar is simply excellent at this level. Good news for your transfer times, but also for in-game loading and for the overall responsiveness of the system.

Game: an example of power and stability

Based on this information, we are therefore entitled to be absolutely intransigent as to the real performance of the machine… and as much to say it right away, this strix is ​​the computer equivalent of a nuclear bomb.

With such a device, there is no need to bother with a preamble based on Rocket League and other undemanding titles. For the sake of conscience, we still took a look at a benchmark competitive title (Counter Strike: Global Offensive), the time to check what seemed obvious: whatever your graphics settings, you will have a hard time sweating the beast.

During our session on Valve’s FPS, the Strix stuck to 240 frames (the maximum allowed by the panel) for the entire test. Add to that the intrinsic qualities of the screen and the keyboard (see above), and you get a competitive gaming experience that flirts with perfection.

But we expected no less from such a machine on this ultra-optimized title. We have therefore released our most beautiful arsenal of torturers with recent AAA titles, very demanding in terms of graphics and not particularly well optimized.

First stop: the whimsical world of Tiny Tina’s Wonderland, the Borderlands spin-off recently released on Steam. The game still suffers from some optimization issues, especially in ultra. And despite this, the result is final. Even after two hours of gaming at full throttle, with all graphics settings cranked up, we spent most of our time around 70fps, with regular peaks at the 120fps cap. Enough to correct brigands, goblins and skeletons in complete fluidity to enjoy this delicious heroic-fantasy atmosphere as it should be.

No need to prolong the suspense: the conclusion is much the same on God of War, Red Dead Redemption II or Elden Ring. On the latter, far from being an example of optimization, this Strix Scar did not once drop below 57 IPS in full ultra despite all our efforts to make it suffer.

It’s very simple: even after a torture session of more than 2 hours at full speed on the title of From Software, this Strix Scar simply laughed in our face. At the time these lines are written, we must therefore admit that it has not stolen its title of the most powerful gaming laptop on the market, even if it is an extremely overused title that it must be taken with tweezers. In any case, the conclusion is in one word: monstrous!

And that also goes for the creative side. Much more than in game, this is where the 16 cores of the i9-12950 HX come into their own. It is for example strong enough to mount very large files in acceptable conditions, even if 64 GB of RAM would not have been too much at this level.

Same conclusion on 3D modeling or sculpting programs like Zbrush; the Scar makes it possible to work on models of several million polygons in complete fluidity. It also devoured our render tests on Blender at breakneck speed.

Ventilation: it blows hard, but it works

If this special edition is slightly heavier than the standard model (3kg against 2.75kg), it is because Asus has considerably beefed up its vapor chamber. It’s even bulkier than the standard edition, which isn’t luxury given the hardware that hides under the hood.

Because of the intrinsic limitations of the portable form factor, this obviously remains too tight to push the i9-12950 HX and the RTX 3080 Ti to the very limit; something creators should keep in mind when checking out.

But overall the cooling system does a good job. In any case, it has shown itself capable of guaranteeing an optimal gaming experience in all scenarios, even after several hours on a very demanding title like Elden Ring.

We were pleasantly surprised at the overall volume of the system. Although it is difficult to completely ignore it, it remains almost tolerable, even with the most aggressive ventilation profile (Turbo mode). A good point, insofar as we could legitimately expect a real fighter plane given the technical data sheet.

Autonomy: nothingness, as expected

In case the slightest doubt remained on the power consumption of the beast, it is the enormous 330W power brick (!) which is responsible for getting the message across: this Scar has a gargantuan appetite, and it will not last. not long without his umbilical cord.

In-game battery life largely depends on the title, but it’s ridiculously weak either way; no surprise, since these machines are not designed to work like this anyway. And even with relatively light multimedia use, we had a hard time reaching 5 hours of battery life. No revolution there.

Conclusion

There remains the annoying question, the one we have conscientiously avoided so far: the price of this Strix Scar 17 SE. As you will have understood, Asus’ objective was in no way to offer an affordable or even reasonable machine at any level; the manufacturer wanted its most powerful PC title on the market, at all costs. And it is the case to say it since this machine is proposed from… 4299€. It’s the most powerful laptop we’ve had the opportunity to test, but it’s also the most expensive!

Suffice to say, this extravagant model isn’t aimed at the average gamer; it will be reserved for wealthy geeks for whom the fact of acquiring an exceptional machine justifies an even more exceptional expense. The others, on the other hand, will find it difficult to find their account with this special edition.