Best ASUS gaming laptop buyer’s guide 2024

The best ASUS gaming laptops currently available, from the premium ASUS ROG line to the budget ASUS TUF gaming laptop range

Table of Contents Table of Contents

This guide will help you find the best ASUS gaming laptop in 2024 for your budget and personal requirements. We’ll be covering the full range of premium ASUS ROG Zephyrus laptops, down to the more affordable ASUS TUF gaming range, listing the pros and cons of each in order to help you make your choice.

How good are ASUS gaming laptops?

ASUS gaming laptops are some of the best in the business. They regularly make an appearance on our ‘best of’ lists for different price points, particularly in the mid to high-end price brackets.

Besides their great gaming performance, the battery life on ASUS gaming laptops tends to be among the best, particularly for the ones that have AMD CPUs. Speaker quality, typically poor in gaming laptops, is usually also pretty respectable on ASUS models.

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Best ASUS gaming laptops 2024: in-depth review

Best ASUS gaming laptop with AMD Ryzen CPU

ASUS ROG Strix G17 (240Hz QHD, Ryzen 9 7845HX/7945HX)

CPU

AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX / 7945HX

Graphics Card

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 / 4070 / 4080

RAM

16GB/32GB DDR5 RAM (4800MHz)

Storage

1TB SSD

Max Refresh Rate

240Hz

Resolution

‎2560 x 1440

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Pros

• Ryzen CPU options are the most powerful laptop processors available
• Great gaming performance from GPU & CPU
• Great value for the power
• Good color replication

Cons

• Somewhat plastic build quality
• only 16:9 aspect ratio

The ASUS ROG Strix G17 with the latest Ryzen 9 CPUs is quite simply one of the best value high-end gaming laptops we’ve seen, and is a top pick on our best-of guides across all brands. To clear up any confusion, the ASUS ROG Strix G17 and ASUS ROG Strix SCAR variants are not the same device, though it’s not always obvious which you’re looking at when they’re listed on a retailer site. The SCAR variant typically commands a higher price, due to its better build quality, cooling, port coverage, and a distinct visual design. However, we still believe the non-SCAR variants are the superior choice on a performance/price basis, and we heartily recommend them.

With this G17 you have two processor options: the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX and Ryzen 9 7945HX, and a variety of Nvidia 40-series GPUs. This is one of those cases where we’d actually recommend the highest spec variant (with RTX 4080) as our top pick, as it actually offers the best value out of any of them and will demolish any AAA game for years to come. The AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX is the most powerful CPU across any brand right now so is a highly desirable piece of kit. These components also make any rendering tasks a breeze.

The G17 features a 17″ 240Hz 1440p screen, providing a nice and sizeable display, although it is constrained to the 16:9 aspect ratio, unlike the more modern 16:10 aspect ratio found in some contemporary gaming laptops (with 1600p resolution). Nevertheless, the display offers 100% sRGB color reproduction, making it suitable for light color work.

While the laptop chassis may give a slightly plasticky feel, and the webcam may not be top-notch, these are relatively minor drawbacks compared to the impressive value you receive for your investment. Overall, it’s a rare find to come across a gaming laptop that offers such remarkable power at such a reasonable price. If you don’t mind the laptop’s 17-inch size, we certainly recommend it.

Best ASUS gaming laptop with Intel CPU

ASUS ROG Strix G18 (i9-13980HX, RTX 4080)

CPU

Intel Core i9-13980HX

Graphics Card

Up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080

RAM

16GB/32GB/64GB DDR5 RAM

Storage

1TB-2TB SSD

Max Refresh Rate

240Hz

Resolution

2560 x 1600

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Pros

• good value for money
• very powerful GPU & CPU
• 240Hz 1600p display with good response time
• good color replication

Cons

• somewhat plastic build
• some coil whine and fan noise under heavy loads
• sub-par webcam quality

The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very similar to the above G17 as you’d expect, so we won’t waste time repeating ourselves at length about its pros and cons, but it does differ in two main areas. Firstly its bigger as you’d expect – with an 18-inch display but with larger dimensions and greater weight to boot – this might be a pro or a con depending upon your priorities. Secondly, this particular variant comes with an Intel CPU: the Intel Core i9-13980HX, which is not quite as powerful as the top Ryzen 9 pick in the G17, plus does suffer a bit from high heat output and thermal throttling, but is certainly still a hugely powerful CPU and well-worth buying.

Everything considered, this is once again a fantastic high-end laptop available at a reasonable price.

Best 14-inch ASUS gaming laptop

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2023)

CPU

AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS / 9 7940HS

Graphics

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 / 4070 / 4080 / 4090

RAM

16GB/32GB/64GB DDR5

Storage

512GB/1TB/2TB SSD

Screen Size

14.3″

Max Refresh Rate

165Hz

How We Review

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Pros

• MUX Switch
• great gaming performance for a smaller laptop
• great response time
• 16:10 screen gives more vertical space
• great color replication
• superb peak brightness
• great trackpad
• good battery life
• good array of ports, including MicroSD slot
• decent speakers
• light and portable
• looks great

Cons

• keyboard build quality and backlighting could be improved
• no ethernet caps your internet to 1Gpbs
• difficult to navigate onboard software

The latest version of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is a 14-inch laptop with a 2560 x 1600 display and a large variety of loadouts covering the latest Nvidia GeForce 40-series graphics cards, from the RTX 4060 laptop GPU all the way to the ridiculously powerful RTX 4090. Although the keyboard can feel a bit loose and lacking in build quality compared to competing models out there, like the Razer Blade 14, in basically every other area this is a fantastic laptop, and like the previous two iterations before it, is a regular feature in our best gaming laptop lists. You can read our review of the 2022 version to get a better idea.

Both the AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS and the more powerful Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU options do well in both games and in multi-core workstation scenarios, making the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 ideal for someone looking for portable dual-gaming and productivity set up. The wide 100% sRGB color gamut and respectable color accuracy of the screen also add to this, making it suitable for light color work. Even the speakers, generally a weak area on laptops, are of a respectable standard, though they don’t quite match MacBooks in this regard.

The coverage of ports on the laptop is good for a smaller device, and includes HDMI 2.1 a MicroSD card reader, two USB-C ports (one with power delivery), and two USB-A ports. That being said the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is thin, light, aesthetically well-designed and comes with one of the best battery durations you will find in a gaming laptop, averaging around 10 hours during strenuous, non-gaming use. All-in-all, a fantastic machine!

Best ASUS gaming laptop for streamers / creatives

ASUS Zephyrus Duo 16 2023 (240Hz QHD+, Ryzen 9 7945HX)

CPU

AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX

Graphics

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 / RTX 4090

RAM

32GB/64GB DDR5 RAM

Storage

1-8TB SSD

Screen Size

16”

Max Refresh Rate

240Hz

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Pros

• The most powerful laptop CPU in the game
• great gaming and workstation performance
• MUX Switch
• liquid metal cooling
• unique second display useful for creatives

Cons

• very expensive
• keyboard & touchpad placement takes getting used to

The 2023 ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 2023 is the latest generation of one of ASUS’ unique designs: a dual screen laptop with secondary touch display that’s perfect for streamers on the move, or gamers who also do high-end creative work in various types of editing software.

The laptop incorporates the latest and most potent AMD Ryzen 7000 series laptop CPU, specifically the Ryzen 9 7945HX chip. The laptop boasts a stunningly bright 240Hz Mini-LED screen, offering 700nits brightness (1400nits for HDR content) with both FreeSync and G-Sync support. With complete coverage of 100% sRGB and 100% DCI-P3, it delivers exceptional color accuracy ranging from 1.7 – 1.2 ΔE (subject to calibration), ideal for creatives with color-based workflows.

One of the most distinctive features of the Asus Zephyrus Duo series is its secondary screen, which is positioned between the main display and the keyboard and is raised upwards. The touch screen functionality of this second display allows users to conveniently showcase alternative media while gaming (such as Discord or YouTube) or display different windows of their editing program (e.g., the timeline) to facilitate multitasking and utilize touch-based controls.

As a result of the addition of the second display, the trackpad, which also serves as a numpad, is located to the side of the keyboard, requiring a short adjustment period to get used to. However, the keyboard itself offers decent quality and responsiveness. All told, this is an impressively powerful an uniquely designed machine with a fantastic primary display.

Best budget ASUS gaming laptop

ASUS TUF Gaming A15 (i7-11800H, RTX 3050 Ti)

CPU

Intel Core i7-11800H

Graphics Card

Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti

RAM

16GB

Max Refresh Rate

144/240Hz

Resolution

1920 x 1080

Screen Size

15.6”

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Pros

• 240Hz version has decent response time
• 240Hz version has good color replication
• fantastic battery life

Cons

• 144Hz version has poor response time
• 240Hz version not worth paying full price for

The ASUS TUF A15 comes in a variety of specification options, with different GPUs, displays, and CPUs. Whilst some of the more highly specced versions are solid performing laptops, their price takes them more into the mid-range market, where there are better options available from other brands, like the Lenovo Legion 5 for instance. For us, the specification that most makes sense is the AMD Ryzen 7 4800H CPU and Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU option, which you should be able to pick up under $1,000 if you go with the 144Hz display option, however this has its drawbacks as well.

All iterations of the ASUS TUF A15 come with 1080p screens, which is ideal for gaming on a 15.6” display. The 240Hz version of this display (a good refresh rate for this price) comes with a 7ms grey to grey response time, which is decent, but the 144Hz display model is considerably worse: expect well over 14ms which will cause noticeable ghosting in fast-paced games. If you manage to get hold of a 240Hz version (they seem harder to come by) you will likely end up paying more, to the point where it might be worth saving a bit more an instead buying the G15 Advantage Edition listed above, for substantially better performance.

Similarly for color gamut, on the 240Hz version you can expect around 96% sRGB, which is just on the borderline for doing color-accurate work in this space, and around 70% coverage in the Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 spaces. For gaming purposes all these results are absolutely fine. However, the 144Hz option scores substantially worse in all these areas; only managing around 67% sRGB and worse in the other spaces. Peak brightness on both versions is okay and contrast is decent.

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Things to consider when buying an ASUS gaming laptop

Are ASUS gaming laptops worth buying?

ASUS gaming laptops often feature in our various best-of guides, and for our money, ASUS is definitely the best gaming laptop manufacturer overall of 2022. Not only do they offer some great gaming laptops across different sizes, like the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 and G15, but they also push the envelope with more experimental devices like the ASUS ROG Flow X16, ASUS ROG Flow Z13, and ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 16.

Are ASUS gaming laptops expensive?

Not all ASUS gaming laptops are expensive. The ASUS TUF range caters specifically to budget tastes, and you can get reasonable prices on the likes of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14, particularly the previous-gen 2022 version of the laptop and the 2021 version before that.

ASUS gaming laptop FAQs

Which ASUS laptop is best for gaming and work?

If you’re looking for a portable machine that you can game and work on then the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is a great choice, and you can pick up older gen versions of the laptop for an affordable price.

If your work is that of a high-end creative professional that video/audio edits and/or does color graded work, then the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 is a unique dual-screen laptop – a premium device that costs a substantial amount but which is very powerful.

Is an ASUS gaming laptop better than Acer?

Acer are a solid brand with many good quality products in the gaming laptop space that cover all budgets. ASUS however are, in our opinion, the number one gaming laptop brand at the moment, as not only do they produce laptops that routinely score well in all our reviews, but because they push the envelope in creating unique laptop designs like the Duo 16, X-fold series, and Z-fold series.

Other gaming laptop brand guides

In-depth laptop reviews

• XPG Xenia 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q review
• Razer Blade Pro 17 1080p 360Hz (2021) review
• Razer Blade 14 1440p 165Hz AMD review
• XMG Neo 15 E21 / Eluktronics MECH-15 G3 (2021) review
• XMG Neo 15 E22 / Eluktronics MECH-15 G3 (2022) & OASIS liquid cooling review

‘Best of’ brand guides

• Acer gaming laptop
• Alienware gaming laptop
• Alienware 17in laptop
• Dell gaming laptop
• HP gaming laptop
• Lenovo gaming laptop
• MSI gaming laptop
• Razer gaming laptop
• RTX 3080 Ti laptop
• RTX 3080 laptop
• RTX 3070 Ti laptop
• RTX 3070 laptop
• RTX 3060 laptop
• RTX 3050 & 3050 Ti laptop

‘Best of’ price guides

• The best gaming laptops
• The best gaming laptops under $500
• The best gaming laptops under $600
• The best gaming laptops under $700
• The best gaming laptops under $800
• The best gaming laptops under $1,000
• The best gaming laptops under $1,500
• The best gaming laptops under $2,000
• The best gaming laptops under $2,500

Final word

We hope this guide has helped you make the choice as to which is the best ASUS gaming laptop for you in 2024. If you’re interested in looking at gaming laptops across all brands, do be sure to check out our best gaming laptop page, or alternatively have a look at some of our other gaming laptop guides based on different price points, under Custom Gaming PC > Gaming Laptop in the top menu bar.