Asus introduces Surface for gamers and more

Asus has been offering devices designed for gamers under the Republic of Gamer (ROG) label for years. These range from desktop computers and various accessories like monitors and mice to gaming smartphones with removable fans like the Asus ROG Phone 3.

The company is expanding its ROG portfolio at the CES 2023 electronics show. At least 13 new products are vying for players’ attention. That’s a lot of new announcements, but the highlights are clear.

Contents:

Asus ROG Flow Z13 – a surface for gamers

A definite highlight has to be the Asus ROG Flow Z13, which is designed as a 2-in-1 device and packs all sorts of high-powered gaming hardware into the chassis.

Similar to the Microsoft Surface, it originally consisted of a compact computing unit in a tablet format. The 13.4-inch touch screen with 2560 x 1600 pixels and a frequency of 165 Hz shows a brightness of at least 500 cd/m², which is enough to easily recognize game content in brighter rooms.

The material composition lies below the screen, which makes the tongues of the players tick. With the powerful Intel Core i9-13900H, Asus has chosen a processor that is both fast and energy efficient.

It is supported by a GeForce RTX 4060 desktop graphics unit with 8 GB of video RAM and up to 16 GB of RAM and up to 1 terabyte of SSD flash storage.

With Dolby Atmos sound, WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 and multiple USB ports, Asus engineers have used every square millimeter to accommodate the noble technology.

Low battery

However, there are weaknesses in the concept. Real gamers probably won’t be happy with an extremely flat clip-on keyboard. And at 56 Wh, the battery is strong enough on paper, but it should also power hardware that’s actually meant for desktop use.

The expected short battery life hampers the concept of a 2-in-1 mobile device. Microsoft’s Surface series may not be able to keep up with the estimated computing power of its ROG counterpart. In terms of endurance, the Asus tablet should run out of air faster.

The Asus ROG Flow Z13 will be released in 2023 at an undisclosed price.

Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 – an eye-catching powerhouse

Republic of Gamer Strix Scar – A name like a Scrabble winning streak. This year’s flagship game is hidden behind a difficult name. It comes in a conservatively designed laptop sleeve, but still focuses more on internal values.

With an Intel Core i9-13980HX processor and an Nvidia RTX 4090 in the best configuration, the superior graphics card does its job – of course. Memory hardware is also one of the exaggerated advantages. 64 GB of RAM and up to 4 TB of SSD flash memory support not only games, but also a wide range of creative projects in Adobe Creative Cloud and Co.

Asus hides its real selling point in the specification sheet, a bit flirtatious. The 16-inch display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels is not only high resolution. It offers ultra-smooth playback at 240 Hz and is based on mini LEDs. They reproduce colors richly and naturally, and thanks to their unique lighting technology, they are easy on the eyes and suitable for long laptop sessions.

The rest of the hardware matches a high-end laptop. A keyboard with a numeric keypad on the touch panel is soldered to the motherboard, along with fast WiFi 6 and the latest Bluetooth HDMI 2.1 and 4 USB ports.

pre-execution performance

However, Asus proves once again that computing power and hardware are better than long battery life. At 90 Wh, the battery is just undersized. Therefore, ROG Strix Scar 16 is more suitable for home use, which is emphasized by Strix Scar 16’s weight of 2.5 kg.

Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 (Weight: 2.5 kg)

Processor: Intel Pentium Core i9-13980HX / Graphics unit: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 16 GB

Screen: 16-inch screen, 2560 x 1600 pixels, 240 Hz

RAM: up to 64 GB / flash memory: up to 4 TB SSD

Hardware: 1 x 3.5mm audio jack / 1 x USB-C Thunderbolt 4 / 1 x USB-C 3.2 display port 1.4 / 2 x USB 3.2 Type-A / WiFi 6E (802.11 ax) / Bluetooth 5.2 / 1 x microSDXC card reader / 1 x LAN / 1 x HDMI 2.1

Operating system: not specified

Battery life: not specified / 90 Wh capacity

This device is also expected to be released in 2023 and the price has not been determined yet.

ROG Swift Pro PG248QP – 540 Hz for new records

The question often arises as to why manufacturers release certain devices. That was recently the case with the completely over-restricted Hanvon N10 Max e-reader. Now the Swift Pro PG248QP is the gaming monitor for the needs of gamers they didn’t even know existed.

What it lacked in marketing budget to create a neat product name, Asus invested in the research and development of this superior monitor. The 24.1-inch screen can display up to 540Hz.

This means that the image is reconstructed 540 times (!) per second. Asus achieves this only with an overclocking trick, with the help of which the display rebuilds the image several times. It means that 540 Hz does not correspond to 540 frames per second in game.

Asus installs an E-TN panel aimed at e-athletes. The technology provides a 60% faster response time compared to a standard TN panel, thus delivering a clearer, streak-free image. The G-Sync processor with Nvidia Reflex Analyzer minimizes system lag, as long as your PC has the right analog.

High Hz or high resolution?

While the foldable stand is “nice to have,” Asus lays eggs elsewhere: with a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, the Swift Pro PG248QP only offers Full HD, which is well below current display standards. So it’s a compromise: if you want 540 Hz, you have to do without high resolution. If you want a finer image, it is better to use 240 Hz monitors.

The monitor only has an approximate launch date: the device should be available from us in 2023. The company did not disclose its price.

Overall, Asus has proven once again that it puts everything on the “gamer” card with its new ROG devices. The company remains true to the Republic of Gamers concept: pack only the best hardware into compact cases and add battery life and portability to the list of priorities.