ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) recently launched the Strix SCAR 16 (G634J) in the Philippines. The gaming laptop has top-end features, including a Mini LED Nebula display, a 14th gen Intel Core i9 processor, and a GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU.
The gaming laptop seems to have it all, including a premium performance. But the question remains: Is it for you? Find out in this review.
Design and Build
The Strix SCAR 16 has a more restrained aesthetic, going for a less flashy design typically associated with gaming laptops. It doesn’t aspire to be thin or lightweight either, with dimensions of 13.94 x 10.39 x 1.20 inches and a hefty weight of 2.65 kg.
The laptop’s exterior is made from high-quality plastic with a semi-translucent finish, offering a glimpse of the internal components. This choice, while visually appealing, does attract fingerprints and grime, which is harder to clean compared to ones on a metal surface. The lid is made from aluminum and features a large ROG logo.
The Strix SCAR 16 has a top-notch build with minimal creaks or flexing. It feels solid and premium in the hands.
As for RGB lighting, there are strips located at the front and rear of the laptop, as well as on the ROG logo on the lid.
The keyboard has a standard size with ample key spacing. It forgoes a numeric pad and instead has an additional row of keys for media control on the right and five customizable keys on the upper left. I would have liked the extra rows at the end to be for End, Home, Page Up, and Page Down, instead of media controls, but at least it is there if you need it. The power button is separated from the main keyboard array to prevent accidental presses.
Typing on the Strix SCAR 16 is an excellent experience. The keys have good travel with a soft touch. They are responsive and provide satisfyingly good feedback.
Each key is backlit with per-key RGB lighting, adjustable through the Armoury Crate software. The lighting is uniform and aesthetically pleasing. However, I did notice that F-key legends did not have backlighting. This doesn’t hinder functionality but it could mean difficulty in finding them in the dark.
Below the keyboard sits a generously sized touchpad that feels like glass. It is responsive and smooth to operate. It has an integrated numeric pad, which lights up with a tap on the NUMLK key.
The Strix SCAR 16 has a quad-speaker setup — two positions below the display and an additional pair tucked underneath. The speakers deliver good audio quality with some bass, but I noticed the volume to be lacking at times.
It also has vents on the sides and the whole of the back, and large rubber feet at the bottom that keep it firmly in place. A 720p HD web camera sits at the top of the display. However, it’s worth noting that the Strix SCAR 16 lacks both a fingerprint scanner and an IR camera for Windows Hello authentication.
Display
The Strix SCAR 16 distinguishes itself with a 16-inch Nebula HDR Display, featuring a Mini LED panel. This display, surrounded by thin bezels, boasts a QHD+ 2560×1600 resolution with an ultra-smooth 240Hz refresh rate and a rapid 3ms response time.
The screen has an anti-glare finish and offers comfortable viewing even in brightly lit environments where reflections are often a problem. The display has 100% DCI-P3 coverage and Dolby Vision HDR, enhancing the viewing experience with vibrant, true-to-life colors. It also has compatibility with NVIDIA G-Sync technology and includes a software MUX Switch for NVIDIA Advanced Optimus for a more refined display performance.
The Strix SCAR 16’s display has exceptional image quality with vivid colors whether in gaming or creative work. While not as punchy as an OLED panel, it does offer better performance with seamless motion in fast-paced scenes.
Moreover, it has Pantone Validated certification, which is also suitable for creative professionals and content creators looking for color accuracy in their work.
I/O Ports
The laptop comes with a good selection of I/O ports. On the left side, there’s a barrel charging port, a LAN port, an HDMI 2.1, USB-C with Thunderbolt 4, USB-C Gen 2, and a combo audio jack. On the right side, there are two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports.
There’s no card reader here. Given the size of the laptop, they could’ve certainly fit one. It was probably omitted to prioritize ventilation.
Performance
Our review unit has a powerful configuration with an Intel Core i9 14900HX processor, 32GB DDR5-5600 RAM, and 1TB of fast SSD storage. For graphics, it has an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU with 12GB GDDR6 RAM for the eGPU.
The Intel Core i9 14900HX is a powerful laptop processor with 24 cores (16 E-cores and 8 P-cores) and 32 threads, with high clock speeds of up to 5.8GHz.
In gaming, the laptop delivered exceptional speed and performance. I played Valorant, Hogwarts Legacy, and Diablo IV, while for productivity, I used it mostly for documents and writing; and Chrome for Google Docs, web browsing, the occasional YouTube and Netflix streaming; and Adobe Photoshop for photo editing.
Graphics settings defaulted to High or Ultra in the games. There were no noticeable frame drops or stutters during testing. I particularly enjoyed the Nvidia DLSS, enabled on a recent Diablo IV ray tracing update. It brought it to a different level to the smoothness of animations and the details in shadows and reflections.
During the review, I did notice the laptop become uncomfortably warm, especially the area above the keyboard. The current temperatures in our country (I’m in the Philippines, by the way), didn’t help. However, I didn’t notice any drop in gaming performance. The fan noise was also well-controlled. It wasn’t distracting or bothersome.
Benchmark scores
- PCMark 10: 8,467
- Cinebench R23: 24,145 (multi-core); 2,080 (single core)
- 3DMark Night Raid: 61,916
Graphics score: 132,530
CPU score: 15,405 - 3DMark Time Spy: 17,634
Graphics score: 18,421
CPU score: 14,201 - 3DMark Final Strike: 30,718
Graphics score: 40,268
Physics score: 32,184
Combined score: 10,790 - Geekbench 6: 2,886 (single-core); 17,250 (multi-core)
- Geekbench 6 OpenCL score: 165,446
- Geekbench 6 Vulkan score: 9,873
Battery
The Strix SCAR 16 has a 90WHr battery. The package includes a 330W AC adapter and a more compact 100W USB-C adapter.
I don’t recommend playing games while unplugged from the power outlet. However, for the review, I got around one hour and 30 minutes of gameplay.
For productivity work, I managed to get around 4 hours of use, which mostly included Word documents, the Chrome browser, and Adobe Photoshop.
Final Remarks
The ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634JZ) is a significant leap forward from its predecessors. Its robust build, powerful performance, and design that appeal to a broader audience will surely be a hit among gamers and professionals alike.
When it comes to gaming, the latest Core i9 processor and RTX 4080 GPU deliver. The mini LED display is also a huge plus, punching above its weight, whether it’s for work or play.
However, there are trade-offs. The laptop’s size and weight can be a challenge for portability, and the plastic finish, while premium, tends to collect fingerprints.
In the end, though, the ROG Strix SCAR 16 is a great option for those with the budget for a gaming laptop with top-tier performance, efficient cooling, and a mini LED display.
Price
The ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634JZ) is priced at P214,995. It comes with a free ROG Gladius 3 gaming mouse and an ROG backpack. For the list of stores on where to get one, go here.
ROG Strix SCAR 16 (G634J) specs
| Display | 16-inch ROG Nebula Display, Mini LED, 2560×1600, 16:10 aspect ratio, 240Hz refresh rate, anti-glare, 100% DCI-P3, Pantone Validated, G-Sync, MUX Switch + NVIDIA Advanced Optimus, Dolby Vision HDR, 3ms response time |
| Processor | Intel Core i9 Processor 14900HX |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU 12GB GDDR6 |
| RAM/Storage | 32GB DDR5-5600, up to 64GB 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVM M.2 Performance SSD |
| Front Camera | 720p HD camera |
| I/O Ports | Left: Barrel charging port, RJ45 LAN port, HDMI 2.1, USB-C with Thunderbolt 4, USB-C Gen 2, Combo audio jack Right: 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Others | Backlit Chiclet Keyboard per-key RGB, quad speakers, array microphone, Dolby Atmos, hi-res audio (headphones), Smart Amp Technology, Aura Sync Light Bar, Aura Sync logo, Aura Sync Rear Glow, Office Home and Student, ROG backpack, ROG Gladius III Mouse P514 |
| OS | Windows 11 Home |
| Dimensions | 13.94 x 10.39 x 0.89 ~ 1.20 inches 2.65 kg |
| Battery | 90WHrs, 330W AC Adapter, 100W USB-C AC Adapter |
