There's no better time to introduce an off-the-wall and outlandish product than at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. This year, Asus has unveiled its 17.3-inch gaming laptop that also happens to be a detachable 2-in-1 a la the Microsoft Surface Pro or Lenovo Miix 520. In other words, its a portable 17.3-inch gaming "tablet" with a detachable keyboard.
Asus ROG GZ700GX | Asus ROG Chimera G703GI | |
---|---|---|
CPU | Core i9-8950HK | Core i9-8950HK |
GPU | GeForce RTX 2080 | GeForce GTX 1080 |
RAM | Up to 64 GB DDR4-2666 (4x SODIMM) | Up to 64 GB DDR4-2666 (4x SODIMM) |
Display | 17.3-inch 1080p IPS 144 Hz 3 ms 100% sRGB 17.3-inch 4K UHD IPS 60 Hz 15 ms | 17.3-inch 1080p IPS 144 Hz 3 ms G-Sync |
Storage | 3x M.2 2280 | 3x M.2 2280 + 1x 2.5-inch SATA III |
Ports | 2x AC adapter, 1x HDMI 2.0, RJ-45, SD reader, 3.5 mm combo, USB Type-C Gen. 2, Thunderbolt 3, 4x USB Type-A | 2x AC adapter, 1x HDMI 2.0, RJ-45, SD reader, 3.5 mm combo audio, 3.5 mm microphone, mDP 1.4, Thunderbolt 3, 4x USB Type-A |
Audio | 4x 4 W speakers | 2x 2 W + 2x 4.5 W speakers |
Power | 2x 280 W AC adapters | 71 Wh battery, 2x 280 W AC adapters |
Dimensions | 29.9 x 410 x 320 | 51 x 425 x 319 |
Weight | 4.7 kg | 4.72 kg |
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Why have a 17.3-inch gaming detachable in the first place? According to Asus, many enthusiast laptop gamers prefer to use an external keyboard over the built-in laptop keyboard for more freedom of movement and comfort. The detachable wireless keyboard of the GZ700 is larger than the typical laptop keyboard and it allows for more positioning possibilities to be closer to a desktop experience.
While Asus has no direct predecessor to the GZ700, a close comparison is the enthusiast 17.3-inch ROG Chimera G703. Both systems are similar in weight and features and both require two individual 280 W AC adapters each to operate at full capacity. We can see that Asus had to drop a couple of options due to the unique GZ700 form factor such as the 2.5-inch SATA III bay and a dedicated DisplayPort. Still, it's mighty impressive that the manufacturer has managed to fit in a Core i9-8950HK CPU and GeForce RTX 2080 GPU without (supposedly) resorting to under-clocking or slower Max-Q variants.
An important difference to keep in mind between the GZ700 and a traditional gaming laptop is that its motherboard and components are in the display and not in the base. Since the GZ700 houses very powerful processors, the display can be very top-heavy as a result. Users who have detachable 2-in-1 laptops are already familiar with this undesirable center-of-gravity and innate drawback of the form factor.
There are no touchscreen options despite the detachable design. Asus is clearly marketing the GZ700 as a gaming system for use on a desk with no intentions to replace a slate tablet.
Expect the ROG GZ700GX to launch in the coming months. Asus says that the new ROG GZ series will not directly replace the existing ROG G series and that it will instead be its own unique addition to the ROG family. Needless to say, the GZ700GX will be the fastest (if not only) 2-in-1 enthusiast gaming laptop in the market once it launches.
Source(s)
Asus