Asus ROG Strix G512 (15.6-inch, 2020)

Solid gaming performance ; RGB lighting is distinctive ; High refresh rate ; Good thermals

Thick and clunky ; No webcam or secure login

Attractive chassis with gorgeous RGB ; Vivid 300Hz display ; Outstanding overall performance ; Comfortable keyboard ; Unique soft-touch palm rest

Dim display ; Fans get loud ; No Thunderbolt 3 port ; No webcam

Acer's ROG Strix Scar G15 is a great option for aspiring e-sports gamers thanks to its 300Hz display, comfortable keyboard and incredible performance.

Strong performance and graphics ; Sleek, punk design ; Punchy keyboard

Dismal display ; Below-average battery life ; Hollow audio

The Asus ROG Strix G15 (G512LI) presents a sleek body and a punchy keyboard, but hollow audio and a dismal display weigh it down.

Plenty of power for AAA gaming ; Ergonomically sound ; Superb 300Hz screen

USB speeds limited to 5Gbits/sec ; Lacks an integrated webcam

There’s plenty to like about the Asus ROG Strix G15. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it’s the gaming laptop to beat in 2021 so far. It’s reasonably priced, faster than anything I tested in 2020 and has a decent display as well. Just watch out for...

fair design and solid build quality ; good inputs and IO ; punchy and fast QHD 240 Hz screen ; more powerful than the 2021 generation, but mostly on the GPU side ; versatile Manual profile in Armory Crate ; 90W battery and good runtimes ; punchy audio...

some quirks affecting everyday ergonomics, but improvements over the Scars ; no Thunderbolt/USB 4, card-reader, camera or biometrics ; high CPU and GPU temperatures with games & demanding loads (can be tweaked in Manual mode)

Requires 15A socket for charging ; CPU not best for single-threaded tasks ; Lacks Thunderbolt port ; No integrated webcam

Stellar battery life ; 300Hz refresh rate ; Great non-ray tracing performance

Mushy keys ; CPU runs hot ; Disappointing ray tracing performance

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Distinctive design ; Good connectivity ; Enjoyable day-to-day use

Performance doesn't stand out ; Display is lacking ; No Nvidia G-Sync

In fairness to Asus, most of these problems are not exclusive to the ROG Strix G512LI. The budget gaming laptop market is in an awkward place because Nvidia still hasn’t released a replacement for the aging GTX 16-series GPUs. There’s a huge gap...

Great design ; Good performance in CPU and CPU+GPU loads ; Armoury Crate for customization ; Excellent power/fan profiles ; Multiple configurations and easily upgradeable

All plastic build ; Permanent Pink ROG WASD Keys ; No Display Port, No card-reader, No Thunderbolt 3 ; Lacks camera or biometrics ; Bulky Charging Adapter

The Asus ROG Strix G512LV is one of the most unique looking gaming laptops that money can buy. From the Electro Punk color scheme to the complete RGB lighting, there is nothing in the market that can quite match the fashion sense of the Strix G512LV.