ROG Strix SCAR vs Strix G: What's the difference between ROG's esports laptops?
ROG is so committed to gamers, we put it right in our name. Every product we build is designed to provide gamers with the best possible experiences available on PC today. But even within the ROG umbrella, there is one sub-brand that stands a head above the others as the leader in total horsepower: ROG Strix.
All ROG laptops are built for gaming, but Strix machines go above and beyond with models that offers that fastest CPU, GPU, and display refresh rates available for laptops. The line contains a few different models, including the Strix G16, Strix G17, Strix G18, Strix SCAR 16, Strix SCAR 17, and Strix SCAR 18 — so you can pick the perfect top-tier esports machine for your needs and budget.
The Strix SCAR and Strix G both offer high-end performance for esports enthusiasts in a similarly robust and stylish chassis. However, there are a few key differences between the two product lines:
- The 16- and 18-inch Strix models feature an all-new design with Intel 13th Gen processors, larger 16:10 screens, and improved thermals, while the 17-inch models carry on the previous generation’s design with AMD Ryzen 7000 series processors and a 16:9 aspect ratio.
- The Strix SCAR offers more powerful GPU options, going all the way up to an RTX 4090 Laptop GPU.
- The Strix SCAR offers more customization, including per-key RGB and swappable Armor Caps, and features a transparent keyboard deck. The Strix G has fewer RGB flourishes but offers two color options out of the box.
- The new 16- and 18-inch Strix machines all offer QHD+ Nebula displays, but the Strix SCAR 16 offers a Nebula HDR display powered by a Mini LED backlight.
- The Strix G line is more affordable than the more premium Strix SCAR.
- All of the above notes refer specifically to the 2023 Strix family. Design and specifications may vary for previous model years, which may still be available for purchase at the time you’re reading this.
Those are the basic differences, but if you want a more detailed look at which model is right for you, let's dive a bit deeper.
Strix SCAR 16, 17, and 18: The ultimate in esports power
You’re a competitive gamer. Whether we’re talking about Valorant, Fortnite, or Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0, you need a laptop that can deliver consistently high framerates and a display that can take full advantage of the performance on offer. Regardless of whether you’re just playing pubs or truly looking to climb the ladder, seeing your opponent before they see you can make the difference between victory and defeat.
That’s why we built the Strix SCAR 16 and Strix SCAR 18 with rock solid 240Hz displays and the best silicon available today, so you can make use of every possible frame. The Strix SCAR 16 can even be equipped with our Nebula HDR display, which uses Mini LED for an out-of-this-world HDR experience.
The SCAR’s real power lies under the hood. With up to a Core i9-13980HX, the Strix SCAR 16 and 18 can turbo their CPU all the way up to 5.60GHz to easily drive high framerates. This 24-core CPU, which is cooled by Thermal Grizzly's top-tier Conductonaut Extreme liquid metal, is also no slouch if you have additional applications open while gaming, like Discord or OBS, with 16 dedicated Efficient-cores.
Our engineers had to perform some black magic, but they were able to also fit up to an NVIDIA RTX 4090 Laptop GPU in the SCAR's 16-inch and 18-inch chassis, at a max TGP of 175W thanks to our latest Intelligent Cooling improvements. The techno-sorcery doesn’t stop there, with all SCAR models sporting up to 64GB of blazing fast 4800MHz DDR5 memory and dual PCIe Gen 4 SSD slots, all of which are fully accessible for upgrades in the future. All of this hardware is wrapped in a sleek, cyberpunk-inspired design with unique ROG touches, including our signature “Fearless Eye” logo. With RGB lighting on the lid, rear, bottom, and keyboard deck with full per-key illumination, the Strix SCAR 16 and SCAR 18 are truly dazzling right out of the box. Go on, we know you want to take one for a spin.
| 2023 ROG Strix SCAR 16 | 2023 ROG Strix SCAR 18 | |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Up to Intel Core i9-13980HX | |
| GPU | Up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 | |
| Display | Nebula HDR QHD+ 240Hz/3ms 100% DCI-P3 Nebula QHD+ 240Hz/3ms 100% DCI-P3 |
Nebula QHD+ 240Hz/3ms 100% DCI-P3 Full HD+ 165Hz 100% sRGB |
| Memory | Up to 64GB DDR5 4800MHz | |
| Storage | Up to 4TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD | |
| I/O |
2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A |
|
| Battery | 90Wh | |
| Size | 354 x 264 x 22.6 ~ 30.4mm 2.5kg |
399 x 294 x 23.1 ~ 30.8mm 3.1kg |
ROG also offers a refreshed Strix SCAR 17, which inherits the previous generation’s chassis design using a 16:9 display and a bit less RGB — but powered by AMD’s latest Dragon Range processors, up to a Ryzen 9 7945HX and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 for stellar next-gen performance.
| 2023 ROG Strix SCAR 17 | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Up to AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX | |
| GPU | Up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 | |
| Display | QHD 240Hz/3ms 100% DCI-P3 | |
| Memory | Up to 64GB DDR5 4800MHz | |
| Storage | Up to 2TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD | |
| I/O |
2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A |
|
| Battery | 90Wh | |
| Size | 395 x 282 x 23.4 ~ 28.3mm 3kg |
|
Strix G16, G17, and G18: Incredible performance for the competitive gamer
For esports enthusiasts on a slightly tighter budget, we also offer the new Strix G16 and Strix G18. While the Strix SCAR offers the best of the absolute best, the Strix G line provides high-end performance with fewer bells and whistles for a more affordable package.
The Strix G16 and G18, for example, feature the same excellent QHD+ 240Hz displays found on the SCAR, but without the Nebula HDR option present on the Strix SCAR 16. Similarly, while they both offer up to the same Intel Core i9-13980HX processor, they only go up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU and 32GB of DDR5 4800MHz RAM. That still makes for a beastly machine, powering fast and stable framerates in all of the latest AAA and eSports titles you’ve been waiting to play, and enough high-end components to make even some desktop owners green with envy.
The Strix G16 and G18 also have some physical differences from the SCAR line. Instead of the transparent keyboard deck, RGB logo, and rear light bar, the Strix G16 and G18 laptops offer bold color accents that act as a vibrant contrast to their black chassis. For a more reserved look, Eclipse Gray keeps your laptop’s true potential under wraps, while bold Volt Green ensures you stand out from the crowd.
| 2023 ROG Strix G16 | 2023 ROG Strix G18 | |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Up to Intel Core i9-13980HX | |
| GPU | Up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 | |
| Display | Nebula QHD+ 240Hz/3ms 100% DCI-P3 Full HD+ 165Hz 100% sRGB |
Nebula QHD+ 240Hz/3ms 100% DCI-P3 Full HD+ 165Hz 100% sRGB |
| Memory | Up to 32GB DDR5 4800MHz | |
| Storage | Up to 2TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD | |
| I/O |
2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A |
|
| Battery | 90Wh (RTX 40 Series) or 64Wh (RTX 3050 6GB) | |
| Size | 354 x 264 x 22.6 ~ 30.4mm 2.5kg |
399 x 294 x 23.1 ~ 30.8mm 3.1kg |
We’ve also refreshed the venerable Strix G17 for 2023, using the previous generation’s design with a 16:9 display but upgrading the internals, offering up to an AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX and up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU for an excellent bang-for-your-buck machine.
| 2023 ROG Strix G17 | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Up to AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX | |
| GPU | Up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 | |
| Display | QHD 240Hz/3ms 100% DCI-P3 Full HD 144Hz |
|
| Memory | Up to 32GB DDR5 4800MHz | |
| Storage | Up to 2TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD | |
| I/O |
2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A |
|
| Battery | 90Wh | |
| Size | 395 x 282 x 23.4 ~ 30.8mm 2.8kg |
|
Strix lets you game with confidence
There are a lot of variables that go into a successful match. Connection speed, matchmaking, your teammates…but your hardware plays a big role. No matter what Strix machine you choose, you can rest assured that your laptop is not holding you back. Designed from the ground up to offer the fastest gaming components with the most cutting-edge thermal solutions, the Strix family is here to give every gamer a leg up on their competition. Which one will you pick?
