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Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX Laptop Review: Out of this world

Gaming 2-in-1. Due to its particularly innovative products, Asus has often been the center of attention in the past. Now, with the ROG GZ700 and after the watercooled ROG GX700, comes one more unusual gaming laptop. The 17-inch device sets itself apart with a convertible design. However, the price leaves us speechless.
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX

One year ago, we took a closer look at a prototype of the GZ700. Now, at the end of 2019 and although barely any suppliers list the ROG Mothership, the time for the final product has come. The 17-inch device is unlikely to be well-received by the mass market, where it presumably only attracts few buyers. With its lofty price of $6,500, the GZ7000GX is among the most expensive gaming laptops ever (as far as we know, only the Acer Predator 21 X featuring a giant curved display is even more expensive).

In order to somewhat justify the incredibly high price, Asus integrates a lot of technology into the 2-in-1. The processor is the strongest laptop model from Intel's Coffee Lake generation, the Core i9-9980HK. Similarly, the highest-end model from Nvidia's Turing series, the GeForce RTX 2080, is also on board. This package is rounded-off by 64 GB of DDR4-RAM (4x 16 GB @2,666 MHz) and an SSD RAID that consists of three NVMe SSDs with 512 GB each. Finally, a G-Sync capable IPS panel with 144 Hz produces the image.

Competitors of the GZ700GX include other 17-inch gaming laptops with the RTX 2080 such as the MSI GE75 9SG, HP Omen 17, MSI GT76 9SG, Alienware Area 51m and Asus' own Asus ROG G703GXR. We've included the results from these competitors in the following tables for comparison purposes.

Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX (ROG Mothership GZ700 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i9-9980HK 8 x 2.4 - 5 GHz, Coffee Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile - 8 GB VRAM, Core: 1675 MHz, Memory: 1788 MHz, GDDR6, ForceWare 441.41, Optimus oder G-Sync
Memory
64 GB 
, 4x 16 GB SO-DIMM DDR4-2666, dual-channel, all slots occupied
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 127 PPI, AU Optronics B173HAN04.0 (AUO409D), IPS, Full-HD, 144 Hz, glossy: no, detachable screen
Mainboard
Intel HM370
Storage
1x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ + 2x Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8 (RAID 0), 1536 GB 
, Slots: 3x M.2 Type 2280
Soundcard
Realtek ALC295 @ Intel Cannon Point PCH - cAVS
Connections
1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 5 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 2 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 1 headphone-out, 1 microphone-in, Card Reader: SD,SDHC,SDXC, Brightness Sensor
Networking
Realtek RTL8125 2.5GBe Family Ethernet Controller (10/100/1000/2500MBit/s), Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/), Bluetooth 5
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 30 x 410 x 320 ( = 1.18 x 16.14 x 12.6 in)
Battery
90 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: FHD
Additional features
Speakers: 4x 4W, Keyboard: Chiclet RGB, Keyboard Light: yes, 2x 280-Watt AC adapter, backpack, Cerberus gaming headset, Gladius II gaming mouse, Armoury Crate, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
4.76 kg ( = 167.9 oz / 10.49 pounds), Power Supply: 1.686 kg ( = 59.47 oz / 3.72 pounds)
Price
7000 EUR
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
84.7 %
12/2019
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
i9-9980HK, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
4.8 kg30 mm17.30"1920x1080
85.8 %
10/2019
Asus ROG G703GXR
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
4.7 kg48 mm17.30"1920x1080
85.1 %
08/2019
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
3.3 kg27 mm17.30"1920x1080
86.1 %
05/2019
MSI GE75 9SG
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
2.7 kg27.5 mm17.30"1920x1080
85.5 %
06/2019
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
i9-9900K, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
4.2 kg42 mm17.30"1920x1080
85.8 %
03/2019
Alienware Area-51m i9-9900K RTX 2080
i9-9900K, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
3.9 kg42 mm17.30"1920x1080

Case

As mentioned before, the ROG Mothership is a 2-in-1 laptop. The keyboard can be detached and folded up for a more flexible user experience, leaving the display standing independently (like a normal monitor). While the mechanism for attaching the keyboard works relatively well thanks to the magnets, it can feel somewhat clunky at times.

The display hinge warrants no criticism. Similarly, the stand showed itself to be surprisingly stable throughout our tests. The same cannot be said for the keyboard, however. While attached, the center area is particularly susceptible to flexing.

Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX

The design looks quite futuristic, which is typical for Asus devices. Not only the keyboard but also the bottom edge of the display border are illuminated. The build quality of the GZ700 is on a very high level. All elements of our test device smoothly transition into one another. The quality of the materials leaves nothing to be desired either. The metal surfaces gives the laptop a premium look and feel.

At 4.8 kg (~10.6 lb), the GZ700 is very heavy. Some of the competing devices are more than 1 kg (~2.2 lb) lighter. In terms of thickness, the Asus laptop falls between the HP Omen 17 or MSI GE75 9SG (2.7 cm/~1.1 in) and the Alienware Area 51m or MSI GT76 9SG (4.2 cm/~1.65 in).

Size Comparison

425 mm / 16.7 inch 319 mm / 12.6 inch 48 mm / 1.89 inch 4.7 kg10.3 lbs402.6 mm / 15.9 inch 319.2 mm / 12.6 inch 42 mm / 1.654 inch 3.9 kg8.53 lbs410 mm / 16.1 inch 320 mm / 12.6 inch 30 mm / 1.181 inch 4.8 kg10.5 lbs397 mm / 15.6 inch 330 mm / 13 inch 42 mm / 1.654 inch 4.2 kg9.19 lbs405 mm / 15.9 inch 295 mm / 11.6 inch 27 mm / 1.063 inch 3.3 kg7.28 lbs397 mm / 15.6 inch 268.5 mm / 10.6 inch 27.5 mm / 1.083 inch 2.7 kg5.86 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Ports

The port selection matches the price. There is a total of 6 USB ports, 5 of which support the 3.1 Gen 2 standard. 2 of the USB ports have the Type-C form factor (1x with DisplayPort support and 1x with Thunderbolt 3 support). Additionally, there is an HDMI output, two audio jacks (headphone + microphone), a card reader and a Kensington Lock port. There is also a blazing-fast 2.5-GB/s LAN port.

Since all ports reside on the display unit, there is enough space for an external mouse in front or to the sides of the device. Here, unlike on many other laptops, there are few ways for connected cables to get in the way.

Left: Thunderbolt 3, USB Type-A 3.0, Microphone, Headset, RJ45 LAN, 2x USB Type-A 3.1 Gen 2
Left: Thunderbolt 3, USB Type-A 3.0, Microphone, Headset, RJ45 LAN, 2x USB Type-A 3.1 Gen 2
Right: 2x AC adapter, HDMI, USB Type-A 3.1 Gen 2, USB-C 3.1 Gen 2, card reader
Right: 2x AC adapter, HDMI, USB Type-A 3.1 Gen 2, USB-C 3.1 Gen 2, card reader

SD Card Reader

Unfortunately, the installed card reader is not one of the fastest models. At around 80 to 90 MB/s for sequential read and write operations on images, it only achieves an average result (in the same ballpark as the HP Omen 17) compared to the competition. With the ROG G703GXR, Asus shows the right way to do it, since its card reader almost fully exhausts the capabilities of our reference card. Meanwhile, the MSI GE75 is the slowest and only reaches USB 2.0 speeds.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Asus ROG G703GXR
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
194 MB/s +134%
Average of class Gaming
  (19 - 202, n=104, last 2 years)
98.2 MB/s +18%
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
83 MB/s
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
76 MB/s -8%
MSI GE75 9SG
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
27.14 MB/s -67%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Asus ROG G703GXR
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
246 MB/s +170%
Average of class Gaming
  (26 - 269, n=95, last 2 years)
122.3 MB/s +34%
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
91 MB/s
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
81 MB/s -11%
MSI GE75 9SG
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
33.17 MB/s -64%

Communication

Intel's brand-new AX200 chip serves as the wireless module. The results listed in the table are not quite directly comparable with those of competing devices. We recently upgraded our test setup from an ac router (Linksys EA8500) to an ax router (Netgear Nighthawk AX12). The latter causes the speed in our range test to approximately double. Transfer rates in excess of 1,400 MB/s is an excellent result.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1420 MBit/s
Average of class Gaming
  (450 - 1412, n=14, last 2 years)
1006 MBit/s -29%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
749 MBit/s -47%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
730 MBit/s -49%
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S CNVi: WiFi
680 MBit/s -52%
Asus ROG G703GXR
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
677 MBit/s -52%
Alienware Area-51m i9-9900K RTX 2080
Killer Wireless-AC 1550 Wireless Network Adapter
629 MBit/s -56%
iperf3 receive AX12
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1490 MBit/s
Average of class Gaming
  (423 - 1700, n=14, last 2 years)
1203 MBit/s -19%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
690 MBit/s -54%
Asus ROG G703GXR
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
676 MBit/s -55%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
675 MBit/s -55%
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S CNVi: WiFi
661 MBit/s -56%
Alienware Area-51m i9-9900K RTX 2080
Killer Wireless-AC 1550 Wireless Network Adapter
652 MBit/s -56%

Accessories

Aside from the ports and components, the scope of delivery is generous as well. With a gaming mouse (Gladius II) and a gaming headset (Cerberus) included in the giant package, gamers can get started right away. When travelling, the laptop and accessories can be stowed away in the included backpack. Not one, but two 280-Watt AC adapters, which have a combined weight of 1.7 kg (~3.7 lb), are used to power the GZ700.

Maintenance

Unlike on most laptops, the majority of the hardware is not installed within the base unit, but rather behind/below the display. In order to access the hardware on the inside, the back plate of the display has to be removed (7 Philips screws and 4 Torx screws). Subsequently, almost all of the components are accessible, as you can see in our photos. This includes storage (3x M.2 slots with cover), the wireless module, the battery and the cooling solution. There are two fans and multiple heatpipes, which stretch themselves across CPU and GPU. Unfortunately, only 2 of the 4 RAM slots can be accessed.

Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX

Input Devices

Keyboard

As with some relatives from the GX series, the keyboard sits at the front. There are no palm rests, which is unusual for laptops. Despite not being a mechanical model, the keyboard makes a good impression. Positive aspects include RGB lighting with multiple settings (various modes) and an all around crisp typing experience.

We were less pleased with the size of the keys, however. The arrow keys and the F key row are particularly small. Good: Thanks to the integrated battery, the keyboard unit is powered even when detached and does not require a cable.

RGB keyboard and touchpad-numpad combination
RGB keyboard and touchpad-numpad combination

Touchpad

The touchpad is a mixed bag. While at 8 cm (~3.15 in), the length is more than sufficient, the width of only 6 cm (~2.36 in) is very small. Users will need to readjust their finger when it comes to longer distances or drag-and-drop operations. However, we were impressed with the feature that allows the touchpad to transform into a numpad at the press of a button (see picture). The dedicated mouse buttons are nothing out of the ordinary. The same holds true for the precision, the gliding properties and the multitouch support (as in gestures).

Display

Although more and more laptops are featuring 240- or even 300-Hz displays, 144-Hz screens continue to be a good choice for gamers.

300
cd/m²
302
cd/m²
272
cd/m²
285
cd/m²
283
cd/m²
294
cd/m²
276
cd/m²
282
cd/m²
271
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics B173HAN04.0 (AUO409D) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 302 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 285 cd/m² Minimum: 31 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 90 %
Center on Battery: 283 cd/m²
Contrast: 1230:1 (Black: 0.23 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.87 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 1.82
ΔE Greyscale 7.19 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
90% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
58% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
63.7% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
90.4% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
62.3% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.41
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
AU Optronics B173HAN04.0 (AUO409D), IPS, 1920x1080
Asus ROG G703GXR
AU Optronics B173HAN04.0 (AUO409D), IPS, 1920x1080
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
CMN175D, IPS, 1920x1080
MSI GE75 9SG
Chi Mei N173HCE-G33, AHVA, 1920x1080
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
Chi Mei N173HCE-G33 (CMN175C), IPS, 1920x1080
Alienware Area-51m i9-9900K RTX 2080
LG Philips 173WFG, IPS, 1920x1080
Display
2%
4%
0%
1%
6%
Display P3 Coverage
62.3
63.2
1%
63.7
2%
61.5
-1%
62.3
0%
66.3
6%
sRGB Coverage
90.4
92
2%
96
6%
92
2%
93.4
3%
96.9
7%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
63.7
64.7
2%
65.8
3%
63.5
0%
64.3
1%
66.5
4%
Response Times
-15%
-101%
9%
-15%
-62%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
6 ?(3, 3)
6.4 ?(3.4, 3)
-7%
17.6 ?(8.4, 9.2)
-193%
7.2 ?(3.8, 3.4)
-20%
8 ?(4.4, 3.6)
-33%
13.2 ?(8, 5.2)
-120%
Response Time Black / White *
10.4 ?(6, 4.4)
12.8 ?(7.6, 5.2)
-23%
11.2 ?(6, 5.2)
-8%
6.6 ?(3.2, 3.4)
37%
10 ?(5.2, 4.8)
4%
10.8 ?(6, 4.8)
-4%
PWM Frequency
25510 ?(44)
26040 ?(10)
26040 ?(20)
Screen
10%
28%
25%
25%
-3%
Brightness middle
283
290
2%
360
27%
400.7
42%
396
40%
335.2
18%
Brightness
285
281
-1%
342
20%
372
31%
373
31%
297
4%
Brightness Distribution
90
91
1%
91
1%
89
-1%
89
-1%
82
-9%
Black Level *
0.23
0.2
13%
0.26
-13%
0.34
-48%
0.33
-43%
0.66
-187%
Contrast
1230
1450
18%
1385
13%
1179
-4%
1200
-2%
508
-59%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.87
4.77
19%
1.91
67%
1.33
77%
2.04
65%
2.02
66%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
11.01
9.08
18%
4.08
63%
3.51
68%
3.85
65%
7.23
34%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
1.82
1.46
20%
0.78
57%
1.39
24%
0.82
55%
1.17
36%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
7.19
5.83
19%
2.72
62%
1.3
82%
2.83
61%
3.2
55%
Gamma
2.41 91%
2.47 89%
2.37 93%
2.24 98%
2.49 88%
2.16 102%
CCT
8239 79%
8076 80%
6692 97%
6735 97%
7113 91%
6746 96%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
58
59
2%
60
3%
58.2
0%
59
2%
61.3
6%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
90
92
2%
96
7%
92.1
2%
94
4%
96.9
8%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-1% / 6%
-23% / 7%
11% / 18%
4% / 16%
-20% / -8%

* ... smaller is better

The GZ700 comes with a 17-inch AU Optronics IPS panel with the model number B173HAN04.0. The Asus G703GXR uses the same panel. For the most part, the panel performs well in our tests.

CalMAN: Grayscale
CalMAN: Grayscale
CalMAN: Saturation sweeps
CalMAN: Saturation sweeps
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: Grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN: Grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN: Saturation sweeps (calibrated)
CalMAN: Saturation sweeps (calibrated)
CalMAN: ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN: ColorChecker (calibrated)

Apart from the mediocre brightness value (approximately 285 cd/m²) and a relatively poor color accuracy (blue tint) the visual experience is good. A black value of 0.23 cd/m² and a contrast ratio of 1,230:1 are respectable. With these values, the GZ700 is on par with its competition.

Asus GZ700GX vs sRGB (90%)
Asus GZ700GX vs sRGB (90%)
Asus GZ700GX vs AdobeRGB (58%)
Asus GZ700GX vs AdobeRGB (58%)

There are no anomalies in terms of the color space (90% sRGB), the viewing angles or the illumination. For an IPS panel, the response times are surprisingly low. With 6 to 10 ms, even fast-paced games should remain largely unaffected by ghosting.

Backlight
Backlight
Subpixel array
Subpixel array
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
10.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 6 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 (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 3 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. » 13 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

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

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

Test Conditions

The preinstalled tool Armoury Crate gives users the opportunity to adjust the system in various different ways. For example, users can switch between the power profiles (quiet, performance & turbo) and choose either the graphics switching technology Optimus or the anti-tearing technology G-Sync. Unless stated otherwise, all of our tests were performed using the performance mode with G-Sync active. Performing the tests on other settings may produce very different results.

Armoury Crate
Armoury Crate
Armoury Crate
Armoury Crate
Armoury Crate
Armoury Crate

Performance

The ROG Mothership is a pure-blooded desktop replacement that effortlessly handles even demanding applications and presumably offers enough performance for years to come.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
HWiNFO
GPU-Z
AS SSD benchmark
CrystalDiskMark
LatencyMon

Processor

No half-measures: That is the approach Asus has taken with the hardware of the GZ700. The Core i9-9980HK from Intel is one of the best examples of this. The eight-core model not only features an unlocked multiplier, but also 16 MB of L3 cache as well as a very high maximum frequency of 5.0 GHz.

Single-core rendering
Single-core rendering
Multi-core rendering
Multi-core rendering
GPU load
GPU load

Good: The ROG Mothership makes fairly good use of its Turbo Boost potential. In Cinebench R15, we measured a clock speed of between 4.2 and 4.5 GHz for a single-core load or 4.2 GHz exactly with all cores active.

01052103154205256307358409451050115512601365147015751680178518901995Tooltip
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX Intel Core i9-9980HK, Intel Core i9-9980HK: Ø1650 (1611.73-1806)
MSI GE75 9SG Intel Core i9-9880H, Intel Core i9-9880H: Ø1619 (1602.44-1728.31)
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG Intel Core i9-9900K, Intel Core i9-9900K: Ø1998 (1943.92-2022.14)
Alienware Area-51m i9-9900K RTX 2080 Intel Core i9-9900K, Intel Core i9-9900K: Ø1875 (1847.15-1952.27)

These clock speeds put the GZ700 ahead of the 9880H competitors HP Omen 17 and MSI GE75 9SG. Only desktop processor based gaming laptops achieve even better results. The Core i9-9980HK cannot quite keep up with the Core i9-9900K inside of the Alienware Area 51m and MSI GT76 9SG. Meanwhile, the current "default" laptop CPU choice, the six-core model Core i7-9750H, can slower by as much as 30%.

Cinebench R20
CPU (Single Core)
Average of class Gaming
  (169 - 855, n=243, last 2 years)
690 Points +55%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
Intel Core i9-9900K
509 Points +14%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
Intel Core i9-9880H
467 Points +5%
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Intel Core i9-9980HK
445 Points
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H
441 Points -1%
Asus ROG G703GXR
Intel Core i7-9750H
423 Points -5%
CPU (Multi Core)
Average of class Gaming
  (930 - 13769, n=243, last 2 years)
7152 Points +72%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
Intel Core i9-9900K
4926 Points +19%
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Intel Core i9-9980HK
4150 Points
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H
3712 Points -11%
Asus ROG G703GXR
Intel Core i7-9750H
3110 Points -25%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
Intel Core i9-9880H
2953 Points -29%
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (79.2 - 318, n=247, last 2 years)
265 Points +41%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
Intel Core i9-9900K
212 Points +13%
Alienware Area-51m i9-9900K RTX 2080
Intel Core i9-9900K
207 Points +10%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
Intel Core i9-9880H
197 Points +5%
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H
189 Points +1%
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Intel Core i9-9980HK
188 Points
Asus ROG G703GXR
Intel Core i7-9750H
171 Points -9%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (400 - 5663, n=248, last 2 years)
2986 Points +65%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
Intel Core i9-9900K
2022 Points +12%
Alienware Area-51m i9-9900K RTX 2080
Intel Core i9-9900K
1979 Points +10%
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
Intel Core i9-9980HK
1806 Points
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H
1721 Points -5%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
Intel Core i9-9880H
1450 Points -20%
Asus ROG G703GXR
Intel Core i7-9750H
1256 Points -30%
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
188 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
1806 Points
Help

System Performance

The system performance is sublime. 6,789 points in PCMark 10 is a result that commands respect; only the Alienware 51m achieves a slightly higher score. Subjectively, Windows 10 is very responsive and boots within a few seconds. Loading times are pleasantly short as well.

PCMark 10 - Score
Average of class Gaming
  (4477 - 9852, n=208, last 2 years)
7531 Points +11%
Alienware Area-51m i9-9900K RTX 2080
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i9-9900K, 2x SK Hynix PC400 512GB (RAID 0)
7006 Points +3%
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i9-9980HK, 1x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ + 2x Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8 (RAID 0)
6789 Points
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i9-9900K, 2x Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP (RAID 0)
6599 Points -3%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i9-9880H, 2x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ (RAID 0)
6558 Points -3%
MSI GE75 9SG
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i9-9880H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
6306 Points -7%
Asus ROG G703GXR
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5780 Points -15%

Storage Solution

In terms of storage performance, the ROG Mothership also chases records. Asus fits the 17-inch device with a total of three NVMe SSDs with the M.2 form factor (1x Samsung PM981 + 2x Intel 760p), which run in RAID 0 and have a total capacity of 1.5 TB. With sequential read and write speeds of 4,000 MB/s (AS SSD benchmark), it leaves the remainder of the comparison in the dust.

Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
1x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ + 2x Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8 (RAID 0)
Asus ROG G703GXR
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
2x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ (RAID 0)
MSI GE75 9SG
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
2x Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP (RAID 0)
Alienware Area-51m i9-9900K RTX 2080
2x SK Hynix PC400 512GB (RAID 0)
AS SSD
-18%
-14%
-11%
-9%
-18%
Seq Read
4401
1030
-77%
2568
-42%
1358
-69%
2646
-40%
2082
-53%
Seq Write
4146
1888
-54%
2608
-37%
2381
-43%
2214
-47%
2335
-44%
4K Read
37.41
43.83
17%
41.2
10%
27.02
-28%
30.42
-19%
24.14
-35%
4K Write
123.7
97.1
-22%
98
-21%
89.2
-28%
95.9
-22%
91.8
-26%
4K-64 Read
1315
1092
-17%
1352
3%
1642
25%
1609
22%
1561
19%
4K-64 Write
1178
1647
40%
1138
-3%
1799
53%
1573
34%
1350
15%
Score Total
4412
3856
-13%
3994
-9%
4899
11%
4740
7%
4390
0%
1x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ + 2x Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8 (RAID 0)
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 9006 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 4413 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 581 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 510 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 5378 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 4081 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 60.5 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 159.5 MB/s

GPU Performance

In order to be able to capitalize on the 144-Hz refresh rate of the Full-HD display, the extremely high-performance DirectX 12 model Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 is installed in the laptop. 2,944 shader units and 8 GB GDDR6-VRAM (256-bit interface) is a statement.

3DMark 11 Performance
28126 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
55579 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
22005 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
10150 points
Help

According to the tool GPU-Z, Asus has increased the memory speed from the base value of 1,750 to 1,788 MHz and the core clock from 1,575 to 1,675 MHz. Thanks to GPU boost, even higher frequencies are possible. As our Unigine Heaven 4.0 benchmark (one run) and our "The Witcher 3" tests (60 minutes @FHD/Ultra) show, users can expect a clock speed of about 1,720 to 1,740 MHz - a good result for an RTX 2080 laptop.

05101520253035404550556065707580859095100Tooltip
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i9-9980HK, 1x Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ + 2x Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8 (RAID 0): Ø100 (95-104)

The 3DMark 13 and 3DMark 11 benchmark scores put the 17-inch device at the top spot or close to it.

3DMark
2560x1440 Port Royal Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (280 - 14457, n=163, last 2 years)
7581 Points +26%
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
6005 Points
Alienware Area-51m i9-9900K RTX 2080
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
5852 Points -3%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
5660 Points -6%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
5582 Points -7%
Asus ROG G703GXR
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
5543 Points -8%
MSI GE75 9SG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
5538 Points -8%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (224 - 22547, n=248, last 2 years)
11781 Points +16%
Alienware Area-51m i9-9900K RTX 2080
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
10720 Points +6%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
10243 Points +1%
Asus ROG G703GXR
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
10181 Points 0%
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
10149 Points
MSI GE75 9SG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
9754 Points -4%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
9480 Points -7%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (781 - 53059, n=250, last 2 years)
28955 Points +11%
Alienware Area-51m i9-9900K RTX 2080
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
27080 Points +4%
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
26009 Points
Asus ROG G703GXR
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
25727 Points -1%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
25126 Points -3%
MSI GE75 9SG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
24623 Points -5%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
22820 Points -12%
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Gaming
  (1029 - 72070, n=246, last 2 years)
39499 Points +10%
Alienware Area-51m i9-9900K RTX 2080
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
38485 Points +7%
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
35882 Points
Asus ROG G703GXR
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
35754 Points 0%
MSI GE75 9SG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
34050 Points -5%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
31826 Points -11%

Gaming Performance

The GeForce RTX 2080 does not break a sweat at 1,920x1,080 pixels. Almost all the titles we tested ran at above 80 FPS with maximum details. Only in extremely demanding games, such as "Red Dead Redemption 2", the 60-FPS mark is not reached.

The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Average of class Gaming
  (8.61 - 216, n=245, last 2 years)
114 fps +16%
Alienware Area-51m i9-9900K RTX 2080
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i9-9900K
101.1 fps +3%
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i9-9900K
100 fps +2%
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i9-9980HK
98.3 (83min) fps
Asus ROG G703GXR
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-9750H
97.1 (80min) fps -1%
MSI GE75 9SG
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i9-9880H
95.3 fps -3%
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i9-9880H
91.7 (76min) fps -7%
low med. high ultra
The Witcher 3 (2015) 181 98.3
Control (2019) 92.1
Borderlands 3 (2019) 104 89.4
FIFA 20 (2019) 267 262
Ghost Recon Breakpoint (2019) 111 83
GRID 2019 (2019) 127 89.7
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2019 (2019) 159 136
Need for Speed Heat (2019) 99.2 90.1
Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order (2019) 111 108
Red Dead Redemption 2 (2019) 88.9 56.8

Emissions

Noise Emissions

Usually, a high performance level goes hand in hand with high fan noise. The GZ700 falls into the same category. 37 to 39 dB(A) during idle mark the worst resullt in our comparison. The fans are very noticeable even during harmless tasks such as office work, playing videos and web browsing.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2034.332.93431.736.52541.640.639.236.145.33144.331.732.430.137.84044.750.45033.238.35051.351.35130.4376335.433.534.229.249.48036.638.13827.847.410038.736.837.526.932.212532.728.930.627.23516032.632.533.527.44120031.330.631.223.136.725027.226.428.821.536.631528.326.927.122.537.140033.832.531.519.842.850036.536.134.918.843.663030.332.331.317.936.880031.430.329.817.840.9100031.329.428.517.639.5125029.328.227.917.840.9160027.627.126.617.142.4200026.526.325.617.143.2250024.824.624.317.242.4315023.22322.717.138.5400022.221.521.517.234.350002019.819.217.432.6630018.518.318.217.131.8800018.418.21817.130.31000018.11818.517.127.11250018.218.217.817.123.81600018.218.117.816.920.3SPL40.139.638.93051.7N3.53.33.31.48.3median 27.6median 26.9median 27.1median 17.6median 36.8Delta5.66.35.31.94.9hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseAsus ROG Mothership GZ700GX

While gaming, the fans increase their speed significantly and reach up to 52 dB(A) - a distractingly loud noise level. For noise sensitive users, an average of 48 dB(A) while playing "The Witcher 3" is not a good result either. As a result, a headset is almost a necessity for gaming.

Noise Level

Idle
37 / 38 / 39 dB(A)
Load
40 / 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: 30 dB(A)
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
i9-9980HK, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
Asus ROG G703GXR
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
MSI GE75 9SG
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
i9-9900K, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
Alienware Area-51m i9-9900K RTX 2080
i9-9900K, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
Average of class Gaming
 
Noise
4%
0%
6%
-5%
-1%
15%
off / environment *
30
30
-0%
30
-0%
28.2
6%
30
-0%
28.1
6%
24.1 ?(19.5 - 29.9, n=194, last 2 years)
20%
Idle Minimum *
37
33
11%
34
8%
30.4
18%
33
11%
28.1
24%
25.6 ?(21.9 - 41.6, n=195, last 2 years)
31%
Idle Average *
38
34
11%
35
8%
30.4
20%
34
11%
28.6
25%
27.4 ?(21.9 - 42.1, n=195, last 2 years)
28%
Idle Maximum *
39
35
10%
36
8%
33.4
14%
44
-13%
51
-31%
30.7 ?(21.9 - 47, n=195, last 2 years)
21%
Load Average *
40
38
5%
51
-28%
37.1
7%
47
-18%
51
-28%
43.2 ?(25.2 - 62.9, n=195, last 2 years)
-8%
Witcher 3 ultra *
48
50
-4%
47
2%
54.2
-13%
53
-10%
51
-6%
Load Maximum *
52
54
-4%
51
2%
56.4
-8%
59
-13%
51
2%
53.2 ?(42.1 - 68.2, n=195, last 2 years)
-2%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

The heat development remains modest. Even under full load with FurMark & Prime95, the CPU temperature does not climb higher than 90 °C (~194 °F; around 60/~140 °F to 70 °C/~158 °F @The Witcher 3). During the stress test, the GPU stabilizes at a moderate temperature of 76 °C (~169 °F).

The Witcher 3
The Witcher 3
Stress test
Stress test
Maximum load front
Maximum load front
Maximum load back
Maximum load back

The surface temperatures of the case vary significantly. While the keyboard unit remains comfortably cool in any situation, the back of the display can reach up to 51 °C (~124 °F).

Max. Load
 31 °C
88 F
39 °C
102 F
34 °C
93 F
 
 27 °C
81 F
27 °C
81 F
28 °C
82 F
 
 27 °C
81 F
27 °C
81 F
27 °C
81 F
 
Maximum: 39 °C = 102 F
Average: 29.7 °C = 85 F
49 °C
120 F
49 °C
120 F
50 °C
122 F
50 °C
122 F
51 °C
124 F
45 °C
113 F
31 °C
88 F
32 °C
90 F
39 °C
102 F
Maximum: 51 °C = 124 F
Average: 44 °C = 111 F
Power Supply (max.)  48 °C = 118 F | Room Temperature 22 °C = 72 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 29.7 °C / 85 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 39 °C / 102 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 °C / 124 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25 °C / 77 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(+) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.2 °C / 83 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 27 °C / 80.6 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (+1.9 °C / 3.4 F).
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
i9-9980HK, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
Asus ROG G703GXR
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
MSI GE75 9SG
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
i9-9900K, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
Alienware Area-51m i9-9900K RTX 2080
i9-9900K, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
Average of class Gaming
 
Heat
-9%
-12%
-27%
-8%
-17%
-10%
Maximum Upper Side *
39
46
-18%
47
-21%
48.8
-25%
51
-31%
47
-21%
46.3 ?(28.2 - 61, n=194, last 2 years)
-19%
Maximum Bottom *
51
49
4%
54
-6%
52
-2%
57
-12%
58.8
-15%
49.7 ?(30 - 66.3, n=194, last 2 years)
3%
Idle Upper Side *
25
31
-24%
32
-28%
36.2
-45%
26
-4%
31
-24%
31.5 ?(21.2 - 43, n=194, last 2 years)
-26%
Idle Bottom *
33
32
3%
30
9%
44.4
-35%
28
15%
35
-6%
32.7 ?(22.6 - 45, n=194, last 2 years)
1%

* ... smaller is better

Speaker

In terms of our audio analysis, the GZ700 produces the best sound of all gaming laptops we have tested. According to the data sheet, the ROG Mothership includes 4 speakers with 4 watts each. They produce a fairly powerful, clear and balanced sound, although it sounds somewhat dull in the author's opinion.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2031.731.72536.138.63130.131.94033.247.35030.447.56329.234.98027.84110026.949.312527.265.116027.472.420023.167.125021.569.931522.571.940019.875.850018.874.263017.969.380017.866.4100017.673.8125017.872.8160017.173.3200017.171250017.267.2315017.169400017.276.7500017.475.6630017.173.5800017.170.21000017.168.41250017.164.71600016.964.8SPL3084.8N1.468.4median 17.6median 70.2Delta1.93.334.837.441.542.832.539.931.839.12838.127.641.334.645.524.651.725.960.324.165.721.463.620.770.219.97318.777.318.680.218.180.817.482.117.479.618.581.718.280.817.880.617.581.717.582.117.582.717.476.517.672.617.669.717.667.217.660.817.351.730.192.11.498median 17.8median 77.31.56.7hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAsus ROG Mothership GZ700GXAsus ROG G703GXR
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (85 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 5.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (8.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 0% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 98% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 1% of all tested devices were better, 0% similar, 99% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Asus ROG G703GXR audio analysis

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

Energy Management

Energy Consumption

The 17-inch laptop consumes a lot of power with the graphics switching disabled, even while idling. The idle test demanded between 37 and 59 watts. Under load, the consumption increases to between 105 and 349 watts. Thus, the two AC adapters (560 watts total) are well dimensioned and even offer some headroom.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 3 / 5 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 37 / 48 / 59 Watt
Load midlight 105 / 349 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 Mothership GZ700GX
i9-9980HK, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
Asus ROG G703GXR
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
MSI GE75 9SG
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
i9-9900K, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
Alienware Area-51m i9-9900K RTX 2080
i9-9900K, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
Average of class Gaming
 
Power Consumption
10%
21%
32%
21%
1%
40%
Idle Minimum *
37
27
27%
26
30%
13.9
62%
14
62%
23.3
37%
13.7 ?(2 - 64, n=191, last 2 years)
63%
Idle Average *
48
32
33%
29
40%
18.8
61%
18
62%
33.5
30%
18.9 ?(6.5 - 67, n=191, last 2 years)
61%
Idle Maximum *
59
39
34%
38
36%
23.1
61%
23
61%
38.4
35%
26.5 ?(9 - 101.1, n=191, last 2 years)
55%
Load Average *
105
124
-18%
106
-1%
112.3
-7%
114
-9%
114.1
-9%
111.7 ?(32.1 - 202, n=191, last 2 years)
-6%
Witcher 3 ultra *
233
274
-18%
228
2%
231
1%
283
-21%
339.5
-46%
Load Maximum *
349
338
3%
287
18%
291.5
16%
443
-27%
485.1
-39%
249 ?(64.5 - 418, n=190, last 2 years)
29%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Aside from the MSI GE75 9SG (65 Wh) and the HP Omen 17 (70 Wh), all competitors come with a battery capacity of 90 Wh or more. The GZ700 manages to get a maximum runtime of 3 hours out of its battery. In our Wi-Fi test, the 17-inch lasts about 2.5 hours at medium brightness. When using Optimus instead of G-Sync, users can expect to be able to browse the web for around 4.5 hours.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
3h 00min
WiFi Websurfing
2h 36min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 45min
Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX
i9-9980HK, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, 90 Wh
Asus ROG G703GXR
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, 96 Wh
HP Omen 17-cb0020ng
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, 70 Wh
MSI GE75 9SG
i9-9880H, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, 65 Wh
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
i9-9900K, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, 90 Wh
Alienware Area-51m i9-9900K RTX 2080
i9-9900K, GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, 90 Wh
Average of class Gaming
 
Battery Runtime
87%
8%
88%
57%
-23%
107%
Reader / Idle
180
484
169%
250
39%
409
127%
155
-14%
548 ?(57 - 1290, n=90, last 2 years)
204%
WiFi v1.3
156
367
135%
196
26%
294
88%
302
94%
127
-19%
366 ?(57 - 745, n=191, last 2 years)
135%
Load
105
61
-42%
63
-40%
52
-50%
66
-37%
86 ?(36 - 173, n=155, last 2 years)
-18%

Pros

+ good CPU and GPU boost performance
+ generous port selection
+ extremely fast SSD RAID
+ interesting concept
+ Optimus or G-Sync
+ very fast (W)LAN
+ powerful sound
+ 144 Hz

Cons

- high noise level (particularly in turbo mode)
- keyboard unit can be bent significantly when connected
- one fan rattles slightly (bad luck?)
- fairly heavy
- extremely expensive
- 2 AC adapters

Verdict

ROG Mothership GZ700GX, test device courtesy of Asus Taiwan
ROG Mothership GZ700GX, test device courtesy of Asus Taiwan

In terms of technology and quality, the ROG Mothership GZ700GX is an excellent high-end laptop. The premium metal chassis not only houses a lot of ports, but a 144-Hz display with a good contrast ratio, good viewing angles and great response times as well.

The performance is stellar. Intel's Core i9-9980HK and Nvidia's GeForce RTX 2080 form an extraodinarily fast duo that is complemented by 64 GB of DDR4-RAM and three SSDs in RAID 0. Furthermore, we were impressed by the good sound and the option to choose between G-Sync and Optimus.

The main problem of the GZ700GX is its ridiculous price. Asus charges a pretty penny for the 2-in-1 design, the practicality of which remains in question. The ROG Mothership costs almost twice as much as other RTX 2080 laptops.

Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX - 05/14/2020 v7
Florian Glaser

Chassis
82 / 98 → 83%
Keyboard
81%
Pointing Device
78%
Connectivity
73 / 80 → 91%
Weight
41 / 10-66 → 54%
Battery
49 / 95 → 51%
Display
81%
Games Performance
98%
Application Performance
96%
Temperature
89 / 95 → 93%
Noise
55 / 90 → 61%
Audio
88%
Camera
48 / 85 → 56%
Average
74%
85%
Gaming - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Asus ROG Mothership GZ700GX Laptop Review: Out of this world
Florian Glaser, 2019-12-15 (Update: 2019-12-17)