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ASUS ROG G703GXR Laptop Review: A high-end old-school gamer

Large chassis, high performance. The ASUS ROG G703GXR is a classic desktop replacement gaming laptop that focuses on performance and features. Read on to find out how this 17.3-inch wins out against its more compact competitors.
ASUS ROG G703GXR

Notebooksbilliger.de kindly provided our test device for this review, which ASUS calls the ROG G703GXR-EV003T. The laptop currently costs 3,900 Euros (~US$4,282) and comes with an Intel Core i7-9750H processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 GPU and 32 GB of dual-channel DDR4-2666 RAM. ASUS includes a 512 GB SSD and a 1 TB SSHD too.

The G703GXR weighs a whopping 4.65 kg and is 48 mm thick, making it one of the heavier gaming laptops currently on the market. While the Acer Predator Helios 700 is just as heavy and thick as our review unit, other GeForce RTX 2080-based laptops like the MSI GE75 Raider 9SG and HP Omen 17 are noticeably thinner and lighter. All three will be our comparison devices for this review.

The G703GXR, to our knowledge, has the same case, ports and input devices as its predecessor. Please see our ROG G703GX review for our thoughts on these areas.

Asus ROG G703GXR (G703 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-9750H 6 x 2.6 - 4.5 GHz, Coffee Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile - 8 GB VRAM, Core: 1575 MHz, Memory: 7000 MHz, GDDR6, ForceWare 419.71, Optimus
Memory
32 GB 
, 2x 16 GB SO-DIMM DDR4-2666, dual-channel, 2 of 4 slots occupied, max. 64 GB
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 127 PPI, AU Optronics B173HAN04.0 (AUO409D), IPS, Full HD, 144 Hz, G-sync, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM370
Storage
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, 512 GB 
, + Seagate Firecuda ST1000LX015, 1 TB SSHD, 5400 RPM. Slots: 3x M.2-2280 & 1x 2.5-inch
Soundcard
Realtek ALC295 @ Intel Cannon Point PCH - cAVS
Connections
4 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 2 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 1 headphone, 1 microphone, Card Reader: SD, SDHC, SDXC
Networking
Realtek RTL8125 2.5GBe Family Ethernet Controller (10/100/1000/2500MBit/s), Intel Wireless-AC 9560 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 48 x 425 x 319 ( = 1.89 x 16.73 x 12.56 in)
Battery
96 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Additional features
Speakers: 2x 2W + 2x 4.5W, Keyboard: Chiclet RGB, Keyboard Light: yes, 2x 280 W power supply, metal sculpture, quick start guide, warranty booklet, various manufacturer tools, McAfee LiveSafe trial, XSplit Gamecaster trial, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
4.65 kg ( = 164.02 oz / 10.25 pounds), Power Supply: 1.686 kg ( = 59.47 oz / 3.72 pounds)
Price
3900 EUR
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
85.8 %
10/2019
Asus ROG G703GXR
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
4.7 kg48 mm17.30"1920x1080
82.5 %
09/2019
Acer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
4.8 kg42 mm17.30"1920x1080
85.1 %
08/2019
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
3.3 kg27 mm17.30"1920x1080
86.1 %
05/2019
MSI GE75 9SG
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
2.7 kg27.5 mm17.30"1920x1080
ASUS ROG G703GXR

Size Comparison

425 mm / 16.7 inch 319 mm / 12.6 inch 48 mm / 1.89 inch 4.7 kg10.3 lbs430 mm / 16.9 inch 299 mm / 11.8 inch 42 mm / 1.654 inch 4.8 kg10.6 lbs405 mm / 15.9 inch 295 mm / 11.6 inch 27 mm / 1.063 inch 3.3 kg7.28 lbs397 mm / 15.6 inch 268.5 mm / 10.6 inch 27.5 mm / 1.083 inch 2.7 kg5.86 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Asus ROG G703GXR
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
194 MB/s
Average of class Gaming
  (19 - 202, n=104, last 2 years)
98.2 MB/s -49%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
76 MB/s -61%
MSI GE75 9SG
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
27.14 MB/s -86%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Asus ROG G703GXR
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
246 MB/s
Average of class Gaming
  (26 - 269, n=95, last 2 years)
122.3 MB/s -50%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
81 MB/s -67%
MSI GE75 9SG
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
33.17 MB/s -87%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (450 - 1412, n=14, last 2 years)
1006 MBit/s +49%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
749 MBit/s +11%
Acer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
729 MBit/s +8%
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S CNVi: WiFi
680 MBit/s 0%
Asus ROG G703GXR
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
677 MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (423 - 1700, n=14, last 2 years)
1203 MBit/s +78%
Acer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
692 MBit/s +2%
Asus ROG G703GXR
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
676 MBit/s
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
675 MBit/s 0%
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S CNVi: WiFi
661 MBit/s -2%

Display

Although the G703GXR has a slightly newer display than its predecessor, the two devices achieve almost identical values in our tests. Its 1080p panel has a 144 Hz refresh rate and relatively short response times. The panel is not only G-Sync compatible, but it is also NVIDIA Optimus compatible too.

288
cd/m²
293
cd/m²
292
cd/m²
274
cd/m²
290
cd/m²
289
cd/m²
266
cd/m²
274
cd/m²
267
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics B173HAN04.0 (AUO409D) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 293 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 281.4 cd/m² Minimum: 16 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 290 cd/m²
Contrast: 1450:1 (Black: 0.2 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.77 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 1.46
ΔE Greyscale 5.83 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
92% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
59% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
64.7% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
92% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
63.2% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.47
Asus ROG G703GXR
AU Optronics B173HAN04.0 (AUO409D), IPS, 1920x1080
Acer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M
AU Optronics B173HAN03.1 (AUO319D), IPS, 1920x1080
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
CMN175D, IPS, 1920x1080
MSI GE75 9SG
Chi Mei N173HCE-G33, AHVA, 1920x1080
Asus ROG G703GX
AU Optronics B173HAN03.2 (AUO329D), IPS, 1920x1080
Display
1%
2%
-2%
1%
Display P3 Coverage
63.2
64.4
2%
63.7
1%
61.5
-3%
64.1
1%
sRGB Coverage
92
92.1
0%
96
4%
92
0%
93.3
1%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
64.7
65.5
1%
65.8
2%
63.5
-2%
65.6
1%
Response Times
-77%
-82%
18%
6%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
6.4 ?(3.4, 3)
16.8 ?(8.4, 8.4)
-163%
17.6 ?(8.4, 9.2)
-175%
7.2 ?(3.8, 3.4)
-13%
7.2 ?(3.8, 3.4)
-13%
Response Time Black / White *
12.8 ?(7.6, 5.2)
11.6 ?(6, 5.6)
9%
11.2 ?(6, 5.2)
12%
6.6 ?(3.2, 3.4)
48%
9.6 ?(4.4, 5.2)
25%
PWM Frequency
25510 ?(44)
26040 ?(10)
Screen
-10%
21%
18%
-4%
Brightness middle
290
288
-1%
360
24%
400.7
38%
296
2%
Brightness
281
271
-4%
342
22%
372
32%
279
-1%
Brightness Distribution
91
85
-7%
91
0%
89
-2%
85
-7%
Black Level *
0.2
0.2
-0%
0.26
-30%
0.34
-70%
0.25
-25%
Contrast
1450
1440
-1%
1385
-4%
1179
-19%
1184
-18%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.77
5.79
-21%
1.91
60%
1.33
72%
4.77
-0%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
9.08
11.89
-31%
4.08
55%
3.51
61%
9.08
-0%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
1.46
1.89
-29%
0.78
47%
1.39
5%
1.46
-0%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.83
6.92
-19%
2.72
53%
1.3
78%
5.83
-0%
Gamma
2.47 89%
2.46 89%
2.37 93%
2.24 98%
2.47 89%
CCT
8076 80%
8433 77%
6692 97%
6735 97%
8076 80%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
59
60
2%
60
2%
58.2
-1%
60
2%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
92
92
0%
96
4%
92.1
0%
93
1%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-29% / -16%
-20% / 5%
11% / 14%
1% / -2%

* ... smaller is better

The display should also appeal to multimedia fans. The panel in our review unit has an impressively low 0.2 cd/m² black value, which combined with its 281 cd/m² average maximum brightness results in an excellent 1,450:1 contrast ratio. All media, including movies, games and photos, looks vivid. There is little to complain about with colour-space coverage either, as our review unit covers 92% of sRGB and 59% of AdobeRGB.

CalMAN: Grayscale
CalMAN: Grayscale
CalMAN: Colour Saturation
CalMAN: Colour Saturation
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: Grayscale - calibrated
CalMAN: Grayscale - calibrated
CalMAN: Colour Saturation - calibrated
CalMAN: Colour Saturation - calibrated
CalMAN: ColorChecker - calibrated
CalMAN: ColorChecker - calibrated

ASUS could have improved colour accuracy slightly, though. CalMAN demonstrated that the display has a blue tint to it, which impacts on the display's colour temperature. Likewise, we would have preferred a brighter display, but only the HP Omen 17 and MSI GE75 Raider 9SG exceed our 300 cd/m² luminosity threshold.

92% sRGB colour-space coverage
92% sRGB colour-space coverage
Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array
59% AdobeRGB colour-space coverage
59% AdobeRGB colour-space coverage

The display also has decent viewing angles. You should have no issues with reading the screen even from oblique angles.

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
12.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 7.6 ms rise
↘ 5.2 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 28 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
6.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 3.4 ms rise
↘ 3 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 14 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Test Conditions

ASUS preinstalls its in-house Armory Crate software, which contains several system settings options. We conducted all our tests with the device set to the Balanced Windows 10 power plan, while we left the GPU on NVIDIA Optimus. The latter allows the system to switch between its integrated and dedicated GPUs to reduce power consumption, an effect of which is significantly better battery life than if G-Sync were enabled. G-Sync can improve graphics details, though.

Armory Crate
Armory Crate

Performance

Below are several screenshots and tables demonstrating the CPU, GPU, RAM and storage devices in various states.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
HWiNFO
GPU-Z
LatencyMon

Processor

The Intel Core i7-9750H is currently one of the most popular gaming laptop processors on the market. The hexa-core chip is based on a 14 nm FinFET process and supports Intel Hyper-Threading, allowing it to execute up to 12 threads simultaneously. The CPU has a 45 W thermal design power (TDP) and has 12 MB of L3 cache.

CPU information during a Cinebench R15 Single 64Bit
CPU information during a Cinebench R15 Single 64Bit
CPU information during a Cinebench R15 Multi 64Bit
CPU information during a Cinebench R15 Multi 64Bit
GPU information while running Unigine Heaven 4.0
GPU information while running Unigine Heaven 4.0

The Core i7-9750H has a 2.6 GHz base clock that it can boost to 4.5 GHz across all cores when required. The CPU cannot quite reach its potential during synthetic benchmarks, though. While it operates at between 4.0 and 4.1 GHz in single-core tasks, it can only peak at between 3.7 and 4.0 GHz in multi-core work.

075150225300375450525600675750825900975105011251200127513501425Tooltip
Asus ROG G703GXR Intel Core i7-9750H, Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø1251 (1244.71-1256.04)
Acer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M Intel Core i7-9750H, Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø1224 (1159.08-1279)
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng Intel Core i9-9880H, Intel Core i9-9880H: Ø1291 (1278.24-1450)

The G703GXR consistently maintained its CPU performance during synthetic benchmarks, as our Cinebench R15 Multi 64bit loop below shows. By contrast, all our comparison devices throttle heavily in the same test.

Cinebench R20
CPU (Single Core)
Average of class Gaming
  (169 - 855, n=243, last 2 years)
690 Points +63%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
Intel Core i9-9880H
467 Points +10%
Acer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M
Intel Core i7-9750H
449 Points +6%
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H
441 Points +4%
Asus ROG G703GXR
Intel Core i7-9750H
423 Points
CPU (Multi Core)
Average of class Gaming
  (930 - 13769, n=243, last 2 years)
7152 Points +130%
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H
3712 Points +19%
Asus ROG G703GXR
Intel Core i7-9750H
3110 Points
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
Intel Core i9-9880H
2953 Points -5%
Acer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M
Intel Core i7-9750H
2896 Points -7%
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (79.2 - 318, n=247, last 2 years)
265 Points +55%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
Intel Core i9-9880H
197 Points +15%
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H
189 Points +11%
Acer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M
Intel Core i7-9750H
185 Points +8%
Asus ROG G703GXR
Intel Core i7-9750H
171 Points
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (400 - 5663, n=248, last 2 years)
2986 Points +138%
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H
1721 Points +37%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
Intel Core i9-9880H
1450 Points +15%
Acer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M
Intel Core i7-9750H
1279 Points +2%
Asus ROG G703GXR
Intel Core i7-9750H
1256 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
171 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
1256 Points
Help

System Performance

Our review unit is only powerful enough to finish fourth in PCMark 10. The SSD is the bottleneck here, with the MSI GE75 Raider 9SG having a faster drive, while the Acer Predator Helios 700 and HP Omen 17 run SSDs in a RAID setup. Subjectively, the G703GXR performed smoothly throughout our tests, with the OS and programs loading quickly. We would expect this from a 2019 gaming laptop, though.

PCMark 10 - Score
Average of class Gaming
  (4477 - 9852, n=208, last 2 years)
7531 Points +30%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i9-9880H, 2x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ (RAID 0)
6558 Points +13%
Acer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-9750H, 2x WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G-1014 (RAID 0)
6453 Points +12%
MSI GE75 9SG
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i9-9880H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
6306 Points +9%
Asus ROG G703GXR
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5780 Points

Storage Devices

ASUS has equipped the G703GXR with a 512 GB Samsung PM981, one of the fastest SSDs currently on the market. The M.2 drive performed well in CrystalDiskMark, both with smaller and larger file transfers.

SSD
SSD
SSD
SSD
SSHD
SSHD
SSHD
SSHD

The G703GXR also has a 1 TB Seagate FireCuda ST1000LX015, so you need not buy another drive for storing all your games. The drive is not as fast as an SSD, but it will load games quickly. ASUS has equipped the G703GXR with an additional M.2 drive bay too, should you need more storage.

Asus ROG G703GXR
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Acer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M
2x WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G-1014 (RAID 0)
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
2x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ (RAID 0)
MSI GE75 9SG
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
28%
24%
5%
Write 4K
99.3
115.3
16%
103.8
5%
116.1
17%
Read 4K
40.25
41.79
4%
41.67
4%
44.98
12%
Write Seq
2001
2841
42%
2639
32%
2370
18%
Read Seq
2107
2547
21%
2702
28%
1465
-30%
Write 4K Q32T1
348.3
498.6
43%
487.3
40%
337.5
-3%
Read 4K Q32T1
391.5
555
42%
555
42%
453.6
16%
Write Seq Q32T1
2003
3123
56%
2967
48%
2399
20%
Read Seq Q32T1
3482
3476
0%
3102
-11%
3087
-11%
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 3482 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 2003 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 391.5 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 348.3 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 2107 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 2001 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 40.25 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 99.3 MB/s

Graphics Card

The GeForce RTX 2080 currently remains NVIDIA's strongest laptop GPU. The DirectX 12-capable high-end graphics card has 2,944 shader units and is based on a 12 nm FinFET process. The GeForce RTX 2080 has 8 GB of GDDR6 VRAM on a 256-bit interface, meaning that it should be future-proofed for at least a few years yet.

3DMark 11 Performance
24850 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
38299 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
20164 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
9526 points
Help

The GeForce RTX 2080 has a 1,575 MHz base clock, but it can average between 1,700 and 1,800 MHz under load. We managed to elicit up to 1,935 MHz during our tests, but not consistently.

The G703GXR performed valiantly during synthetic GPU benchmarks. Only the Acer Predator Helios 700 performed slightly better than our review unit, with the MSI GE75 Raider 9SG and HP Omen 17 falling slightly behind. However, we expected as much considering that both devices have thinner designs than the G703GXR and thus have weaker cooling.

3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (781 - 53059, n=250, last 2 years)
28955 Points +13%
Acer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
27319 Points +6%
Asus ROG G703GXR
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
25727 Points
MSI GE75 9SG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
24623 Points -4%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
22820 Points -11%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (224 - 22547, n=248, last 2 years)
11781 Points +16%
Acer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
10607 Points +4%
Asus ROG G703GXR
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
10181 Points
MSI GE75 9SG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
9754 Points -4%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
9480 Points -7%
2560x1440 Port Royal Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (280 - 14457, n=163, last 2 years)
7581 Points +37%
Acer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
5860 Points +6%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
5582 Points +1%
Asus ROG G703GXR
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
5543 Points
MSI GE75 9SG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
5538 Points 0%
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Gaming
  (1029 - 72070, n=246, last 2 years)
39499 Points +10%
Acer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
37768 Points +6%
Asus ROG G703GXR
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
35754 Points
MSI GE75 9SG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
34050 Points -5%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
31826 Points -11%

Additionally, the GPU never throttles just like the CPU. We verified this by running The Witcher 3 for an hour on the ultra preset at 1080p, the results of which you can see below.

05101520253035404550556065707580859095100105110Tooltip
Asus ROG G703GXR GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ: Ø98.7 (92-103)
Acer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-9750H, 2x WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G-1014 (RAID 0): Ø106.6 (99-112)
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i9-9880H, 2x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ (RAID 0): Ø94 (88-99)
MSI GE75 9SG GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i9-9880H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR: Ø89.4 (84-96)

Gaming Performance

As you might expect, the GeForce RTX 2080 handles most modern triple-A titles with ease, so long as you play at native resolutions. Out of the 11 games that we tested, all but one averaged above 60 FPS at maximum graphics, so the G703GXR can take advantage of its 144 display. The device can even reach 100 FPS on the ultra preset in undemanding games like Fortnite and FIFA 20 too.

The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Average of class Gaming
  (8.61 - 216, n=245, last 2 years)
114 fps +17%
Acer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-9750H
105 (86min) fps +8%
Asus ROG G703GXR
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-9750H
97.1 (80min) fps
MSI GE75 9SG
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i9-9880H
95.3 fps -2%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i9-9880H
91.7 (76min) fps -6%

The GeForce RTX 2080 should have no problem with gaming at 2560x1440 resolution, which you have seen referred to elsewhere as UHD. The G703GXR reaches its limits at 4K, though.

low med. high ultra
The Witcher 3 (2015) 165 97.1
Fortnite (2018) 148 133
Hitman 2 (2018) 76 73.1
Anthem (2019) 96.9 91
The Division 2 (2019) 116 92
Anno 1800 (2019) 70 40.8
Rage 2 (2019) 110 108
F1 2019 (2019) 83 80
Control (2019) 91.7
Borderlands 3 (2019) 91.8 79.4
FIFA 20 (2019) 202 201

Emissions

Fan Noise

The G703GXR runs relatively quietly when idling, but it can reach between 33 to 35 dB(A). Activating silent mode within Armory Crate allows the device to run silently, though. The fans never reached their full capacity when running in either mode at idle, which is better than some of our comparison devices.

Fan noise at idle
Fan noise at idle
Fan noise under load
Fan noise under load
Speaker noise levels
Speaker noise levels

Unsurprisingly, the fans get much louder under load. Our review reached 50 dB(A) when playing The Witcher 3, making it 3 dB(A) louder than the HP Omen 17. By contrast, the MSI GE75 Raider 9SG peaked at 54 dB(A) during the same test, while the Acer Predator Helios 700 reached a noticeably louder 57 dB(A). In short, none of these devices are suitable for noise-sensitive gamers unless you have headphones to hand.

Noise Level

Idle
33 / 34 / 35 dB(A)
Load
38 / 54 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 30 dB(A)
Asus ROG G703GXR
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
Acer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
MSI GE75 9SG
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
Average of class Gaming
 
Noise
-7%
-4%
3%
10%
off / environment *
30
30
-0%
30
-0%
28.2
6%
24.1 ?(19.5 - 29.9, n=194, last 2 years)
20%
Idle Minimum *
33
30
9%
34
-3%
30.4
8%
25.6 ?(21.9 - 41.6, n=195, last 2 years)
22%
Idle Average *
34
34
-0%
35
-3%
30.4
11%
27.4 ?(21.9 - 42.1, n=195, last 2 years)
19%
Idle Maximum *
35
45
-29%
36
-3%
33.4
5%
30.7 ?(21.9 - 47, n=195, last 2 years)
12%
Load Average *
38
40
-5%
51
-34%
37.1
2%
43.2 ?(25.2 - 62.9, n=195, last 2 years)
-14%
Witcher 3 ultra *
50
57
-14%
47
6%
54.2
-8%
Load Maximum *
54
60
-11%
51
6%
56.4
-4%
53.2 ?(42.1 - 68.2, n=195, last 2 years)
1%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

One of the biggest advantages of a massive chassis is airflow. Theoretically, improved airflow should result in lower surface temperatures, and that is the case with the G703GXR. Surface temperatures peaked at 46 °C on the top case of our review unit and 49 °C on its underside during our combined FurMark & ​​Prime95 stress test, which is reasonable for a high-end gaming laptop. The palm rest never exceeded 30 °C either, which is pleasant.

System information while playing The Witcher 3
System information while playing The Witcher 3
System information during a stress test
System information during a stress test
Heat map of the top of the device under load
Heat map of the top of the device under load
Heat map of the bottom of the device under load
Heat map of the bottom of the device under load

Surface temperatures fluctuated between 25 °C and 32 °C at idle too. Hence, the G703GXR should run coolly during undemanding tasks.

Max. Load
 39 °C
102 F
44 °C
111 F
46 °C
115 F
 
 38 °C
100 F
40 °C
104 F
37 °C
99 F
 
 26 °C
79 F
27 °C
81 F
27 °C
81 F
 
Maximum: 46 °C = 115 F
Average: 36 °C = 97 F
49 °C
120 F
44 °C
111 F
47 °C
117 F
43 °C
109 F
40 °C
104 F
46 °C
115 F
28 °C
82 F
28 °C
82 F
28 °C
82 F
Maximum: 49 °C = 120 F
Average: 39.2 °C = 103 F
Power Supply (max.)  46 °C = 115 F | Room Temperature 22 °C = 72 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 36 °C / 97 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F for the devices in the class Gaming.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 46 °C / 115 F, compared to the average of 40.4 °C / 105 F, ranging from 21.2 to 68.8 °C for the class Gaming.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 49 °C / 120 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.8 °C / 84 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(±) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 35.4 °C / 96 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 27 °C / 80.6 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (+1.9 °C / 3.4 F).
Asus ROG G703GXR
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
Acer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
MSI GE75 9SG
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
Average of class Gaming
 
Heat
4%
-2%
-17%
-2%
Maximum Upper Side *
46
37
20%
47
-2%
48.8
-6%
46.3 ?(28.2 - 61, n=194, last 2 years)
-1%
Maximum Bottom *
49
40
18%
54
-10%
52
-6%
49.7 ?(30 - 66.3, n=194, last 2 years)
-1%
Idle Upper Side *
31
34
-10%
32
-3%
36.2
-17%
31.5 ?(21.2 - 43, n=194, last 2 years)
-2%
Idle Bottom *
32
36
-13%
30
6%
44.4
-39%
32.7 ?(22.6 - 45, n=194, last 2 years)
-2%

* ... smaller is better

Speakers

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2034.837.42541.542.83132.539.94031.839.1502838.16327.641.38034.645.510024.651.712525.960.316024.165.720021.463.625020.770.231519.97340018.777.350018.680.263018.180.880017.482.1100017.479.6125018.581.7160018.280.8200017.880.6250017.581.7315017.582.1400017.582.7500017.476.5630017.672.6800017.669.71000017.667.21250017.660.81600017.351.7SPL30.192.1N1.498median 17.8median 77.3Delta1.56.736.336.238.942.13231.829.529.828.730.127.532.626.731.925.636.324.248.328.257.624.654.823.560.92262.420.767.519.265.818.570.617.973.217.868.819.171.718.170.417.471.117.469.217.369.717.573.217.467.517.270.717.373.217.470.117.265.517.256.330.482.61.459median 17.9median 68.81.75.7hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAsus ROG G703GXRAcer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Asus ROG G703GXR audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (92 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 13.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.1% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | reduced highs - on average 5.4% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (4.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (14.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 26% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 67% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 15% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 81% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Acer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 15.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.1% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (12.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 15% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 81% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 9% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 89% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management


Power Consumption

Despite supporting graphics switching, the G703GXR still needs a relatively large amount of power when idling. We recorded our review unit consuming between 27 and 39 W when idling with G-Sync enabled, which rose to ​​between 124 and 338 W under load, making the ROG G703GXR more power-hungry than all our comparison devices. A 330 W power supply would have been just enough to keep the device charging even under load according to our tests, but ASUS has included 560 W across two power supplies for safety. Carrying two chargers around will probably prove annoying in daily use, though.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.1 / 0.2 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 27 / 32 / 39 Watt
Load midlight 124 / 338 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Asus ROG G703GXR
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
Acer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
MSI GE75 9SG
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
Average of class Gaming
 
Power Consumption
2%
11%
28%
32%
Idle Minimum *
27
28
-4%
26
4%
13.9
49%
13.7 ?(2 - 64, n=191, last 2 years)
49%
Idle Average *
32
34
-6%
29
9%
18.8
41%
18.9 ?(6.5 - 67, n=191, last 2 years)
41%
Idle Maximum *
39
45
-15%
38
3%
23.1
41%
26.5 ?(9 - 101.1, n=191, last 2 years)
32%
Load Average *
124
98
21%
106
15%
112.3
9%
111.7 ?(32.1 - 202, n=191, last 2 years)
10%
Witcher 3 ultra *
274
263
4%
228
17%
231
16%
Load Maximum *
338
307
9%
287
15%
291.5
14%
249 ?(64.5 - 418, n=190, last 2 years)
26%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Although the G703GXR does not receive top marks for its power consumption, it still manages to have decent battery life thanks to its 96 Wh battery. By comparison, our comparison devices have between 65 and 72 Wh cells. Under perfect conditions, our review unit can last just over 8 hours. Moreover, the G703GXR lasted 6:07 hours in our Wi-Fi battery life test, which is much longer than our comparison devices managed. However, runtimes drop dramatically under load and with G-Sync enabled. Our review unit lasted for just 1:01 hours, so gaming on the go is hardly feasible.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
8h 04min
WiFi Websurfing
6h 07min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 01min
Asus ROG G703GXR
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, 96 Wh
Acer Predator Helios 700 PH717-71-785M
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, 72 Wh
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, 70 Wh
MSI GE75 9SG
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, 65 Wh
Average of class Gaming
 
Battery Runtime
-36%
-31%
-20%
18%
Reader / Idle
484
213
-56%
250
-48%
548 ?(57 - 1290, n=90, last 2 years)
13%
WiFi v1.3
367
168
-54%
196
-47%
294
-20%
366 ?(57 - 745, n=191, last 2 years)
0%
Load
61
63
3%
63
3%
86 ?(36 - 173, n=155, last 2 years)
41%

Pros

+ switchable G-Sync and NVIDIA Optimus
+ four drive bays
+ constant power delivery
+ a decent IPS panel with a 144 Hz refresh rate
+ good input devices
+ fast card reader
+ many ports
+ powerful speakers
+ strong battery life

Cons

- not all the internal components are easily accessible
- extremely bulky and heavy
- two power supplies

Verdict

The ASUS ROG G703GXR laptop review. Test device courtesy of notebooksbilliger.de.
The ASUS ROG G703GXR laptop review. Test device courtesy of notebooksbilliger.de.

The Asus ROG G703GXR is designed for gamers who primarily play at home.

The ROG G703GXR is unsuitable for being carried around and used as a mobile gaming laptop due to its size and weight. However, if you have no problem with a beefy chassis, then the ROG G703GXR will make for a great gaming companion and has no major flaws. Its maintenance options could be better in our opinion, for example, but any gripes we have are minor.

ASUS has equipped the device with good input devices and a wide selection of ports too, including Thunderbolt 3. Additionally, the ROG G703GXR has a high-contrast and responsive IPS display. The choice between G-Sync for better image quality and Optimus for better battery life also deserves praise. Moreover, we like that the laptop can maintain peak CPU and GPU performance under load. ASUS has achieved a decent compromise between power, temperature and volume too. Overall, the ROG G703GXR is an excellent old-school gaming laptop.

Asus ROG G703GXR - 05/14/2020 v7
Florian Glaser

Chassis
78 / 98 → 79%
Keyboard
89%
Pointing Device
88%
Connectivity
69 / 80 → 86%
Weight
42 / 10-66 → 57%
Battery
69 / 95 → 73%
Display
82%
Games Performance
97%
Application Performance
92%
Temperature
87 / 95 → 91%
Noise
71 / 90 → 79%
Audio
84%
Camera
48 / 85 → 56%
Average
76%
86%
Gaming - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > ASUS ROG G703GXR Laptop Review: A high-end old-school gamer
Florian Glaser, 2019-10- 7 (Update: 2019-10-10)