If there's a laptop refresh currently underway for the inclusion of new processor, you can bet your life savings ASUS are involved. The company has announced a new line-up of gaming laptops and desktops, taking advantage of the latest technologies available.
The Republic of Gamers (ROG) Zephyrus M (GM501) (opens in new tab) rocks 8th-gen Intel processors, GTX 1070 GPU, 144Hz IPs panel, anti-dust fans, and some other neat specifications that will aid your gaming obsession while on the move, all in a gorgeous compact package. The ROG Huracan (G21) is a powerful machine with up to GTX 1080 graphics, Core i7 processor and a patented magnetic side cover that can be opened for increased airflow and enable a CPU and GPU overclock. Not only that, but the Huracan also sports a 2.5-inch hot-swap bay for SSDs and can be easily upgraded.
The ROG Zephyrus (GX501GI) (opens in new tab) is up next and is billed as the world's slimmest gaming laptop at just 0.7mm thick and costing around $2,999. Having an ultra-slim profile, ASUS has managed to pack inside a Core i7 processor, GTX 1080 (Max-Q) GPU and some cooling tweaks like "fan overboost" and anti-dust fans. Like other ASUS laptops, this one also features a 144Hz panel with a response time of just 3ms. There's even G-Sync onboard for the gaming session.
ASUS ROG G703 (opens in new tab) is where the power of Intel's new processors and NVIDIA's GPUs really comes to life with an overclocked Core i9 CPU and GTX 1080. (It will cost you. All the way up to $5,000.) We've also got a 17.3-inch 1080p display with a 144Hz refresh rate and G-Sync technology. And the RAID 0 SSD setup is fairly quick too, clocking in at just under 8GB/s. There's even an Xbox Wireless controller module pre-installed.
The ROG Strix GL12 rounds off our general gaming laptop coverage with the usual 8th-gen Core i7 CPU and GTX 1070 GPU but includes a hot-swap SSD bay (similar to the ROG Huracan) to replace a drive without shutting down Windows.
ASUS is also targetting specific gaming genres too. The ROG Strix SCAR Edition (starting at around $1,300 (opens in new tab)) is designed with first-person shooters (FPS) in mind. Think CS:GO, Overwatch, and Call of Duty. We've got the same 8th-gen CPU matched with NVIDIA 10-series GPUs and a really nice IPS panel with G-Sync technology. For League of Legends and other MOBA fans, ASUS has the ROG Strix Hero Edition, featuring similar components than the SCAR but with a 12Hz display with wide-view tech and a reported 130% sRGB color gamut.
It's not all about laptops with the announcement of H370 and B360 motherboards to support the new Intel 8th-gen processor on the desktop platform.
Rich Edmonds is Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him over on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.
