Customer Ratings & Reviews

Pretty good laptop so far, will update as I spend more time with.

I am adjusting to Windows 11, the speed of the computer is great!

To do this review, I had my gamer son assist me in testing the Asus ROG Strix G18 and I wrote the review based on our mutual thoughts on the computer. I would consider myself average to somewhat advanced gamer, but my son is next level and is pretty gifted at gaming (and humbles me quicker than I care to admit). So, this is an honest review from someone that was extremely impressed with this computer and logged a lot of RPG hours in doing this review. When I look for a gaming computer, I want something that can pull it's weight. With tech always getting bigger, better and faster, it often comes down to a few brands and Asus is always a brand to look at first. The Asus ROG Strix G18 is more than just a strong performer, it feels like it was legitimately made with gamers in mind. Like taking feedback from the field and applying those considerations. It incorporates the top hardware, an advanced cooling system, a superior display, and a top-quality build. For me as a gamer/reviewer this is the best gaming computer I personally have had the chance to review. In this review I will focus on the Processor, GPU, cooling system, the display and build quality. I will then tell you why I like it so much. You can then decide if it would be a good option for you.  The heart of the G18 is the Intel Core i9-13980HX. The 24 core (not a typo) processor is among the most powerful processors on the market today. That includes 8 performance cores and 16 efficiency cores. Performance cores handle the demanding tasks and are faster, while the efficiency cores are just that, more efficient and handle the background tasks. For a gamer, this means more than simply high frame rates. It means you can multitask. Specifically, you can game, stream, record and/or browse with superior performance, without slowing your system down. I tested this playing a few different FPS games with the setting placed on high. I had various chrome tabs open, running OBS to stream and listening to some music. No stutters or any sort of delay what so ever, everything was smooth. Everything loaded quickly, background taskers were still responsive and demanding software runs smooth as silk. This kind of CPU performance is beneficial for gamers, as this core power makes sure your games never lag even with other programs running in the background. This computer will handle anything you throw at it.  For any gaming computer, the graphics card is going to maximize the experience, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX series in the G18 is a powerhouse. These are some of the fastest mobile GPUs available, and they effectively revolutionized the gaming laptop. I tested the G18 with the RTX 4080 model, and the performance was spectacular! Again the FPS's ran smoothly on the ultra settings and it was better than anything else I have owed or tested to date on a laptop. If you prioritize frame rate, this GPU is for you. In the FPS games I tested, I was consistently pushing frame rates well over 200 FPS on the high settings, allowing me to enjoy that crisp 240Hz display. That smoothness can give you a competitive edge over others especially in the fast-moving FPS games where fractions of a second mean a lot. The RTX 40-series also supports something called hardware-accelerated ray tracing. This brings a more realistic look to the shadows, reflections and lighting.  So for a machine running this hard all the time, ASUS apparently understood it needed any equally high performing cooling system. So they utilize a three-fan cooling system with Conductonaut Extreme liquid metal on the CPU. This set up allows the ROG Strix G18 to run cool under the stress load.  I stress-tested the system with long gaming sessions, and I was surprised at how well it held up. Even after several hours of playing Starfield on ultra settings, the chassis remained comfortable to the touch and the system didn’t throttle performance due to overheating. For gamers, when a system gets too hot, it can affect the performance of your CPU or GPU to protect the hardware, which leads to lag and frame rate drops. With this advanced cooling system, the G18 delivers even performance when you are playing extended gaming sessions. The fans tend to kick in when needed, but they are extremely quiet and of zero distraction. ASUS also allows you to adjust performance and fan profiles using "Armoury Crate," so you can go full send with the fans when you are gaming harder, or you can limit the fan use when you are doing lighter work.  This laptop features a rather large 18" display. The QHD+ (2560x1600) Nebula display with a 240Hz refresh rate. That combo is perfect for anything from competitive gaming to watching a movie. The high resolution provides sharper images as you would expect. What I also learned was that it allows you to use more of your screen than when you compare it to the standard 1080p, Of course the high refresh rate ensures smooth motion while viewing or playing.  The color is another big plus. The panel supports 100% DCI-P3 color, making colors appear to me as more accurate. Blacks and shadows are deep and rich, and the highlights really stand out. When playing competitively, the combo of high frame rates and low latency creates a super responsive experience that can help improve gameplay.  The ROG Strix G18 is a large and heavy laptop, but that is because it is loaded with high end components. It has sharp lines highlighted by lighting. The thing just feels substantial and durable, like you would expect a really gaming machine to be. The keyboard is comfortable with a substantially deep press and the keys light up in a manner that does not affect your visibility of the keys with a nice key response. There are plenty of port options on the G18, with multiple USB-A and USB-C ports, HDMI 2.1, Ethernet, and a full-sized SD card slot. Again, another reason this laptop would be great for gamers and creators. The touchpad is large, and the large chassis leaves enough room for quality speakers that sound excellent.  This is not something that is designed to carry with you all the time, so its not exactly portable. But by far, this is the most portable laptop with the closest to desktop level performance that I have tried to date. But it is a bit heavy in that respect. Personally?  I will trade the weight for this level of performance.  So I spent a lot of time with the G18, and I have to say it impresses me a lot. Gamers demand certain things, and this hits all the marks. The processing performance and excellent choice for a GPU and an extremely smooth and responsive display. You pay for these options for sure, and there are cheaper options out there. But this is definitely an instance where you get what you pay for. Pull the trigger on this one folks, you won't regret it. I HIGHLY recommend this laptop to anyone wanting a superior gaming computer in a more compact form. Or any influencer wanting the ultimate platform to create their content. You will be happy with your decision.

Fast, powerful. I run VR games as well. It has the RTX and storage requirements I needed.

Bought for sons graduation gift and had excellent customer service on choosing the best option for him.

After one month of use, this “gaming” laptop turned into a frustrating experience. The biggest issue is USB instability. I’m using a Moza racing wheel setup, and the laptop constantly disconnects USB hubs, even powered ones. Devices randomly drop during gameplay, making it impossible to use properly. For a high-end gaming laptop, this is a critical flaw. If your setup involves multiple USB devices (wheel, pedals, etc.), this system simply cannot handle it. Very disappointing for the price.

Best machine. All personal on store very very friendly

Had to return this twice for the same issues horrible popping/crackling audio to the point i couldn't hear anything updated all drivers and looked for any solution just no fix available brought my first one back had to have another shipped in from out of state got it in and had the exact same issue again tryed all the fixes I could think of but ultimately Ihad to swap it out for a different brand all together. Very disappointed i actually really liked the way this one looked, loved the bigger size and the graphics and features.

It's exactly what I was expecting. It's big but that's ok.

Great gaming laptop, but a little bit hot for cpu when it goes max

Great laptop internals, although the plastic exterior leaves much to be desired

My son loves it and for the gaming he is really enjoying it

Have it connected to my 4k tv. Great gaming laptop!

Asus used to be quality but this laptop is something else. It runs perfectly... for a time, then all the sudden the keyboard, webcam, and any connected peripherals will stop working. The only solution is a reset. If you browse the forums and Asus support this happens to a lot of people. I have spent two weeks troubleshooting and doing every fix imaginable. Nothing works.

Laptop overheats and will shutdown when running any demanding graphics app. After googling issue, others have run into faulty ASUS manufacturing issues before relating to poor application of liquid metal on their CPU and GPU dies. ASUS is now claiming CID and wants me to pay for a mobo replacement.

This laptop worked okay for a little while. Then we got random restarts in the middle of normal tasks. Rebooting for no reason glitching black screens and overheating and screen tearing. The device was repaired through BEST BUY SERVICE CENTER and still came back with the same issues. Geeksquad is unable to help and they refuse store credits and just keep sending it back with the issues. It's obviously defective and now I got a $3,300 paperweight. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY ON THIS DEVICE.

To reiterate the title - for every ounce of weight of this laptop (omg is it heavy), you will get top rated gaming performance. I guess if you're into weighted blankets, you would want this on your lap while in use. Other than that, some other downsides: -You're going to want to plug this in unless you're gaming for only like an hour at a time -Fan noise can get high -Puts off some heat I loaded up Elder Scrolls Oblivion Remastered from XBox GamePass as I heard it is a machine crippler - I don't think I've ever seen such a beautiful game delivered without any sort of performance hit in the least. The visuals were great, though some may want to try to make the blacks 'blacker'. Absolutely no tearing of any kind. Sound was great for a laptop, though I'd suspect most gamers would be wielding headsets anyway. In the same vain, the touchpad - which worked as expected - is not something I would ever use while gaming - it just seemed to take up more space than needed. I hooked up an XBox game controller via Bluetooth without any issues. Lots of hard drive space to fill up with games. Lots of customization options with the built in Asus apps. If you're into LEDs, there's loads of them. I liked the treatment of them for the AWSD keys which are normally used for movement. The one 'gimmick' I wasn't a huge fan of was the laser light show the laptop generated while sitting idle. I just haven't taken the time to see if that was a thing I could disable. Other than that, the laptop looks great in general. Other highlights: -Ethernet port -Charging cord length was good, though the power brick - again - heavy/big. -Tool-less entry was a little fiddly but once you get it, it is nice, though I don't know what I'd be doing inside this machine anytime soon

It stopped working suddenly, graphics card crashed on me

I bought this laptop mainly for gaming, but it struggles even with basic tasks. The system freezes and stutters while watching YouTube videos, which is unacceptable for a laptop marketed for performance. I tried updates and basic troubleshooting, but the issue persists. Very disappointed with the overall performance and stability.

ASUS AND BESTBUY WERE IN CHARGE OF CREATING THE BIGGEST SCAM IN WHAT REFERS TO GAMING LAPTOPS. THEY PROMISE A LATEST GENERATION HARDWARE BUT IT IS A COMPUTER THAT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN TESTED BY DOLPHINS, SINCE IT DOESN'T WORK, IT HAS THOUSANDS OF ERRORS AND THEY PRETEND TO BE IDIOTS BY PROHIBITING YOU FROM RETURNING THE PRODUCT. SCAMMERS AND THIEVES, THE VALUE OF THIS COMPUTER SHOULD NOT EXCEED 20 DOLLARS, SINCE THE ONLY THING THAT WORKS MORE OR LESS WELL ARE THE LED LIGHTS.