CES 2021: ASUS shows off its latest ROG laptops

With the launch of the RTX 30 series laptop GPUs and Ryzen 5000H mobile processors, ASUS is updating its laptop lineup with a few new additions, including the compact ROG Flow X13, 15-inch and 17-inch Strix Scar and G laptops, and the new Zephyrus Duo 15 SE.

Based on the specifications of these new ASUS laptops, it seems that there won't be any Intel CPU options for now. These new ROG laptops expected to be available in Q1 2021, will be cooled using liquid metal TIM and powered by up to the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX and RTX 3080 mobile GPUs, offering a powerful hardware combination capable of rivalling high-end desktops.

Starting with the dual-screen ASUS Zephyrus Duo 15 SE, this powerful laptop will feature 16GB of DDR4-3200 (32GB max.) soldered memory, up to a Ryzen 9 5900HX, and an RTX 3080 laptop GPU, which will then be paired with an FHD main display with 300Hz refresh rate or a 4K main display with 120Hz refresh rate. Depending on the main display, the respective 14.1-inch ScreenPad Plus is either a 1920x550p IPS screen or a 3840×1100 IPS screen, both with a 60Hz refresh rate.

The new ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 SE will be available in February, starting at £2499.99.

The ROG Flow X13 is an ultraportable gaming laptop equipped with a GeForce GTX 1650 and up to a Ryzen 9 5980HS mobile processor. The 13.4-inch screen options include a 1920×1200 IPS panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and touchscreen capabilities, or a 3840×2400 IPS panel with a 60Hz refresh rate and touchscreen.

For those who want a bit more out of the Flow X13, ASUS has created the ROG XG Mobile external GPU dock. Measuring 208x155x29.6mm, this GPU dock is equipped with a mobile RTX 3080 GPU, which is cooled by a vapor chamber solution and a single fan. The ROG XG Mobile external GPU dock also features additional I/O ports to expand the connectivity of the laptop, including a USB-Hub, video outputs, and more.

The  ROG Flow X13 will be priced at £1499.99, and it will be available in February. Pricing of the ROG XG Mobile external GPU dock was not disclosed yet, but it should release before Q1 2021 ends. The dock will be available separately, or as a bundle with the laptop.

Jumping onto the ROG Strix 15-inch (G15) and 17-inch (G17) laptops, both models are similarly specced, featuring up to an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060/3070 GPU, up to 32GB of RAM, and up to 2TB of SSD storage. The 15-inch model comes with two display options, both with a 3ms response time: a FullHD IPS panel with a 300Hz refresh rate, and a QHD IPS panel with a 165Hz refresh rate. The 17-inch model features the same display options but with a bigger screen.

Connectivity ports include 3x USB-A 3.2 Gen1 interfaces, a USB-C 3.2 Gen2 interface, a LAN RJ-45 jack, an HDMI 2.0b interface, and an audio combo jack. Available colours include original black, eclipse gray, and electro punk. Both models will be available in Q1 2021, with the 15-inch model starting at £899.99, and the 17-inch model at £1299.99.

The 15-inch and 17-inch Scar laptops are basically a beefed-up version of the Strix G laptops, equipped with up to an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU, up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU, up to 32GB of RAM, and up to 2TB of SSD storage. The display options of both models are also the same, coming with either a FullHD IPS display with a 300Hz refresh rate or a QHD IPS panel with a 165Hz refresh rate.

The ROG Scar laptops also feature a similar set of connectivity ports, but it distinguishes itself from the Strix G laptops thanks to the mechanical keyboard with per-key RGB lighting and superior sound system. The Scar laptops will be only available in ‘original black'. With a starting price of £1899.99, both models should be available in February.

KitGuru says: Which ASUS laptop seems more exciting? Do you think dual-screen laptops will become mainstream? What your opinion on the ROG Flow X13 and ROG XG Mobile external GPU dock? 

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