AMD has constantly been on the prime by way of its processor choices, notably in latest instances. In the graphics house, nonetheless, Nvidia has largely managed to outperform AMD’s Radeon choices. The former, with its Ampere based mostly ray tracing GPUs, have been the graphics processors of selection for premium and flagship gaming PCs, even because the AMD Ryzen 9 5000 sequence CPUs have more and more changed Intel’s Core i7 and i9 SKUs. To fill on this hole, AMD has launched the Radeon RX 6800M as a rival to Nvidia choices. The Asus ROG Strix G15 Advantage Edition brings on this new GPU alongside the Ryzen 9 5900HX — in an all-AMD gaming laptop computer setup.
Key specs
Alongside the AMD CPU and GPU, the Asus ROG Strix G15 Advantage Edition SKU that we reviewed options 16GB DDR4-3200 RAM, and a 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD for storage. While worldwide SKUs function a full HD, 300Hz IPS show, the one we had homes a 165Hz panel. The show provides Quad HD decision in a traditional, 16:9 facet ratio, together with 3ms response time, one hundred pc protection of the DCI-P3 color gamut, 1000:1 distinction ratio, and AMD FreeSync adaptive enabled.
You additionally get a deliberate improve to Windows 11, a 4-zone RGB backlight on the keyboard, and twin audio system. In phrases of connectivity, you get Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 for wi-fi units, and by way of wired ports, you get three USB-A 3.2 Gen1, one USB-C 3.2 Gen2 with DisplayPort and USB Power Delivery assist, an HDMI 2.0b, an Ethernet and a 3.5mm audio combo port. All of that is powered by a 90Wh battery.
Performance: The AMD duo hits massive
Given that you just’d actually be shopping for the Strix G15 Advantage Edition for the AMD CPU-GPU combo, it’s pure that we’d start our assessment by speaking about it. While I’ve beforehand used the Ryzen 9 5900HX on a laptop computer earlier than (and located it to be a complete beast), the Radeon RX 6800M is a brand new entrant. Based on the asking price ticket of Rs 1.55 lakh of the Asus ROG Strix G15 Advantage Edition, the Radeon RX 6800M falls squarely within the Nvidia RTX 3060 territory, tending in direction of some RTX 3070 choices too.
Incidentally, additionally it is AMD’s entry into ray tracing graphics for premium gaming laptops, which implies that the Strix G15 right here has rather a lot to dwell as much as. During the course of our assessment, we performed an fascinating mixture of titles on it —Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, FIFA 21, GTA V, Cyberpunk 2077 and F1 2021. The combine confirmed an fascinating efficiency breakdown by the RX 6800M, and the methods during which AMD makes use of its in-house applied sciences to optimise the best way your complete setup works.
The AMD GPU produces constantly regular body charges, with the graphics setting in our video games set to excessive in Valhalla, extremely in FIFA 21, very excessive in GTA V, and excessive in each Cyberpunk 2077 and F1 2021. Valhalla’s wonderful setting design appears to be like wonderful on the Strix G15 in consequence, with wonderful ray tracing rendering at full HD decision. Frame charges are constantly within the vary of 68-75fps, which mixes with the 3ms display response time to provide little to no body tear.
At its peak ‘ultra’ setting in full HD, FIFA 21 breezes by means of at round 101fps, which is just about nearly as good as you want the sport to be. The story is basically the identical minus in Cyberpunk 2077, the place the RX 6800M seems to battle intermittently with body tears and body drops. This is mixed with good thermal administration on the Strix G15, which ensures that even lengthy hours of gaming on it don’t develop into uncomfortable attributable to any case of warmth emanating by means of the keyboard.
The AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX supplies loads of grunt to make all of this doable, which is simply what we’ve seen from it earlier than. It is a largely constant processor, and on the Strix G15, provides to the laptop computer’s versatility. It can be the rationale why demanding artistic professionals would discover this laptop computer pretty usable, which by the way is one space the place the RX 6800M seems to battle a bit. In heavy-layer Photoshop duties and 4K timeline encoding through Premiere Pro, the Strix G15 seems to take a contact longer than laptops operating on the RTX 3070 — though it is kind of in step with what RTX 3060 laptops produce.
While I didn’t have both of the Nvidia GPUs on laptops round me to check in parallel, all use circumstances present that peak body charges rendered by the RDNA 2 era GPU listed below are a tad decrease than Nvidia rivals. This could have an effect on creators to an extent in a few of the extra demanding circumstances, equivalent to per-frame color grading. Rendering instances, nonetheless, are largely acceptable due to AMD SmartShare and SmartAccess, which allocate reminiscence and processor assets intelligently. It is a transparent benefit that you just get with this Strix G15 over an AMD-Nvidia configuration, and makes this one a clearly higher performer.
For on a regular basis duties, the Strix G15 exhibits no indicators of battle. It waltzes by means of heavy, multi-tab browser usages, even with heavy net pages that stay in energetic reminiscence and don’t maintain reloading. This permits a considerably handy degree of multitasking that makes on a regular basis work on this laptop computer a superb expertise. Eventually, you realise that for many duties barring the completely demanding area of interest ones, the Asus ROG Strix G15 Advantage Edition is nice enjoyable to work on,
Display: Fast and vivid, however a bit boring
All of that is capped in our variant by a 16:9, full HD show with 165Hz refresh charge and 3ms response time. While the response time is nice for avid gamers and creators alike, the body charge cap towards its worldwide variant, the place the Strix G15 encompasses a 300Hz panel, is a bit disappointing. Esports aficionados will doubtless discover this much more, because the laptop computer has the ability to provide excessive body charges that the show can’t sustain with at full HD, in aggressive esports titles equivalent to DotA:2 and CS:GO.
In phrases of colors, the Strix G15 isn’t precisely the very best in its circuit, however isn’t unhealthy, both. The AMD FreeSync Adaptive assist works to maintain the show quick, which creators would notably like. However, the dynamic tonal vary of colors produced here’s a bit restricted, which you’d notably discover in vibrant gaming worlds or when modifying 4K timelines imported in HLG or different profiles. The vibrancy of the panel, due to this fact, seems to be barely on the duller finish — despite the fact that its peak brightness is sufficient.
Design and construct: LEDs too flashy for work
Even for those who purchase the Asus ROG Strix G15 Advantage Edition for the AMD efficiency, the Strix line of laptops all the time have a factor or two so as to add about their design statements. This one has a scorching swappable sprint of color to the left of its hinge which you could apparently customise, per-key RGB LEDs on the keyboard (which is the least you’d anticipate right here) and a brilliant flashy band of RGB LEDs streaking throughout the laptop computer on its backside ledge. You have the choice to show it off, or sync it to the remainder of the laptop computer due to Asus Aura Sync through Armory Crate.
Whichever method you have a look at it, this isn’t a laptop computer that you just’d take to your austere office, though there’s nobody stopping you from doing so, per se. The LEDs are undoubtedly too flashy for a day’s work, however you’re doubtless not shopping for this one if video conferencing is the place you spend most of your time. However, whereas the Strix G15 does make an plain assertion by way of its design, I’m not notably keen on the construct high quality.
Even although the ROG Strix G15 doesn’t precisely really feel badly put collectively, it feels a bit too plasticky for a laptop computer that prices over Rs 1.5 lakh. Even the LED strip beneath the bottom appears to be like a bit cheap, and the keys don’t really feel posh on tactile suggestions, both. The hinge is sturdy, which is nice if you’re a heavy handed person. But, it doesn’t fairly have the identical aesthetic really feel that, say, a Zephyrus sequence laptop computer from Asus’ ROG steady has.
In phrases of the general ergonomics of the ports structure, issues are largely the place they need to be. The rear going through ports add to serving to you retain your desk uncluttered, and on the transfer, the alignment of the only USB-C and the three USB-A ports are straightforward to succeed in. The ports are additionally of latest era, which retains issues working how they need to.
Keyboard and trackpad: A bit mushy, however not unhealthy
The keyboard on the Strix G15 is first rate, albeit not fairly the very best. Where it feels a bit underwhelming are in the important thing switches Asus has used, coupled with the important thing suggestions that feels a bit mushy and never as tactile as most avid gamers or heavy writers would really like. Where it does impress is in key journey and total ergonomics, the place it actually excels as a snug laptop computer. Even with lengthy hours put in, the Asus ROG Strix G15 won’t make you are feeling aggravated — you’ll doubtless want for a keyboard with higher suggestions, although.
There isn’t a lot to complain in regards to the trackpad both, which is about alright by way of its smoothness and precision. It doesn’t strike you as among the many most premium laptop computer trackpads round, however for what it’s price, it’s adequate for common utilization. If you’re a creator or a gamer (which you doubtless are for those who’re trying to purchase this), you’ll anyway hook it as much as your personal mouse.
Battery: Super spectacular for a gaming laptop computer
The one space the place the Asus ROG Strix G15 does very nicely is in battery life. Despite being a gaming laptop computer, that are largely infamous for optimum battery lifetime of round 5 hours, this one can virtually final you thru your complete work day. With video streaming and eight hours of writing, mixed with common browser load of 30 energetic net pages, the Strix G15 can final you almost to the tip of a 9-hour work day shift — which is tremendous spectacular.
We didn’t check battery life when gaming on battery, since you’re unlikely to take action both, however I’m pleased to report that there wasn’t an enormous efficiency drop on battery to the purpose of it turning into unplayable. It additionally actually lasts greater than just some minutes, regardless of the AMD GPU bearing greater TDP than Nvidia’s rivals.
Verdict: A enjoyable gaming laptop computer price contemplating
To sum up, the Asus ROG Strix G15 Advantage Edition is a largely splendid laptop computer, notably when you think about its price ticket. For probably the most half, the Strix G15 delivers efficiency equal to laptops operating on RTX 3070s, that are costlier than the Rs 1,54,990 price ticket that this one comes with. As trade-offs, you get a barely dull-ish show, whereas the SSD used right here could seem sluggish compared to rivalling laptops — though this isn’t one thing that we might conclusively check.
Nevertheless, so long as you retain the LEDs off, the Strix G15 can seem self-respecting in workplaces too. The wonderful battery life provides to its professionals, and if you’re searching for a premium Windows laptop computer at round this value, it is a excellent laptop computer to purchase.
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