ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16
In conclusion, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 16 is a game-changer, delivering desktop-level performance in a 16-inch laptop form factor. It’s a powerhouse that keeps up with the Scar legacy, featuring the most potent hardware in a premium chassis with a jaw-dropping display. While the range starts at ₹2,89,990, the variant we reviewed comes in at ₹3,29,990. If you’re serious about gaming and want a show-stopping experience, the SCAR 16 is worth every penny.
The ASUS ROG series has a legacy of delivering powerful gaming laptops, and the ROG Strix SCAR 16 is the latest addition to the powerhouse SCAR lineup. We had the opportunity to test the SCAR 18 during the Zero1 Awards last December and were quite impressed; it snagged the runner-up position. On paper, with the hardware this laptop is packing, and its enticing price point (even at Rs 3.3 lakhs), this could just be the laptop for gamers looking to replace their gaming desktops.
Processor: Intel Core i9-14900HX
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
VRAM: 16GB
TGP: 175W
RAM: 16GB DDR5-5600
Storage: 2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
Display: 16-inch, QHD+ (2560×1600), 240Hz
Price: Rs 3,29,990
There’s no denying it, the SCAR 16 is an absolute beast, boasting a 14th Gen Intel Core i9 processor and an NVIDIA RTX 4090 GPU with a TGP of 175W. This is the highest allowed TGP by NVIDIA meaning we’re talking desktop-class performance packed into this 16-inch chassis. In our review unit, we had 32GB of RAM and 2TB of internal storage for all those massive game files. Real-world gaming performance is mind-blowing, delivering great frame rates at native QHD+ resolutions. Note that we run all of our real-world gaming benchmarks at 1080p to keep the playing field even so to speak.
Starting things off with the synthetic gaming benchmarks, for which we use 3DMark. We have Speed Way, Time Spy, Fire Strike and Port Royal to test DirectX 12, DirectX 11 and DXR performance respectively. As you can see, these are great scores across the board.
Synthetic benchmarks mean nothing if the laptop doesn’t perform when it comes to real-world gaming. Fortunately, the ROG Strix SCAR 16 demolishes our real-world gaming benchmarks, coming very close to our highest recorded scores to date. The numbers speak for themselves.
Of course, the laptop also comes with a 14th gen Intel processor, and while we do have Ultra processors in the market, we’re still waiting on Ultra processor gaming laptops. We compared the Intel Core i9-14900HX in the ROG Strix SCAR 16 to the Intel Core i9-13980HX in the MSI Raider GE78 HX just to see how much of a difference in performance there is between the two.
Turns out, not a lot. The difference is almost negligible in most scores with the newer 14th gen processor inching slightly ahead in single-core performance.
And that’s not even the best part. There’s barely any thermal throttling, thanks to ASUS’s Intelligent Cooling technology.
No seriously, this thing runs cool. Even after hours of gaming. Recording heat at our usual spots, we saw peak surface temps of just 38 degrees Celsius with the average surface temp rounding out to around 25 degrees. The only laptop that scored higher than the SCAR 16 on thermal throttling is the SCAR 18, but even that had higher surface temps than the SCAR 16.
The display is easily one of the best things the SCAR 16 has going for it. The 16-inch Quad HD+ (2560x1600p) ROG Nebula HDR display comes with a refresh rate of 240Hz. It’s got bright and vivid colours, dark blacks, and smooth visuals. The mini LEDs enable better local dimming, with 100% sRGB and near 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut – we tested 99.7% – coverage as per our testing. You also have Dolby Vision compliance, making this one of the best displays you can find on a gaming laptop.
Moving on to the design, the Scar 16 screams gamer, but not in a tacky way. The aluminium and plastic construction makes it sturdy with close to zero flex. The RGB LED strips surrounding the rear and side vents light up the Scar in striking colours using the Aura Sync software. However, it isn’t the most portable laptop at almost 3 kg.
The Scar 16 comes with two USB-A and two USB-C ports, one of which is a Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, audio, and Gigabit Ethernet ports. It does not have a storage card reader, but this is a gaming laptop and you don’t usually need that, it has you covered for the rest.
The keyboard offers a satisfying experience. It’s not mechanical, but the experience is still great. You have crisp and tactile feedback. We found it comfortable and ideal for long gaming sessions. The touchpad is large and doesn’t get it the way, and works great when you need it. Gamers will likely opt for a dedicated mouse, wihich is exactly what we did, and in a pinch, the touchpad also doubles as a Numpad, which adds a neat touch.
In conclusion, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 16 is a game-changer, delivering desktop-level performance in a 16-inch laptop form factor. It’s a powerhouse that keeps up with the Scar legacy, featuring the most potent hardware in a premium chassis with a jaw-dropping display. While the range starts at ₹2,89,990, the variant we reviewed comes in at ₹3,29,990. If you’re serious about gaming and want a show-stopping experience, the SCAR 16 is worth every penny.
