ASUS ROG Strix 16" G635LW-XS97 Off Black 2025

The ASUS ROG Strix Scar G635LW-XS97 is a gaming laptop that leaves nothing on the table — it's powered by an RTX 5080 and a 240Hz Mini-LED display, landing in the 97th percentile for CPU performance. It's heavy and now pricier than ever, but if you catch it near $2,475, it's still one of the best desktop replacements you can buy.

Under the hood, the Core Ultra 9 275HX sits in the 97th percentile of our database, which is top-of-the-charts performance, practically neck-and-neck with the best desktop replacement CPUs. The RTX 5080 is similarly a standout, landing in the leading pack for laptop GPUs. In our testing, it rips through Cyberpunk 2077 at native res with ray tracing, and for creative apps, the 2TB SSD's 7,000MB/s throughput is nearly as fast as it gets. The 32GB of DDR5 is plenty for most, though if you're deep into machine learning, you might crave more. The real lowlight? This thing is far from compact, measuring in at the 8th percentile for portability — it's a chunky boi, but that's the trade-off for all that cooling grunt.

Stacked against the Apple MacBook Pro M4 Max, the ASUS trades blows differently. The MacBook is far more compact, has insane battery life, and its M4 Max is a content creation monster, but it can't touch the RTX 5080 in raw gaming or CUDA-accelerated apps. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus GA403WW is a new threat — it packs similar guts into a slimmer chassis, though you'll sacrifice some cooling headroom. The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 3 is another workstation beast with ISV certifications, but it's even bulkier and often more expensive. If you want a no-compromise gaming laptop that also serves as a creator machine, the Strix Scar is still the one to beat, but the Zephyrus is nipping at its heels for those who value portability.

The price floor has crept up to $2,475, and the ceiling now smashes through $5,000. At the low end, you're still getting a beastly desktop replacement that outmuscles many towers, but the value isn't as screaming as it once was. Push past $3,000 and you're in dangerous territory — you could build a monster desktop and grab a thin-and-light for the same cash. The Strix Scar still makes sense if you absolutely need one machine that does it all, but the sweet spot is tighter now. Hunt for that entry price and don't get suckered into the pricier SKUs.

This ASUS ROG Strix Scar is an absolute unit. It packs Intel's latest Core Ultra 9 275HX and an RTX 5080, which means it'll crush any game you throw at it, often at the 240Hz display's max. The mini-LED screen is stunning, and you get 2TB of fast storage out of the box. But you're carrying a 2.85kg brick, and the price tag now swings from $2,475 to a staggering $5,076 depending on the config.

The cooling system deserves a shoutout, with a vapor chamber and liquid metal keeping temps in check during marathon sessions. It's not just for gaming either — with 32GB of DDR5, it'll chew through creative workloads like video editing or 3D rendering without breaking a sweat. If you need a portable desktop that can do it all, this is it. Just don't expect to toss it in a messenger bag for a quick coffee shop trip.

Skip this if portability is your top priority. At nearly 6.3 pounds, it's a backbreaker for daily commutes or frequent flights. If you mainly need a thin-and-light for office work and only game occasionally, an RTX 5070-equipped ultrabook like the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro will save your shoulders and your wallet.

You should buy this if you want the absolute best mobile gaming experience right now and don't mind the weight. It's a dream machine for gamers who also edit video, render 3D, or train AI models on the go. Just know that the price has climbed, so you need to be extra careful to snag it near the $2,475 mark — anything higher and the value crumbles.