Traditionally, at CES 2025, ASUS updates the gaming laptop lineup under its ROG division. This year, the flagship ROG Strix SCAR 16 and 18 boast both external and internal upgrades. Additionally, they feature a new design that allows users to expand RAM and storage themselves.
But let's go step by step. The new ROG Strix SCAR models retain the 16- and 18-inch form factors. The illuminated logos, keyboards, and bottom contours of the top cases remain, but now the display lid features a large AniMe Vision matrix lighting system with 810 LEDs, capable of animating both branded and custom images.
On the other hand, the ROG Nebula displays still offer a 2.5K resolution, 100% DCI-P3 color coverage, and a refresh rate of up to 240Hz. The Mini-LED backlighting, featuring 2,000 dimming zones, has increased peak brightness to 1,200 nits.
As expected, the flagship models can be configured with a 24-core Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX featuring a 65W TDP, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 with up to 175W TGP, 64GB of DDR5-5600 RAM, and up to 4TB of PCIe Gen4 storage in RAID 0 mode. Moreover, the redesigned chassis now makes it easier to upgrade RAM and storage without requiring additional tools.
The ROG Intelligent Cooling system features upgraded Tri-Fan cooling, a vapor chamber, a multi-layer heatsink, and Conductonaut Extreme liquid metal, which helps reduce noise levels to just 45 dB.
As with last year’s models, the ROG Strix SCAR top cases position all ports exclusively on the left and right sides, leaving large cooling vents at the back. Among the updated connectivity options, users will now find Thunderbolt 5, along with HDMI 2.1, 2.5G Ethernet, and three USB-A ports.
The manufacturer has not yet announced local pricing or the release date.