Asus ROG Strix G15 (G513RW): The Gamers Powerhouse with a Bold Design

In recent months, brands specializing in gaming laptops have been actively releasing new and upgraded models. The industry is experiencing a vibrant phase following the debut of high-performance hardware from Intel, AMD, and Nvidia, which started at the CES trade show in January. Laptops leveraging this latest generation of processors and graphics cards are now hitting the market, and we’ve had the opportunity to test some. Today, we’ll share our initial impressions of AMD’s latest powerful laptop processors in the Ryzen 6000 series. The company provided us with an Asus demo unit that features the flagship Ryzen 9 6900HX CPU, and we will compare its performance against Intel’s premium 12^th Gen offerings.

The Asus ROG Strix G15 series is designed for esports fans and gamers seeking high-level performance without the need for an ultra-slim device. It shares numerous design and hardware components with other models in the ROG Strix (2022) family, which may or may not appeal to you. If you are a student or a home user in search of a laptop that can handle demanding games for years ahead while also supporting daily productivity, continue reading.

Asus ROG Strix G15 (G513RW) pricing in India

Asus provides a range of models and variants featuring somewhat varying specifications. The unit under review today is the Asus ROG Strix G15 (G513RW), which will soon be available in India at an estimated price of Rs. 1,90,000. This model sports a 1440p 165Hz display; select configurations also offer a 300Hz panel option. The rest of the specifications are top-notch—featuring an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB NVMe SSD.

The ROG Strix G15 (G513RW) will be available through Asus’ authorized retailers and partners, including Flipkart. A comparable model, the G15RC, with a Ryzen 7 6800H CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 is currently priced at Rs. 1,12,990, while the G15RM with a GeForce RTX 3060 is priced at Rs. 1,53,990.

The eye-catching mirrored, edge-lit ROG logo on the lid

Asus ROG Strix G15 (G513RW) design

Asus opted for a bold and eye-catching design for its 2022 ROG Strix lineup. We recently got an initial glimpse of the ROG Strix Scar 17 SE, making the ROG Strix G15 feel familiar. While this model features a simpler design on the lid, it retains the same RGB LED light strip along the lower front and sides, the distinctive raised hinge design with an angular cutout beneath the screen, and narrow display bezels that prevent the inclusion of a webcam. The ROG logo on the lid is illuminated with white border lighting instead of RGB, but it still looks impressive.

Despite its 15.6-inch screen, the ROG Strix G15 remains relatively compact. It measures 27.2mm at its thickest point and weighs 2.3kg. Asus describes its design as “sporty,” but there’s a lot going on—from a triangular and square pattern on half the lid and keyboard deck to a random paint-speckle finish and a rubbery texture on part of the raised area behind the hinge, to a bright neon rubber patch on the bottom.

The specific finish of my review unit is dubbed Eclipse Grey, with additional options available in Volt Green and Electro Punk, which feature bright neon green or pink highlights, respectively. The latter also incorporates pink lighting around the ROG logo on the lid and random text presumably aimed at gamers, along with a matching mouse and mousepad.

The lid opens effortlessly with a single finger. Asus has entirely omitted the webcam in favor of slim bezels; my review unit included a USB webcam in the box. While not the most convenient, it is preferable to having a fixed one below the screen that captures less than flattering angles. The webcam features an innovative foldaway clamp and can be placed on top of any laptop, though it does obstruct a small portion of the screen.

The dedicated media control key column might not be the best space optimization

You will find per-key RGB backlighting with three brightness settings, synchronized with the RGB light strip encircling the laptop’s base. Asus has implemented island-style keys with a uniform layout. While the absence of a number pad is noticeable, they have surprisingly placed a vertical column of dedicated media keys on the right side—these are not paging keys, as one might expect. As a writer, I found this somewhat wasteful and frustrating, though perhaps the target audience might appreciate it. The arrow keys are separated but still small. The trackpad is adequately sized and lacks physical buttons.

On the left, there are two USB 3.2 Gen1 (5Gbps) Type-A ports and a 3.5mm audio jack, while the right side is surprisingly devoid of any ports. You must reach around to the back for the two USB 3.2 Gen2 (10Gbps) Type-C ports, one of which supports DisplayPort video output and 100W charging. While AMD’s platforms do not support Thunderbolt natively, it is surprising that USB4, which essentially encompasses that standard, has not been included. The back also features an HDMI 2.0b output, a 2.5Gb Ethernet port, and a DC power input.

Speaking of power, the ROG Strix G15 includes a massive 280W power adapter, and if portability is on your mind, you need to consider its weight. My review unit was accompanied by a power cord fitted with a 16A plug, which seems unwarranted and might pose a hassle for many users.

The top half of the ROG Strix G15 displays an intriguing cutout below the display panel

Asus ROG Strix G15 (G513RW) specifications and software

AMD has progressively gained ground against Intel in recent years, breaking its longstanding monopoly over high-end consumer CPUs. Both companies are currently at the peak of their game. This model features AMD’s Ryzen 9 6900HX, an 8-core, 16-thread CPU with a 45W base TDP (which manufacturers can adjust according to their laptop thermal designs) and a peak boost speed of 4.9GHz. Built upon the Zen 3+ core architecture and utilizing a 6nm process for the core chiplets, AMD asserts notable gains in performance and power efficiency with this generation compared to the Ryzen 5000 series. Additionally, this chip features an integrated Radeon 680M GPU equipped with the latest RDNA2 architecture.

This generation introduces support for DDR5 RAM from AMD, as well as PCIe 4.0 connectivity for SSDs. Asus has opted for 16GB of DDR5-4800 RAM, which is fully socketed and user-replaceable, and it comes with a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD alongside an empty M.2 slot for an additional module.

Asus claims to have employed a liquid metal interface material between the CPU and cooler to enhance heat transfer, along with improved fans designed to maximize airflow even in a slim form factor. The fans can completely shut down when not in use for silent operation.

The rear ports on the ROG Strix G15 might be viewed as inconvenient

This model features an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU which has its own TDP of 125W, but can utilize an additional 25W that Asus claims it supplies. Furthermore, Asus mentions that all 2022 ROG laptops come equipped with a Mux (multiplexer) switch that enables the discrete and integrated GPUs to directly drive the display instead of being chained, thus improving latency. Users can select between a full-HD 300Hz panel and a 2560×1440 165Hz panel; I have the latter. The laptop includes a 90Wh battery, stereo speakers that support Dolby Atmos, and connectivity options like Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2.

Asus’ own Armoury Crate control panel enables the customization of RGB lighting effects and syncing of compatible accessories, alongside adjustments to display settings and profile configurations based on running games or applications. You can also monitor resource usage and temperatures through the app, which integrates promotional content, though it feels relatively unobtrusive. The MyAsus app provides links to customer support, warranty extension options, and a set of system-wide controls for battery health and network traffic prioritization.

This app allows file transfer between an Android phone and the laptop, along with management of the phone’s functions from the laptop. The new GlideX feature enables the use of a smartphone or tablet as an external monitor. Similarly, Asus Switch is intended for importing settings and files from an older laptop. Lastly, it includes a one-year subscription to McAfee LiveSafe, a full Office 2021 Home & Student license, and a one-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership.

USB ports and an audio jack are located on the left side, while the right side has no connectivity options

Asus ROG Strix G15 (G513RW) performance

In terms of day-to-day performance, the ROG Strix G15 is a pleasure to use. The 2560×1440 display resolution significantly enhanced both my productivity and gaming sessions, especially after adjusting Windows’ default 150 percent scaling down to 125 percent. At this size, the pixel density is excellent for reading and work tasks. The display is fortunately non-reflective, and while it may not be the most vibrant for watching videos, it performs adequately regarding viewing angles, brightness, sharpness, and color accuracy.

The audio output is surprisingly robust, providing deep, rich sound that enhances various media types. Sound effects in action-packed games were enjoyable unless affected by fan noise.

Speaking of fans, the ROG Strix G15 operates fairly quietly, and I only noticed increased fan activity during intense gaming or testing. When under duress, it creates a soft whoosh of noise, but the fans quickly settle back to silence once returning to the Windows desktop. The keyboard and nearby areas could become slightly warm during regular usage, and while gaming, I observed the WASD key area heating up a bit, although it remained comfortable to use. When pushed to its limits, you can feel hot air being expelled from the sides and rear.

A minor inconvenience was the placement of USB Type-A ports solely on the left side, necessitating a longer mouse cord routing around the laptop during gaming sessions. While Type-C ports are less frequently used, I occasionally needed to connect portable SSDs and would have welcomed additional ports on the sides. An SD card slot would also be a valuable addition, given that this hardware can cater to both creative tasks and gaming alike.

The ROG Strix G15 remains relatively quiet except during heavy processing tasks

Benchmarks are a reliable way to objectively evaluate a laptop’s performance. Starting with synthetic assessments for routine tasks, the PCMark 10 standard and Extended tests yielded scores of 6,737 and 8,906, respectively. More demanding UL Procyon Office Productivity and Photo Editing tests produced scores of 5,571 and 6,943 points, respectively. While these results lag behind those of the MSI Raider GE76-12UHS, which is powered by Intel’s top-tier Core i9-12900HK, it’s essential to note that the latter is a considerably pricier laptop with a far more powerful discrete GPU. Furthermore, we can contrast these scores with the Asus ProArt StudioBook 16 OLED, which leverages the previous-gen Ryzen 9 5900HX, demonstrating substantial improvement.

Cinebench R20’s single-core and multi-core rendering tests yielded scores of 577 and 4,351 points accordingly, while the POV-Ray benchmark was completed in 1 minute and 7 seconds. The latest V-Ray test produced CPU and GPU rendering scores of 12,370 and 402, respectively, and the Corona benchmark was completed in 1 minute and 58 seconds. Intel appears to retain the upper hand in multi-threaded workloads, aided by its heterogeneous core architecture which maximizes the total thread count.

In terms of standard productivity tasks, the ROG Strix G15 managed to compress a 3.24GB folder of mixed files in 1 minute and 28 seconds using 7zip, and converting a 1.3GB AVI file to H.265 took 41 seconds. CrystalDiskMark indicated somewhat average SSD performance, with sequential read speeds of 2,879.3MBps and write speeds of 1,487.9MBps. Random read and write speeds were documented at 988.2MBps and 1,490.4MBps respectively.

We commence our graphics and gaming assessments with the reliable 3DMark synthetic benchmark. In the Port Royal test, which measures ray tracing performance, it managed to score 6,204 points, while the broader Time Spy Extreme test rated 4,903 points. The DirectX Ray Tracing Feature Test recorded 27.28fps, whereas the DLSS Feature Test registered 29.39fps with Nvidia’s upscaling technology disabled, and a boost to 67.72fps when enabled. Unigine’s Superposition achieved 49.46fps using the 1080p Extreme quality preset, which increased to 63.74fps with the 4K Optimized preset.

All gaming tests were conducted at the native resolution of 2560×1440 on the ROG Strix G15, utilizing the highest quality settings unless otherwise specified. The GeForce RTX 3070 Ti generally performs well at this resolution, but enabling ray tracing can lead to varying results.

In our trusted benchmark, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, the average score reached 88fps at the Highest setting during its built-in benchmark. However, with ray tracing turned on and set to Ultra, the average notably decreased to 56fps, and some parts exhibited noticeable visual jitter. Nvidia’s DLSS technology managed to elevate the average back to 88fps in Balanced mode, but there may be compromises in image quality at this setting.

The RGB LED light strip encircling the ROG Strix G15 syncs with the keyboard backlighting

Similarly, Metro: Exodus averaged 57.43fps at its Ultra preset without ray tracing, while that figure dropped to 45.28fps with RTX settings at High. Enabling DLSS modestly improved performance to 51.37fps on average, though no specific quality setting was indicated. Far Cry 5 delivered a smooth average of 86fps at its Ultra preset at 1440p, and Middle Earth: Shadow of War also comfortably registered 89fps at Ultra settings. Gears Tactics scored 87.8fps at Ultra quality as well. Conversely, Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey achieved around 58fps albeit with some tearing and inconsistent frame rates under its Ultra High preset.

AMD’s own FidelityFX Super Resolution game upscaling tech is compatible with its competitors’ GPUs; Anno 1800 is one of its supporting titles. Running it at Ultra High quality on the native 1440p display allowed for an average of 65.47fps in its built-in benchmark. Activating FSR at the Quality level improved this to 93.62fps. While quality differences may be discernible, benefits are accentuated due to the crispness of 1440p on a 15.6-inch display.

During gameplay, Doom Eternal performed excellently, maintaining over 150fps even during intense combat scenarios at Ultra Nightmare quality. Surprisingly, enabling ray tracing caused a dramatic drop in frame rates below 30fps, leading to a significantly choppy experience that severely impacted gameplay. The use of DLSS pushed those frame rates back to around 60fps in Balanced mode, but the tradeoff felt unworthy.

Control is another title capable of effectively utilizing RTX ray tracing. At its High preset, the game managed about 70fps in more leisurely sections, but enabling RTX at High drastically reduced it to around 35fps. With the DLSS target resolution set to 1485×835, it bounced back to approximately 60fps.

When comparing these results with an Intel-powered MSI GE76-12UHS, these figures might appear lower. However, that laptop benefits from a more powerful GPU and a lower-resolution display, in addition to other advantages given its significantly elevated price tag. Notably, while running on battery power, the ROG Strix G15 achieved scores of 4,130 in 3DMark’s Time Spy test and 2,424 in the Port Royal test, which is commendable compared to scores achieved while plugged in. You might be able to enjoy some lighter games at reasonable settings while on the move.

Speaking of battery life, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could complete a full day’s work without the ROG Strix G15 shutting off automatically. This is fairly uncommon for gaming laptops, and you should anticipate around 6-8 hours of casual use per charge. The graphics-intensive Battery Eater Pro test lasted for 2 hours and 33 minutes, which exceeds expectations.

Asus employs various design elements, creating a bold overall appearance

Conclusion

The newest series of ROG Strix G15 laptops, particularly the G513RW, do not set out to be the ultimate gaming laptops; instead, they aim to find a balance between affordability, features, and performance. This unit benefits from an efficient processor and high-resolution display in addition to fulfilling current standards for RAM, storage, and connectivity. Gaming performance is quite satisfactory at 2560×1440 unless you intend to maximize ray-traced settings. For those within the budget, there’s enough power here to keep you satisfied for several years.

While not the lightest option, the ROG Strix G15 remains portable enough to function as a daily laptop, fulfilling multiple roles. The keyboard and trackpad provide a comfortable experience, and the audio quality is a welcome surprise. Although I’m not particularly fond of the aesthetics, I would have preferred better port placement and more efficient use of space devoted to media controls. Although the clip-on webcam is not ideal, it surpasses having one fixed beneath the screen. It might be worth waiting to observe what other companies introduce in this price range.

A direct comparison between Intel and AMD laptop CPUs isn’t feasible, as the decisions made by laptop manufacturers regarding additional components, thermal design, and price ultimately dictate overall laptop performance. It appears that Intel holds an advantage in raw performance, even without considering the newly announced 55W-class Alder Lake HX series. Nevertheless, if this laptop strikes the right balance of power and affordability for your needs, the ROG Strix G15 is certainly a compelling choice.