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An LED Light Show: Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU Laptop Review

Flashy. Asus' latest upper mid-range gaming laptop is big on performance and visual flare, but it misses the mark when it comes to serviceability. The unique LED lights shouldn't come at the expense of features that users would have otherwise had.

The Asus ROG Strix G series is the budget version of the "proper" ROG Strix III series similar to how the Zephyrus G series is the budget version of the Zephyrus S series. Unveiled in April of this year, the Taiwanese OEM has been slowly expanding its ROG family with more affordable models to attract a wider range of gamers. Prior to the Strix G series or Zephyrus G series, the ROG laptop family was made up almost entirely of high-end to enthusiast gaming laptops.

The ROG Strix G consists of 15.6-inch (GL531) and 17.3-inch (GL731) offerings. The latter is divided even further into the GL731GT with GeForce GTX 1650, GL731GU with the GTX 1660 Ti, GL731GV with the RTX 2060, and GL731GW with the RTX 2070 graphics. CPU options include the Core i5-9300H or i7-9750H with either a 60 Hz or 144 Hz 1080p display. There are no RTX 2080 or 4K UHD options as of this writing.

For this review, we'll be checking out the Strix G GL731GU with GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics, Core i7-9750H CPU, and a 144 Hz display for a retail price of about $1500 USD on CUKUSA.com. Direct competitors in this space include other mid-range to upper mid-range 17.3-inch gaming laptops such as the Dell Alienware m17, MSI GE75, Acer Predator Helios, Lenovo Legion Y740, or Gigabyte Aorus 7.

The detailed specifications list for the Strix G GL531 and GL731 series can be found on the official Asus product page here.

More Asus reviews:

Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
Processor
Intel Core i7-9750H 6 x 2.6 - 4.5 GHz, Coffee Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile - 6 GB VRAM, Core: 1555 MHz, Memory: 1538 MHz, GDDR6, 431.36, Optimus
Memory
32 GB 
, DDR4-2666, 19-19-19-43, Dual-Channel
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 127 PPI, AU Optronics B173HAN04.0, IPS, AUO409D, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM370
Storage
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8, 512 GB 
, Secondary: Seagate ST1000LM049-2GH172
Soundcard
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S - cAVS (Audio, Voice, Speech)
Connections
4 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 3 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combo
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (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 x 399 x 293 ( = 1.02 x 15.71 x 11.54 in)
Battery
66 Wh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Additional features
Speakers: 2x 4 W stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Asus Armoury Crate, McAfee LifeSafe, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
2.85 kg ( = 100.53 oz / 6.28 pounds), Power Supply: 780 g ( = 27.51 oz / 1.72 pounds)
Price
1500 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The chassis is a nearly 1:1 cheaper plastic version of the ROG Strix Scar III G731 series. The gunmetal gray aesthetic and smooth brushed aluminum surfaces have been replaced for a less luxurious feel. The LED lights have fewer options while the Asus Keystone security feature has been removed to save on costs. It's almost as if Asus made a cheaper knockoff of its own flagship series.

Despite the above, the system still feels strong in the hand. The base is more rigid than on both the competing Lenovo Legion Y740 and MSI GF75 and its brushed plastic texture is better at staving off fingerprints than the real brushed aluminum texture it's emulating. Attempting to twist the base or depress the keyboard center results in minor warping and creaking as to be expected from plastic skeletons. All-aluminum alternatives like the Razer Blade Pro 17 have the advantage in this regard.

Less impressive are the hinges and lid. Unlike the Zephyrus GX701 or last generation Strix Scar II, the Strix Scar G incorporates large "jet engine" grilles along the rear that limits the maximum hinge angle to only about 120 degrees. Strangely, the hinges creak when opening and closing even though they feel taut and teeter only minimally when typing. The lid could have been more rigid as well as it falls somewhere in the middle between the lids of the more flexible Legion Y740 and the firmer Blade Pro 17.

While future iterations could improve upon the minor-but-noticeable creaking and flexing, this is still one of the better plastic chassis designs in the market. Clevo and MSI GT laptops tend to feel firmer albeit they are also much heavier and thicker than our Asus.

The system sports narrow bezels on three sides of the display to minimize footprint and weight. However, this is counteracted by the "jet engine" grilles that protrude from the rear of the system similar to Asus' own G703 series. This approach improves cooling at the cost of increased size and weight. Alternative 17.3-inch systems like the Razer Blade Pro 17, MSI GF75, or Asus' own Zephyrus S GX701 are much smaller in length since they don't use this same approach to cooling.

Speaking of weight, the GL731 is one of the heavier mid-range 17.3-inch gaming laptops out there at 2.9 kg. It's not nearly as heavy as the Asus ROG G703 flagship (4.7 kg), but it's still a bit heavier than the MSI GF75, Legion Y740, Blade Pro 17, and the TUF FX705.

Mostly plastic chassis. Note the white U-shaped LED light bar underneath
Mostly plastic chassis. Note the white U-shaped LED light bar underneath
Lid opened to maximum angle (~120 degrees)
Lid opened to maximum angle (~120 degrees)
Faux brushed aluminum texture hides fingerprints well. Rear "jet engine" design adds volume and weight
Faux brushed aluminum texture hides fingerprints well. Rear "jet engine" design adds volume and weight
Easiest way to tell the GL731 apart from the G731: the Asus Keystone feature is missing along the right edge
Easiest way to tell the GL731 apart from the G731: the Asus Keystone feature is missing along the right edge
U-shaped LED light bar can only be one color at a time on the GL731 compared to multiple colors on the G731
U-shaped LED light bar can only be one color at a time on the GL731 compared to multiple colors on the G731
Sadly, you can't disable the U-shaped LED bar without disabling the keyboard backlight
Sadly, you can't disable the U-shaped LED bar without disabling the keyboard backlight
412.6 mm / 16.2 inch 304.9 mm / 12 inch 23 mm / 0.906 inch 2.8 kg6.17 lbs399.8 mm / 15.7 inch 279.4 mm / 11 inch 26.6 mm / 1.047 inch 2.7 kg5.95 lbs399 mm / 15.7 inch 273 mm / 10.7 inch 26.4 mm / 1.039 inch 2.9 kg6.37 lbs399 mm / 15.7 inch 293 mm / 11.5 inch 26 mm / 1.024 inch 2.9 kg6.28 lbs397 mm / 15.6 inch 260 mm / 10.2 inch 23.1 mm / 0.909 inch 2.3 kg4.96 lbs395 mm / 15.6 inch 260 mm / 10.2 inch 19.9 mm / 0.783 inch 2.8 kg6.06 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Port options are decent for a 17.3-inch gaming laptop. The system omits both Thunderbolt 3 and an SD card reader which is understandable for a budget-mainstream offering. What irks us the most, however, is port positioning. There are no ports along the right edge while the rear ports are difficult to access without first bending over to take a peek. Lenovo has seemingly solved this latter issue on its Legion Y740 series by including LED port indicators along the top edge of the laptop so you'll always know where the rear ports are. Asus could definitely learn a thing or two in this regard.

Front: No connectivity
Front: No connectivity
Right: No connectivity
Right: No connectivity
Rear: Gigabit RJ-45, HDMI 2.0b, USB 3.2 Type-C (Gen. 2) w/ DisplayPort, AC adapter
Rear: Gigabit RJ-45, HDMI 2.0b, USB 3.2 Type-C (Gen. 2) w/ DisplayPort, AC adapter
Left: 3x USB 3.2 Type-A (Gen. 1), 3.5 mm combo audio
Left: 3x USB 3.2 Type-A (Gen. 1), 3.5 mm combo audio

Communication

The Intel 9560 comes standard with integrated Bluetooth 5.0 and theoretical transfer rates of up to 1.73 Gbps. Performance is essentially identical to the Killer 1550 but without the software features of the latter. We did not experience any wireless connectivity issues during our time with the unit.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
MSI GF75 Thin 9SC
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
658 MBit/s +4%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
633 MBit/s
Lenovo Legion Y740-17ICH
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
605 MBit/s -4%
Asus TUF FX705DT-AU068T
Realtek 8821CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
201 (89min - 272max) MBit/s -68%
iperf3 receive AX12
MSI GF75 Thin 9SC
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
649 MBit/s +10%
Lenovo Legion Y740-17ICH
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
599 MBit/s +2%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
589 MBit/s
Asus TUF FX705DT-AU068T
Realtek 8821CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
215 (199min - 221max) MBit/s -63%

Maintenance

Adding the unique LED light bar along the bottom edges of the laptop has impacted the serviceability of the system. In addition to the usual Philips screws holding down the bottom panel, there are now also multiple ribbon cables connecting the bottom panel to the motherboard. These ribbons are difficult to connect and disconnect making any upgrades very user-unfriendly. Even the less expensive Asus TUF series is easier to service and upgrade. This is a shame because the GL731 offers 2x SODIMM slots and 2x storage bays for end-user upgrades.

Since the chassis is essentially the same as the Strix III G731, both of these systems share the same annoying ribbon issue.

Accessories and Warranty

There are no included accessories outside of the warranty card and short quick start guide. The usual one-year limited warranty applies and users who register their laptops with Asus online may receive additional benefits like free cloud storage.

Input Devices

Keyboard

When compared to the usual SteelSeries keyboards commonly found on MSI laptops, the Asus keys have an audibly sharper clatter with slightly firmer feedback when pressed. We find the keys to be deeper and more comfortable to type on than the shallower and lighter keys of the Blade Pro 17, Zephyrus GX501, or the cheaper Asus VivoBook series. A single-zone RGB backlight comes standard as Asus wants to reserve the per-key RGB feature for its more luxurious Strix III and Zephyrus families. Higher-end SKUs of this model have quad-zone RGB lighting.

Our grievance with the keyboard is on the reduced sizes of the NumPad and Arrow keys. While these keys are usually smaller than the main QWERTY keys on most 15.6-inch laptops, there is less of an excuse for a larger 17.3-inch form factor. There is no reason why the Arrow keys are especially small on the GL731. As a result, these keys are spongier and more cramped to use than the main QWERTY keys which could impact data entry or games that rely on these inputs.

Another annoyance from a customization standpoint is that the U-shaped LED bar is tied to the keyboard in terms of light control. Want a green light bar with a blue keyboard backlight? Too bad, because it's either one color or the other. Asus Aura Creator for fine-tuning the LED lights is not compatible with this particular SKU.

Touchpad

The touchpad is slightly smaller (10.8 x 6 cm) than the clickpads of the Blade Pro 17 (13 x 8 cm) or Alienware m17 (10.5 x 6.5 cm). Asus makes up for this by including dedicated mouse keys for better accuracy and usability than the integrated clickpad keys on the aforementioned alternatives. Feedback from the mouse keys are surprisingly quiet with both average feedback and decent travel. We find the experience to be very well balanced especially for users who may not like how loud some other clickpads can be.

As for the firm touchpad surface, glide is smooth and uniform when moving slowly or quickly for trouble-free cursor control. There is just slight sticking when moving very slowly, but this aids in accuracy when dragging and dropping. Our main complaint is that the touchpad collects unsightly grease almost immediately in comparison to the rest of the laptop.

Identical keyboard layout to the Strix III G731
Identical keyboard layout to the Strix III G731
One of the more comfortable clickpads and mouse keys we've used on a 17.3-inch gaming laptop
One of the more comfortable clickpads and mouse keys we've used on a 17.3-inch gaming laptop
Keys are slightly "clickier" and firmer than on the Asus VivoBook series
Keys are slightly "clickier" and firmer than on the Asus VivoBook series
Arrow keys are frustratingly small
Arrow keys are frustratingly small

Display

Our configuration comes equipped with the same high quality AU Optronics B173HAN04.0 144 Hz/3 ms 1080p IPS panel as found on the Razer Blade Pro 17. Thus, innate characteristics like the respectable ~1000:1 contrast ratio, color reproduction, and fast response times are similar between these two laptops despite their price discrepancies. Asus' Strix II GL704 series utilizes this same panel as well.

The difference between 144 Hz and the 60 Hz panel as found on the Asus TUF FX705DT is night and day. Movement is noticeably smoother and with less ghosting when in and out of gaming.

The display is slightly grainier than a glossy panel as is common on matte panels.

Matte display with no glossy options
Matte display with no glossy options
Narrow bezels on three sides of the screen. There is no integrated webcam
Narrow bezels on three sides of the screen. There is no integrated webcam
Only very minor uneven backlight bleeding along the corners
Only very minor uneven backlight bleeding along the corners
Subpixel array
Subpixel array
304.6
cd/m²
301.1
cd/m²
294.7
cd/m²
291
cd/m²
294.3
cd/m²
290.4
cd/m²
276.8
cd/m²
273.4
cd/m²
272.2
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics B173HAN04.0 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 304.6 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 288.7 cd/m² Minimum: 15.14 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 294.3 cd/m²
Contrast: 981:1 (Black: 0.3 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.95 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 3.08
ΔE Greyscale 3.7 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
89% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
57.7% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
63.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
89.4% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
61.9% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.07
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
AU Optronics B173HAN04.0, IPS, 17.30, 1920x1080
Asus TUF FX705DT-AU068T
AU Optronics B173HAN04.2, IPS, 17.30, 1920x1080
MSI GF75 Thin 9SC
AU Optronics B173HAN04.2, IPS, 17.30, 1920x1080
Lenovo Legion Y740-17ICH
AU Optronics B173HAN03.2, IPS, 17.30, 1920x1080
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
B173HAN04.0 (AUO409D), AHVA, 17.30, 1920x1080
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2080 Max-Q
AU Optronics B173HAN04.0, IPS, 17.30, 1920x1080
Display
1%
1%
2%
0%
-1%
Display P3 Coverage
61.9
62.3
1%
62.5
1%
64
3%
62.9
2%
60.6
-2%
sRGB Coverage
89.4
89.1
0%
90
1%
90.4
1%
87.1
-3%
89
0%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
63.3
63.7
1%
64
1%
64.8
2%
63.7
1%
62.1
-2%
Response Times
-355%
-301%
-79%
-88%
4%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
6.4 ?(3.4, 3)
41 ?(20, 21)
-541%
34 ?(17.6, 16.4)
-431%
15.6 ?(8, 7.6)
-144%
17.6 ?(8.4, 9.2)
-175%
6.8 ?(3.4, 3.4)
-6%
Response Time Black / White *
11.2 ?(6, 5.2)
30 ?(16, 14)
-168%
30.4 ?(18, 12.4)
-171%
12.8 ?(7.6, 5.2)
-14%
11.2 ?(6.8, 4.4)
-0%
9.6 ?(5.2, 4.4)
14%
PWM Frequency
Screen
5%
7%
-15%
12%
8%
Brightness middle
294.3
316
7%
344.7
17%
299.1
2%
295
0%
299.3
2%
Brightness
289
294
2%
332
15%
273
-6%
291
1%
294
2%
Brightness Distribution
89
84
-6%
91
2%
81
-9%
96
8%
94
6%
Black Level *
0.3
0.32
-7%
0.3
-0%
0.27
10%
0.24
20%
0.29
3%
Contrast
981
988
1%
1149
17%
1108
13%
1229
25%
1032
5%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
3.95
3.39
14%
3.08
22%
5.07
-28%
3.2
19%
2.55
35%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
6.49
5.56
14%
6.32
3%
10.55
-63%
6.64
-2%
4.73
27%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
3.08
2.14
31%
2.94
5%
3.31
-7%
2.52
18%
2.9
6%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.7
3.17
14%
3.8
-3%
6.8
-84%
2.16
42%
3.5
5%
Gamma
2.07 106%
2.39 92%
2.17 101%
2.46 89%
2.46 89%
2.28 96%
CCT
7155 91%
7098 92%
7284 89%
7805 83%
6872 95%
7101 92%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
57.7
51
-12%
58
1%
58.5
1%
57
-1%
57
-1%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
89
89
0%
89.6
1%
89.9
1%
87
-2%
88.7
0%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-116% / -41%
-98% / -32%
-31% / -20%
-25% / -3%
4% / 6%

* ... smaller is better

Color space covers approximately 89 percent of sRGB and 58 percent of AdobeRGB not unlike essentially all 120/144/240 Hz panels in the market today. Panel manufacturers have yet to develop laptop displays with both fast refresh rates and full AdobeRGB coverage meaning that these panels are unfit for most types of professional digital work. For gaming purposes, however, the gamut is more than sufficient.

vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB

Grayscale and colors are reasonably accurate with deltaE values of 3.7 and 3.15, respectively, before any calibration. Color temperature, however, is slightly on the cooler side. A calibration attempt improves grayscale, colors, and color temperature for more a more accurate display. The changes are relatively minor and so an end-user calibration isn't necessary if not available.

Grayscale before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration

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
11.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 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. » 25 % 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.

Outdoor visibility is similar to the Lenovo Legion Y740, Asus ROG GL704, or Razer Blade Pro 17 since all these laptops have matte 1080p IPS panels of similar brightness and contrast ratios. Direct sunlight will immediately wash out onscreen content and so we recommend working under shade whenever possible. Viewing angles are wide with minor shifting in colors and contrast if viewing from extreme angles.

Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under sunlight
Wide IPS viewing angles
Wide IPS viewing angles

Performance

As a mid-range to upper mid-range product, the Strix G GL731 can perform as slow as a $1000 gaming laptop with GTX 1650 graphics or as fast as a $2000 one with RTX 2070 graphics depending on the configuration. It's therefore quite likely that temperature and/or fan noise would be even higher for the pricier SKUs than what we've recorded for this particular review unit.

Nvidia Optimus comes standard across all SKUs which automatically disqualifies G-Sync for the time being. There are no Max-Q options for this particular series.

Processor

CineBench R15
CineBench R15

As stated many times before, the Core i7-9750H offers only marginally better performance than the Core i7-8750H at best. CineBench R15 shows a performance advantage of just 6 to 9 percent over the Asus GL704GW with the i7-8750H. Users upgrading from a Core i5-8300H or 9300H will see a boost of about 60 to 70 percent, but there is absolutely no reason to upgrade if you already own a Core i7-8750H laptop.

Running CineBench R15 Multi-Thread in a loop shows a performance dip of about 10 percent over time since maximum Turbo Boost clock rates are not sustainable. A drop of 5 to 10 percent is not uncommon on gaming laptops as illustrated by the comparison graph below.

See our dedicated page on the Core i7-9750H for more technical information and benchmark comparisons.

0651301952603253904555205856507157808459109751040110511701235Tooltip
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74 GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø1162 (1108.49-1274.58)
Alienware m15 P79F GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø1123 (1106.07-1188.78)
MSI GF75 Thin 9SC GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Crucial P1 SSD CT1000P1SSD8; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø970 (960.59-1110.2)
Eurocom Nightsky RX17 GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H, 2x Samsung SSD 970 Pro 512GB (RAID 0); CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø1137 (1123.56-1298.49)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
Intel Core i9-9900K
212 Points +12%
Alienware m17 P37E
Intel Core i9-8950HK
191 Points +1%
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H
189 Points 0%
MSI GF75 Thin 9SC
Intel Core i7-9750H
189 Points 0%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
Intel Core i7-9750H
189 Points
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (170 - 194, n=82)
183.7 Points -3%
Acer Nitro 5
Intel Core i5-9300H
175 Points -7%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
Intel Core i7-8750H
174 Points -8%
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
Intel Core i5-8300H
166 Points -12%
MSI GF72VR 7RF
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
146 Points -23%
Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502DU
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H
144 Points -24%
CPU Multi 64Bit
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
Intel Core i9-9900K
2022 Points +58%
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H
1721 Points +35%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
Intel Core i7-9750H
1276 Points
Alienware m17 P37E
Intel Core i9-8950HK
1238 Points -3%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
Intel Core i7-8750H
1227 Points -4%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (952 - 1306, n=85)
1182 Points -7%
MSI GF75 Thin 9SC
Intel Core i7-9750H
1071 Points -16%
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
Intel Core i5-8300H
821 Points -36%
Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502DU
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H
805 Points -37%
Acer Nitro 5
Intel Core i5-9300H
746 Points -42%
MSI GF72VR 7RF
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
708 Points -45%
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
189 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
1276 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
125.1 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Help

System Performance

PCMark benchmarks rank our GL731 more similarly to systems like the pricier Razer Blade Pro 17 or Asus ROG GL704GW rather than the cheaper MSI GF75 or Asus TUF FX705DT. Subjectively, Windows operations run smoothly without a hitch as one would expect from an SSD-based gaming laptop. Be prepared for the usual barrage of registration pop-ups and Asus account creation screens during the initial boot up.

PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 10 Standard
PCMark 10 Standard
PCMark 10
Score
Lenovo Legion Y740-17ICH
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
6053 Points +4%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5811 Points
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2080 Max-Q
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5734 Points -1%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5555 Points -4%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (4807 - 5829, n=15)
5531 Points -5%
MSI GF75 Thin 9SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Crucial P1 SSD CT1000P1SSD8
5249 Points -10%
Asus TUF FX705DT-AU068T
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R5 3550H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
4339 Points -25%
Essentials
Lenovo Legion Y740-17ICH
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
9607 Points +1%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
9486 Points
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2080 Max-Q
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
9473 Points 0%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (8621 - 10098, n=15)
9360 Points -1%
MSI GF75 Thin 9SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Crucial P1 SSD CT1000P1SSD8
9029 Points -5%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
8780 Points -7%
Asus TUF FX705DT-AU068T
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R5 3550H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
8149 Points -14%
Productivity
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (7241 - 8136, n=15)
7519 Points +2%
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2080 Max-Q
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
7482 Points +2%
MSI GF75 Thin 9SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Crucial P1 SSD CT1000P1SSD8
7419 Points +1%
Lenovo Legion Y740-17ICH
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
7397 Points +1%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
7349 Points
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
7331 Points 0%
Asus TUF FX705DT-AU068T
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R5 3550H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
6619 Points -10%
Digital Content Creation
Lenovo Legion Y740-17ICH
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
8470 Points +11%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
7638 Points
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
7227 Points -5%
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2080 Max-Q
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
7219 Points -5%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (4426 - 7638, n=15)
6558 Points -14%
MSI GF75 Thin 9SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Crucial P1 SSD CT1000P1SSD8
5859 Points -23%
Asus TUF FX705DT-AU068T
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R5 3550H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
4110 Points -46%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5217 Points
Lenovo Legion Y740-17ICH
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5107 Points -2%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
4861 Points -7%
Asus TUF FX705DT-AU068T
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R5 3550H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
4593 Points -12%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (4074 - 5217, n=11)
4518 Points -13%
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2080 Max-Q
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4412 Points -15%
MSI GF75 Thin 9SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Crucial P1 SSD CT1000P1SSD8
4116 Points -21%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo Legion Y740-17ICH
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5882 Points +2%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5744 Points
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2080 Max-Q
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5672 Points -1%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5663 Points -1%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (5041 - 5913, n=12)
5540 Points -4%
MSI GF75 Thin 9SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Crucial P1 SSD CT1000P1SSD8
5417 Points -6%
Asus TUF FX705DT-AU068T
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R5 3550H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
4898 Points -15%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
5217 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5744 points
PCMark 10 Score
5811 points
Help

Storage Devices

Users can configure with a lone M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe SSD or pair it with a secondary 2.5-inch SATA HDD for additional storage capacity. Our specific test unit comes configured with a 512 GB Intel 660p SSD and a 1 TB Seagate ST1000LM049 HDD, but other resellers are likely to offer different drives than what we have here.

Perhaps not by coincidence, our pricier Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW also sports the exact same 512 GB Intel 660p SSD as our GL731. Sequential read and write rates are thus similar between them at about 1300 MB/s and 900 MB/s, respectively, which are common results for an entry-level NVMe SSD. Costlier NVMe drives like the Samsung PM981 can run at about 1800 MB/s in the same benchmark.

See our table of HDDs and SSDs for more benchmark comparisons.

AS SSD
AS SSD
CDM 5.5 (Primary SSD)
CDM 5.5 (Primary SSD)
CDM 5.5 (Secondary HDD)
CDM 5.5 (Secondary HDD)
HD Tune
HD Tune
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
Asus TUF FX705DT-AU068T
WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
Lenovo Legion Y740-17ICH
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2080 Max-Q
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
AS SSD
-9%
29%
-2%
68%
Seq Read
1319
1546
17%
1153
-13%
1315
0%
1831
39%
Seq Write
930
1182
27%
1328
43%
927
0%
1744
88%
4K Read
49.43
36.54
-26%
35.05
-29%
52.4
6%
45.16
-9%
4K Write
104.3
109.2
5%
96
-8%
122.8
18%
107.1
3%
4K-64 Read
321.9
612
90%
727
126%
326.5
1%
1240
285%
4K-64 Write
774
436.6
-44%
1212
57%
727
-6%
1695
119%
Access Time Read *
0.055
0.113
-105%
0.063
-15%
0.11
-100%
0.064
-16%
Access Time Write *
0.138
0.034
75%
0.04
71%
0.045
67%
0.037
73%
Score Read
503
803
60%
878
75%
510
1%
1468
192%
Score Write
971
664
-32%
1441
48%
942
-3%
1977
104%
Score Total
1731
1869
8%
2784
61%
1715
-1%
4197
142%
Copy ISO MB/s
1707
698
-59%
1487
-13%
2086
22%
Copy Program MB/s
852
114.1
-87%
608
-29%
425.5
-50%
Copy Game MB/s
930
379.6
-59%
1162
25%
555
-40%

* ... smaller is better

Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 1810 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 983 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 343.3 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 451.5 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1605 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 986 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 56 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 127.6 MB/s

GPU Performance

The GTX 1660 Ti is performing where we expect it to be when compared to other laptops sporting the same GPU in our database. Raw performance is about 27 to 50 percent faster than the popular GTX 1060 or about two times faster than the GTX 1050 Ti. Users should enable DX12 to better exploit the performance advantages of Nvidia Turing over Pascal as exemplified by the Time Spy results below. Jumping to the RTX 2060 or RTX 2070 SKU will bring a performance boost of about 6 percent and 36 percent, respectively.

3DMark 11
3DMark 11
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
Time Spy
Time Spy
Fire Strike
Fire Strike
Fire Strike Extreme
Fire Strike Extreme
Fire Strike Ultra
Fire Strike Ultra
3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i9-9900K
25126 Points +74%
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2080 Max-Q
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-9750H
23032 Points +59%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H
19236 Points +33%
Alienware m15 P79F
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
18443 Points +28%
Alienware 17 R5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H
17792 Points +23%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H
15731 Points +9%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (14186 - 16488, n=24)
14867 Points +3%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
14444 Points
Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502DU
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, R7 3750H
13355 Points -8%
Asus GL704GM-DH74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
12281 Points -15%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
11332 Points -22%
MSI GF72VR 7RF
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
11011 Points -24%
Asus TUF FX705DT-AU068T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R5 3550H
9274 Points -36%
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H
8004 Points -45%
Asus TUF FX705GE-EW096T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-8750H
7791 Points -46%
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7577
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-7300HQ
6375 Points -56%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i9-9900K
10243 Points +88%
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2080 Max-Q
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-9750H
8844 Points +62%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H
7431 Points +36%
Alienware m15 P79F
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
7105 Points +30%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H
5783 Points +6%
Alienware 17 R5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H
5689 Points +4%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (5335 - 6123, n=22)
5653 Points +4%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
5454 Points
Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502DU
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, R7 3750H
4867 Points -11%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
3626 Points -34%
Asus TUF FX705DT-AU068T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R5 3550H
3506 Points -36%
Asus TUF FX705GE-EW096T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-8750H
2536 Points -54%
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7577
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-7300HQ
1681 Points -69%
2560x1440 Time Spy Score
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i9-9900K
10290 Points +82%
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2080 Max-Q
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-9750H
8460 Points +50%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H
7182 Points +27%
Alienware m15 P79F
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
6901 Points +22%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (4946 - 6261, n=21)
5717 Points +1%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H
5679 Points 0%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
5651 Points
Alienware 17 R5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H
5640 Points 0%
Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502DU
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, R7 3750H
4547 Points -20%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
3795 Points -33%
Asus TUF FX705DT-AU068T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R5 3550H
3437 Points -39%
Asus TUF FX705GE-EW096T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-8750H
2571 Points -55%
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7577
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-7300HQ
1793 Points -68%
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2080 Max-Q
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-9750H
30910 Points +53%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H
24172 Points +20%
Alienware m15 P79F
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
23819 Points +18%
Alienware 17 R5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H
23414 Points +16%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
20224 Points
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H
20157 Points 0%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (18610 - 22670, n=24)
20096 Points -1%
Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502DU
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, R7 3750H
17170 Points -15%
Asus GL704GM-DH74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
15436 Points -24%
MSI GF72VR 7RF
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
14518 Points -28%
Asus TUF FX705DT-AU068T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R5 3550H
13337 Points -34%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
12620 Points -38%
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H
9805 Points -52%
Asus TUF FX705GE-EW096T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-8750H
9466 Points -53%
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7577
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-7300HQ
8047 Points -60%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
12851 Points
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2080 Max-Q
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-9750H
12170 Points -5%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (9500 - 13311, n=23)
12019 Points -6%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H
11597 Points -10%
Alienware m15 P79F
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
11573 Points -10%
Alienware 17 R5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-8750H
11288 Points -12%
Asus GL704GM-DH74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
9275 Points -28%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H
9099 Points -29%
Asus TUF FX705GE-EW096T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-8750H
8540 Points -34%
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H
7932 Points -38%
MSI GF72VR 7RF
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
7310 Points -43%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
6839 Points -47%
Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502DU
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, R7 3750H
6644 Points -48%
Asus TUF FX705DT-AU068T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R5 3550H
6528 Points -49%
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7577
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-7300HQ
6265 Points -51%
3DMark 11 Performance
17966 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
36088 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
12907 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
6573 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
5651 points
Help

Gaming Performance

For a mid-range graphics card, the GTX 1660 Ti performs closer to the high-end RTX series than it does to the lower-end GTX 1650. In fact, Shadow of the Tomb Raider results are 50 percent better than the Asus TUF FX705GM with GTX 1060 graphics and even slightly better than the MSI GL73 equipped with RTX 2060 graphics and single-channel RAM. The latest titles will be playable at maximum settings while less demanding ones like Overwatch can reach a stable 144 FPS on lower settings to take full advantage of the 144 Hz panel.

See our dedicated page on the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti for more technical information and gaming benchmark comparisons. The mobile GTX 1660 Ti is roughly 10 percent slower than our reference desktop GTX 1660 Ti.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider - 1920x1080 Highest Preset AA:T
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
109 fps +56%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile
91 fps +30%
Alienware m15 P79F
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
84 fps +20%
Asus G752VS
Intel Core i7-6820HK, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
72 (59min) fps +3%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
70 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (62 - 73, n=8)
68.4 fps -2%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
65 fps -7%
Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502DU
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
49 fps -30%
Asus TUF FX705GM
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
47 fps -33%
MSI GF75 Thin 9SC
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
45 fps -36%
Asus TUF FX705GE-EW096T
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
31 fps -56%
Asus GL753VD
Intel Core i7-7700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
26 (3min) fps -63%
0510152025303540455055Tooltip
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74 GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8: Ø52.2 (48-57)
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 320.1 256.8 263.3 140.8
The Witcher 3 (2015) 261.5 180.7 99.5 53.7
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) 135 90 79 70

Emissions

System Noise

(White: Background, Red: System idle, Orange: Witcher 3, Green: Prime95+FurMark)
(White: Background, Red: System idle, Orange: Witcher 3, Green: Prime95+FurMark)

The cooling solution consists of twin fans with 83 blades each and five heat pipes shared between the CPU and GPU. The fans almost never idle when on AC power and so the system is never truly silent even when set to "Silent" mode. Fan noise remains relatively constant at about 31.8 dB(A) when browsing or streaming in Silent mode. This is quiet enough to be easy to ignore in most home or office scenarios.

Fan noise picks up considerably when set to Balanced or Turbo modes. We're able to record a fan noise of 40.6 dB(A) just by idling on Turbo mode while fan pulsing becomes more frequent in Balanced mode. Thus, we recommend Silent mode when the extra horsepower is not needed.

When gaming in either Balanced or Turbo mode, fan noise jumps and stabilizes at 48 dB(A) to be quieter than the more powerful Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW or Razer Blade Pro 17. As mentioned earlier, however, we wouldn't be surprised if the faster RTX GL731 SKUs run more loudly than our GTX SKU. We still recommend a pair of headphones whenever possible for a better gaming experience.

We're unable to notice any electronic noise or coil whine from our particular test unit.

Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
Asus TUF FX705DT-AU068T
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R5 3550H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2080 Max-Q
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
MSI GF75 Thin 9SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Crucial P1 SSD CT1000P1SSD8
Asus GL704GM-DH74
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
Noise
9%
1%
7%
8%
-3%
off / environment *
28.2
30.8
-9%
29
-3%
28.2
-0%
28.2
-0%
28.2
-0%
Idle Minimum *
31.8
30.8
3%
29
9%
28.2
11%
33.6
-6%
30
6%
Idle Average *
32
30.8
4%
32
-0%
28.2
12%
33.6
-5%
31.8
1%
Idle Maximum *
40.6
32.2
21%
40
1%
30.8
24%
33.8
17%
34.6
15%
Load Average *
48
38.6
20%
46
4%
42
12%
37.2
22%
56
-17%
Witcher 3 ultra *
48
51
-6%
51
-6%
40.6
15%
54.2
-13%
Load Maximum *
51.5
44.8
13%
52
-1%
53
-3%
44.4
14%
56.7
-10%

* ... smaller is better

Noise Level

Idle
31.8 / 32 / 40.6 dB(A)
Load
48 / 51.5 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: 28.2 dB(A)

Temperature

Three sets of exhaust vents
Three sets of exhaust vents

The hot spot on the GL731 is nearest the center of the keyboard as shown by our temperature maps below. This particular spot can become as warm as 36 C to 42 C when gaming or running very high loads which is actually not bad for a gaming laptop. In comparison, the faster Asus ROG GL704GW can become as warm as 60 C towards the rear quadrants of the system. The more commonly used areas for gaming like the WASD keys, NumPad, and palm rests remain much cooler for more comfortable gaming. It's very likely that the higher-end GL731 SKUs with RTX graphics will be measurably warmer than what we've recorded here.

Note that the right palm rest will always be a few degrees warmer than the left palm rest if the system is configured with a 2.5-inch storage drive.

System idle (top)
System idle (top)
System idle (bottom)
System idle (bottom)
Witcher 3 stress (top)
Witcher 3 stress (top)
Witcher 3 stress (bottom)
Witcher 3 stress (bottom)
Maximum stress (top)
Maximum stress (top)
Maximum stress (bottom)
Maximum stress (bottom)
Max. Load
 38.2 °C
101 F
41.8 °C
107 F
44.6 °C
112 F
 
 33.4 °C
92 F
41.8 °C
107 F
32 °C
90 F
 
 22.4 °C
72 F
23.8 °C
75 F
26 °C
79 F
 
Maximum: 44.6 °C = 112 F
Average: 33.8 °C = 93 F
48.4 °C
119 F
51.6 °C
125 F
44.4 °C
112 F
30.6 °C
87 F
40.2 °C
104 F
32.8 °C
91 F
31.6 °C
89 F
27.2 °C
81 F
26.8 °C
80 F
Maximum: 51.6 °C = 125 F
Average: 37.1 °C = 99 F
Power Supply (max.)  44 °C = 111 F | Room Temperature 21.8 °C = 71 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 33.8 °C / 93 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 44.6 °C / 112 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 51.6 °C / 125 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27 °C / 81 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(+) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 30.2 °C / 86 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).

Stress Test

We stress the system with synthetic loads in order to identify for any potential throttling or stability issues. When running Prime95, we can observe the CPU running at 4 GHz for the first few seconds before hitting a core temperature of 76 C. Thereafter, clock rates drop to the 3.1 - 3.2 GHz range in order to maintain a cooler core temperature of 66 C. Since the base clock rate of the Core i7-9750H is 2.6 GHz, the Asus is able to sustain a Turbo Boost of +400 to +500 MHz. Running both Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously will cause CPU and GPU temperatures to plateau at 83 C and 71 C, respectively, compared to 92 C and 78 C on the less powerful MSI GF75 9SC.

When running Witcher 3, the CPU and GPU stabilize at 68 C and 65 C, respectively, which is relatively cool for a gaming laptop. The smaller 15.6-inch Asus ROG GA502DU, for example, stabilizes in the low 70 C range when running the same game.

Running on batteries will reduce performance. A 3DMark Fire Strike run on batteries returns Physics and Graphics scores of only 9451 and 4000 points, respectively, compared to 17162 and 14444 points when on mains. The Asus Turbo Mode is automatically disabled when on battery power. The included Armoury Crate software for controlling system performance can be a bit confusing to use as detailed here.

System idle
System idle
Witcher 3 stress
Witcher 3 stress
Prime95 stress
Prime95 stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C) Average GPU Temperature (°C)
System Idle -- -- 33 32
Prime95 Stress 3.1 - 3.2 -- 66 45
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 3.1 - 3.2 1275 83 71
Witcher 3 Stress 4.0 - 4.1 1710 ~68 65

Speakers

The 2x 4 W stereo speakers are more powerful than on most other laptops where 1.5 W or 2 W speakers are common. This becomes evident when placing a hand on the palm rest because you can feel the vibrations more strongly. These vibrations can potentially be distracting when gaming or typing especially if on higher volume settings.

Audio quality is excellent with a relatively balanced pink noise graph as shown below. Bass roll off doesn't occur until about 125 Hz compared to 250 Hz or higher on most Ultrabooks. The bass difference is noticeable even from a subjective standpoint.

Stereo speakers near the front two corners. The U-shaped LED light bar can be seen here
Stereo speakers near the front two corners. The U-shaped LED light bar can be seen here
Wider and flatter pink noise graph for a more balanced audio experience
Wider and flatter pink noise graph for a more balanced audio experience
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2044.444.42538.441.43139.838.64040.240.15038.838.26339.437.38037.642.910036.452.212535.458.216034.566.620033.967.725033.870.731534.169.940034.765.450034.867.463033.571.880033.272.6100033.468.5125033.168.9160032.670.7200033.371.3250032.771.6315030.971.1400031.568.1500030.567.9630029.265800028.570.91000028.166.31250027.955.91600027.949.8SPL44.281.9N5.258.3median 33.2median 68.1Delta2.13.735.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAsus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81.9 dB)
Analysis not possible as minimum curve is missing or too high

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Idling on desktop demands anywhere between 13 W and 35 W depending on the brightness level and power profile. In comparison, the Asus TUF FX705DT or Strix II GL704GW top out at just 12 W and 29 W, respectively, when under similar idling conditions. We attribute the higher power consumption of the GL731 to the secondary HDD, 144 Hz display, and LED lights around the edges of the system.

When gaming, consumption jumps to about 134 W to be very similar to the last generation MSI GF72VR with GTX 1060 graphics. Users get up to 50 percent more graphics performance out of the GTX 1660 Ti over the GTX 1060 even though power consumption between them are very close. The MSI GF75 with slower GTX 1650 graphics consumes 21 percent less power for a greater 36 percent loss in GPU performance.

When running Prime95, we're able to record a power spike of up to 137 W for the first few seconds before dropping and stabilizing at about 109 W. This behavior mirrors our stress test observations above where Turbo Boost clock rates would be fastest only during the first few seconds.

We're able to record a maximum draw of 200 W from the small-medium (~16.5 x 7.5 x 3.3 cm) 230 W AC adapter when running both Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously. This high of a consumption is thermally unsustainable for the laptop and so consumption quickly falls to 164 W in order to maintain more reasonable temperatures.

Constant power consumption when running Witcher 3
Constant power consumption when running Witcher 3
Prime95+FurMark stress initiated at 20s mark
Prime95+FurMark stress initiated at 20s mark
Relatively constant power consumption when running 3DMark 06
Relatively constant power consumption when running 3DMark 06
Prime95 initiated at 20s mark. Note the spike in consumption to 137 W before stabilizing at ~109 W
Prime95 initiated at 20s mark. Note the spike in consumption to 137 W before stabilizing at ~109 W
Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.46 / 1.4 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 13.6 / 26.2 / 35 Watt
Load midlight 113.6 / 200.2 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 G GL731GU-RB74
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Asus TUF FX705DT-AU068T
R5 3550H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8, AHVA, 1920x1080, 17.30
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2080 Max-Q
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
MSI GF75 Thin 9SC
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Crucial P1 SSD CT1000P1SSD8, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
MSI GF72VR 7RF
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, TN LED, 1920x1080, 17.30
Power Consumption
61%
-9%
0%
31%
15%
Idle Minimum *
13.6
3.9
71%
19
-40%
16.2
-19%
6.1
55%
15.7
-15%
Idle Average *
26.2
9.6
63%
22
16%
20.4
22%
11.2
57%
21.4
18%
Idle Maximum *
35
12.2
65%
29
17%
26.1
25%
24.5
30%
21.9
37%
Load Average *
113.6
59
48%
102
10%
96.5
15%
94.7
17%
83.9
26%
Witcher 3 ultra *
134.1
190
-42%
182.9
-36%
105.8
21%
130.2
3%
Load Maximum *
200.2
80
60%
231
-15%
214.3
-7%
192.2
4%
159.6
20%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Larger AC adapter than the one for the Zephyrus G GA502
Larger AC adapter than the one for the Zephyrus G GA502

Expect just under five hours of real-world WLAN use when set to the Balanced profile with the integrated GPU active. The AMD-powered Asus TUF FX705DT with the slower GTX 1650 GPU is able to last for a few hours longer when subjected to the same WLAN conditions. The 66 Wh battery is about average for a 17.3-inch gaming laptop as it is larger than the 51 Wh battery of the MSI GF75 and smaller than the 90 W battery of the Alienware m17.

Charging from empty to full capacity takes about 1.5 hours.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
8h 37min
WiFi Websurfing
4h 54min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 34min
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, 66 Wh
Asus TUF FX705DT-AU068T
R5 3550H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, 64 Wh
Lenovo Legion Y740-17ICH
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, 76 Wh
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, 66 Wh
Razer Blade Pro 17 RTX 2080 Max-Q
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, 70 Wh
MSI GF75 Thin 9SC
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, 51 Wh
Battery Runtime
50%
-35%
-26%
-19%
-3%
Reader / Idle
517
815
58%
372
-28%
295
-43%
WiFi v1.3
294
469
60%
190
-35%
235
-20%
280
-5%
284
-3%
Load
94
124
32%
67
-29%
86
-9%
Witcher 3 ultra
52

Pros

+ relatively cool temperatures when gaming
+ surfaces don't attract fingerprints
+ high quality 144 Hz/3 ms display
+ attractive narrow bezel design
+ unique LED lighting
+ quiet mouse keys
+ great speakers

Cons

- no Thunderbolt 3, SD reader, webcam, or G-Sync
- fans pulse frequently when in Balanced mode
- small and spongy NumPad and Arrow keys
- fragile cable ribbons when servicing
- mixed port positioning
- lid could be more rigid
- limited lid angle
- large footprint
- mostly plastic

Verdict

In review: Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU RB74. Test model provided by CUKUSA.com
In review: Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU RB74. Test model provided by CUKUSA.com

Even though there is a lot to like about the Asus GL731GU, we can't help but to facepalm on a few design decisions. Firstly, the LED light bar comes at the unexpected cost of serviceability because the bottom panel is now much more user-unfriendly to remove. If all you want to do is expand storage or RAM, then be prepared to gingerly disconnect and reconnect a few very fragile ribbon cables along the way. Secondly, there is no reason why the Arrow keys have to be so small and cramped for such a large form factor chassis especially when the last generation Strix II had larger Arrow keys. Thirdly, the lack of separate color options for the LED bar and keyboard backlight is a huge blow to the customization of the system. We understand the reasoning for locking per-key RGB lighting options to higher-end models only, but this is particularly egregious for a $1500 laptop. And lastly, the unusual positioning of the ports may not be to everyone's fancy as there are none along the right edge — a rarity for a 17.3-inch gaming laptop.

Aside from the perplexing drawbacks above, the Strix G GL731 successfully captures the core performance, display, and design of its pricier Strix III G731 series very well. Users who want the looks and gaming capabilities of a high-end G731 but aren't willing to pay for the fancy per-key RGB lights or aluminum chassis will find the GL731 to be an attractive prospect. The $1500 USD price range for our configuration is about standard for a 17.3-inch laptop with GTX 1660 Ti graphics.

A few annoyances hold back the great performer. If you can get past the relatively large footprint, heavier weight, small Arrow keys, and user-unfriendly serviceability, then you'll find the GL731GU to be one of the better-looking mid-range gaming laptops for its size category. Core temperatures and audio quality in particular are better than expected.

Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74 - 07/19/2019 v6(old)
Allen Ngo

Chassis
75 / 98 → 77%
Keyboard
90%
Pointing Device
97%
Connectivity
56 / 81 → 69%
Weight
58 / 10-66 → 85%
Battery
81%
Display
88%
Games Performance
97%
Application Performance
99%
Temperature
89 / 95 → 93%
Noise
66 / 90 → 73%
Audio
80%
Average
81%
87%
Gaming - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > An LED Light Show: Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU Laptop Review
Allen Ngo, 2019-07-19 (Update: 2019-07-22)