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ASUS ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW (Core i7-8750H, RTX 2070) Laptop Review

A powerful and surprisingly compact package. ASUS is one of the first manufacturers to update its gaming laptops with Nvidia RTX GPUs. The GL704 is one such model and is one of the most compact 17-inch gaming laptops on the market. Read on to see what, if any, performance boost the RTX 2070 brings and how it affects cooling.
Coffee Lake Gaming Geforce Laptop

The ASUS ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW may look familiar to those of you who have read our GL704GM review, which we published just over three months ago. The two laptops are broadly identical, except that ASUS has swapped the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 out for a GeForce RTX 2070. The company is one of the first manufacturers to ship its RTX 20 series gaming laptops, and the GeForce RTX 2070 should offer a significant performance boost over the GeForce GTX 1060. The other hardware remains unchanged though, as does the Intel Core i7-8750H CPU, so we are interested to see how the cooling system handles the additional power that the RTX 2070 brings.

Our test configuration currently retails for around 2,100 Euros (~$2,374). We have chosen to compare the GL704GW against its predecessor and other 17-inch gaming laptops. Our comparison devices will include the Gigabyte Sabre 17, the HP Omen 17, the MSI GS73VR and the RTX 2060 version of the GL73 8SE. Please keep in mind that these and other laptops, besides the GS73VR, should receive an update to RTX 20 series GPUs in the coming weeks.

We are most interested in how the RTX 2070 performs and its impact on cooling. We shall jump straight to our review unit’s display though, as the GL704GW shares its case, connectivity, input devices and accessories with its predecessor. Please see our GL704GM review for our thoughts on these areas.

Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW (GL704 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-8750H 6 x 2.2 - 4.1 GHz, Coffee Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile - 8 GB VRAM, Core: 1215 MHz, Memory: 1750 MHz, GDDR6, ForceWare 417.71, Optimus
Memory
16 GB 
, DDR4-2666, 2 x 8 GB, dual-channel, max. 32 GB, all slots occupied
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 127 PPI, B173HAN04.0 (AUO409D), AHVA, Full HD, 144 Hz, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Cannon Lake HM370
Storage
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8, 512 GB 
, NVMe + Seagate ST1000LX015, 1 TB SSHD, 5,400 RPM. Drive bays: 1 x M.2 & 1 x 2.5-inch
Soundcard
Realtek ALC294 @ Intel Cannon Point PCH - cAVS (Audio, Voice, Speech)
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 2 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combined headphone and microphone jack, Card Reader: SD, SDHC, SDXC
Networking
Realtek RTL8168B/8111B Family PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet NIC (10/100/1000MBit/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): 26.4 x 399 x 273 ( = 1.04 x 15.71 x 10.75 in)
Battery
66 Wh Lithium-Ion, 4 cells
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD 720p
Additional features
Speakers: 2 x 3.5 W, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 230 W charger, Asus ROG Tools, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.89 kg ( = 101.94 oz / 6.37 pounds), Power Supply: 620 g ( = 21.87 oz / 1.37 pounds)
Price
2100 EUR
Links
Asus homepage
Asus notebook section
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Size Comparison

❌
423 mm / 16.7 inch 304 mm / 12 inch 33 mm / 1.299 inch 3.7 kg8.06 lbs419 mm / 16.5 inch 287 mm / 11.3 inch 33 mm / 1.299 inch 2.7 kg5.95 lbs418.5 mm / 16.5 inch 288.7 mm / 11.4 inch 29.9 mm / 1.177 inch 2.9 kg6.46 lbs411.8 mm / 16.2 inch 284.9 mm / 11.2 inch 19.6 mm / 0.772 inch 2.4 kg5.36 lbs399 mm / 15.7 inch 273 mm / 10.7 inch 26.4 mm / 1.039 inch 2.9 kg6.37 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)
MSI GS73VR 7RG
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
182.9 MB/s ∼100% +129%
Average of class Gaming
  (48.5 - 209, n=93, last 2 years)
105.2 MB/s ∼58% +32%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
81.6 MB/s ∼45% +2%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
80 MB/s ∼44%
Asus GL704GM-DH74
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
78.9 MB/s ∼43% -1%
Gigabyte Sabre 17-W8
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
76 MB/s ∼42% -5%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
26.81 MB/s ∼15% -66%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
MSI GS73VR 7RG
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
212.2 MB/s ∼100% +150%
Average of class Gaming
  (72 - 269, n=84, last 2 years)
129.3 MB/s ∼61% +52%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
85.8 MB/s ∼40% +1%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
85 MB/s ∼40%
Gigabyte Sabre 17-W8
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
84.8 MB/s ∼40% 0%
Asus GL704GM-DH74
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
80.1 MB/s ∼38% -6%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
30.98 MB/s ∼15% -64%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (450 - 1580, n=73, last 2 years)
1129 MBit/s ∼100% +217%
Asus GL704GM-DH74
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
659 MBit/s ∼58% +85%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter
630 MBit/s ∼56% +77%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
623 MBit/s ∼55% +75%
MSI GS73VR 7RG
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
486 MBit/s ∼43% +37%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
356 MBit/s ∼32%
Gigabyte Sabre 17-W8
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S CNVi: WiFi
328 (311min - 338max) MBit/s ∼29% -8%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (90 - 1743, n=73, last 2 years)
1178 MBit/s ∼100% +97%
Asus GL704GM-DH74
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
664 MBit/s ∼56% +11%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
650 MBit/s ∼55% +9%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter
644 MBit/s ∼55% +8%
MSI GS73VR 7RG
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
605 MBit/s ∼51% +1%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
598 MBit/s ∼51%
Gigabyte Sabre 17-W8
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S CNVi: WiFi
353 (343min - 359max) MBit/s ∼30% -41%

Display

ASUS equips the GL704GW with the same AU Optronics B173HAN04.0 panel also found in the GL704GM that we tested. The matte display operates natively at 1080p and 144 Hz. The response times of our review unit are impressively fast too and deliver a smooth gaming experience. ASUS markets the display as “IPS grade” but it is an Advanced Hyper-Viewing Angles (AHVA) panel. The main difference between the two technologies is that AHVA panels tend to be higher frequency, but IPS panels can cover a slightly larger colour space. Subjectively, images look sharp and are free from any graininess from which dull screens occasionally suffer. Our review unit suffers from some minor backlight bleeding at the bottom of the display, but we can only notice this at maximum brightness with large areas of dark content being displayed onscreen.

Our test device achieves an average maximum brightness of 291 cd/m², which is 8% dimmer than the display in the GL704GM and puts the GL704GW bottom of our comparison table in this regard. The display is 96% evenly lit though, which should deliver noticeably more even backlight distribution than all our comparison devices. The GL704GW also has a better black value and contrast ratio than our comparison devices. Moreover, the device does not use pulse-width modulation (PWM) to regulate display brightness, so no-one should suffer from eye strain or headaches when using the GL704GW.

287
cd/m²		289
cd/m²		289
cd/m²
297
cd/m²		295
cd/m²		299
cd/m²
290
cd/m²		289
cd/m²		287
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
B173HAN04.0 (AUO409D)
X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 299 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 291.3 cd/m² Minimum: 16 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 96 %
Contrast: 1229:1 (Black: 0.24 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.2 | 0.55-29.43 Ø5.2, calibrated: 2.52
ΔE Greyscale 2.16 | 0.57-98 Ø5.4
87% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
57% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
63.7% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
87.1% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
62.9% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.46
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
B173HAN04.0 (AUO409D), AHVA, 1920x1080		Asus GL704GM-DH74
AU Optronics B173HAN04.0, IPS, 1920x1080		MSI GS73VR 7RG
ID: CMN1747, Name: Chi Mei N173HHE-G32, TN LED, 1920x1080		Gigabyte Sabre 17-W8
Chi Mei CMN1747, TN, 1920x1080		HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
AU Optronics AUO309D, IPS, 1920x1080		MSI GL73 8SE-010US
CMN1747, TN LED, 1920x1080
Display
0%
31%
31%
3%
31%
Display P3 Coverage
62.9
62
-1%
89.6
42%
89.9
43%
65.4
4%
91.1
45%
sRGB Coverage
87.1
89.2
2%
100
15%
100
15%
90
3%
100
15%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
63.7
63.3
-1%
86.9
36%
85.1
34%
65.8
3%
85.4
34%
Response Times
31%
-5%
39%
6%
27%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
17.6 ?(8.4, 9.2)
6.8 ?(3.4, 3.4)
61%
23.6 ?(13.6, 10)
-34%
9 ?(5, 4)
49%
17.6 ?(10, 7.6)
-0%
12.8 ?(6.8, 6)
27%
Response Time Black / White *
11.2 ?(6.8, 4.4)
11.2 ?(6.8, 4.4)
-0%
8.4 ?(6, 2.4)
25%
8 ?(6, 2)
29%
10 ?(4.8, 5.2)
11%
8.2 ?(6, 2.2)
27%
PWM Frequency
26040 ?(10)
25000 ?(20)
25770 ?(15)
Screen
-18%
-67%
-62%
-13%
-57%
Brightness middle
295
324.4
10%
350.9
19%
326
11%
343.6
16%
326.4
11%
Brightness
291
314
8%
311
7%
309
6%
320
10%
317
9%
Brightness Distribution
96
92
-4%
79
-18%
82
-15%
87
-9%
90
-6%
Black Level *
0.24
0.35
-46%
0.33
-38%
0.27
-13%
0.34
-42%
0.28
-17%
Contrast
1229
927
-25%
1063
-14%
1207
-2%
1011
-18%
1166
-5%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
3.2
3.82
-19%
7.7
-141%
9.11
-185%
3.74
-17%
7.83
-145%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
6.64
6.4
4%
14.4
-117%
14.14
-113%
5.33
20%
13.36
-101%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
2.52
3.32
-32%
2.62
-4%
3.49
-38%
2.83
-12%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
2.16
4.3
-99%
11.1
-414%
11.17
-417%
3.7
-71%
10.9
-405%
Gamma
2.46 89%
2.2 100%
2.11 104%
2.28 96%
2.36 93%
1.97 112%
CCT
6872 95%
7366 88%
11813 55%
12475 52%
6388 102%
11056 59%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
57
57.5
1%
77.74
36%
76
33%
58
2%
75.8
33%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
87
88.8
2%
100
15%
100
15%
90
3%
100
15%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
4% / -9%
-14% / -39%
3% / -32%
-1% / -8%
0% / -30%

* ... smaller is better

ASUS has done a great job at factory calibrating the display too. Our review unit has better than ideal DeltaE deviations, so games should look colour accurate without any additional calibration. We noticed no annoying colour casts either, which is reinforced by CalMAN. In short, you do not need to calibrate the GL704GW’s display, but you can improve greyscale deviations if you do. Hence, we have included a calibrated ICC profile should you wish to use it. Our test device achieves decent colour-space coverage too, but our two MSI comparison devices and the Gigabyte Sabre 17 achieved better results here, with all three having 100% sRGB coverage.

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
87% sRGB colour-space coverage
87% sRGB colour-space coverage
Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array
57% AdobeRGB colour-space coverage
57% AdobeRGB colour-space coverage

Display Response Times

ℹ
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
11.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 6.8 ms rise
↘ 4.4 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. » 22 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (22.3 ms).
   ↔    Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
17.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 8.4 ms rise
↘ 9.2 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 0.25 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 23 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (35.2 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

ℹ
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 18889 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

The GL704GW is also usable outdoors thanks to its matte display, but we struggle to read it in direct sunlight as the screen looks washed-out. Hence, we would recommend finding a shady spot, where possible. You should have no issues using the GL704GW outside on a cloudy day though.

Equally, our review unit has stable viewing angles. We noticed a slight loss of contrast from acute viewing angles, but this should not prevent you from using the GL704GW at practically any angle.

Using the ASUS ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW outside in direct sunlight
Using the ASUS ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW outside in direct sunlight
Using the ASUS ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW outside
Using the ASUS ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW outside
Viewing angles
Viewing angles
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

ASUS has equipped the GL704GW with powerful components. In addition to the brand-new GeForce RTX 2070, there is an Intel Core i7-8750H, which is supported by 16 GB of DDR4 RAM that operates in dual-channel mode. Moreover, ASUS includes a 512 GB NVMe SSD and a 1 TB SSHD, which should provide plenty of space for installing many games.

Processor

You may have seen the Core i7-8750H before from not only the GL704GM but also many other gaming and multimedia laptops, including most of our comparison devices. The Core i7-8750H is a hexa-core CPU that has a 2.2 GHz base clock speed that can Turbo Boost up to 3.9 GHz across all cores and 4.1 GHz across four cores. Please see our Core i7-8750H page for more technical information about the CPU and how it compares against other processors.

Cinebench R15 Single 64-bit
Cinebench R15 Single 64-bit
Cinebench R15 Multi 64-bit
Cinebench R15 Multi 64-bit
GPU load during the Heaven 4.0 benchmark
GPU load during the Heaven 4.0 benchmark

The Core i7-8750H in our test device performs exceptionally, which is underlined by its benchmark results. We subjected the GL704GW to a looped Cinebench R15 Multi 64-bit benchmark to determine how well it manages its performance under sustained load. The chart looks erratic, with some noticeable thermal throttling during the mid-section of our loop, but overall the GL704GW consistently outperformed our comparison devices. The thermal throttling is only temporary too, with performance only dropping by 3% by the end of the benchmark loop.

It is worth keeping in mind that the system downclocks the CPU by almost 50% when running on battery though.

065130195260325390455520585650715780845910975104011051170Tooltip
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø1187 (1126.76-1226.54)
Gigabyte Sabre 17-W8 Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø1041 (976.49-1204.86)
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1 Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø981 (957.01-1046.68)
MSI GL73 8SE-010US Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø920 (906.29-1034.2)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (79.2 - 312, n=242, last 2 years)
251 Points ∼100% +44%
Asus GL704GM-DH74
Intel Core i7-8750H
174 Points ∼69% 0%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
Intel Core i7-8750H
174 Points ∼69%
Gigabyte Sabre 17-W8
Intel Core i7-8750H
170 Points ∼68% -2%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
Intel Core i7-8750H
169 Points ∼67% -3%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
Intel Core i7-8750H
165 Points ∼66% -5%
MSI GS73VR 7RG
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
154 Points ∼61% -11%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (400 - 5663, n=241, last 2 years)
2595 Points ∼100% +111%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
Intel Core i7-8750H
1227 Points ∼47%
Gigabyte Sabre 17-W8
Intel Core i7-8750H
1205 Points ∼46% -2%
Asus GL704GM-DH74
Intel Core i7-8750H
1133 Points ∼44% -8%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
Intel Core i7-8750H
1047 Points ∼40% -15%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
Intel Core i7-8750H
1034 Points ∼40% -16%
MSI GS73VR 7RG
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
739 Points ∼28% -40%
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
174 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
1227 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
105.2 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Help

System Performance

Our review unit also performed well in PCMark benchmarks, in which it finished towards the top of our comparison tables and a few percent ahead of its predecessor in PCMark 10. The system also feels responsive in daily use, and we did not detect any problems during our tests.

ASUS preinstalls its ROG tools, as it does with its ROG laptops, which allows you to tweak the fans, lighting and performance. You can also disable the sound effects that play when the system starts using ROG tools.

PCMark 10 | PCMark 8
PCMark 10 - Score
Average of class Gaming
  (4477 - 9331, n=195, last 2 years)
7248 Points ∼100% +30%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5939 Points ∼82% +7%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5555 Points ∼77%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
5118 Points ∼71% -8%
Asus GL704GM-DH74
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
5053 Points ∼70% -9%
Gigabyte Sabre 17-W8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPU7
5049 Points ∼70% -9%
MSI GS73VR 7RG
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN512HMJP
4891 Points ∼67% -12%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5557 Points ∼100% +14%
Average of class Gaming
  (3570 - 6657, n=41, last 2 years)
5100 Points ∼92% +5%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
4861 Points ∼87%
MSI GS73VR 7RG
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN512HMJP
4394 Points ∼79% -10%
Asus GL704GM-DH74
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
4357 Points ∼78% -10%
Gigabyte Sabre 17-W8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPU7
4231 Points ∼76% -13%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
3876 Points ∼70% -20%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Gaming
  (4622 - 7085, n=40, last 2 years)
5997 Points ∼100% +6%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5968 Points ∼100% +5%
Asus GL704GM-DH74
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
5668 Points ∼95% 0%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5663 Points ∼94%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
5359 Points ∼89% -5%
Gigabyte Sabre 17-W8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPU7
5340 Points ∼89% -6%
MSI GS73VR 7RG
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN512HMJP
5215 Points ∼87% -8%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4861 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
7941 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5663 points
PCMark 10 Score
5555 points
Help

Storage Devices

HD Tune HDD utility - Seagate ST1000LX015
HD Tune HDD utility - Seagate ST1000LX015

The GL704GW has two drives, the main one of which is a 512 GB Intel 660p M.2 NVMe SSD. The Intel 660p performed well in the AS SSD and CrystalDiskMark benchmarks, especially in 4K tests. The Samsung PM871 achieves faster sequential transfer speeds though, as demonstrated by the drive in the GS73VR.

ASUS also includes a 1 TB Seagate FireCuda drive, which is a hybrid SSD and HDD that is commonly referred to as an SSHD. The drive has an 8 GB SSD cache to deliver improved performance compared to traditional HDDs. The drive in our review unit achieves an average transfer speed of 107.4 MB/s, according to HD Tune, which is comparatively fast for a 5,400 RPM drive, but it is much slower than an NVMe SSD.

Please see our HDD/SSD page for more benchmark information and comparisons between drives.

Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8		Asus GL704GM-DH74
WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G		MSI GS73VR 7RG
Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN512HMJP		Gigabyte Sabre 17-W8
Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPU7		HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ		MSI GL73 8SE-010US
Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-1%
-19%
1%
29%
-43%
Write 4K
99.6
96.8
-3%
141.3
42%
104.7
5%
110.7
11%
71.2
-29%
Read 4K
48.99
39.82
-19%
41.02
-16%
37.39
-24%
35.49
-28%
32.7
-33%
Write Seq
972
1197
23%
507
-48%
866
-11%
1665
71%
404.5
-58%
Read Seq
1515
1166
-23%
539
-64%
944
-38%
1284
-15%
8.3
-99%
Write 4K Q32T1
280.6
247.3
-12%
362.8
29%
293.3
5%
340.2
21%
204
-27%
Read 4K Q32T1
327.8
314.3
-4%
402.8
23%
374.3
14%
407.5
24%
303.2
-8%
Write Seq Q32T1
970
1302
34%
524
-46%
1064
10%
2038
110%
386.5
-60%
Read Seq Q32T1
1757
1688
-4%
553
-69%
2616
49%
2367
35%
1214
-31%
AS SSD
6%
-23%
14%
83%
-53%
Seq Read
1315
1102
-16%
497.9
-62%
2120
61%
1473
12%
794
-40%
Seq Write
927
1204
30%
465.1
-50%
871
-6%
1962
112%
427.6
-54%
4K Read
52.4
28.76
-45%
33.69
-36%
20.59
-61%
31.66
-40%
21.91
-58%
4K Write
122.8
92.9
-24%
96.8
-21%
88.4
-28%
84.4
-31%
56.6
-54%
4K-64 Read
326.5
649
99%
337.7
3%
848
160%
1125
245%
354.3
9%
4K-64 Write
727
593
-18%
273.6
-62%
591
-19%
1866
157%
285.7
-61%
Access Time Read *
0.11
0.141
-28%
0.051
54%
0.191
-74%
0.071
35%
0.237
-115%
Access Time Write *
0.045
0.04
11%
0.032
29%
0.047
-4%
0.047
-4%
0.09
-100%
Score Read
510
788
55%
421
-17%
1080
112%
1304
156%
456
-11%
Score Write
942
806
-14%
417
-56%
767
-19%
2147
128%
385
-59%
Score Total
1715
2008
17%
1064
-38%
2335
36%
4142
142%
1061
-38%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
3% / 3%
-21% / -21%
8% / 9%
56% / 60%
-48% / -49%

* ... smaller is better

CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
AS SSD
hddimg
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 1757 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 970 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 327.8 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 280.6 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1515 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 972 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 48.99 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 99.6 MB/s

Graphics Card

GPU-Z: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070
GPU-Z: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070

The highlight of the GL704GW is undoubtedly its GeForce RTX 2070 GPU, which succeeds the GTX 1070. The RTX 2070 is based on the 12 nm TU106 chip like its desktop counterpart, but Nvidia sets it at lower clock speeds. Both GPUs have 8 GB of GDDR6 VRAM, which operates at 14 GHz and with a 256-bit bus though.

Our review unit achieved excellent results in 3DMark benchmarks, in which it finished between 6% and 10% ahead of the Razer Blade 15 with its RTX 2070 Max-Q GPU. The RTX 2070 also outscores the GTX 1070 and the RTX 2060, while it scored around 50% more than the GTX 1060 in the GL704GM.

ASUS also preinstalls its Armory Crate software, which has a Turbo Mode that is designed to boost graphics performance. We did not notice any difference while playing games, but our review unit achieved 4% higher scores in 3DMark 11 with Turbo Mode activated. The Turbo Mode is stable too, although our test device only just passed the Time Spy and Fire Strike Ultra stress tests.

Please keep in mind that the system throttles its GPU performance by over 50% when operating on battery. Hence, we would recommend playing games only with the charger connected.

3DMark 11 | 3DMark
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Gaming
  (1029 - 72070, n=233, last 2 years)
36470 Points ∼100% +51%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW (Turbo Mode)
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile
25202 Points ∼69% +4%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile
24172 Points ∼66%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
22723 Points ∼62% -6%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
21380 Points ∼59% -12%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
20157 Points ∼55% -17%
MSI GS73VR 7RG
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
18642 Points ∼51% -23%
Asus GL704GM-DH74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
15436 Points ∼42% -36%
Gigabyte Sabre 17-W8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
14534 Points ∼40% -40%
3DMark
3840x2160 Fire Strike Ultra Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (2910 - 14184, n=99, last 2 years)
7266 Points ∼100% +62%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile
4476 Points ∼62%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
4124 Points ∼57% -8%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
3351 Points ∼46% -25%
MSI GS73VR 7RG
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
3278 Points ∼45% -27%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (781 - 53059, n=240, last 2 years)
26988 Points ∼100% +40%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile
19236 Points ∼71%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
18153 Points ∼67% -6%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
16131 Points ∼60% -16%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
15731 Points ∼58% -18%
MSI GS73VR 7RG
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
14663 Points ∼54% -24%
Asus GL704GM-DH74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
12281 Points ∼46% -36%
Gigabyte Sabre 17-W8
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
11752 Points ∼44% -39%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (224 - 22547, n=241, last 2 years)
10715 Points ∼100% +44%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile
7431 Points ∼69%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
6728 Points ∼63% -9%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
5783 Points ∼54% -22%
3DMark 11 Performance
19085 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
16810 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
8788 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
7182 points
Help

Gaming Performance

As expected, the GL704GW achieved outstanding framerates in modern triple-A games. Our review unit averaged more than 60 FPS in all our gaming tests and can make use of its 144 Hz panel when games are played at high graphics settings. The RTX 2070 generally outperforms the GeForce GTX 1080 too and is only a few percent behind the RTX 2080 Max-Q. There is not much difference between the RTX 2070 and the RTX 2080 either, with the gap between the GPUs being as small as 4% in games like Darksiders III at maximum graphics. The RTX 2080 achieved 61% higher frame rates in Battlefield V at ultra-graphics though. In short, the GL704GW is even powerful enough for 4K gaming on an external monitor, but just not at maximum settings.

The Witcher 3 | Shadow of the Tomb Raider | Rise of the Tomb Raider | Battlefield V | Darksiders III
The Witcher 3
1920x1080 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off)
Average of class Gaming
  (17.5 - 449, n=176, last 2 years)
190.2 fps ∼100% +42%
Asus ROG G703GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-8750H
169.6 fps ∼89% +27%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H
133.6 fps ∼70%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H
104.3 fps ∼55% -22%
MSI GS73VR 7RG
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
98.2 fps ∼52% -26%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H
83 fps ∼44% -38%
Asus GL704GM-DH74
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
80.5 fps ∼42% -40%
Gigabyte Sabre 17-W8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
53.9 fps ∼28% -60%
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Average of class Gaming
  (8.61 - 216, n=239, last 2 years)
102.7 fps ∼100% +43%
Asus ROG G703GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-8750H
99.7 fps ∼97% +39%
MSI GS75 8SG Stealth
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H
75.4 (62min) fps ∼73% +5%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H
71.8 fps ∼70%
Schenker XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-9900K
61.7 fps ∼60% -14%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H
57 fps ∼56% -21%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H
55.1 fps ∼54% -23%
MSI GS73VR 7RG
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
51.3 fps ∼50% -29%
Asus GL704GM-DH74
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
41.8 fps ∼41% -42%
Gigabyte Sabre 17-W8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
24 fps ∼23% -67%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
1920x1080 Highest Preset AA:T
Average of class Gaming
  (27 - 214, n=27, last 2 years)
135.3 fps ∼100% +49%
Asus ROG G703GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-8750H
106 fps ∼78% +16%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H
91 fps ∼67%
Schenker XMG Ultra 17 Coffee Lake Refresh
GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i9-9900K
87 fps ∼64% -4%
MSI GS75 8SG Stealth
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H
75 (41min) fps ∼55% -18%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H
65 fps ∼48% -29%
1920x1080 High Preset AA:SM
Average of class Gaming
  (32 - 219, n=18, last 2 years)
130 fps ∼100% +41%
Asus ROG G703GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-8750H
111 fps ∼85% +21%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H
92 fps ∼71%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H
70 fps ∼54% -24%
Rise of the Tomb Raider
1920x1080 High Preset AA:FX AF:4x
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H
130.7 fps ∼100%
Average of class Gaming
  (121 - 121.4, n=2, last 2 years)
121.2 fps ∼93% -7%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H
103 fps ∼79% -21%
MSI GS73VR 7RG
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
97.7 fps ∼75% -25%
Asus GL704GM-DH74
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
81.4 fps ∼62% -38%
Gigabyte Sabre 17-W8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
74.4 fps ∼57% -43%
1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FX AF:16x
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H
109 fps ∼100%
Average of class Gaming
  (95.9 - 95.9, n=2, last 2 years)
95.9 fps ∼88% -12%
HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H
87 fps ∼80% -20%
MSI GS73VR 7RG
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
83.5 fps ∼77% -23%
Asus GL704GM-DH74
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
68.3 fps ∼63% -37%
Gigabyte Sabre 17-W8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
60.9 fps ∼56% -44%
Battlefield V
1920x1080 Ultra Preset
Asus ROG G703GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-8750H
117.4 fps ∼100% +61%
MSI GS75 8SG Stealth
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H
112 (95min) fps ∼95% +53%
Average of class Gaming
  (last 2 years)
83.2 fps ∼71% +14%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H
73 fps ∼62%
1920x1080 High Preset
Asus ROG G703GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-8750H
118.3 fps ∼100% +52%
Average of class Gaming
  (last 2 years)
89.4 fps ∼76% +15%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H
77.7 fps ∼66%
Darksiders III
1920x1080 Epic
Asus ROG G703GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-8750H
102.9 fps ∼100% +9%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H
94.7 fps ∼92%
1920x1080 High
Asus ROG G703GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-8750H
104.2 fps ∼100% +6%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H
98.5 fps ∼95%

We also subjected our review unit to an hour-long The Witcher 3 play-through to determine how the system manages performance over longer gaming sessions. The GL704GW only briefly dropped to around 60 FPS during the day/night cycle, with frame rates generally remaining around 65/75 FPS. The GPU operated at 1,440 MHz during our The Witcher 3 test, while the CPU maintained a consistent 3.9 GHz boost clock across all cores. Core temperatures exceeded 80 °C on both components, but neither thermal throttled.

However, frame rates dropped to just 24 FPS on battery. We would therefore recommend only gaming when connected to mains power, but you could achieve playable frame rates if you reduce the graphics settings.

Please see our GPU benchmarks page for more information on the GeForce RTX 2070 and how it compares against other GPUs.

0510152025303540455055606570Tooltip
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8: Ø70.1 (61-75)
low med. high ultra
GTA V (2015) 163.4 155.7 126.6 71.4
Dirt Rally (2015) 254.5 160.6 199.7 113.6
The Witcher 3 (2015) 255.3 204.1 133.6 71.8
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 129.7 120.7 115 109.2
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 210.5 158.6 130.7 109
Battlefield 1 (2016) 165.4 141.5 120.6 113.3
Assassin´s Creed Origins (2017) 84 72 71 64
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) 119 95 92 91
Forza Horizon 4 (2018) 137 113 112 94
Battlefield V (2018) 111.6 86 77.7 73
Darksiders III (2018) 169.2 102.4 98.5 94.7
Just Cause 4 (2018) 169.5 129.3 96.1 91.3

Emissions

Fan Noise

A look at the GPU cooler on the left and the CPU cooler on the right.
A look at the GPU cooler on the left and the CPU cooler on the right.

ASUS equips the GL704GW with two fans just as it does with the GL704GM. The fans are occasionally silent, but they will spin up to 40 dB(A) when performing short tasks like installing programs. The fans in our review unit reached a maximum of 52 dB(A) under sustained load, which is overly loud and drowns sounds while playing games. Moreover, the GPU fan is intrusive and pulsates, which we found annoying. In short, the enthusiastic fans will force you to use a headset while gaming unless you connect the GL704GW to external speakers and turn the volume up.

While we noticed no coil whine, we did hear a quiet electronic noise coming from the area around the mains connection on our review unit. We only heard this when we had the charger connected and with the laptop on standby or switched off though.

Fan noise - at idle
Fan noise - at idle
Fan noise - under load
Fan noise - under load
Fan noise – speakers
Fan noise – speakers

Noise Level

Idle
29 / 32 / 40 dB(A)
HDD
32 dB(A)
Load
46 / 52 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: 29 dB(A)
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H		Asus GL704GM-DH74
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H		MSI GS73VR 7RG
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ		Gigabyte Sabre 17-W8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H		HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H		MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H
Noise
-3%
7%
3%
6%
3%
off / environment *
29
28.2
3%
28
3%
30.5
-5%
27.8
4%
28.6
1%
Idle Minimum *
29
30
-3%
29.4
-1%
32.1
-11%
31.1
-7%
33.8
-17%
Idle Average *
32
31.8
1%
30.7
4%
32.1
-0%
31.1
3%
34
-6%
Idle Maximum *
40
34.6
13%
34
15%
32.3
19%
35
12%
34.1
15%
Load Average *
46
56
-22%
42
9%
42.9
7%
42
9%
36.5
21%
Witcher 3 ultra *
51
54.2
-6%
45.8
10%
44.5
13%
47.8
6%
Load Maximum *
52
56.7
-9%
45.8
12%
48.8
6%
46.5
11%
52.2
-0%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

The GL704GW also gets hot, which is somewhat predictable as it is difficult to cool powerful components in a thin case. Parts of our review unit average 35 °C at idle, although the palm rest remains pleasantly cool at around 27.3 °C. Surface temperatures peaked at 59 °C during a stress test and 56 °C while gaming, so we would recommend placing the laptop on a well-ventilated surface when you are pushing it hard, and not on your lap. Please keep in mind that we tested the GL704GW in winter, so surface temperatures may exceed 60 °C in the summer.

CPU and GPU load while playing The Witcher 3
CPU and GPU load while playing The Witcher 3
CPU and GPU load during a stress test
CPU and GPU load 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

We also subjected our review unit to a combined FurMark and Prime95 stress test to determine how it maintained performance under extreme load conditions. The CPU and GPU core temperatures reached almost 90 °C and both components downclocked slightly. The GPU maintained 1,200 MHz while the CPU dropped to between 2.2 and 2.3 GHz across all cores. You should not experience any throttling when playing games though.

Max. Load
 59 °C
138 F		56 °C
133 F		57 °C
135 F		 
 38 °C
100 F		44 °C
111 F		47 °C
117 F		 
 28 °C
82 F		29 °C
84 F		27 °C
81 F		 
Maximum: 59 °C = 138 F
Average: 42.8 °C = 109 F
54 °C
129 F		51 °C
124 F		53 °C
127 F
51 °C
124 F		47 °C
117 F		47 °C
117 F
26 °C
79 F		30 °C
86 F		27 °C
81 F
Maximum: 54 °C = 129 F
Average: 42.9 °C = 109 F
Power Supply (max.)  53 °C = 127 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 42.8 °C / 109 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 59 °C / 138 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 54 °C / 129 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 30.7 °C / 87 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(-) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 40.4 °C / 105 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 29 °C / 84.2 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 29 °C / 84.2 F (0 °C / 0 F).

Speakers

The GL704GW has two 3.5 W speakers, which sound good. However, a subwoofer would have helped deliver a more rounded sound as the stereo speakers lack bass. The speakers get loud though, and audio sounds balanced. Overall, the speakers are best enjoyed when listening to music or watching movies, as they are drowned out by the fans while gaming.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2039.145.52536.641.33128.330.74031.433.5503627.86326.7328030.738.610028.252.912524.752.116022.756.220023.463.525023.165.531520.366.340018.764.650017.866.86301868.380017.368.6100017.468.6125017.966.7160017.765.8200017.165.2250017.265.3315017.466.1400017.362.5500017.661630017.660800017.362.11000017.357.91250017.251.41600017.143.1SPL29.977.4N1.343.6median 17.6median 64.6Delta1.74.140.338.137.236.13634.334.332.733.433.531.531.630.432.329.836.828.34427.256.427.660.726.962.225.560.826.260.225.260.425.164.924.367.924.366.523.963.823.959.723.759.423.657.323.557.823.360.223.357.923.36623.265.623.258.823.151.323.642.53674.82.637.6median 23.9median 60.21.52.8hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAsus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GWAsus GL704GM-DH74
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (77 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 6.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (2.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.1% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 7% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 89% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 17%, worst was 47%
Compared to all devices tested
» 4% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 94% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%

Asus GL704GM-DH74 audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (67.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 7.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.9% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (14.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 30% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 62% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 17%, worst was 47%
Compared to all devices tested
» 17% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 79% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%

Power Management

Power Consumption

The ASUS ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW comes with a 230 W charger
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW comes with a 230 W charger

The GL704GW consumes more than our comparison devices, but we expected as much considering that it is equipped with a more powerful GPU. The GL704GW averages only 1.6 W more at idle than its predecessor and 6W more than the GL73 8SE with its RTX 2060 GPU.

Our review unit consumes almost 50 W more than the GL704GM and the GL73 8SE while playing The Witcher 3. Likewise, the RTX 2070 and Core i7-8750H consume nearly 60 W more than the GTX 1070 Max-Q and the Core i7 7700HQ in the GS73VR. This should not be an issue though as we only achieved these consumption rates with our test device on charge. We measured a peak power consumption of 231 W though, which is 1 W more than for which the included power supply is rated. Correspondingly, the included charger sometimes exceeds 50 °C, so perhaps ASUS should have included a more powerful charger with the GL704GW.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.5 / 2.2 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 19 / 22 / 29 Watt
Load midlight 102 / 231 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 Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H		Asus GL704GM-DH74
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H		MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H		MSI GS73VR 7RG
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ		Gigabyte Sabre 17-W8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H		HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H		Average of class Gaming
 
Power Consumption
14%
29%
28%
33%
3%
8%
Idle Minimum *
19
15.2
20%
8.8
54%
10.1
47%
9.3
51%
17.8
6%
13.5 ?(3 - 64, n=186, last 2 years)
29%
Idle Average *
22
20.4
7%
16.2
26%
18.3
17%
14.8
33%
24.7
-12%
18.6 ?(6.5 - 68.2, n=186, last 2 years)
15%
Idle Maximum *
29
27.3
6%
18.3
37%
19.6
32%
22
24%
29.6
-2%
26.1 ?(8.9 - 76, n=185, last 2 years)
10%
Load Average *
102
92.9
9%
86.1
16%
87.6
14%
63
38%
110
-8%
114.1 ?(48.4 - 202, n=186, last 2 years)
-12%
Witcher 3 ultra *
190
143
25%
146.7
23%
136.3
28%
167.8
12%
Load Maximum *
231
190.6
17%
186.4
19%
160.7
30%
187
19%
178.6
23%
238 ?(99 - 418, n=185, last 2 years)
-3%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The GL704GW has the same 66 Wh, 4-cell battery as its predecessor. As expected, the GL704GW needs recharging sooner than the GL704GM, but only 20 minutes sooner in our Wi-Fi test. The former even lasted 3 minutes longer under continuous load, but we suspect that few people will game on the go as the GL704GW only lasted 1:07 hours and significantly thermal throttles on battery.

Overall, the GL704GW has acceptable battery life, but the Sabre 17 consistently achieved longer runtimes than our review unit. Likewise, the HP Omen 17t lasted longer under sustained load and in our Wi-Fi battery life test, so there are 17-inch gaming laptops out there that have better battery life than the GL704GW.

The battery recharges impressively quickly though. Our review unit reached 60% charge from flat after just 38 minutes and recharged fully in 107 minutes.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
6h 12min
Witcher 3 ultra 150cd
0h 52min
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 44)
3h 55min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 07min
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H, 66 Wh		Asus GL704GM-DH74
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, 66 Wh		MSI GS73VR 7RG
GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ, 51 Wh		Gigabyte Sabre 17-W8
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, 62 Wh		HP Omen 17t-3AW55AV_1
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H, 86 Wh		MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, 41 Wh		Average of class Gaming
 
Battery Runtime
7%
-13%
24%
8%
-25%
48%
Reader / Idle
372
427
15%
349
-6%
411
10%
268
-28%
388
4%
572 ?(57 - 1212, n=97, last 2 years)
54%
WiFi v1.3
235
255
9%
191
-19%
321
37%
253
8%
168
-29%
358 ?(57 - 724, n=182, last 2 years)
52%
Witcher 3 ultra
52
81.2 ?(45 - 155, n=23, last 2 years)
56%
Load
67
64
-4%
57
-15%
84
25%
97
45%
33
-51%
88.1 ?(36 - 228, n=156, last 2 years)
31%
H.264
320
369 ?(56 - 643, n=90, last 2 years)

Verdict

Pros

+ compact for a 17-inch laptop
+ matte FHD panel
+ low response times
+ 144 Hz refresh rate
+ impressive performance
+ good speakers
+ easy to repair and maintain

Cons

- loud and annoying fans
- high temperatures
- awkward webcam placement
- no Thunderbolt 3
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW laptop review. Test device courtesy of ASUS Germany.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW laptop review. Test device courtesy of ASUS Germany.

The ASUS ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW is a remarkably compact and powerful laptop. Its footprint is only slightly larger than most 15.6-inch gaming laptops, and it is noticeably smaller than all but the MSI GS73VR 7RG of our comparison devices. It is even more impressive that ASUS has squeezed in a GeForce RTX 2070 GPU too and not the Max-Q version.

Our review unit achieved excellent results in our tests and can run all modern triple-A games smoothly in 1080p at maximum graphics. The only downsides are that the device runs hot and loud, so much so that the fans drown out the speakers when gaming. The GL704GW also throttles heavily on battery, but that is a minor gripe as the battery only lasts an hour or so under sustained load. It is a shame that the fans are so loud though as ASUS has equipped the GL704GW with decent speakers.

Sometimes, less is more. The ASUS ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW is an impressive 17.3-inch gaming laptop, but the RTX 2070 version runs so hot and loud that you may be better off with the RTX 2060 model instead.

ASUS has equipped the GL704GW with the same 144 Hz display that it used on the GL704GM, which continues to impress us with its low response times and its excellent colour accuracy. The aggressive and industrial case design will not be for everyone, but you would be hard pressed to find a more compact 17-inch gaming laptop that delivers the same performance as the GL704GW does. In short, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW is an excellent gaming laptop with few drawbacks besides its loud fans and high temperatures.

Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW - 02/18/2019 v6(old)
Andreas Osthoff

Chassis
83 / 98 → 85%
Keyboard
83%
Pointing Device
86%
Connectivity
64 / 81 → 79%
Weight
57 / 10-66 → 84%
Battery
75%
Display
82%
Games Performance
97%
Application Performance
97%
Temperature
80 / 95 → 84%
Noise
64 / 90 → 71%
Audio
80%
Average
79%
86%
Gaming - Weighted Average

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> Notebook / Laptop Reviews and News > Reviews > ASUS ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW (Core i7-8750H, RTX 2070) Laptop Review
Andreas Osthoff, 2019-02-19 (Update: 2019-02-19)