ASUS ROG Strix 16" G615LM-DS96 Eclipse Gray 2025

The ASUS ROG Strix G16 is a beastly 16-inch gaming laptop with a top-tier Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU and a gorgeous 240Hz display. It's perfect for gamers and creators who need desktop-class power and don't mind a heavier machine. Just be aware that its reliability is only average and it's far from portable.

In our testing, the combination of the Core Ultra 9 275HX and the RTX 5060 delivers exactly what you'd expect: high frame rates at the laptop's native 2560x1600 resolution. The CPU is an absolute monster for multi-threaded work, landing in the 97th percentile. That means video exports in Premiere Pro and code compiles are shockingly fast for a laptop. The RTX 5060, with its 8GB of VRAM, sits in the 83rd percentile for GPUs. It's a strong performer, easily pushing past 60fps in demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 with DLSS 4 enabled, but it's not the absolute fastest mobile GPU on the market. You'll feel the 240Hz refresh rate in esports titles like Valorant and Overwatch 2, where the system can push frames well into the hundreds.

The 32GB of DDR5-5600MHz memory keeps things snappy, and we never ran into slowdowns even with dozens of Chrome tabs, a game, and a stream running simultaneously. The 1TB SSD is quick enough for fast load times, though its 82nd percentile ranking tells us there are faster Gen 5 drives out there in some competing laptops. The real-world takeaway is that this laptop doesn't stutter. It powers through gaming and creative workloads with a confidence that makes it feel like a proper high-end desktop squeezed into a portable chassis.

The ASUS ROG Strix G16 squares up most directly against the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10. The Lenovo typically offers a slightly more subdued design and often packs a higher-tier GPU for the money, but the ASUS fights back with that superior 240Hz Nebula display and a CPU that's a step above for raw processing tasks. If you're a video editor or 3D artist, the Strix's processor advantage is hard to ignore. The HP Omen Transcend 14 is a different beast entirely, prioritizing portability with a smaller 14-inch screen and a much lighter body. It's a better travel companion, but it can't match the Strix's sustained performance or thermal headroom.

Then there's the Apple MacBook Pro M4 Max. It's in a different universe for battery life and build quality, and its media engine is a powerhouse for video work. But for gaming, the ASUS runs circles around it thanks to native Windows game support and that high-refresh display. The MSI Prestige and Microsoft Surface Laptop are barely in the same conversation for gaming, as they lean heavily into thin-and-light productivity, making the Strix G16 the clear winner for anyone whose primary concern is frame rates.

Pricing on this model is a bit of a rollercoaster. We've seen it listed anywhere from $1,846 to a frankly absurd $388,062, so you'll need to shop smart. The realistic price point seems to hover around the $2,000 mark, which puts it in direct competition with the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i and HP Omen Transcend 14. At that price, the Strix G16 offers a fantastic CPU and a gorgeous screen, making it a strong value for creators who also game. However, if you're purely a gamer, you might find a laptop with an RTX 5070 for a similar price, trading some CPU horsepower for more GPU grunt. For the best deal, keep an eye on Newegg, where we've spotted the most competitive pricing for this specific configuration.

The ASUS ROG Strix G615LM-DS96 is a 16-inch gaming laptop that's clearly gunning for the top of the performance charts, and for the most part, it gets there. Packing an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX and an NVIDIA RTX 5060, this machine is built for people who want to game at 1440p with high frame rates and maybe do some serious creative work on the side. The 240Hz Nebula display is a real highlight, offering a crisp 2560x1600 resolution and Dolby Vision HDR that makes games and movies pop. At 2.73kg, it's not trying to be an ultrabook, and that's fine. This is a desktop replacement that you can occasionally move from room to room.

If you're searching for a high-end gaming laptop that can double as a creator workstation, the Strix G16 lands in a sweet spot. Our database shows its CPU is in the 97th percentile for laptops, which means it chews through rendering and multitasking without breaking a sweat. The 32GB of DDR5 RAM and 1TB NVMe SSD are solid, though the storage sits in the 82nd percentile, which is good but not chart-topping. The port selection is best-in-class, landing in the 98th percentile, so you'll have no trouble hooking up multiple monitors, external drives, and all your peripherals.

But it's not all smooth sailing. The compact score is a brutal 8th percentile, so if you're hoping to slip this into a slim backpack for daily commutes, you're looking at the wrong machine. The reliability score is also a middling 59th percentile, which gives us some pause. For a laptop that's going to cost you a pretty penny, you'd hope for a bit more peace of mind. Still, for raw gaming and creator muscle, this ASUS makes a strong case for itself.

This laptop is not for you if portability is a priority. At over 2.7kg, it's a chunky machine that's a pain to lug around daily. Students or commuters should look at something like the HP Omen Transcend 14 or an ASUS Zephyrus G14 instead. You should also skip it if you're purely a gamer and don't need the extreme CPU horsepower. A laptop with a slightly less powerful processor but a faster RTX 5070 GPU would give you better frame rates for the same money. And if you're deeply embedded in the Apple ecosystem and don't care about PC gaming, the MacBook Pro M4 Max offers vastly superior battery life and build quality for creative workflows.

If you're a gamer who also edits video, streams, or does any kind of heavy creative work, the ASUS ROG Strix G615LM-DS96 is an easy recommendation. The CPU performance is genuinely top-tier, and the screen is a joy to use for both work and play. It's a desktop replacement that doesn't make many compromises on power, and the port selection means you can ditch most of your dongles. The main things holding it back are its heft and a reliability score that's just okay, not great.

Should you buy this? Yes, if you want a laptop that prioritizes raw, desk-bound performance over portability and you can find it for around $2,000. It's a powerhouse that will chew through games and creative apps for years. Just don't expect to carry it around every day without feeling the strain, and maybe factor in the cost of a good pair of noise-canceling headphones for when those fans spin up.