WIRED’s review sample came with the top specs of the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (i9-13980HX, RTX 4090) and it didn’t disappoint. This big-screen titan blows away the impressive 16-inch M2 MacBook Pro (9/10, WIRED Recommends). Surprisingly, there is no competition on the gaming front, and for creators, serious editors and production professionals will get better lasting results from Asus. The Strix Scar 18 makes do with less style and a much larger chassis, but if you’re power hungry, this one delivers.
In QHD Ultra settings Apex LegendsYou’re going to top this display at 225fps, just need a few tweaks to hit the limit. Topics with qualitative focus, eg Assassin’s Creed Valhallamanage 122 fps with the QHD Ultra—these are some very strong results.
The keyboard is expectedly great, Asus has been offering great gaming laptop keyboards for some time and there are plenty of ports. The 18.4-inch QHD 240-Hz panel is great for high-end gaming and comes with a beautiful matte finish. The kicker is the very high price, starting at $2,499.
Required specs: Intel Core i9-13980HX processor, Nvidia RTX 4090 graphics card, 18-inch QHD display with 240-Hz refresh rate
