ASUS is updating their GL70x line today with the Strix SCAR II GL704, which looks like a nice upgrade for their Strix line. The GL704 has taken the thin-bezel revolution to the 17-inch gaming laptop, making it about the same size as previous 15.6-inch models.

The ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II GL704 is a bit of a mouthful of a name, but it should offer good performance for a mid-range gaming notebook, with either an Intel Core i5-8300H, or Core i7-8750H processor, and the NVIDIA GTX 1060 GPU. You can get up to 32 GB of DDR4 RAM, and 128 GB to 512 GB SSDs coupled with an optional 2.5-inch spinning 1 TB drive in either SSHD or HHD for extra storage.

ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II
Component GL704
CPU Intel Core i5-8300H
4 core, 8 thread, 2.3-4.0 GHz
45W TDP, 8MB Cache
Intel Core i7-8750H
6 core, 12 thread, 2.2 -4.1 GHz
45W TDP, 9MB Cache
Graphics NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
1280 CUDA Cores
80 TU
48 ROPs
6 GB GDDR5 192-bit
Memory Up to 32 GB DDR4-2666
SSD 128/256/512 GB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD
HDD Optional 1 TB 5400rpm HDD
Optional 1 TB 5400rpm SSHD
Display 17.3-inch 1920x1080 60Hz AHVA
Optional 144Hz AHVA panel
Keyboard 4-zone RGB backlight
Marked WASD keys
1.8mm travel
Audio 2 x 3.5W speakers
Array microphone
I/O 1 x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C
3 x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A
1 x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-A
1 x mDP 1.2
1 x HDMI 2.0
1 x Ethernet
SD Card Reader
Headset jack
Power 180W Power Supply
Wifi 802.11ac 2x2:2 Wave 2 Wifi
Bluetooth 5.0
Dimensions 400 x 273 x 24.9-26.4 mm
15.7 x 10.8 x 0.98-1.03 inches
Weight 2.9 Kg / 6.4 lbs
Availability Sep-18

ASUS will offer two displays. The base model is a 17.3-inch 1920x1080 60 Hz panel, but you can also get it with a 1920x1080 144 Hz model as well. Both panels are AUO AHVA panels (IPS) and should offer good colors and viewing angles, as well as the high refresh on the upgraded panel.

The laptop has contrasting Kevlar and camouflage textures, as well as a gun metal lid. You can’t get a gaming laptop without RGB lighting, and the Strix SCAR II offers seven zones of RGB, with four on the keyboard, two on the light bar on the front edge, and the final one on the ROG logo on the lid.

In addition to the four zones of lighting on the keyboard, it also features keys with 1.8 mm of travel, which should be comfortable, and ASUS uses what they call Overstroke technology to have the key presses actuate at halfway through the travel. The keys are rated for 20 million key presses.

ASUS has three heatsinks in the GL704, with one dedicated to the GTX 1060, and the other two shared between both the CPU and GPU. ASUS uses a thin-fin heatsink which they say offers better cooling and airflow in the laptop design.

If you’re in the market for a mid-range gaming laptop, the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR II GL704 will be available in September, with full product pricing announced then.

Source: ASUS

Comments Locked

6 Comments

View All Comments

  • Meaker10 - Thursday, August 16, 2018 - link

    Ignoring the massive bezel under the display.... Where the web cam is now useless. Move the display down a few mm and it's much more practical.
  • imaheadcase - Thursday, August 16, 2018 - link

    Huh? Its a gaming laptop none of that actually matters.
  • PeachNCream - Thursday, August 16, 2018 - link

    Why doesn't it matter? Lots of people that play video games find an integrated webcam useful. Just because you use a computer to play games doesn't mean that it can't also be used for other tasks.
  • DanNeely - Thursday, August 16, 2018 - link

    it's still putting the camera in a location that renders it borderline useless. IMO either shift the screen down a quarter in to put it at the top, or drop the camera entirely to cut costs.
  • ionuts - Thursday, August 16, 2018 - link

    Probably decent cooling given the size.
    I still think it needs more USB-C ports.
    Hate not having a large 0 key on the numpad. And that kevlar texture...
  • jb14 - Friday, August 17, 2018 - link

    Shame it doesn't seem to have g-sync or a thunderbolt 3 port. Hopefully more vendors will run with the narrow bezel screens in the 17 inch category in the future.

Log in

Don't have an account? Sign up now