Notebookcheck

Asus ROG Strix G GL531GV Laptop Review: Like a Zephyrus, but Cheaper

Striking gold. Asus' Republic of Gamers lineup just got a lot bigger. The Strix G GL531 adds a splash of customizable LED colors to the series without impacting the overall performance we've come to expect from a gaming laptop. Fan noise when gaming could still use some improvement.

Much like how the 17.3-inch Asus ROG Strix G GL731 is the less expensive version of the higher-end 17.3-inch Asus ROG Strix III G731, the 15.6-inch Asus ROG Strix G GL531 is the less expensive version of the higher-end 15.6-inch Asus ROG Strix III G531. The GL531 sits in between the budget TUF FX505 and flagship GX531 or G531 in Asus' expansive lineup of gaming laptops.

The GL531 is identical to the G531 sans a few minor features that we will go over below. We therefore recommend checking out our existing reviews on the G531 and GL731 for more details on the design, keyboard feedback, port options, speakers, and other physical properties since almost all our comments will apply here on the GL531. For this review, we'll instead be focusing on the performance differences between the GL531, GX531, and G531.

Unveiled at April of this year, the GL531 series is available in at least 5 different SKUs with GTX 1050, GTX 1650, GTX 1660 Ti, RTX 2060, and RTX 2070 graphics. In comparison, the minimum GPU option for the G531 is the GTX 1660 Ti. The complete specifications list for the 15.6-inch GL531 and 17.3-inch GL731 series can be found on the official Asus page here. Our test unit today is the upper mid-range SKU with the Core i7-9750H CPU, RTX 2060 GPU, and 1080p 120 Hz display for $1600 USD on Xotic PC.

Direct competitors include other mid-range to upper mid-range 15.6-inch gaming laptops like the Lenovo Legion Y740, HP Omen 15, Aorus 15, Acer Predator Helios, MSI GP series, or the Dell G7 15.

More Asus reviews:

Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
Processor
Intel Core i7-9750H (Intel Core i7)
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile - 6144 MB, Core: 1060 MHz, Memory: 1788 MHz, GDDR6, 430.58, Optimus
Memory
16384 MB 
, DDR4-2666, 19-19-19-43, Dual-Channel
Display
15.6 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, Panda LM156LF-GL02, IPS, NCP0042, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM370
Storage
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8, 512 GB 
Soundcard
Nvidia TU106 - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
4 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combo
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000/2500/5000MBit/s), Intel Wireless-AC 9560 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5), Bluetooth 5
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 25.9 x 360 x 274 ( = 1.02 x 14.17 x 10.79 in)
Battery
66 Wh Lithium-Polymer, 4-cell
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Asus Armoury Crate, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
2.4 kg ( = 84.66 oz / 5.29 pounds), Power Supply: 770 g ( = 27.16 oz / 1.7 pounds)
Price
1600 USD
Links
Asus homepage
Asus notebook section
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

As mentioned above, the chassis of the GL531 is identical to the G531 save for these notable differences:

  • The proprietary Asus keystone security feature has been omitted on the GL531
  • The brushed aluminum outer lid and palm rests of the G531/G731 are now plastic
  • Some SKUs will have single-zone RGB keyboard lighting only while higher-end SKUs like our GL531GV have quad-zone RGB lighting
  • AC adapter sizes and ratings will be different depending on the SKU. Core i5/GTX 1050 SKUs come with a 150 W adapter while Core i9/RTX 2070 SKUs come with a 280 W adapter. Our mid-range Core i7/RTX 2060 SKU comes with a 230 W adapter.
389 mm / 15.3 inch 274.7 mm / 10.8 inch 24.95 mm / 0.982 inch 2.6 kg5.8 lbs360.4 mm / 14.2 inch 262 mm / 10.3 inch 26.8 mm / 1.055 inch 2.2 kg4.92 lbs362 mm / 14.3 inch 265 mm / 10.4 inch 25 mm / 0.984 inch 2.3 kg4.97 lbs360 mm / 14.2 inch 274 mm / 10.8 inch 25.9 mm / 1.02 inch 2.4 kg5.29 lbs361 mm / 14.2 inch 246 mm / 9.69 inch 24.4 mm / 0.961 inch 2.1 kg4.69 lbs359 mm / 14.1 inch 254 mm / 10 inch 21.7 mm / 0.854 inch 1.9 kg4.1 lbs360 mm / 14.2 inch 252 mm / 9.92 inch 19 mm / 0.748 inch 2.1 kg4.55 lbs

Connectivity

Front: No connectivity
Front: No connectivity
Right: No connectivity
Right: No connectivity
Rear: Gigabit RJ-45, HDMI 2.0, USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C w/ DisplayPort 1.4, AC adapter
Rear: Gigabit RJ-45, HDMI 2.0, USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C w/ DisplayPort 1.4, AC adapter
Left: 3x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A, 3.5 mm combo audio
Left: 3x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A, 3.5 mm combo audio

Communication

Networking
iperf3 Client (receive) TCP 1 m 4M x10
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
680 MBit/s ∼100% +3%
Dell G7 15-7588
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
660 MBit/s ∼97% 0%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
660 MBit/s ∼97%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter
586 MBit/s ∼86% -11%
iperf3 Client (transmit) TCP 1 m 4M x10
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
683 MBit/s ∼100% +25%
Dell G7 15-7588
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
642 MBit/s ∼94% +17%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter
617 MBit/s ∼90% +13%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
548 MBit/s ∼80%

Maintenance

Servicing is user-unfriendly much like on the G731, GL731, and G531 because of the fragile ribbon cables that attach to the LED lights along the bottom panel. This is explained in more detail on our reviews of the G731 and G531.

Accessories and Warranty

There are no extras in the box other than the usual AC adapter and quick start guide. Warranty is the standard one-year limited protection with optional accidental damage protection at no additional charge for owners who register their laptops with Asus within 60 days of purchase.

Input Devices

Small (~10.8 x 6 cm) touchpad with quiet dedicated mouse keys
Small (~10.8 x 6 cm) touchpad with quiet dedicated mouse keys
Identical layout and feel to the GL731 save for the column of keys along the right edge
Identical layout and feel to the GL731 save for the column of keys along the right edge
Keys with 2 mm travel distance are deeper than most Ultrabooks
Keys with 2 mm travel distance are deeper than most Ultrabooks
Very small Arrow keys are cramped and spongy
Very small Arrow keys are cramped and spongy

Display

The GL531GV uses the same Panda LM156LF IPS panel as found on Asus' cheaper TUF FX505 series for a very similar visual experience between them. This 120 Hz panel is a budget offering as it doesn't quite match the 144 Hz panel on the pricier GX502GW in terms of response times, color coverage, and contrast ratio. Nonetheless, the silky smooth 120 Hz refresh rate is a tangible improvement over the typical 60 Hz panels on most entry-level gaming laptops like the MSI GF75.

Graininess is noticeable but minimal as is common on matte panels. Similarly, the uneven backlight bleeding along the bottom edge of the display on our test unit is also minor enough to be easy to ignore. Laptops with glossy displays like the Dell XPS 15 offer comparatively sharper texts and images.

No edge-to-edge glass or 4K UHD options
No edge-to-edge glass or 4K UHD options
Narrow bezels on three sides of the display
Narrow bezels on three sides of the display
Minor uneven backlight bleeding along bottom edge
Minor uneven backlight bleeding along bottom edge
Matte subpixel array
Matte subpixel array
290.1
cd/m²		275.1
cd/m²		285.5
cd/m²
264
cd/m²		290.1
cd/m²		265
cd/m²
248.2
cd/m²		280.9
cd/m²		266.4
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Panda LM156LF-GL02
X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 290.1 cd/m² Average: 273.9 cd/m² Minimum: 15.38 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Center on Battery: 290.1 cd/m²
Contrast: 537:1 (Black: 0.54 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.16 | 0.6-29.43 Ø5.9, calibrated: 4.35
ΔE Greyscale 4.4 | 0.64-98 Ø6.1
60% sRGB (Argyll 3D) 38.1% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 3D)
Gamma: 2.1
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
Panda LM156LF-GL02, IPS, 15.6, 1920x1080		Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
Panda LM156LF-GL, IPS, 15.6, 1920x1080		Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
AU Optronics B156HAN08.2 (AUO82ED), IPS, 15.6, 1920x1080		Dell G7 15-7588
LG Philips LGD053F, IPS, 15.6, 1920x1080		Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
LP156WFG-SPB2, IPS, 15.6, 1920x1080		Aorus 15-SA
LG Philips LP156WFG-SPB2 (LGD05E8), IPS, 15.6, 1920x1080		MSI GF63 8RC
AU Optronics B156HAN02.1, IPS, 15.6, 1920x1080
Response Times
-13%
69%
-27%
38%
45%
-17%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
26 (13.6, 12.4)
30.4 (14, 16.4)
-17%
7.2 (3.8, 3.4)
72%
38.8 (16, 22.8)
-49%
18.8 (11.6, 7.2)
28%
15.6 (8, 7.6)
40%
33.2 (15.2, 18)
-28%
Response Time Black / White *
25.6 (14.8, 10.8)
27.6 (17.6, 10)
-8%
8.8 (4.4, 4.4)
66%
26.8 (14.4, 12.4)
-5%
13.2 (8, 5.2)
48%
12.8 (8.4, 4.4)
50%
27.2 (15.6, 11.6)
-6%
PWM Frequency
Screen
6%
38%
-11%
33%
38%
6%
Brightness middle
290.1
286.2
-1%
286
-1%
250.9
-14%
320.4
10%
266
-8%
266.6
-8%
Brightness
274
267
-3%
275
0%
246
-10%
298
9%
254
-7%
257
-6%
Brightness Distribution
86
84
-2%
90
5%
89
3%
85
-1%
90
5%
89
3%
Black Level *
0.54
0.33
39%
0.37
31%
0.34
37%
0.42
22%
0.28
48%
0.29
46%
Contrast
537
867
61%
773
44%
738
37%
763
42%
950
77%
919
71%
Colorchecker DeltaE2000 *
5.16
5.45
-6%
2.19
58%
7.34
-42%
3.21
38%
3.11
40%
5.93
-15%
Colorchecker DeltaE2000 max. *
18.09
18.08
-0%
4.4
76%
28.66
-58%
5.54
69%
5.84
68%
16.28
10%
Colorchecker DeltaE2000 calibrated *
4.35
4.47
-3%
2.27
48%
4.42
-2%
2.36
46%
1.37
69%
3.6
17%
Greyscale DeltaE2000 *
4.4
5.3
-20%
2.2
50%
6.8
-55%
3.6
18%
3.94
10%
6.8
-55%
Gamma
2.1 105%
2.1 105%
2.41 91%
2.164 102%
2.27 97%
2.53 87%
2.43 91%
CCT
7362 88%
7679 85%
6405 101%
6780 96%
6503 100%
6210 105%
7192 90%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
38.1
37.6
-1%
59
55%
36
-6%
59
55%
60
57%
37.6
-1%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
60
59.1
-1%
91
52%
56
-7%
92
53%
93
55%
59.3
-1%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-4% / 3%
54% / 43%
-19% / -13%
36% / 34%
42% / 39%
-6% / 2%

* ... smaller is better

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

Colors and grayscale are fairly inaccurate out of the box with average DeltaE values of 6.44 and 4.4, respectively. Color temperature is also on the cool side for a bluish hue that is typical of budget panels. While our calibration addresses many of these issues, color accuracy remains relatively poor due to the narrow gamut of the panel. Blue, magenta, and cyan in particular are represented less accurately than other tested colors especially at higher saturation levels.

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

ℹ
Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
   ↔    Response Time Black to White
25.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 14.8 ms rise
↘ 10.8 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.8 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 45 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (24.9 ms).
   ↔    Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
26 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 13.6 ms rise
↘ 12.4 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.9 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 15 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (39.5 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

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

In comparison: 50 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 17159 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 2500000) Hz was measured.

Outdoor visibility is average at best since the backlight is not nearly as bright as what you'd find on a MacBook Pro 15 or Dell XPS 15. We recommend working under shade if possible to avoid squinting and washed out colors. Viewing angles are wide with noticeable color and grayscale shifting only if viewing from extreme and unrealistic 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

The wide range of CPU and GPU options means the GL531 can perform as slow as a $1000 gaming laptop if configured with the Core i5-9300H and GTX 1050 GPU or as fast as a $2000 gaming laptop if configured with the Core i9-9880H and RTX 2070 GPU. There are no RTX 2080 options as Asus is reserving this for its higher-end Zephyrus or mainline G703 series instead. Latencymon shows no DPC issues even when wireless is enabled.

Nvidia Optimus comes standard meaning that there are no G-Sync options.

Processor

The Core i7-9750H is only a minor leap over the Core i7-8750H in terms of raw performance. Nonetheless, it performs about where we expect it to be on the Asus when compared to other laptops in our database sporting the same processor. Users can expect a 40 to 50 percent boost if jumping from the Core i5-8300H, Core i5-9300H, or Core i7-7700HQ. The Core i9-9880H option will be about 15 to 40 percent faster than the Core i7-9750H.

CPU performance sustainability is decent. When running CineBench R15 Multi-Thread in a loop, the initial score of 1223 points drop to about 1100 points by the third loop to represent a performance dip of about 10 percent. Some competing laptops like the Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICH are able to maintain faster clock rates for longer for slightly faster CPU performance overall.

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

CineBench 15
CineBench 15
CineBench 11.5 64-bit
CineBench 11.5 64-bit
0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260270280290300310320330340350360370380390400410420430440450460470480490500510520530540550560570580590600610620630640650660670680690700710720730740750760770780790800810820830840850860870880890900910920930940950960970980990100010101020103010401050106010701080109011001110112011301140115011601170118011901200121012201230Tooltip
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74 GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø1103 (1087.93-1223.2)
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø1183 (1168.7-1209.56)
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H, 2x Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 (RAID 0); CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø1040 (1017.76-1182)
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø1035 (1020.33-1139.99)
Cinebench R15 | Cinebench R11.5 | Cinebench R10 | wPrime 2.0x | Super Pi Mod 1.5 XS 32M
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
Intel Core i9-9900K
212 Points ∼97% +18%
Medion Erazer X15805
Intel Core i9-8950HK
203 Points ∼93% +13%
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
190 Points ∼87% +6%
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H
189 Points ∼87% +6%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (170 - 194, n=73)
183 Points ∼84% +2%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
Intel Core i7-9750H
179 Points ∼82%
Dell G7 15-7588
Intel Core i7-8750H
176 Points ∼81% -2%
MSI GF63 8RC-040XPL
Intel Core i5-8300H
171 Points ∼78% -4%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H
157 Points ∼72% -12%
Asus FX503VM-EH73
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
156 Points ∼72% -13%
CPU Multi 64Bit
MSI GT76 Titan DT 9SG
Intel Core i9-9900K
2022 Points ∼46% +65%
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H
1721 Points ∼39% +40%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
Intel Core i7-9750H
1226 Points ∼28%
Medion Erazer X15805
Intel Core i9-8950HK
1217 Points ∼28% -1%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (964 - 1306, n=75)
1180 Points ∼27% -4%
Dell G7 15-7588
Intel Core i7-8750H
1079 Points ∼25% -12%
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
897 Points ∼20% -27%
MSI GF63 8RC-040XPL
Intel Core i5-8300H
805 Points ∼18% -34%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H
799 Points ∼18% -35%
Asus FX503VM-EH73
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
733 Points ∼17% -40%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
2.19 Points ∼89% +7%
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H
2.11 Points ∼86% +3%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (1.96 - 2.19, n=8)
2.08 Points ∼85% +2%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
Intel Core i7-9750H
2.04 Points ∼83%
Dell G7 15-7588
Intel Core i7-8750H
1.99 Points ∼81% -2%
Asus FX503VM-EH73
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.83 Points ∼74% -10%
CPU Multi 64Bit
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H
18.94 Points ∼43% +40%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
Intel Core i7-9750H
13.57 Points ∼31%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (11.3 - 14.1, n=8)
12.8 Points ∼29% -6%
Dell G7 15-7588
Intel Core i7-8750H
12.08 Points ∼27% -11%
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
9.78 Points ∼22% -28%
Asus FX503VM-EH73
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
8.17 Points ∼19% -40%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Single 32Bit
Medion Erazer X15805
Intel Core i9-8950HK
7735 Points ∼71%
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
7222 Points ∼67%
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H
6967 Points ∼64%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (6659 - 7214, n=11)
6895 Points ∼64%
Dell G7 15-7588
Intel Core i7-8750H
6591 Points ∼61%
Asus FX503VM-EH73
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
5939 Points ∼55%
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H
42456 Points ∼65%
Medion Erazer X15805
Intel Core i9-8950HK
36591 Points ∼56%
Dell G7 15-7588
Intel Core i7-8750H
34157 Points ∼52%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (28251 - 36304, n=11)
33203 Points ∼51%
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
28189 Points ∼43%
Asus FX503VM-EH73
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
21978 Points ∼34%
wPrime 2.0x - 1024m
MSI GF63 8RC-040XPL
Intel Core i5-8300H
278.469 s * ∼3%
Asus FX503VM-EH73
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
231.67 s * ∼3%
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
176.329 s * ∼2%
Dell G7 15-7588
Intel Core i7-8750H
153.38 s * ∼2%
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H
118.733 s * ∼1%
Super Pi Mod 1.5 XS 32M - ---
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (0.3 - 11365, n=39)
2593 Seconds * ∼12%
Asus FX503VM-EH73
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
590.45 Seconds * ∼3%
MSI GF63 8RC-040XPL
Intel Core i5-8300H
545.627 Seconds * ∼2%
Dell G7 15-7588
Intel Core i7-8750H
524.59 Seconds * ∼2%
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H
476.493 Seconds * ∼2%
Eurocom Tornado F5
Intel Core i7-7700K
440.036 Seconds * ∼2%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
2.04 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
13.57 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
77.37 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
179 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
1226 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
117.43 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Help

System Performance

PCMark results are comparable to other mid-range laptops including the Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICH and Asus' own higher-end Zephyrus S GX502GW. We didn't experience any software or hardware issues during our time with the unit save for the annoying Asus pop-ups when first connecting to the Internet. Note that the power profiles on Armoury Crate can be counter intuitive as detailed here.

PCMark 10 Standard
PCMark 10 Standard
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 10 | PCMark 8
PCMark 10
Digital Content Creation
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
8163 Points ∼63% +22%
Aorus 15-SA
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8
7570 Points ∼58% +13%
Asus Strix Scar III G531GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i9-9880H, Intel SSD 660p 1TB SSDPEKNW010T8
7311 Points ∼56% +10%
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H, 2x Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 (RAID 0)
6936 Points ∼54% +4%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
6673 Points ∼52%
Dell G7 15-7588
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-8750H, SK hynix SC311 SATA
6139 Points ∼47% -8%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R7 3750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5282 Points ∼41% -21%
Productivity
Asus Strix Scar III G531GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i9-9880H, Intel SSD 660p 1TB SSDPEKNW010T8
8025 Points ∼77% +8%
Dell G7 15-7588
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-8750H, SK hynix SC311 SATA
7710 Points ∼74% +4%
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H, 2x Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 (RAID 0)
7661 Points ∼74% +3%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
7431 Points ∼71%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
7351 Points ∼71% -1%
Aorus 15-SA
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8
7311 Points ∼70% -2%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R7 3750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
6518 Points ∼63% -12%
Essentials
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
9486 Points ∼83% +3%
Aorus 15-SA
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8
9379 Points ∼82% +1%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
9245 Points ∼81%
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H, 2x Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 (RAID 0)
9231 Points ∼81% 0%
Asus Strix Scar III G531GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i9-9880H, Intel SSD 660p 1TB SSDPEKNW010T8
9146 Points ∼80% -1%
Dell G7 15-7588
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-8750H, SK hynix SC311 SATA
8466 Points ∼74% -8%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R7 3750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
8355 Points ∼73% -10%
Score
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5941 Points ∼73% +7%
Asus Strix Scar III G531GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i9-9880H, Intel SSD 660p 1TB SSDPEKNW010T8
5826 Points ∼72% +5%
Aorus 15-SA
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8
5761 Points ∼71% +4%
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H, 2x Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 (RAID 0)
5654 Points ∼70% +2%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5528 Points ∼68%
Dell G7 15-7588
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-8750H, SK hynix SC311 SATA
5285 Points ∼65% -4%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R7 3750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
4732 Points ∼58% -14%
PCMark 8
Work Score Accelerated v2
Asus Strix Scar III G531GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i9-9880H, Intel SSD 660p 1TB SSDPEKNW010T8
5919 Points ∼90% +9%
Aorus 15-SA
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8
5913 Points ∼90% +9%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5852 Points ∼89% +8%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5419 Points ∼82%
Dell G7 15-7588
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-8750H, SK hynix SC311 SATA
5410 Points ∼82% 0%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R7 3750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
4701 Points ∼71% -13%
Home Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5115 Points ∼84% +20%
Aorus 15-SA
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8
5081 Points ∼83% +20%
Asus Strix Scar III G531GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i9-9880H, Intel SSD 660p 1TB SSDPEKNW010T8
4578 Points ∼75% +8%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
4251 Points ∼70%
Dell G7 15-7588
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-8750H, SK hynix SC311 SATA
3968 Points ∼65% -7%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R7 3750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
3917 Points ∼64% -8%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4251 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5419 points
Help

Storage Devices

Two internal storage bays are available (1x M.2 2280 PCIe + 1x 2.5-inch SATA III). Our specific test unit comes equipped with the same 512 GB Intel SSD 660p as on the less expensive Asus TUF FX505 and more expenive Zephyrus S GX531. AS SSD results between these systems are unsurprisingly very similar with sequential read and write rates of about 1300 MB/s and 900 MB/s, respectively. It's difficult to know if costlier SKUs come equipped with the faster Samsung PM981 instead as this would depend on the reseller. The Razer Blade 15 and Blade Pro 17 almost always come with Samsung SSDs.

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

CDM 5.5
CDM 5.5
AS SSD
AS SSD
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8		Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8		Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
2x Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 (RAID 0)		Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ		Aorus 15-SA
Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8
AS SSD
-8%
48%
41%
47%
Copy Game MB/s
943.02
866.7
-8%
1164.53
23%
1020.79
8%
Copy Program MB/s
749.45
444.49
-41%
478.19
-36%
387.69
-48%
Copy ISO MB/s
1518.69
942.16
-38%
1872.47
23%
2103.58
39%
Score Total
1711
1717
0%
2896
69%
3230
89%
2938
72%
Score Write
958
992
4%
1528
59%
1752
83%
1175
23%
Score Read
498
472
-5%
923
85%
985
98%
1193
140%
Access Time Write *
0.046
0.047
-2%
0.04
13%
0.043
7%
0.034
26%
Access Time Read *
0.058
0.065
-12%
0.08
-38%
0.077
-33%
0.05
14%
4K-64 Write
760.81
787.44
4%
1253
65%
1500.92
97%
914.36
20%
4K-64 Read
321.15
321.49
0%
623.93
94%
756.72
136%
876.55
173%
4K Write
107.03
115.48
8%
103.6
-3%
88.05
-18%
110.3
3%
4K Read
48.73
48.22
-1%
48.32
-1%
33.2
-32%
56.27
15%
Seq Write
904.89
888.5
-2%
1711.53
89%
1629.24
80%
1506.85
67%
Seq Read
1280.44
1019.04
-20%
2505.83
96%
1952.51
52%
2600.57
103%

* ... smaller is better

CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
AS SSD
hddimg
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 1727 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 971.5 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 337.3 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 431.4 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1461 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 966.9 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 53.62 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 121.9 MB/s

GPU Performance

The mobile GeForce RTX 2060 is a mixed bag. While it offers a 40 percent boost and 70 percent boost over the GTX 1060 in DX11 and DX12 titles, respectively, it's still about 20 percent slower than a proper desktop RTX 2060. In contrast, the mobile GTX 1660 Ti performs nearly identically to its desktop GTX 1660 Ti counterpart. It's worth noting that 3DMark benchmark rank the RTX 2060 within just a few percentage points of the often more expensive RTX 2070 Max-Q.

Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
Fire Strike
Fire Strike
Fire Strike Ultra
Fire Strike Ultra
3DMark 11
3DMark 11
Port Royal
Port Royal
Time Spy
Time Spy
3DMark | 3DMark 11
3DMark
2560x1440 Port Royal Graphics
MSI GE75 9SG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (Laptop), i9-9880H
5538 Points ∼60% +70%
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H
3958 Points ∼43% +21%
Medion Erazer X15805
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i9-8950HK
3735 Points ∼40% +15%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (3020 - 3742, n=14)
3306 Points ∼36% +1%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H
3261 Points ∼35%
Aorus 15-SA
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
1540 Points ∼17% -53%
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H
1294 Points ∼14% -60%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
MSI GE75 9SG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (Laptop), i9-9880H
9754 Points ∼66% +61%
MSI RTX 2060 Gaming Z 6G
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (Desktop), R7 2700X
7732 Points ∼53% +28%
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H
7277 Points ∼50% +20%
Medion Erazer X15805
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i9-8950HK
6499 Points ∼44% +7%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (5660 - 6910, n=18)
6087 Points ∼41% 0%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H
6059 Points ∼41%
Aorus 15-SA
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
5931 Points ∼40% -2%
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H
4925 Points ∼34% -19%
Asus FX503VM-EH73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (Laptop), 7700HQ
3572 Points ∼24% -41%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R7 3750H
3568 Points ∼24% -41%
MSI GT72S-6QEG16SR421BW
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, 6820HK
2805 Points ∼19% -54%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
MSI GE75 9SG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (Laptop), i9-9880H
24623 Points ∼61% +55%
MSI RTX 2060 Gaming Z 6G
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (Desktop), R7 2700X
19338 Points ∼48% +22%
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H
19123 Points ∼47% +20%
Eurocom Tornado F5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 (Laptop), 7700K
17321 Points ∼43% +9%
Medion Erazer X15805
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i9-8950HK
16923 Points ∼42% +6%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (14768 - 18055, n=20)
16002 Points ∼39% +1%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H
15913 Points ∼39%
Aorus 15-SA
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
15164 Points ∼37% -5%
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H
12903 Points ∼32% -19%
Asus FX503VM-EH73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (Laptop), 7700HQ
11483 Points ∼28% -28%
Dell G7 15-7588
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-8750H
11309 Points ∼28% -29%
MSI GT72S-6QEG16SR421BW
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, 6820HK
9537 Points ∼23% -40%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R7 3750H
9428 Points ∼23% -41%
MSI GF63 8RC-040XPL
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 (Laptop), i5-8300H
6112 Points ∼15% -62%
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance Combined
MSI GE75 9SG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (Laptop), i9-9880H
16523 Points ∼73% +37%
MSI RTX 2060 Gaming Z 6G
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (Desktop), R7 2700X
13742 Points ∼61% +14%
Medion Erazer X15805
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i9-8950HK
12715 Points ∼56% +5%
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H
12431 Points ∼55% +3%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H
12078 Points ∼53%
Aorus 15-SA
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
11914 Points ∼53% -1%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (9099 - 14726, n=20)
11770 Points ∼52% -3%
Eurocom Tornado F5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 (Laptop), 7700K
11099 Points ∼49% -8%
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H
10866 Points ∼48% -10%
Dell G7 15-7588
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-8750H
10798 Points ∼48% -11%
MSI GT72S-6QEG16SR421BW
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, 6820HK
9459 Points ∼42% -22%
Asus FX503VM-EH73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (Laptop), 7700HQ
7696 Points ∼34% -36%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R7 3750H
6838 Points ∼30% -43%
1280x720 Performance GPU
MSI GE75 9SG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (Laptop), i9-9880H
34050 Points ∼67% +64%
MSI RTX 2060 Gaming Z 6G
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (Desktop), R7 2700X
26413 Points ∼52% +27%
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H
24267 Points ∼48% +17%
Eurocom Tornado F5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 (Laptop), 7700K
23042 Points ∼45% +11%
Medion Erazer X15805
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i9-8950HK
21660 Points ∼42% +5%
Aorus 15-SA
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
20862 Points ∼41% +1%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (19513 - 23734, n=20)
20806 Points ∼41% 0%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H
20723 Points ∼41%
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H
17264 Points ∼34% -17%
Asus FX503VM-EH73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (Laptop), 7700HQ
14550 Points ∼29% -30%
Dell G7 15-7588
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-8750H
14487 Points ∼28% -30%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R7 3750H
13575 Points ∼27% -34%
MSI GT72S-6QEG16SR421BW
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, 6820HK
12193 Points ∼24% -41%
3DMark | 3DMark 11
3DMark 11 Performance
17903 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
36566 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
14439 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
6154 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The mobile GeForce RTX 2060 is still powerful enough to play the latest titles at 1080p on maximum settings even if it's not quite as fast as its desktop counterpart. The performance difference between the mobile RTX 2060 and lesser GTX 1660 Ti is surprisingly small unless if you value RTX-exclusive features like DLSS or ray-tracing. If you want to reach a stable 120 FPS to fully exploit the 120 Hz panel, however, be prepared to reduce the graphics settings substantially.

See our dedicated page on the GeForce RTX 2060 for more technical information and benchmarks.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider - 1920x1080 Highest Preset AA:T
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (Laptop)
109 fps ∼100% +47%
MSI RTX 2060 Gaming Z 6G
AMD Ryzen 7 2700X, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (Desktop)
90 fps ∼83% +22%
Alienware m15 P79F
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
84 fps ∼77% +14%
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile
74.2 fps ∼68% 0%
Asus Strix GL531GV-PB74
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
74 fps ∼68%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
  (54 - 83, n=12)
73 fps ∼67% -1%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
70 fps ∼64% -5%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
64 fps ∼59% -14%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
41 fps ∼38% -45%
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