Asus ROG Strix G16 review: A powerful laptop with cyberpunk styling

Best Prices Today: Asus ROG Strix G16

Asus’s ROG Strix G16 has grunt and personality in equal measures. Not only does it benefit from a powerful CPU and GPU combination, but also boasting an irresistible gamer-centric, cyberpunk aesthetic that hits all the right notes. To those positive features, the G16 also adds excellent connectivity, a spacious keyboard with useful shortcut keys, and a portable chassis that you can easily lump into a backpack. Even the price looks appealing up against some rivals. Let’s take a look at this 16-inch laptop’s best features…

Looking for other options? Check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best gaming laptops available today.

Asus ROG Strix G16: Specifications and features

The Strix G16 is available in CPU configurations up to Intel Core i9-13980HX with varying RTX 40 Series GPUs and either a QHD+ 240Hz display or FHD 165 Hz display. Asus’s e-store is where to go for models featuring Intel’s Core i9-13980HX CPU. Here, prices start at $1,599.99 for the most basic configuration that drops a GeForce RTX 4050 GPU.

Alternatively, on Amazon you can find a selection of Asus ROG Strix G16 models featuring Intel’s Core i7-13650HX processor, with the most affordable shipping for just $1,379 with an RTX 4060 GPU. Compare that to Razer’s most affordable Razer Blade 16 model which costs $2,699.99. The specification of our review unit is as follows:

• CPU: Core i7-13650HX
• RAM: 16GB DDR5 / 4800 MHz
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060
• Display: 16-inch, QHD+ (2560 x 1600), 240 Hz refresh rate, IPS-level, anti-glare, 16:10 aspect ratio, DCI-P3 color, 3ms response time, G-Sync
• Storage: 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD
• Ports: 2 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, Thunderbolt 4, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (supports DisplayPort, power delivery and G-Sync, HDMI 2.1, RJ45 Ethernet port, 3.5mm audio jack
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3
• Weight: 5.51lbs (2.50kg)
• Dimensions: 13.94 x 10.39 x 0.89 inches
• Battery: 90WHr
• Price: Starting at $1,379 at Amazon

Asus ROG Strix G16: Design and build

Road-testing Asus’s Zephyrus M16 back in May this year was a real treat, but as a gamer there’s something to be said for playing on a laptop that’s unashamedly styled for gamers. With that being the case, sending the M16 back to Asus and receiving the Strix G16 felt like trading a perfectly nice Mercedes Benz for a hotted-up Dodge Viper. Yes folks, when two laptops are almost as powerful as each other and with similarly gorgeous visuals, it can all come down to styling, which the G16 has in spades.

As you can tell, that gamer-centric aesthetic got me in hook line and sinker. What impressed me the most? I really dug the cyberpunk look, especially the transparent ASDF, QWER keys and spacebar, which were not only see-through, but they were also all nicely illuminated by RGB.

The RGB lightbar along the bottom front looks brilliant too, as it produces a sublime under glow that lights up your tabletop. Then there’s the neat cutlines with ROG type and a large unmissable Asus logo on the lid, all of which offer a depth to the laptop’s overall aesthetic. Large ROG type on the right-side of the keyboard provides even more flair from in front.

The G16 comes in two color variations: grey and green. I usually try to avoid grey laptops that feel too much like productivity rigs. They just make me feel like I should be wearing an outdated op-shop tweed suit or something. But the grey color isn’t your average dull metallic grey this time. No, it even looks a tad black from afar, so it oozes sophistication.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

The laptop’s dimensions make it reasonably portable, too. It measures 13.94 x 10.39 x 0.89 inches, which is a lot smaller and easier to carry than its giant 18-inch cousin the Asus ROG Strix G18. That compares with the Razer Blade 16’s longer, but slightly thinner chassis which measures 13.98 x 9.61 x 0.87 inches. I didn’t mind the slight extra chunkiness, especially since I know laptops with a bit of extra thickness tend to have thermal benefits when things heat up.

Of course, the chassis is just the right size to deliver you a gorgeous 16-inch ROG Nebula display. Asus has achieved no mean feat in making it the main course to be enjoyed at least three times a day. Indeed, the G16 delivers an impressive 90 percent screen-to-body ratio, so there’s plenty of it to see. This generous screen-to-body ratio is achieved mostly thanks to ultra-thin bezels, which are less than 4 mm thin.

Meanwhile, a 16:10 contrast ratio means the display is decadently taller than laptops with 16:9 formats – so quite simply, you can just see more action in your games.

Although you can’t see the G16’s internal componentry in our images, it deserves a shout out too. Asus claims the G16 benefits from 15 percent cooler CPU and GPU temperatures thanks to an overhaul from predecessor models. A redesigned chassis constitutes the biggest of those changes; it’s been especially engineered to accommodate the laptop’s new heatsink.

This heatsink has three sections and is built around the motherboard to maximize airflow and the pathing for hot air to escape. An extra fan has been added to make a Tri-Fan system, which works alongside the seven heat pipes and Conductonaut Extreme liquid metal that cools the CPU and the GPU in the RTX 4080 variant.

Are there any compromises in the design? You’ll need to look hard to see any, but I was a little concerned at first by the base of the chassis, which contains a little more plastic than some rivals.

After a while, though, I was convinced that despite that being the case, it’s actually quite solid. There was no such doubting the lid, however, which feels exceptionally strong. It’s obviously made with a good dollop of metal to prevent flex. The whole chassis also has a very tough finish that, for the month or so I had it, held up nicely to bangs and prods without racking up any damage.

Asus ROG Strix G16: Keyboard and trackpad

The Strix G16’s keyboard and trackpad are just ideal for competitive gaming. You get a full-sized keyboard with full-sized arrow keys, as well as dedicated hotkeys at the top. The hotkeys are all programmable, but in their default setting they allow you to control the laptop’s fan settings, volume, microphone and to quickly access Asus’s companion software app. which is called the Armoury Crate.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

My review unit didn’t have a numpad, which I found a little inconvenient at times, but you can get a model that illuminates a numpad in the trackpad itself, which wins Asus some points for creativity. The keys also feel quite springy. They provide a generous 2 mm of travel. Programmable per-key lit backlighting makes them a delight to play on at night.

I found the laptop’s trackpad to be large and spacious. It also felt reasonably quick. Although you will find quicker and smoother trackpads out there, Razer’s Precision Trackpad is one that comes to mind. Still, with the trackpad merely a secondary thought in competitive gaming these days, what you get here is perfectly suitable for an occasional frantic swipe and tap.

Asus ROG Strix G16: Display and webcam

Asus’s ROG Nebula branding conjures up imagery of deep space, but it simply refers to the G16’s QHD+ display with 240 Hz refresh rate and three millisecond response time.

In my view, this resolution/refresh rate/response rate combination is one of the best you can currently get, usually producing nicely detailed images but without the glitching or tearing. It’s a lesser-known fact that perfectly smooth performance on 4K displays can still be a bit beyond the hardware capabilities of some laptops right now.

Mentioned in this article…

Asus ROG Zephyrus M16

Read our review

Best Prices Today: 1949.99 at Asus

In any case, the G16’s display has been honed for exceptional performance. The backlighting provides a decent 500 nits of peak brightness and looks very bright. In fact, the panel did a fine job rendering colors – I particularly noticed vivid reds and greens in the games I was trialing.

The contrast was perfectly fine too, with the dark areas of maps looking very menacing in games like Sniper Elite 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2. Plus, Nvidia’s G-Sync support seemed to all but eliminate screen tearing so I could simply enjoy video and gaming in splendid uninterrupted motion.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

The G16’s display is also Pantone Validated for thos