• 3 min read
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 is a brute of a gaming laptop
Asus' 18-inch ROG Strix Scar 18 pairs a Core Ultra 9 and RTX 5090 with a 240Hz Mini-LED display, but it starts at $6,299 and weighs 7.27 lbs.
Image: TechRadar
Asus' ROG Strix Scar 18 is built to do one thing above all else: deliver top-tier gaming performance without much regard for portability. TechRadar’s review calls it the best and biggest gaming laptop you can buy right now, pairing a flagship Intel Core Ultra 9 chip with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 laptop GPU and a bright 18-inch Mini-LED 240Hz display.
That power comes at a steep price. The configuration reviewed costs $6,299 / £5,699 / AU$8,379 and is available now in the US, UK, and Australia. A lower-tier model with an RTX 5070, 32GB RAM, and a 2TB SSD is roughly $/£2,000 less, though the GPU is not upgradeable later.
On paper, the system is loaded:
- CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090
- Display: 18-inch ROG Nebula HDR, 2560 x 1600, Mini-LED, 240Hz
- RAM: 64GB DDR5-5600
- Storage: 4TB SSD
- Wireless: Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
- Weight: 7.27 lbs / 3.30 kg
Design and display
This is a true desktop replacement. TechRadar notes that the 18-inch chassis is too large for a standard backpack, while the laptop’s 7.27 lbs weight is joined by a 2.2 lbs / 1 kg power brick. Asus leans into that bulk with an angular design, RGB lighting, and its AniMe Vision rear display, a monochrome programmable panel for custom messages.
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The screen is one of the standout features. TechRadar says the 2.5K panel is a strong fit for this size, with Mini-LED helping colors pop even at wide angles. The keyboard also gets positive marks, though the trackpad and speakers are described as underwhelming.
A more practical touch is serviceability: the bottom panel can be removed without tools to upgrade the RAM and SSDs. Port selection includes 2x Thunderbolt 5, 3x USB 3.2, HDMI 2.1, 2.5G LAN, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
Performance and battery life
In testing, the Scar 18 posted big numbers. TechRadar reports 62 FPS in 007 First Light at ultra settings, rising to as much as 170 FPS at lower settings, and up to 225 FPS with DLSS enabled.
Benchmark results included:
- 3DMark Time Spy: 21,574
- 3DMark Port Royal: 14,368
- Geekbench 6 multicore: 26,101
- Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Ultra): 129.8 fps
- Dirt 5 (1080p, Ultra): 197.2 fps
The machine also handled creator workloads well, according to the review, including 8K video timelines and 3D tracking in Adobe apps. Asus offers Silent, Performance, and Turbo modes, but the highest setting makes the cooling system “jet engine-like” despite the vapor chamber design.
Battery life is decent for a machine in this class, though not while gaming. TechRadar recorded five hours and three minutes in the PCMark 10 battery test and five hours and 18 minutes in a 1080p VLC loop, while heavy gaming cut that to under 90 minutes.
TechRadar used the Scar 18 as a daily machine for a month and tested it with games including 007 First Light, Pragmata, and Forza Horizon 6.
The review was first published in July 2026.
Computing Editor
Tomas lives in the terminal. He covers chips, laptops, and operating systems with a focus on performance and efficiency. He reads kernel changelogs the way other people read fiction, and he's always on the hunt for the perfect mechanical keyboard switch. If it processes data, Tomas has an opinion on it.
via TechRadar
