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Asus ROG Strix GL703VM Scar Edition (7700HQ, GTX 1060, FHD 120 Hz) Laptop Review

Hotter, Louder, Faster, Stronger. The Asus ROG Strix GL703VM is a more powerful version of the GL703VD, which we reviewed back in October. In addition to a faster GPU, the GL703VM brings a 120 Hz display, but fan noise and temperatures leave room for improvement.

Back in October, we reviewed Asus' ROG Strix GL703VD, a 17.3-inch thin-and-light gaming laptop from the venerable Taiwanese manufacturer. While that machine performed admirably in our review, we lamented the lack of alternate GPU options and the absence of a high refresh rate display panel.

Ask and ye shall receive: today's review device offers both of these features in the same chassis and throws an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 and a 120 Hz screen into the mix. However, as our review will demonstrate, these options come at a cost; while the GL703VM offers more power, it is also louder and hotter.

We'll compare our review unit today against the previously-reviewed GL703VD. We will also look at similarly specced devices to give a broader picture of where our review device sits in the market. There is no shortage of GTX 1060-equipped laptops and thus no shortage of comparative notebooks. We will look at the MSI GS73VR, HP Omen 17, and Acer Aspire V17 Nitro, all of which are relatively thin 17.3-inch devices. We will also compare the GTX 1070-powered Aorus X7 v7 to let readers see how much of an improvement the more powerful hardware brings.

Since the GL703VM is an upgrade of a device we've previously reviewed, we will focus primarily on performance metrics and eschew discussion of the case and input devices. For more detailed information on the case design, keyboard, touchpad, and other exterior facets, please refer to our review of the Asus ROG Strix GL703VD. Let's get started.

Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74 (GL703 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-7700HQ 4 x 2.8 - 3.8 GHz, Kaby Lake
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile - 6 GB VRAM, Core: 1405 MHz, Memory: 6000 MHz, GDDR5, NVIDIA GeForce Game Ready Driver 382.98, no switchable graphics
Memory
16 GB 
, 1x16 GB, DDR4-2400 / PC4-19200, 1200.5 MHz
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 127 PPI, AU Optronics B173HAN01.1, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM175 (Skylake PCH-H)
Storage
Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172, 1027 GB 
, 5400 rpm, 5400 RPM mechanical HDD, 931 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Skylake PCH-H High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
5 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: Combo audio in/out, Card Reader: SD/SDHC/SDXC Full-sized Cardreader
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.1
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 25 x 419 x 279 ( = 0.98 x 16.5 x 10.98 in)
Battery
64 Wh Lithium-Ion, 4-cell
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Additional features
Speakers: 2x 2W, Keyboard: Chiclet, 4-zone RGB backlit, Keyboard Light: yes, Asus ROG Gaming Center, Gamefirst IV, MyASUS Service Center, ROG Aura Core, Sonic Radar 3, Sonic Studio 3, XSplit Gamecaster, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
2.722 kg ( = 96.02 oz / 6 pounds), Power Supply: 624 g ( = 22.01 oz / 1.38 pounds)
Price
1600 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

SD Card Reader

SD card reader speeds are (unsurprisingly) similar to those of the GL703VD. Using our Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II Reference-Card, we measured a copy rate of 67 MB/s, which is on the lower side of average for this category. Readers in need of faster SD card access times should look at the Acer Predator 17.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Aorus X7 v7
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
196 MB/s +192%
Average of class Gaming
  (19 - 202, n=104, last 2 years)
98.2 MB/s +46%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
79 MB/s +18%
HP Omen 17-w100ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
73 MB/s +9%
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
70.2 MB/s +4%
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
67.2 MB/s
MSI GS73VR 7RF
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
25.9 MB/s -61%
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
23.2 MB/s -65%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Aorus X7 v7
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
247 MB/s +162%
Average of class Gaming
  (26 - 269, n=95, last 2 years)
122.3 MB/s +30%
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
94.1 MB/s
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
89 MB/s -5%
HP Omen 17-w100ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
87 MB/s -8%
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
85.3 MB/s -9%
MSI GS73VR 7RF
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
27.1 MB/s -71%
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
24.6 MB/s -74%

Communication

Wireless speeds leave a mixed impression. Receive speeds are good, hovering around 600 MBit/s, but transmit speeds are relatively low at just under 400 MBit/s. These speeds should be more than adequate for regular use, but those that rely on fast network speeds for online gaming or file transfers should opt for a hardwired connection via the Ethernet jack.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (865 - 1412, n=12, last 2 years)
1078 MBit/s +179%
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
Qualcomm Atheros QCA61x4
664 MBit/s +72%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
624 MBit/s +61%
MSI GS73VR 7RF
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
563 MBit/s +45%
HP Omen 17-w100ng
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
524 MBit/s +35%
Aorus X7 v7
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
498 MBit/s +29%
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
Intel 8265 Tri-Band WiFi (Oak Peak) Network Adapter
408 MBit/s +5%
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
387 MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (708 - 1700, n=12, last 2 years)
1310 MBit/s +115%
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
694 MBit/s +14%
HP Omen 17-w100ng
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
674 MBit/s +10%
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
Intel 8265 Tri-Band WiFi (Oak Peak) Network Adapter
670 MBit/s +10%
MSI GS73VR 7RF
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
640 MBit/s +5%
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
610 MBit/s
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
Qualcomm Atheros QCA61x4
599 MBit/s -2%
Aorus X7 v7
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
485 MBit/s -20%

Display

Subpixel matrix
Subpixel matrix

Perhaps the most interesting facet of the GL703VM is the 120 Hz refresh rate of the AU Optronics screen. While the higher refresh rate promises smoother animations and gameplay, the rest of the display experience falls flat. Asus posits the panel as a 5 ms display, but our measurements show significantly slower than advertised response times. The display also doesn't support G-Sync, and there is some very slight screen tearing during gameplay (although only scrupulous gamers will notice this). On the plus side, PWM is non-existent.

The biggest shortcoming of this display is the disappointing backlight. Brightness distribution is incredibly uneven at 67%, and there is noticeable vertical banding when viewing a pure white screen. The upper right corner is significantly dimmer than the rest of the panel, but this is more subtle in real-world use and shouldn't be terribly distracting. Backlight bleed is particularly offensive; the corners of the panel shine through in dark scenes. Contrast is also very poor, especially for an IPS panel. At less than 500:1, the display sits rock bottom in our comparison and is more akin to cheaper budget notebooks and netbooks than mid-range gaming laptops.

Backlight bleed
Backlight bleed
Exposure increased to show bleed
Exposure increased to show bleed
295
cd/m²
321.3
cd/m²
217.9
cd/m²
280.8
cd/m²
319.5
cd/m²
281
cd/m²
297
cd/m²
326
cd/m²
302
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics B173HAN01.1 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 326 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 293.4 cd/m² Minimum: 17.35 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 67 %
Center on Battery: 319.5 cd/m²
Contrast: 492:1 (Black: 0.65 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.17 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 1.6 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
87% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
56% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
62.7% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
87.2% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
61.5% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.22
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
AU Optronics B173HAN01.1, IPS, 17.30, 1920x1080
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
LG Philips LP173WF4-SPF5, IPS, 17.30, 1920x1080
MSI GS73VR 7RF
AU Optronics AUO109B, IPS, 17.30, 3840x2160
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
AUO B173HAN01.0, a-Si TFT-LCD, WLED, 17.30, 1920x1080
HP Omen 17-w100ng
LG Philips LGD046E, IPS, 17.30, 1920x1080
Aorus X7 v7
AU Optronics B173QTN01.4 (AUO1496), TN LED, 17.30, 2560x1440
Acer Predator 17 G9-793-70PJ
AU Optronics B173ZAN01.0 (AUO109B), IPS, 17.30, 3840x2160
Display
3%
7%
4%
3%
1%
38%
Display P3 Coverage
61.5
67.6
10%
64.2
4%
64
4%
67.2
9%
63
2%
86.4
40%
sRGB Coverage
87.2
86.1
-1%
96.8
11%
90.2
3%
86.6
-1%
87.1
0%
99.9
15%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
62.7
62.9
0%
66.4
6%
65.4
4%
63.3
1%
63.7
2%
99.1
58%
Response Times
8%
-15%
-12%
-8%
49%
-34%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
30.8 ?(16.4, 14.4)
30.8 ?(18, 12.8)
-0%
38 ?(19.6, 18.4)
-23%
36 ?(20, 16)
-17%
35 ?(14, 21)
-14%
24 ?(14, 10)
22%
50 ?(24.4, 25.6)
-62%
Response Time Black / White *
24.4 ?(13.2, 11.2)
20.4 ?(12, 8.4)
16%
26 ?(16, 10)
-7%
26 ?(15, 11)
-7%
25 ?(4, 21)
-2%
6 ?(4, 2)
75%
25.6 ?(11.2, 14.4)
-5%
PWM Frequency
119000 ?(99)
Screen
-11%
-2%
-7%
-3%
-34%
8%
Brightness middle
319.5
421.2
32%
371.1
16%
346
8%
342
7%
375
17%
343
7%
Brightness
293
393
34%
343
17%
307
5%
331
13%
353
20%
328
12%
Brightness Distribution
67
85
27%
86
28%
84
25%
84
25%
85
27%
84
25%
Black Level *
0.65
0.44
32%
0.42
35%
0.26
60%
0.32
51%
0.58
11%
0.29
55%
Contrast
492
957
95%
884
80%
1331
171%
1069
117%
647
32%
1183
140%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
3.17
5
-58%
4.5
-42%
4.32
-36%
4.35
-37%
6.06
-91%
4.01
-26%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
5.32
8.8
-65%
9.7
-82%
8.05
-51%
9.24
-74%
10.54
-98%
6.03
-13%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.6
5
-213%
3.1
-94%
5.76
-260%
3.73
-133%
5.68
-255%
4.7
-194%
Gamma
2.22 99%
2.18 101%
2.17 101%
2.35 94%
2.23 99%
2.3 96%
2.4 92%
CCT
6668 97%
6882 94%
7120 91%
6447 101%
6801 96%
7998 81%
6451 101%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
56
62.94
12%
61
9%
59
5%
57
2%
57
2%
88
57%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
87
86.1
-1%
97
11%
90
3%
86
-1%
87
0%
100
15%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
0% / -5%
-3% / -2%
-5% / -6%
-3% / -2%
5% / -16%
4% / 8%

* ... smaller is better

In spite of its bad backlight (which might be a flaw specific to our unit), color accuracy is superb out of the box. The average DeltaE 2000 is 3.17 for colors and 1.6 for grays, which are excellent. (DeltaE 2000 measurements of 3 or less are considered acceptable for most professional color work.) Calibration raises these numbers a bit but balances the overall spectrum and flattens the gamma curve a bit (in the case of grayscale measurements). It should be noted that our unit may have been calibrated before being sent to us as the "before and after" numbers are almost the same.

While colors are fairly accurate for a mid-range gaming laptop, color space coverage is only average. The AU Optronics panel covers about 56% and 87% of the AdobeRGB and sRGB color spectrums, respectively. These measurements are good, but they're only average for this category. The MSI GS73VR and Acer Predator 17 both cover nearly 100% of the sRGB gamut. These machines aren't as color accurate as the GL703VM, however.

Viewing angles are good, which is to be expected of an IPS display. Colors remain accurate and text legible at angles past 45°. The panel exhibits a "graininess" common to matte displays; when viewing white backgrounds from a close distance, the panel looks noisy and gritty.

ColorChecker
ColorChecker
ColorChecker (calibrated)
ColorChecker (calibrated)
Grayscale
Grayscale
Grayscale (calibrated)
Grayscale (calibrated)
Saturation Sweeps
Saturation Sweeps
Saturation Sweeps (calibrated)
Saturation Sweeps (calibrated)
vs. sRGB: 87%
vs. sRGB: 87%
vs. AdobeRGB: 56%
vs. AdobeRGB: 56%


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
24.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 13.2 ms rise
↘ 11.2 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. » 51 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
30.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 16.4 ms rise
↘ 14.4 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 35 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to 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.

Performance

The GL703VM uses the now-classic combination of Intel's Core i7-7700HQ and Nvidia's GeForce GTX 1060. We've seen plenty of devices using this hardware and have a pretty good idea of what we can expect from it; these machines sit at a sweet spot for price/performance when it comes to gaming.

CPU-Z: CPU
CPU-Z: CPU
CPU-Z: Caches
CPU-Z: Caches
CPU-Z: Mainboard
CPU-Z: Mainboard
CPU-Z: Memory
CPU-Z: Memory
CPU-Z: SPD
CPU-Z: SPD
HWiNFO64
HWiNFO64
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
 

Processor

If you've looked at gaming laptops any time over the past year, the Intel Core i7-7700HQ should be familiar to you. The quad-core hyperthreaded CPU has become one of the most common processors in the gaming market, and for good reason. Clocked at 2.9 GHz (with a 3.9 GHz boost), the 45 W CPU packs a punch and should be more than enough for gaming. 

In practice (at least with our review unit today), the 7700HQ doesn't quite live up to its full potential. As we'll see in the stress test section below, thermal limits seem to hold it back; Cinebench scores consistently sit below competitors and overall average scores for the CPU. In multi-core testing, the GL703VM lands just behind the competitors in our roundup with a score of 710. While this score is good, there are better iterations of the 7700HQ available.

Looping Cinebench to test the CPU's stability produces consistent results. Scores float around 710 cb, which is what we see in single runs of the test. Over long periods of computationally heavy workloads, the GL703VM should remain consistent. On battery, the GL703VM sees a 10-15% reduction in CPU performance, as measured by an average Cinebench score of around 600 cb.

Cinebench R10
Cinebench R10
Cinebench R11.5
Cinebench R11.5
Cinebench R15
Cinebench R15
Cinebench R15 (Battery, High Performance)
Cinebench R15 (Battery, High Performance)
0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260270280290300310320330340350360370380390400410420430440450460470480490500510520530540550560570580590600610620630640650660670680690700710720Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (79.2 - 318, n=245, last 2 years)
265 Points +87%
Aorus X7 v7
Intel Core i7-7820HK
166 Points +17%
MSI GS73VR 7RF
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
160 Points +13%
Average Intel Core i7-7700HQ
  (120 - 162, n=110)
155.4 Points +9%
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
143 Points +1%
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
142 Points
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
133 Points -6%
HP Omen 17-w100ng
Intel Core i5-6300HQ
132 Points -7%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (400 - 5663, n=246, last 2 years)
2988 Points +318%
Aorus X7 v7
Intel Core i7-7820HK
793 Points +11%
MSI GS73VR 7RF
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
732 Points +3%
Average Intel Core i7-7700HQ
  (603 - 747, n=111)
727 Points +2%
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
724 Points +1%
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
714 Points
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
503 Points -30%
HP Omen 17-w100ng
Intel Core i5-6300HQ
464 Points -35%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (2.62 - 3.73, n=23, last 2 years)
3.21 Points +99%
Aorus X7 v7
Intel Core i7-7820HK
1.85 Points +15%
MSI GS73VR 7RF
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.82 Points +13%
Average Intel Core i7-7700HQ
  (1.36 - 1.84, n=80)
1.766 Points +10%
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.64 Points +2%
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.61 Points
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
1.51 Points -6%
HP Omen 17-w100ng
Intel Core i5-6300HQ
1.49 Points -7%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (19.7 - 64.3, n=24, last 2 years)
35.7 Points +401%
Aorus X7 v7
Intel Core i7-7820HK
8.71 Points +22%
MSI GS73VR 7RF
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
8.18 Points +15%
Average Intel Core i7-7700HQ
  (6.67 - 8.23, n=81)
8 Points +12%
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
7.97 Points +12%
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
7.13 Points
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
5.81 Points -19%
HP Omen 17-w100ng
Intel Core i5-6300HQ
5.32 Points -25%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (35806 - 112749, n=24, last 2 years)
59061 Points +198%
Aorus X7 v7
Intel Core i7-7820HK
23763 Points +20%
Average Intel Core i7-7700HQ
  (19409 - 29209, n=51)
22507 Points +14%
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
21561 Points +9%
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
19801 Points
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
17618 Points -11%
HP Omen 17-w100ng
Intel Core i5-6300HQ
16456 Points -17%
Rendering Single 32Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (5847 - 15819, n=24, last 2 years)
9035 Points +67%
Aorus X7 v7
Intel Core i7-7820HK
6252 Points +15%
Average Intel Core i7-7700HQ
  (5426 - 7647, n=50)
5918 Points +9%
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
5488 Points +1%
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
5426 Points
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
4920 Points -9%
HP Omen 17-w100ng
Intel Core i5-6300HQ
4815 Points -11%
wPrime 2.10 - 1024m
Average of class Gaming
  (116.8 - 1021, n=13, last 2 years)
333 s * -35%
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
326 s * -32%
MSI GS73VR 7RF
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
304.6 s * -23%
Average Intel Core i7-7700HQ
  (210 - 379, n=48)
257 s * -4%
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
247 s *

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
10069
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
19801
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
5426
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
63.1 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
7.13 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.61 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
108.1 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
714 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
142 Points
Help

System Performance

Overall system performance, according to PCMark 8, is average for a mid-range gaming laptop. PCMark scores regularly land in the middle of the pack, so users shouldn't experience any debilitating hiccups in day-to-day use. The biggest limiting factor, which we will explore in the next section, is the slow HDD. While most models of the GL703VM are equipped with an m.2 SSD (SATA or NVMe), our review unit relies solely on a 5400 RPM mechanical drive, which is sluggish in comparison. Apps run fine once they've been opened, but users will stretch their patience when loading files and programs.

PCMark 8 Home
PCMark 8 Home
PCMark 8 Creative
PCMark 8 Creative
PCMark 8 Work
PCMark 8 Work
PCMark 10
PCMark 10
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Gaming
  (3570 - 6657, n=37, last 2 years)
5218 Points +10%
Aorus X7 v7
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7820HK, Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL
5101 Points +7%
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
4757 Points
HP Omen 17-w100ng
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 6300HQ, SanDisk Z400s SD8SNAT-128G
4711 Points -1%
Average Intel Core i7-7700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
  (3038 - 5085, n=29)
4138 Points -13%
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-7300HQ, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
3899 Points -18%
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1002
3868 Points -19%
MSI GS73VR 7RF
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
3581 Points -25%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Gaming
  (4622 - 7085, n=36, last 2 years)
6071 Points +24%
Aorus X7 v7
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7820HK, Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL
5287 Points +8%
HP Omen 17-w100ng
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 6300HQ, SanDisk Z400s SD8SNAT-128G
5252 Points +8%
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1002
4998 Points +2%
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-7300HQ, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
4940 Points +1%
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
4877 Points
Average Intel Core i7-7700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
  (2722 - 5447, n=27)
4877 Points 0%
MSI GS73VR 7RF
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
4259 Points -13%
Creative Score Accelerated v2
Aorus X7 v7
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7820HK, Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL
8196 Points +26%
Average of class Gaming
  (5206 - 10574, n=16, last 2 years)
7408 Points +14%
HP Omen 17-w100ng
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 6300HQ, SanDisk Z400s SD8SNAT-128G
6858 Points +5%
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
6519 Points
Average Intel Core i7-7700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
  (5002 - 7505, n=16)
5945 Points -9%
MSI GS73VR 7RF
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
5225 Points -20%
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1002
4967 Points -24%
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-7300HQ, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
4777 Points -27%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4757 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
6519 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4877 points
PCMark 10 Score
4352 points
Help

Storage Devices

As we mentioned above, the 5400 RPM HDD from Seagate is a sloth. The 1 TB of storage is generous, but users should definitely opt for models equipped with an SSD (either SATA or NVMe) or budget one into their purchase. The drive in our unit also exhibits some strange behavior (as shown in the HD Tune graph below). Transfer rates inexplicably drop for a few seconds at a time, and drive speeds suffer accordingly. These results are sadly common for 5400 RPM mechanical drives.

HD Tune
HD Tune
CrystalDiskMark 5
CrystalDiskMark 5
PCMark 8 Storage
PCMark 8 Storage
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1002
HP ProBook 450 G5-2UB53EA
SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1006
Asus VivoBook 17 X705UA-BX022T
Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
Asus G703
2x Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP NVMe (RAID 0)
Dell Inspiron 15 7000 7577 4K
SK hynix SC311 M.2
HP Omen 15t-ce000
Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW128HEGR
Average Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
5789%
5824%
-17%
15239%
4482%
8317%
-31%
Write 4K
1.27
53.1
4081%
51.6
3963%
1.747
38%
160.7
12554%
89
6908%
145.1
11325%
0.4682 ?(0.179 - 1.27, n=5)
-63%
Read 4K
0.93
24.7
2556%
27.1
2814%
0.285
-69%
54.8
5792%
28.77
2994%
45.95
4841%
0.533 ?(0.28 - 0.93, n=5)
-43%
Write Seq
101.3
445.3
340%
471.6
366%
76.8
-24%
2738
2603%
246.7
144%
750
640%
75.6 ?(53.5 - 101.3, n=5)
-25%
Read Seq
124.6
478.2
284%
499.3
301%
85.6
-31%
3346
2585%
480.9
286%
1250
903%
116.1 ?(107.2 - 124.6, n=5)
-7%
Write 4K Q32T1
1.22
259.2
21146%
283.2
23113%
1.727
42%
612
50064%
162.2
13195%
176.1
14334%
0.643 ?(0.238 - 1.22, n=5)
-47%
Read 4K Q32T1
1.68
289.3
17120%
257.9
15251%
0.647
-61%
709
42102%
199.6
11781%
524
31090%
1.067 ?(0.695 - 1.68, n=5)
-36%
Write Seq Q32T1
92.3
470.7
410%
476.6
416%
89.3
-3%
3082
3239%
243.8
164%
749
711%
81.9 ?(63.7 - 98.4, n=5)
-11%
Read Seq Q32T1
114.1
540
373%
533
367%
78.6
-31%
3505
2972%
549
381%
3183
2690%
97 ?(69.6 - 114.1, n=5)
-15%
Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 114.1 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 92.3 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 1.68 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 1.22 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 124.6 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 101.3 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 0.93 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 1.27 MB/s

GPU Performance

After testing the below average CPU and aggravatingly slow HDD, graphics benchmarks are a breath of fresh air. The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 remains an excellent "bang for the buck" GPU choice, and that sentiment rings true here. Our review unit excelled in our 3DMark testing, sitting above competing GTX 1060 notebooks by a healthy margin. Fire Strike scores were particularly impressive, scoring above 12000 in the graphics portion of the benchmark in several passes.

Fire Strike
Fire Strike
Fire Strike Extreme
Fire Strike Extreme
Fire Strike Ultra
Fire Strike Ultra
Ice Storm Extreme
Ice Storm Extreme
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
Time Spy
Time Spy
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Gaming
  (1029 - 72070, n=244, last 2 years)
39642 Points +162%
Aorus X7 v7
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7820HK
22190 Points +47%
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
15145 Points
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-7300HQ
14785 Points -2%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
  (12620 - 15607, n=77)
14692 Points -3%
MSI GS73VR 7RF
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
14666 Points -3%
HP Omen 17-w100ng
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 6300HQ
14642 Points -3%
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
7855 Points -48%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Average of class Gaming
  (1251 - 26759, n=243, last 2 years)
19642 Points +167%
Aorus X7 v7
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7820HK
10303 Points +40%
MSI GS73VR 7RF
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
8687 Points +18%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
  (5655 - 12930, n=76)
8458 Points +15%
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
7358 Points
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
7238 Points -2%
HP Omen 17-w100ng
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 6300HQ
6017 Points -18%
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-7300HQ
5655 Points -23%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (15902 - 193851, n=155, last 2 years)
134902 Points +63%
Aorus X7 v7
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7820HK
116901 Points +41%
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
82913 Points
HP Omen 17-w100ng
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 6300HQ
74982 Points -10%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
  (26770 - 86193, n=68)
71237 Points -14%
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-7300HQ
59879 Points -28%
MSI GS73VR 7RF
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
46269 Points -44%
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
39126 Points -53%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (781 - 53059, n=248, last 2 years)
29013 Points +141%
Aorus X7 v7
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7820HK
17433 Points +45%
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
12038 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
  (10708 - 12298, n=77)
11547 Points -4%
MSI GS73VR 7RF
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
11384 Points -5%
HP Omen 17-w100ng
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 6300HQ
11326 Points -6%
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-7300HQ
10984 Points -9%
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
6242 Points -48%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (46258 - 613731, n=20, last 2 years)
323443 Points +64%
Aorus X7 v7
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7820HK
309248 Points +57%
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
196751 Points
HP Omen 17-w100ng
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 6300HQ
185637 Points -6%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
  (33205 - 257260, n=33)
152262 Points -23%
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-7300HQ
66513 Points -66%
MSI GS73VR 7RF
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
35571 Points -82%
3DMark 06 Standard Score
28862 points
3DMark 11 Performance
11774 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
131096 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
24266 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
10017 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
5228 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
3751 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The excellent graphics performance seen in benchmarks translates over to real-world gaming (mostly). Framerates hover around 60 fps at Full HD/Ultra settings for most AAA titles, but more demanding games (like The Witcher 3) will need to be played at lower settings to hit this threshold. Competitive gamers will enjoy the 120 Hz panel; games like DOTA 2 and League of Legends will run buttery smooth and should approach or exceed 120 fps, which makes the 120 Hz display that much more enticing. Older or well-optimized titles (e.g., Bioshock Infinite, Overwatch) can benefit from the faster refresh rate, but modern AAA games won't.

Performance remains stable during extended gameplay. The chart below shows frames per second over an hour-long session of The Witcher 3. Performance follows the expected curve (which is caused by the day/night cycle in the game) without any jarring peaks or troughs.

0123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142Tooltip
The Witcher 3 ultra
BioShock Infinite - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF) (sort by value)
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
111 fps
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1002
64.8 fps -42%
MSI GS73VR 7RF
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
134 fps +21%
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-7300HQ, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
92.5 fps -17%
HP Omen 17-w100ng
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 6300HQ, SanDisk Z400s SD8SNAT-128G
99.1 fps -11%
Aorus X7 v7
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7820HK, Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL
145.8 fps +31%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
  (82 - 159, n=48)
104.1 fps -6%
Doom - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:SM (sort by value)
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
98 fps
MSI GS73VR 7RF
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
89 fps -9%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
  (66 - 103.3, n=17)
90.5 fps -8%
Civilization VI - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:4xMS (sort by value)
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
65 fps
MSI GS73VR 7RF
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
43 fps -34%
HP Omen 17-w100ng
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 6300HQ, SanDisk Z400s SD8SNAT-128G
42.8 fps -34%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
  (42.8 - 71, n=5)
53.9 fps -17%
Average of class Gaming
  (last 2 years)
131 fps +102%
Rise of the Tomb Raider - 1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FX AF:16x (sort by value)
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
56 fps
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1002
35 fps -37%
MSI GS73VR 7RF
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
51 fps -9%
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-7300HQ, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
58.4 fps +4%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
  (51 - 68.8, n=37)
61.3 fps +9%
Average of class Gaming
  (95.9 - 95.9, n=2, last 2 years)
95.9 fps +71%
low med. high ultra
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011) 87
BioShock Infinite (2013) 111
Thief (2014) 74
The Witcher 3 (2015) 39
Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) 56
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 56
Ashes of the Singularity (2016) 48
Doom (2016) 98
Civilization VI (2016) 65
Farming Simulator 17 (2016) 60

Stress Test

Herein lies the GL703VM's Achilles Heel. When under stress, the machine generates a lot of heat. This shouldn't come as a surprise, considering the powerful components that are crammed into this thin of a chassis. What is surprising is how this heat seems to linger in the system. The CPU by itself performs within expectations; running Prime95 for an hour sees temperatures on the die climb to 88° C while the silicon maintains an average clock of 3.4 GHz across all four cores. FurMark puts a mild strain on the GPU, which holds steady at 1290 MHz and 78° C.

When both the CPU and GPU are stressed concurrently, the processor suffers. Running Prime95 and FurMark together sees the CPU struggle to boost at all. Instead, the Core i7 is held back to its base clock, mainly by thermal limits; temperatures on the CPU package approach 95° C. While this is within Intel's rated limits, it is still very hot, and CPU performance is throttled to keep temperatures from rising any higher. The GPU does well in this test, reaching a steady clock of 1265 MHz at 84° C.

In less CPU-demanding tasks (like gaming), the system does well. Running The Witcher 3 for an hour see temperatures float in the low 70° C range for the CPU and hover at 81° C on the GPU. The GPU is able to fully boost and hold at about 1657 MHz, which is about as far as the GTX 1060 can be pushed. The CPU hangs far back at about 1.85 GHz but is able to remain cool and boost when needed to 3.6-3.7 GHz.

Prime95
Prime95
FurMark
FurMark
Prime95 + FurMark
Prime95 + FurMark
The Witcher 3
The Witcher 3
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C) Average GPU Temperature (°C)
Prime95 Stress 3.4 - 88 -
FurMark Stress 2.1 1291 72 78
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 2.9 1265 95 84
Witcher 3 Stress 1.9 1657 72 81

Emissions

System Noise

Fan noise profile
Fan noise profile

Fan noise is, for the most part, good. Fans remain subtle and low during most workloads (web browsing, office tasks, etc.). Once the system is under load, however, the fans engage aggressively and rapidly climb to high levels of noise. The fan curve for gaming sessions is especially steep; fan noise reaches 50 dB within minutes of starting a game. The experience is further hampered by the high pitched whir of the fans themselves; once they ramp up, it's almost impossible to ignore them. Headphones are highly recommended. There are quieter laptops using the GTX 1060, such as the Acer Aspire V17 Nitro, but users may have to compromise with a slightly thicker device.

There is noticeable coil whine should users put their ear close to the bottom panel, but it isn't audible at a normal sitting distance. The mechanical HDD, on the other hand, can be heard in a quiet room or office. The behavior we mentioned in the Storage section above rears its head here; the irregular drive activity creates an audible noise that users will notice if no other sounds are present.

Noise Level

Idle
30.2 / 30.2 / 30.2 dB(A)
HDD
32.2 dB(A)
Load
38.4 / 54.5 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   BK Precision 732A (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 28.4 dB(A)
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1002
MSI GS73VR 7RF
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i5-7300HQ, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
HP Omen 17-w100ng
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 6300HQ, SanDisk Z400s SD8SNAT-128G
Aorus X7 v7
GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7820HK, Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL
Noise
2%
1%
5%
-14%
-9%
off / environment *
28.4
27.9
2%
28.1
1%
30.7
-8%
31
-9%
30
-6%
Idle Minimum *
30.2
30.4
-1%
30.8
-2%
30.7
-2%
35
-16%
33
-9%
Idle Average *
30.2
30.4
-1%
30.8
-2%
30.7
-2%
36
-19%
36
-19%
Idle Maximum *
30.2
30.4
-1%
30.9
-2%
31.4
-4%
37
-23%
41
-36%
Load Average *
38.4
36.4
5%
42.2
-10%
32.1
16%
44
-15%
41
-7%
Witcher 3 ultra *
49.7
46
7%
44.4
11%
42.8
14%
45
9%
Load Maximum *
54.5
53
3%
48.6
11%
42.8
21%
54
1%
52
5%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

With a larger overall footprint and aggressive fans, one would expect external heat to be well managed. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The body of the device gets hot to the touch, especially directly over the GPU and CPU. Heat is directed away from the WASD keys, which is a blessing for gamers, but other parts of the keyboard (especially the middle of the number row) feel warm after only 10 minutes of gameplay. The bottom also grows warm and may feel uncomfortable, so a hard, flat surface is recommended while gaming. Other ROG GLX03 models have this same problem.

Idle, keyboard
Idle, keyboard
Idle, underside
Idle, underside
Load, keyboard
Load, keyboard
Load, underside
Load, underside
The Witcher 3, keyboard
The Witcher 3, keyboard
The Witcher 3, underside
The Witcher 3, underside
Exhaust during The Witcher 3
Exhaust during The Witcher 3
Max. Load
 51.2 °C
124 F
64.6 °C
148 F
49.2 °C
121 F
 
 34.6 °C
94 F
55 °C
131 F
34 °C
93 F
 
 32.6 °C
91 F
26 °C
79 F
25.8 °C
78 F
 
Maximum: 64.6 °C = 148 F
Average: 41.4 °C = 107 F
56.2 °C
133 F
57.2 °C
135 F
53.2 °C
128 F
18 °C
64 F
53.8 °C
129 F
35.6 °C
96 F
25.8 °C
78 F
26.6 °C
80 F
39 °C
102 F
Maximum: 57.2 °C = 135 F
Average: 40.6 °C = 105 F
Power Supply (max.)  55 °C = 131 F | Room Temperature 22 °C = 72 F | Fluke 62 Mini
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 41.4 °C / 107 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 64.6 °C / 148 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 57.2 °C / 135 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 31.4 °C / 89 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(-) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 40.6 °C / 105 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (34 °C / 93.2 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-5.1 °C / -9.2 F).

Speakers

Speaker sound profile
Speaker sound profile

The 3.5 W stereo speakers are average for a thin laptop. The overall noise output is low, peaking at about 62 dB (which isn't much louder than the fans at full load). Bass is almost non-existent, but mids and highs are present and well-balanced. The overall mix is good, but the small speakers fall victim to a problem common among laptops; music sounds thin and tinny and isn't very pleasant on the ears. The speakers will do in a pinch, but headphones are once again recommended for a better aural experience.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2038.4442534.438.63134.934.64031.933.85033.734.16332.834.280313410029.633.41252839.316027.54520026.951.725026.254.631526.655.540025.357.250024.857.763024.559.180025.260.9100024.362.3125024.162.2160026.961.2200023.660.8250023.354.3315023.552.2400023.353.7500023.155.1630023.356.9800023.355.81000023.256.61250023.254.11600023.456.6SPL36.370.7N2.628median 24.3median 55.8Delta0.83.239.338.635.637.135.434.334.334.13232.131.931.531.231.330.531.129.529.62938.228.449.62856.927.756.926.356.625.856.52561.625.859.225.161.824.972.324.670.124.371.323.968.223.666.823.775.423.771.723.569.923.470.123.36623.464.823.560.636.6822.849.5median 24.9median 61.81.58.942.636.242.640.432.240.443.931.743.945.22945.246.428.846.45030.85051.428.351.453.428.953.454.824.554.857.62457.658.724.658.761.222.161.265.32265.363.720.863.765.820.365.870.819.370.870.118.670.168.517.968.570.317.770.371.81771.86417.16466.116.966.163.31763.360.616.960.657.616.957.663.11763.168.617.268.66717.16754.717.254.751.317.451.379.53079.5481.448median 63.7median 17.7median 63.75.525.5hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAsus Strix GL703VM-DB74MSI GS73VR 7RFAcer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74 audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (62.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 9.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (18.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 56% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 35% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 36% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 57% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

MSI GS73VR 7RF audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 18.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.2% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 7.9% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (8.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (26.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 91% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 7% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 77% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 18% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (72 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 5.7% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (12.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 16% of all tested devices in this class were better, 3% similar, 81% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 8% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 90% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency Comparison (Checkbox selectable!)
Graph 1: Pink Noise 100% Vol.; Graph 2: Audio off

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Power consumption when starting Prime 95
Power consumption when starting Prime 95

Power consumption is in line with similarly specced devices. Under load, power draw sits around 80 W on average and peaks just under 160 W. While gaming, users can expect the machine to pull 125 Watts, which is on the higher end for a GTX 1060 gaming laptop. This is likely due to the combination of the mechanical drive in our machine and the 120 Hz display, which might use more power than the more common SSDs and 60 Hz displays in other machines.

The 180 W adapter should supply more than enough power for the system. Even at peak usage, the GL703VM only requires 87% of the power supply's rated wattage.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.43 / 1 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 17.3 / 21.8 / 23 Watt
Load midlight 79.2 / 158.2 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 Strix GL703VM-DB74
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, SanDisk SD8SN8U256G1002, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
MSI GS73VR 7RF
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e, IPS, 3840x2160, 17.30
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
i5-7300HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A, a-Si TFT-LCD, WLED, 1920x1080, 17.30
HP Omen 17-w100ng
6300HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, SanDisk Z400s SD8SNAT-128G, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Aorus X7 v7
i7-7820HK, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL, TN LED, 2560x1440, 17.30
Power Consumption
34%
-3%
28%
-1%
-56%
Idle Minimum *
17.3
5.8
66%
14.2
18%
7.8
55%
17
2%
27
-56%
Idle Average *
21.8
11.6
47%
23.5
-8%
13.3
39%
22
-1%
33
-51%
Idle Maximum *
23
12.3
47%
23.8
-3%
16.6
28%
29
-26%
40
-74%
Load Average *
79.2
82.4
-4%
90.9
-15%
73
8%
72
9%
107
-35%
Load Maximum *
158.2
135.5
14%
171.6
-8%
140
12%
141
11%
259
-64%
Witcher 3 ultra *
97
116
118
190

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Battery life is very disappointing. The GPU is always enabled due to the 120 Hz display. As such, the GTX 1060 is always engaged and the system demands quite a bit from the battery, even during our WiFi browsing test. Those in need of a laptop that can last while out and about should look at the GL703VD, which uses a standard 60 Hz display and Nvidia's Optimus technology. Optimus allows the system to switch to the integrated Intel HD Graphics, which is much less taxing on battery life. That feature is absent in today's review device.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
4h 01min
WiFi Websurfing
3h 9min
Load (maximum brightness)
0h 53min
Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 64 Wh
Asus ROG Strix GL703VD-DB74
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, 64 Wh
MSI GS73VR 7RF
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 65 Wh
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro BE VN7-793G-52XN
i5-7300HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 69 Wh
HP Omen 17-w100ng
6300HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 95.8 Wh
Aorus X7 v7
i7-7820HK, GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, 94 Wh
Battery Runtime
132%
5%
133%
130%
13%
Reader / Idle
241
804
234%
301
25%
618
156%
543
125%
221
-8%
WiFi v1.3
189
429
127%
163
-14%
374
98%
363
92%
180
-5%
Load
53
72
36%
55
4%
130
145%
145
174%
81
53%

Pros

+ well-built, attractive chassis
+ relatively lightweight
+ excellent gaming performance
+ 120 Hz display makes for smooth gameplay (if framerates get high enough)
+ plethora of ports
+ relatively easy maintenance
+ good keyboard

Cons

- CPU throttles under load
- gets very hot on CPU and exterior body
- disappointing battery life
- high amounts of backlight bleed in our unit
- mechanical HDD is frustratingly slow and behaves inconsistently

Verdict

In Review: Asus ROG Strix GL703VM. Review unit courtesy of CUKUSA. Use code NBC10 for $10 off
In Review: Asus ROG Strix GL703VM. Review unit courtesy of CUKUSA. Use code NBC10 for $10 off

The Asus ROG Strix GL703VM is a laptop of compromise. There are some great points to celebrate: the device's gaming performance is excellent for its class, the 120 Hz display is fluid, there is a generous amount of ports, and the chassis is fairly solid (considering its thin profile) and striking.

However, there's a counter for every high point. While gaming performance is great, the CPU is throttled and doesn't reach its potential. The 120 Hz display is smooth, but the panel suffers from terrible backlight bleed and poor contrast. The chassis is compact and beautiful but gets hot to the touch while gaming.

Should you purchase the GL703VM? It really depends on what matters most to you as a gamer. If you want stellar gaming performance and a fast display panel enough to compromise on heat management and a higher quality picture, then the GL703VM may be an option to consider. However, the MSI GS73VR offers a similarly beautiful and slim body, comparable gaming performance, and an excellent keyboard with the added benefit of an optional 4K display and much better thermal management under gaming loads.MSI GS73VR 7RF (7700HQ, GTX 1060, 4K) Laptop Review

In the end, it comes down to value. At its MSRP (about $1600 USD), it's a no-brainer: the GL703VM is simply too expensive considering its shortcomings. There are laptops that excel in the GL703VM's weaknesses while coming close to or matching its strengths at a much lower price. If you can catch the GL703VM on sale, it's worth considering. Otherwise, pass on this one.

Asus Strix GL703VM-DB74 - 03/01/2018 v6(old)
Sam Medley

Chassis
76 / 98 → 77%
Keyboard
83%
Pointing Device
77%
Connectivity
65 / 81 → 80%
Weight
58 / 10-66 → 86%
Battery
70%
Display
86%
Games Performance
93%
Application Performance
93%
Temperature
77 / 95 → 81%
Noise
79 / 90 → 88%
Audio
70%
Camera
50 / 85 → 59%
Average
75%
84%
Gaming - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Asus ROG Strix GL703VM Scar Edition (7700HQ, GTX 1060, FHD 120 Hz) Laptop Review
Sam Medley, 2018-03- 5 (Update: 2018-03- 5)