Asus Strix G16 Review: A Powerhouse with Smart Value

Performance That Punches Above Its Tier

The Strix G16 isn’t just another mid-tier gaming laptop—it’s one of the best uses of a 5070 Ti GPU we've seen so far. Asus allows the GPU to pull significant wattage, meaning it often outperforms even thinner laptops that come equipped with higher-tier GPUs like the RTX 5080. This highlights what we’ve been saying for a while: GPU wattage and thermals can matter more than the GPU itself.

In CPU benchmarks, the new Ryzen HX3D holds its own against Intel’s Arrow Lake HX chips, even managing higher efficiency in some workloads. For creative users, it performs admirably in applications like Premiere Pro, but Intel still has a slight edge in specific video editing tasks.

Real Gaming, Real Results

In games like Monster Hunter Wilds and Cyberpunk 2077, the Strix G16 delivered strong FPS and competitive 1% lows. It consistently outpaces older 4080 laptops and even some 5080 models in real-world gameplay. Sure, it can’t quite reach the heights of full wattage 5090 systems, but at this price point, it doesn’t need to.

Noise, Heat, and Modes

Thermals and fan noise are well-balanced, especially in Turbo and Performance modes. Even Silent mode remains usable for lighter tasks without major compromises. Just note: with an external monitor connected, the laptop runs warm even under light loads, due to lack of iGPU routing. This also means you cannot use an external monitor in iGPU mode, so keep that in mind.

Build, Keyboard, and Display

The chassis is a mild refresh of last year's Strix Scar 16—solid, but chunky. It’s thicker up front than we’d like, and some might find the palm rest a bit slippery. On the plus side, the keyboard is super tactile with 2mm key travel, an absolute joy to type on. The display is a 16:10 IPS panel with 240Hz refresh rate, 588 nits of brightness, and full GSync support.

Battery and Portability

Expect around 6 hours of battery life in light use. That’s about average for a laptop of this size and class. The port selection is solid but their placement is less than ideal, especially if you’re gaming or working with a right-handed mouse.

Price & Value

There are two key variants:

• The Ryzen 9 HX3D with 32GB RAM (~$2,500 MSRP)
• A cheaper Zen 4 model with 16GB RAM (~$2,000 MSRP)

If these dip below $2,200 and $1,800 respectively, they’re the first “buy now” recommendation we’ve made in the 50-series lineup.

Final Thoughts

The Strix G16 is one of the first truly well-balanced laptops of this generation. If you can find it on sale, it’s a no-brainer. If not, keep your eye on the price tracker we just added to our site. And if you’re considering alternatives, stay tuned—we’re testing competitors like the Legion Pro 5i soon.