Skip to main content

New batch of Asus laptops includes one packed with AMD’s new Ryzen CPUs

asus computex 2017 laptops ryzen front
Image used with permission by copyright holder
During the Computex tech convention in Taipei, Taiwan, Asus held a press conference to reveal a batch of new products hitting the Computex floor and heading to stores soon. What we’re covering here is the gaming laptop portion of the company’s Computex rollout, including a super-thin solution packing the beefy GeForce GTX 1080 graphics chip. Asus has an AMD Ryzen-based laptop in the works, too.

Asus ROG Zephyrus GX501

For starters, this laptop measures just 0.66 inches thick despite having Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1080 graphics chip inside. That’s likely due to Nvidia’s new “Max-Q” optimization of the chip’s architecture, which allows it to run better than before while maintaining minimal power usage. The result is maximum performance with less heat generated by the chip, which allows it to reside within a super-slim form factor.

Recommended Videos

Cooling the GTX 1080 and the Intel Core i7-7700HQ processor is the laptop’s Active Aerodynamic System (AAS). It consists of a dedicated heatpipe, radiator, and AeroAccelerator blower fan for each chip — the GTX 1080 has an additional radiator that kicks in when gaming. Two more heatpipes are shared between the two chips, and another heatpipe is used to pull heat away from the power circuitry.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Rather than having the keyboard and touchpad placed above or below one another, they both share the same space at the front of the input area. According to Asus, this is to provide better cooling of the major components underneath, and to reduce the amount of heat felt when typing. The keyboard itself provides per-key RGB illumination, and owners can even customize the WASD and QWER key groups with special effects.

Screen size: 15.6 inches
Screen resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 @ 120Hz
Nvidia G-Sync support
Screen type: IPS
Processor: Intel Core i7-7700HQ
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080
Memory: Up to 24GB DDR4 @ 2,400MHz
Storage: 4x M.2 PCI Express SSD slots
256GB / 5122GB / 1TB
Connectivity: Wireless AC
Bluetooth
Camera: HD camera and array microphone
Ports: 1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C with Thunderbolt 3
4x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A
1x HDMI 2.0 (4K @ 60Hz)
1x headphone/microphone combo jack
1x SD card reader
Keyboard: Sits at the front of the laptop
Aura RGB lighting
Pre-key illumination
Supports 30 simultaneous presses
Customizable WASD and QWER keys
Touchpad: To the right of the keyboard
10-key function
Battery: 4-cell 50 Watt hour
Size (inches): 14.95 (W) x 10.31 (D) x 0.66 (H)
Weight: 4.85 pounds with battery
Operating system: Windows 10 Home
Windows 10 Pro
Availability: Soon
Starting price: Unknown
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Asus ROG Strix GL702ZC

This laptop is based on AMD’s Ryzen processors and discrete Radeon RX 580 graphics chip. It’s due to arrive this summer, and while we don’t have the full list of hardware, customers will see configurations based on the Ryzen 7 1700, the Ryzen 5 1600, and the Ryzen 3 1200 processors. This laptop won’t be as thin and light as the ROG Zephyrus GX501, measuring a meatier 1.3 inches thick and weighing less than seven pounds.

As for the screen, this laptop will be sold with configurations based on three resolutions: 3,840 x 2,160 at 60Hz, 1,920 x 1,080 at 75Hz, and 1,920 x 1,080 at 120Hz. All three will support AMD FreeSync, which synchronizes the output frames of the Radeon RX 580 graphics chip with the refresh rate of the display to eliminate screen tearing. All three will also be based on In-Plane Switching technology, which provides rich colors and wide viewing angles.

Screen size: 17.3 inches
Screen resolution: 3,840 x 2,160 at 60Hz
1,920 x 1,080 at 75Hz
1,920 x 1,080 at 120HzAMD FreeSync support
Screen type: IPS
Processor: Ryzen 7 1700
Ryzen 5 1600
Ryzen 3 1200
* No overclocking
Graphics: Radeon RX 580 (8GB GDDR5)
Memory: Up to 32GB DDR4 @ 2,400MHz
(2x SO-DIMM slots)
Storage: M.2 slot for NVMe SSDs up to 512GB (PCI Express)
Open slot for a 2.5-inch drive (HDD or SSD)
Connectivity: Wireless AC (2×2) (Up to 867Mbps)
Bluetooth 4.1
Ports: 1x Gigabit Ethernet
1x DisplayPort
1x HDMI 2.0
1x headphone jack
3x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A
1x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C
1x SD card reader
Keyboard: Red backlighting
Colored WASD key caps
30-key rollover
1.6mm key travel (press to actuation)
Size: 1.3 inches thick
Weight: Less than 7 pounds
Body: Black exterior and brushed aluminum lid
Availability: This summer
Starting price: Unknown

Asus ROG Strix Scar Edition and Hero Edition

These two laptops are built for esports gaming, with the Strix Scar Edition tweaked for competitive first-person shooters and the Strix Hero Edition tweaked for MOBA games. Both ship with a black, brushed-metal design, although the Hero Edition sports a diagonal camouflage-type design across a portion of its lid while the Scar Edition does not.

The Scar and Hero Edition laptops are actually based on the company’s new ROG Strix GL503 and ROG Strix GL703 laptops. Each of these laptops will be sold in Scar Edition, Hero Edition, and traditional non-themed versions. We don’t have the hardware specifics for either model just yet, but both will include seventh-generation Intel Core i7 processors, Nvidia GeForce GTX 10 Series graphics, and screens with a 120Hz refresh rate and a five-millisecond response time.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Asus ROG Strix GL702VI

Finally, Asus mentioned this laptop but didn’t provide much in the details department. It will serve as an “affordable” solution for those looking for a GeForce GTX 1080 graphics chip in a 17-inch gaming laptop. Configurations will consist of an Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processor, and up to 32GB of DDR4 system memory. Also thrown into the mix will be a 120Hz display refresh rate, and storage based on stick-shaped SSDs connecting to a speedy M.2 port (PCI Express 3.0).

Kevin Parrish
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kevin started taking PCs apart in the 90s when Quake was on the way and his PC lacked the required components. Since then…
Nvidia may release the RTX 5070 in March to counter AMD’s RDNA 4 GPUs
The RTX 5070 in a graphic.

Nvidia’s upcoming RTX 5070 may now be launching in early March, according to industry analyst MEGAsizeGPU (@Zed__Wang on X). Initially expected to debut in February, the source suggests that the mid-range Blackwell GPU has been pushed back—potentially as a strategic move to counter AMD’s upcoming Radeon RX 9070.

Unveiled at CES 2025, the RTX 5070 is currently the most affordable GPU from the RTX 50-series lineup, at least till the RTX 5060 series goes official. It is powered by the GB205 GPU, featuring 48 Streaming Multiprocessors (SMs), 6,144 CUDA cores, and is equipped with 12GB of GDDR7 memory. The GPU utilizes a 192-bit memory interface, delivering a bandwidth of 672GB/s.
Nvidia has set the MSRP at $549, which is $50 less than its predecessor, the RTX 4070. While that may sound lucrative, it is important to consider that board partners will charge a premium over the MSRP and we cannot rule out scalpers and inflated retailer prices out of the picture.

Read more
OpenAI nixes its o3 model release, will replace it with ‘GPT-5’
ChatGPT and OpenAI logos.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced via an X post Wednesday that the company's o3 model is being effectively sidelined in favor of a "simplified" GPT-5 that will be released in the coming months.

https://x.com/sama/status/1889755723078443244

Read more
This Asus OLED laptop just dropped below $1,000 at Best Buy
Asus Vivobook Pro 15 OLED Q533 front angled view showing display and keyboard.

We're seeing some fantastic laptop deals from Best Buy's Presidents' Day Sale, but this one featuring the Asus Vivobook Pro 15 OLED is up there among the most attractive offers. From its original price of $1,500, it's down to a more affordable $900 following a $600 discount. The sale will run until February 17, but you're going to want to proceed with your purchase as soon as you can because there's a chance that stocks sell out quickly for this powerful and gorgeous laptop.

Why you should buy the Asus Vivobook Pro 15 OLED laptop
Asus is one of the best laptop brands because it makes reliable devices at affordable prices, and while the Asus Vivobook Pro 15 OLED isn't among its entries in our list of the best laptops, it's an excellent example of what it offers. You'll be getting the Intel Core Ultra 9 Series 1 processor and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card, plus 24GB of RAM that's more than what most top-tier machines are packing. With these specifications, and access to Microsoft's Copilot through Windows 11 Home, you'll be breezing through your daily workload without any slowdowns even when you're multitasking between apps.

Read more