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Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701GX (i7-8750H, RTX 2080 Max-Q) Laptop Review

Thin and powerful. Asus released the 17-inch version of its high-end gaming laptop known as the GX531 shortly after Nvidia launched its Turing-based GPUs. Despite its slimness, the ROG Zephyrus S GX701 is extremely capable and is supposed to strike fear into the hearts of the competitors. Read our review to find out if it succeeds at this.
Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701GX

There are three different models on Asus’s website. While the GX701GV features “only” an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060, the GX701GW comes with an RTX 2070. And then there is finally our review device that has a GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q. Our review device is designated as the GX701GX and costs about 3200 Euros ($3634). It has a Core i7-8750H and a G-Sync-enabled, 144-Hz Full HD display with a Pantone certification. 

The maximum amount of RAM is limited to 24 GB, 8 GB of which is soldered to the motherboard. We reckon that this is not a particularly good decision. The same goes for the fact that the GX701 only features one M.2 slot. The biggest competitors of the ROG Zephyrus S are other slim gaming notebooks with Turing-based GPUs such as the Razer Blade 15, the Gigabyte Aero 15 and the Acer Predator Triton 500. We included the above-mentioned devices in our review for comparison purposes.

Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX (ROG Zephyrus S GX701 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-8750H 6 x 2.2 - 4.1 GHz, Coffee Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q - 8 GB VRAM, Core: 990 MHz, Memory: 6000 MHz, GDDR6, ForceWare 418.81, Optimus
Memory
24 GB 
, 16 GB of SO-DIMM 2666 MHz DDR4 RAM + 8 GB of soldered-in RAM, all slots occupied, 24 GB of RAM max.
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 127 PPI, B173HAN04.0 (AUO409D), IPS, Full HD, 144 Hz, G-Sync, Pantone-certified, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM370
Storage
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR, 1024 GB 
, NVMe. two slots; form-factor: M2.2280
Soundcard
Realtek ALC294 @ Intel Cannon Point PCH - cAVS (Audio, Voice, Speech)
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 2 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5-mm combined audio jack
Networking
Intel Wireless-AC 9560 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 19 x 399 x 272 ( = 0.75 x 15.71 x 10.71 in)
Battery
76 Wh Lithium-Ion, 4 cells
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Additional features
Speakers: 2x 2.5-watt, Keyboard: RGB, Keyboard Light: yes, 230-watt power adapter, external Full HD webcam , Armoury Crate, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.636 kg ( = 92.98 oz / 5.81 pounds), Power Supply: 622 g ( = 21.94 oz / 1.37 pounds)
Price
3200 EUR
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The GX701 strongly resembles its 15-inch sibling, which is known as the GX531. In addition to the unusually placed input devices, the 17-inch successor inherits the innovative cooling system. To improve air circulation, both devices have a moving back cover, which cracks open a little when you open the display lid, thereby increasing the overall thickness of the device (1.9 cm/0.02 in) by a few millimeters.

The drawback of this mechanism is subpar rigidity. While the GX701 is extremely rigid when the display lid is closed, the case exhibits a whole lot more flex at several points when the display lid is open. This did not bother us in practice and only the parts of the chassis near the screen seem to be affected.

Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701GX
Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701GX
Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701GX
Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701GX
Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701GX
Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701GX
Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701GX
Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701GX
Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701GX
Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701GX
Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701GX
Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701GX

The case is very well built. The display lid, which is made of brushed metal, is just as impressive as the chassis, which is adorned with a copper stripe running along the edges. The fan grills at the back have the same color as the stripe that we mentioned in the previous sentence. 

Asus could have spent some more time improving the hinges. For one thing, the opening angle is not particularly wide, and for another, the display lid closes on its own at certain angles. The GX701 scores some major points for its small dimensions. Thanks to the very thin display bezels, the notebook has a footprint of only 39.9 x 27.2 cm (15.7 x 10.7 in). This is small for a 17-inch laptop. For instance, the recently reviewed and very heavy G703GX has a footprint of 42.5 x 31.9 cm (16.7 x 12.6 in).

Size Comparison

399 mm / 15.7 inch 273 mm / 10.7 inch 26.4 mm / 1.039 inch 2.9 kg6.37 lbs397 mm / 15.6 inch 269 mm / 10.6 inch 27.5 mm / 1.083 inch 2.6 kg5.83 lbs399 mm / 15.7 inch 272 mm / 10.7 inch 19 mm / 0.748 inch 2.6 kg5.81 lbs359 mm / 14.1 inch 255 mm / 10 inch 18 mm / 0.709 inch 2.1 kg4.73 lbs356 mm / 14 inch 250 mm / 9.84 inch 18.9 mm / 0.744 inch 2.1 kg4.67 lbs355 mm / 14 inch 235 mm / 9.25 inch 17.8 mm / 0.701 inch 2.1 kg4.63 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Ports

The selection of ports leaves a mixed impression. It is quite praiseworthy that the GX701 features five USB ports, three of which operate at 3.1 Gen2 speeds. However, it is a bit of a shame that the notebook does not have an SD card reader, RJ45 Gigabit LAN port and a Thunderbolt 3 port. This drawback is barely offset by an HDMI 2.0 video output (DisplayPort 1.4 via USB-C), the headphone jack and the Kensington Security Slot. 

We are also not particularly happy with the positioning of the ports. Because both sides feature heat sinks, the ports are located very close to the wrist rest, which means that when you are using wired external mice, the wires are bound to get in the way.

Left side: power socket, HDMI 2.0 port, USB-A 3.1 Gen2 port, USB-C 3.1 Gen2 port with support for DisplayPort 1.4, 3.5-mm headphone jack
Left side: power socket, HDMI 2.0 port, USB-A 3.1 Gen2 port, USB-C 3.1 Gen2 port with support for DisplayPort 1.4, 3.5-mm headphone jack
Right side: two USB-A 3.0 ports, USB-C 3.0 port, Kensington Lock
Right side: two USB-A 3.0 ports, USB-C 3.0 port, Kensington Lock

Communication

When it comes to Wi-Fi performance, the GX701 shines. The manufacturer uses a lightning-fast Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wi-Fi adapter, which performs just as well as the Intel Wireless-AC 9560. This Wi-Fi module is very close to the 700 Mb/s mark both when sending and receiving data (when it is one meter (~3 ft) away from our reference-grade router Linksys EA8500).

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (450 - 1412, n=14, last 2 years)
1006 MBit/s +55%
Acer Predator Triton 500
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
683 MBit/s +6%
MSI GE75 8SG Raider
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
683 MBit/s +6%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
680 MBit/s +5%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
655 MBit/s +1%
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
647 MBit/s
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
356 MBit/s -45%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (423 - 1700, n=14, last 2 years)
1203 MBit/s +77%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
684 MBit/s +1%
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
679 MBit/s
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
678 MBit/s 0%
MSI GE75 8SG Raider
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
674 MBit/s -1%
Acer Predator Triton 500
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
671 MBit/s -1%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
598 MBit/s -12%

Software

As per usual, users get a pretty nice software package from Asus. Here, the utility called “Armoury Crate” takes center stage. You can change dozens of settings through this app. The first tab is of most interest. Here, you can see the memory utilization and the fan speed. This tab also allows you to choose between a number of different power modes such as “Silent”, “Balanced” and “Turbo”. For our review, we picked the “Windows” mode, which uses the system’s power plan and is supposed to ensure a good balance between performance and system noise. 

Important: You can choose between two GPU modes in “Armoury Crate”, namely Optimus (this technology enables automatic switching between a dedicated and an integrated graphics adapter) and G-Sync (anti-screen tearing technology). We would recommend the latter mode for gaming because Optimus seems to reduce the frame rate (see news). For traveling, though, the former mode is more appropriate. 

Armoury Crate
Armoury Crate
Armoury Crate
Armoury Crate
Sonic Studio
Game Visual

Accessories

The box contains a 230-watt power adapter and (in certain regions) a small removable Full HD webcam, which can be placed either on a desk with the help of a small stand or on top of the display lid. The device itself does not feature a webcam, which is a pretty bold move on Asus’s part.

Maintenance

The maintenance options are very limited. Once you remove the four Torx screws keeping the bottom cover in place, you will only have access to the fans. In order to get to other internal components such as the CPU, GPU, RAM and the SSD, you will have to take the entire chassis apart, which is certain to scare off a whole lot of laymen. Here, Asus should take a lesson from the Razer Blade 15 and the Gigabyte Aero 15.

Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701GX

Warranty

The Asus notebook has a 24-month warranty. 

Input Devices

Keyboard

The keyboard is just okay. It is nothing to get excited about. It does not provide a lot of feedback. When compared to other gaming notebooks, the actuation point does not feel clear and the keys feel mushy. Moreover, the travel distance is relatively short. The layout is also not something you would want to write home about. The small arrow keys in particular are not fit for gaming.

We docked a few more points because of the fact that the numbers of the function keys are not backlit. Other than that, we really liked the per-key RGB backlight. However, we wish it were more uniform. Positive: users can adjust the volume of the system with the help of a practical wheel, which is located above the keyboard.

RGB lighting
RGB lighting
Keyboard-numpad combo
Keyboard-numpad combo

Touchpad

The Touchpad can only be seen as a stop-gap solution. Because of its small width, you will sometimes have to reset your fingers while moving the cursor across the screen. Thanks to the smooth surface, moving fingers over the pad is easy. The Touchpad is not very accurate. It is also not suited for gestures. The main feature of the Touchpad is the built-in numeric pad, which can be enabled/disabled with the help of a special key. There is some room for improvement when it comes to the mouse buttons. Unlike the keyboard, these buttons make a very loud, clacky sound. 

Display

The 17.3-inch Full HD display impresses in almost all aspects.

300
cd/m²
287
cd/m²
282
cd/m²
299
cd/m²
288
cd/m²
293
cd/m²
286
cd/m²
274
cd/m²
276
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
B173HAN04.0 (AUO409D) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 300 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 287.2 cd/m² Minimum: 16 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 288 cd/m²
Contrast: 1440:1 (Black: 0.2 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.33 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 2.47
ΔE Greyscale 1.19 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
88% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
57% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
63.9% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
87.8% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
62.9% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.41
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
B173HAN04.0 (AUO409D), IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Acer Predator Triton 500
AU Optronics B156HAN08.2 (AUO82ED), IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
LG Philips LGD05C0, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
LGD05C0, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
MSI GE75 8SG Raider
CMN N173HCE-G33 (CMN175C), AHVA, 1920x1080, 17.30
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
B173HAN04.0 (AUO409D), AHVA, 1920x1080, 17.30
Display
3%
5%
3%
-1%
-0%
Display P3 Coverage
62.9
64.2
2%
65.3
4%
63.5
1%
60.6
-4%
62.9
0%
sRGB Coverage
87.8
92.6
5%
94.9
8%
93.1
6%
91.2
4%
87.1
-1%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
63.9
65.7
3%
66.3
4%
64.5
1%
62.6
-2%
63.7
0%
Response Times
-14%
-77%
-85%
-4%
-81%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
7.2 ?(3.6, 3.6)
8 ?(4, 4)
-11%
16.8 ?(9.2, 7.6)
-133%
16.4 ?(8.8, 7.6)
-128%
8 ?(4, 4)
-11%
17.6 ?(8.4, 9.2)
-144%
Response Time Black / White *
9.6 ?(4.4, 5.2)
11.2 ?(6, 5.2)
-17%
11.6 ?(7.2, 4.4)
-21%
13.6 ?(8.4, 5.2)
-42%
9.2 ?(4.8, 4.4)
4%
11.2 ?(6.8, 4.4)
-17%
PWM Frequency
26040 ?(17)
Screen
-50%
-23%
-3%
-12%
-16%
Brightness middle
288
304
6%
314.7
9%
250
-13%
363
26%
295
2%
Brightness
287
299
4%
312
9%
235
-18%
342
19%
291
1%
Brightness Distribution
91
89
-2%
90
-1%
85
-7%
86
-5%
96
5%
Black Level *
0.2
0.27
-35%
0.38
-90%
0.29
-45%
0.27
-35%
0.24
-20%
Contrast
1440
1126
-22%
828
-42%
862
-40%
1344
-7%
1229
-15%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
2.33
4.66
-100%
2.56
-10%
1.46
37%
2.29
2%
3.2
-37%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
5.34
9.65
-81%
4.89
8%
2.47
54%
4.54
15%
6.64
-24%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
2.47
1.72
30%
1.71
31%
2.45
1%
2.52
-2%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.19
5.53
-365%
3.4
-186%
1.27
-7%
3.02
-154%
2.16
-82%
Gamma
2.41 91%
2.5 88%
2.3 96%
2.4 92%
2.38 92%
2.46 89%
CCT
6710 97%
8028 81%
6435 101%
6749 96%
7048 92%
6872 95%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
57
60
5%
60.7
6%
60
5%
58
2%
57
0%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
88
93
6%
94.6
8%
93
6%
91
3%
87
-1%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-20% / -36%
-32% / -25%
-28% / -13%
-6% / -9%
-32% / -21%

* ... smaller is better

If you take the mediocre brightness (about 290 cd/m²) out of the picture, the built-in IPS panel looks very impressive. Both the black value of 0.2 cd/m² and the contrast ratio of over 1400:1 are quite respectable. The color space coverage of 88% for sRGB and 57% for AdobeRGB should be good enough for most users.

CalMAN: Grayscale
CalMAN: Grayscale
CalMAN: saturation
CalMAN: saturation
CalMAN: colors
CalMAN: colors
CalMAN: Grayscale (after calibration)
CalMAN: Grayscale (after calibration)
CalMAN: saturation (after calibration)
CalMAN: saturation (after calibration)
CalMAN: colors (after calibration)
CalMAN: colors (after calibration)

The crowning glory of the display is its color accuracy. Just like the Gigabyte Aero 15, the GX701 offers an X-Rite Pantone certification. This is why the screen displays colors very accurately and does not need to be calibrated.

Asus GX701GX vs. sRGB (88%)
Asus GX701GX vs. sRGB (88%)
Asus GX701GX vs. AdobeRGB (57%)
Asus GX701GX vs. AdobeRGB (57%)

The package is rounded off by fast response times and wide viewing angles. It takes the 144 Hz display less than 10 ms to switch from black to white and from gray to gray. This is good for an IPS panel. In combination with Nvidia’s G-Sync technology, the GX701 provides a very smooth presentation, when playing video games.

The light is behind the notebook
The light is behind the notebook
Pixel arrangement
Pixel arrangement
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
9.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 4.4 ms rise
↘ 5.2 ms fall
The screen shows fast response rates in our tests and should be suited for gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 20 % 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
7.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 3.6 ms rise
↘ 3.6 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 14 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

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

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

Performance

Both the hexa-core CPU and the GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q ensure that the laptop will not become obsolete for a long time. 24 GB of RAM, which our English review device features (in Germany, 16 GB is the maximum), should also be more than enough for most users in the coming years. The 1 TB SSD is really spacious.

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

Processor

Intel’s well-liked Core i7-8750H serves as the central processing unit. The Coffee Lake-based processor is used in the vast majority of gaming notebooks and can perform almost any task without breaking a sweat.

Single-core performance
Single-core performance
Multi-core performance
Multi-core performance
GPU utilization
GPU utilization

Thanks to Intel’s Turbo Boost Technology, the base clock rate of 2.2 GHz is boosted considerably under load. While in single-core applications the CPU operates at up to 4.1 GHz, under full load it runs at up to 3.9 GHz. 

065130195260325390455520585650715780845910975104011051170Tooltip
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø1112 (1090.93-1218.55)
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø1187 (1126.76-1226.54)
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9 Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø1095 (1087.31-1156.25)
Acer Predator Triton 500 Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø980 (961.82-1019.05)
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø922 (913.2-999)
MSI GE75 8SG Raider Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø938 (913.12-1068.63)
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.94 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
13.5 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
170 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
1218 Points
Help

Most laptops can maintain their maximum boost clocks only over a short period of time. In the Cinebench loop, the clock rate fell down to 3.2 GHz after the second benchmark run, which equates to a performance drop of 10%. Here, the GX701 performs about as well as the Gigabyte Aero 15 X9. Both the Acer Triton 500 and the Razer Blade 15 in particular show that things could be much worse, because their clock rates sink much further. Asus’s own and much thicker Strix GL704 does best in the Cinebench loop.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (79.2 - 318, n=247, last 2 years)
265 Points +56%
MSI GE75 8SG Raider
Intel Core i7-8750H
176.3 Points +4%
Acer Predator Triton 500
Intel Core i7-8750H
176 Points +4%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
Intel Core i7-8750H
174 Points +2%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
Intel Core i7-8750H
174 Points +2%
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
Intel Core i7-8750H
170 Points
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
Intel Core i7-8750H
166 Points -2%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (400 - 5663, n=248, last 2 years)
2986 Points +145%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
Intel Core i7-8750H
1227 Points +1%
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
Intel Core i7-8750H
1218 Points
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
Intel Core i7-8750H
1156 Points -5%
MSI GE75 8SG Raider
Intel Core i7-8750H
1069 (913.12min - 1068.63max) Points -12%
Acer Predator Triton 500
Intel Core i7-8750H
1019 Points -16%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
Intel Core i7-8750H
999 Points -18%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (2.62 - 3.73, n=23, last 2 years)
3.21 Points +65%
Acer Predator Triton 500
Intel Core i7-8750H
1.98 Points +2%
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
Intel Core i7-8750H
1.94 Points
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (19.7 - 64.3, n=24, last 2 years)
35.7 Points +164%
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
Intel Core i7-8750H
13.5 Points
Acer Predator Triton 500
Intel Core i7-8750H
10.98 Points -19%

System Performance

The system performance can give the competition a run for its money. In PCMark 10, the GX701GX takes second place in our comparison chart. With 5596 points, the 17.3-inch laptop takes a spot in-between the Acer Predator Triton 500 and the Asus GL704GW. Because the OS is installed on an SSD, Windows boots up very fast and operates very smoothly.

PCMark 10 - Score
Average of class Gaming
  (4477 - 9852, n=208, last 2 years)
7531 Points +35%
Acer Predator Triton 500
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H, 2x WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-256G-1014 (RAID 0)
5883 Points +5%
MSI GE75 8SG Raider
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3512GJ
5816 Points +4%
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
5596 Points
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5555 Points -1%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5416 Points -3%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW010T8
5353 Points -4%

Storage Devices

As was previously mentioned, the GX701 does not offer a 2.5-inch drive bay (the space that would otherwise be occupied by the drive bay was used to increase the battery capacity). Instead, the Asus laptop has one M.2-2280 slot. Our review model features an NVMe SSD from Samsung, which is known as the PM981 (MZVLB1T0HALR). The 1 TB SSD performs as well as other PCIe-based storage devices, that is to say, it performs incredibly well. However, the Predator Triton 500 does even better in the storage benchmarks because of its RAID 0 setup.

Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
Acer Predator Triton 500
2x WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-256G-1014 (RAID 0)
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW010T8
MSI GE75 8SG Raider
Kingston RBUSNS8154P3512GJ
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
30%
8%
12%
-24%
-6%
Write 4K
92.4
93.6
1%
93.9
2%
97.1
5%
73.4
-21%

73.4
-21%

99.6
8%
Read 4K
39.59
38.82
-2%
40.56
2%
53.7
36%
31.97
-19%

31.93
-19%

48.99
24%
Write Seq
1221
2455
101%
1468
20%
1526
25%
882
-28%
972
-20%
Read Seq
1005
2107
110%
1540
53%
2020
101%
922
-8%
1515
51%
Write 4K Q32T1
292.5
298.7
2%
293.5
0%
285.6
-2%
310.1
6%

297.1
2%

280.6
-4%
Read 4K Q32T1
330.8
338.7
2%
346
5%
321.8
-3%
327.5
-1%

325.5
-2%

327.8
-1%
Write Seq Q32T1
2385
2902
22%
1941
-19%
1533
-36%
1007
-58%

929
-61%

970
-59%
Read Seq Q32T1
3339
3536
6%
3266
-2%
2351
-30%
1611
-52%

1607
-52%

1757
-47%
Write 4K Q8T8
625
Read 4K Q8T8
818
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 3339 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 2385 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 330.8 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 292.5 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1005 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 1221 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 39.59 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 92.4 MB/s

Graphics Card

Looking at the brand-new graphics card is especially exciting. With the new Turing generation, Nvidia focuses on the very promising technology known as ray tracing. However, there are currently no games out there that truly support all functionality of the Turing GPUs. Asus chose the second most powerful Turing-based GPU (GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q) for the GX701. The “Max-Q” bit indicates that this GPU comes with lower power consumption at the expense of performance. This is the most powerful GPU that is suited for compact devices.

3DMark
2560x1440 Port Royal Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (280 - 14457, n=163, last 2 years)
7581 Points +63%
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q
4655 Points
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
3679 Points -21%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
3557 Points -24%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (224 - 22547, n=248, last 2 years)
11781 Points +38%
MSI GE75 8SG Raider
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
9816 Points +15%
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q
8512 Points
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile
7431 Points -13%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
6728 Points -21%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
6562 Points -23%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (781 - 53059, n=250, last 2 years)
28955 Points +35%
MSI GE75 8SG Raider
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
25203 Points +17%
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q
21515 Points
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile
19236 Points -11%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
18153 Points -16%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
17598 Points -18%
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Gaming
  (1029 - 72070, n=246, last 2 years)
39499 Points +34%
MSI GE75 8SG Raider
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
33741 Points +15%
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q
29453 Points
Acer Predator Triton 500
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q
28083 Points -5%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile
24172 Points -18%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
22723 Points -23%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
22089 Points -25%

The fact that Asus does not reduce the TDP any further is quite praiseworthy. While the RTX 2080 Max-Q in the Acer Triton 500 and the MSI GS75 (review is coming soon) is clocked only at 735 to 1095 MHz, this same GPU in the Asus GX701GX 990 runs at up to 1230 MHz. This is not as good as the standard RTX 2080 (1380 – 1590 MHz), but the Asus notebook still enjoys a performance advantage. According to our 3D benchmarks (see news), the Asus laptop is about 10% faster than the competition. The Triton 500 and the GS75 cannot even provide enough of a performance boost to distinguish themselves from the supposedly less powerful laptops with an RTX 2070. The RTX 2080 Max-Q in the GX701GX is about 30% faster than the RTX 2070.

3DMark 11 Performance
21874 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
161739 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
37830 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
18147 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
8098 points
Help

The 17-inch notebook does very well in our 60-minute gaming test with the Witcher 3. Because the GPU operates most of the time at its highest core clocks, the GPU achieves better results than what the spec sheet would suggest. Here, the RTX 2080 Max-Q ran at an average clock speed of 1455 MHz. The CPU operated at 3.9 GHz, which is also a very respectable result.

05101520253035404550556065707580859095Tooltip
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR: Ø80.8 (71-85)
MSI GE75 8SG Raider GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3512GJ: Ø92.5 (80-98)
Acer Predator Triton 500 GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H, 2x WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-256G-1014 (RAID 0): Ø76.1 (70-81)
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8: Ø70.1 (61-75)
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ: Ø62.2 (57-70)
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9 GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW010T8: Ø51.3 (44-61)

Gaming Performance

We ran a lot of gaming benchmarks to see how the various TDP ratings of the RTX 2080 Max-Q affect the performance. You can go to our GPU benchmarks page to see how the ROG Zephyrus S stacks up against the Acer Triton 500 and other competitors.

The Witcher 3
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Average of class Gaming
  (8.61 - 216, n=245, last 2 years)
114 fps +40%
MSI GE75 8SG Raider
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-8750H
92.1 fps +13%
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H
81.7 (68min) fps
Acer Predator Triton 500
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H
76.5 (63min) fps -6%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H
71.8 fps -12%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
68.9 fps -16%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
58.3 (48min) fps -29%
1920x1080 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off)
Average of class Gaming
  (17.5 - 449, n=177, last 2 years)
213 fps +41%
MSI GE75 8SG Raider
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-8750H
162 fps +7%
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H
151 (123min) fps
Acer Predator Triton 500
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H
136 (104min) fps -10%
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H
133.6 fps -12%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
130.1 fps -14%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
86.5 fps -43%

The RTX 2080 Max-Q can run all the latest video games at Full HD resolution on the highest settings. Because it often achieves above 60 FPS, the 144 Hz panel is well utilized. The high-end GPU also does not run into any problems with an external QHD display (2560x1440). However, the RTX 2080 Max-Q reaches its limits at 4K resolution (3840x2160). Here, several extremely demanding titles such as Kingdom Come Deliverance, Monster Hunter World and Assassin‘s Creed Odyssey struggle to hit playable frame rates.

low med. high ultraQHD4K
The Witcher 3 (2015) 151 81.7 57.6
Rainbow Six Siege (2015) 230 217 98.2
The Division (2016) 127 100 51.7
Doom (2016) 134 129 79.3
Overwatch (2016) 292 196 111
Mirror's Edge Catalyst (2016) 135 123 50.2
Deus Ex Mankind Divided (2016) 107 63.5 40.6
Battlefield 1 (2016) 146 134 65
Dishonored 2 (2016) 109 94 61.1
Resident Evil 7 (2017) 360 220 182 65.1
For Honor (2017) 171 164 131 57.2
Ghost Recon Wildlands (2017) 105 98.2 58 42
Prey (2017) 142 141 139 69.5
Rocket League (2017) 248 218 112
Dirt 4 (2017) 225 150 102
Playerunknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) (2017) 207 175 139 51.5
Middle-earth: Shadow of War (2017) 157 125 99 44
ELEX (2017) 117 115 99 68.1 35.7
Assassin´s Creed Origins (2017) 82 80 69 61 39
Need for Speed Payback (2017) 127 120 115 95.6 54.3
Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2017) 145 131 117 80.9 42.7
Fortnite (2018) 143 138 136 105 50.4
Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) 106 81.4 35.9
Kingdom Come: Deliverance (2018) 115 89.5 68.4 50.2 27.5
Far Cry 5 (2018) 109 106 100 79 44
The Crew 2 (2018) 60 60 60 60 39.9
Monster Hunter World (2018) 123 111 90.9 58.4 29.7
F1 2018 (2018) 169 130 102 87 56
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) 84 82 78 61 37
FIFA 19 (2018) 271 254 248 237 188
Assassin´s Creed Odyssey (2018) 87 76 59 48 32
Call of Duty Black Ops 4 (2018) 151 138 131 91.4 41.6
Hitman 2 (2018) 78.8 70.9 69.1 66
Battlefield V (2018) 143 130 122 98.2 57.8
Farming Simulator 19 (2018) 161 141 131 113
Darksiders III (2018) 130 121 112 82.6 42.7
Just Cause 4 (2018) 137 103 101 69.9 39.9

Emissions

System Noise

The GX701GX receives some criticism for its mediocre fan control. When idle, the 17-inch notebook is very quiet or silent most of the time. However, under load, the device becomes uncomfortably loud. Instead of controlling the RPM dynamically, the fans go between 35 and 47 dB(A) in 3DMark 06.

Fan noise at idle
Fan noise at idle
Fan noise under load
Fan noise under load
Speakers
Speakers

49 dB(A) in the gaming test with the Witcher 3 and 51 dB(A) in the stress test are not very good values for a Max-Q notebook. Besides, Nvidia provides specific guidelines as to how loud Max-Q notebooks can get. According to Asus, a software update that addresses these fan control issues as well as the excessive fan noise is coming soon. However, this update is not going to fix the occasional coil whine.

Noise Level

Idle
29 / 32 / 33 dB(A)
Load
47 / 51 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: 29 dB(A)
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H
Acer Predator Triton 500
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
MSI GE75 8SG Raider
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-8750H
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H
Average of class Gaming
 
Noise
2%
10%
-0%
-7%
-4%
9%
off / environment *
29
29
-0%
28.8
1%
30
-3%
30
-3%
29
-0%
24.1 ?(19.5 - 29.9, n=194, last 2 years)
17%
Idle Minimum *
29
30
-3%
28.8
1%
32
-10%
30
-3%
29
-0%
25.6 ?(21.9 - 41.6, n=195, last 2 years)
12%
Idle Average *
32
32
-0%
28.8
10%
34
-6%
34
-6%
32
-0%
27.4 ?(21.9 - 42.1, n=195, last 2 years)
14%
Idle Maximum *
33
34
-3%
29.4
11%
36
-9%
37
-12%
40
-21%
30.7 ?(21.9 - 47, n=195, last 2 years)
7%
Load Average *
47
44
6%
35.7
24%
42
11%
52
-11%
46
2%
43.2 ?(25.2 - 62.9, n=195, last 2 years)
8%
Witcher 3 ultra *
49
46
6%
42.5
13%
44
10%
53
-8%
51
-4%
Load Maximum *
51
47
8%
45
12%
48
6%
54
-6%
52
-2%
53.2 ?(42.1 - 68.2, n=195, last 2 years)
-4%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

The case temperatures are typical for a slim gaming notebook. During our stress test (FurMark and Prime95 running for one hour straight), the temperatures at the top of the chassis reached 53 °C (127.4 °F) and the bottom of the chassis got up to 50 °C (122 °F). Internal components also did not overheat. The CPU hit a maximum of 92 °C (197.6 °F), which is quite high but not critical. The GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q reached only 74 °C (165.2 °F).

The Witcher 3
The Witcher 3
Stress test
Stress test
Under load at the top
Under load at the top
Under load at the bottom
Under load at the bottom

When the notebook is not used over an extended period of time, the surface temperatures are pleasantly cool. When idle, the surface temperatures fluctuate between 25 and 30 °C (77-86 °F).

Max. Load
 51 °C
124 F
53 °C
127 F
49 °C
120 F
 
 46 °C
115 F
48 °C
118 F
42 °C
108 F
 
 38 °C
100 F
37 °C
99 F
35 °C
95 F
 
Maximum: 53 °C = 127 F
Average: 44.3 °C = 112 F
49 °C
120 F
49 °C
120 F
47 °C
117 F
49 °C
120 F
50 °C
122 F
46 °C
115 F
43 °C
109 F
45 °C
113 F
43 °C
109 F
Maximum: 50 °C = 122 F
Average: 46.8 °C = 116 F
Power Supply (max.)  52 °C = 126 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 44.3 °C / 112 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 53 °C / 127 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 50 °C / 122 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.7 °C / 80 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(-) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 44.6 °C / 112 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(±) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 38 °C / 100.4 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-9.1 °C / -16.4 F).
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H
Acer Predator Triton 500
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
MSI GE75 8SG Raider
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-8750H
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H
Average of class Gaming
 
Heat
-10%
6%
-7%
7%
-15%
-3%
Maximum Upper Side *
53
49
8%
49
8%
56
-6%
46
13%
59
-11%
46.3 ?(28.2 - 61, n=194, last 2 years)
13%
Maximum Bottom *
50
58
-16%
49
2%
66
-32%
45
10%
54
-8%
49.7 ?(30 - 66.3, n=194, last 2 years)
1%
Idle Upper Side *
27
33
-22%
25.4
6%
27
-0%
27
-0%
33
-22%
31.5 ?(21.2 - 43, n=194, last 2 years)
-17%
Idle Bottom *
30
33
-10%
27.2
9%
27
10%
29
3%
35
-17%
32.7 ?(22.6 - 45, n=194, last 2 years)
-9%

* ... smaller is better

Speakers

The audio quality is pretty good for such a slim notebook. Despite having no subwoofer, the ROG Zephyrus S provides more bass than the MSI GE75, which is currently being reviewed. The GX701 features two 2.5-watt speakers that support Smart AMP technology. They are located to the left and the right of the keyboard and are hidden behind a mesh. They produce an okay sound, which is afflicted by the typical weaknesses seen in laptop speakers (they sound muffled, tinny and unbalanced).

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2040.243.32538.238.23130.8294036.334.4502728.76328.4358028.73610027.345.512524.852.316021.961.420022.967.92502470.231520.470.240018.969.150018.768.263018.273.180017.673.5100017.67312501971.3160017.771.9200017.171.8250017.271.1315017.272.9400017.365.8500017.462.5630017.362.980001754.71000017.254.51250017.151.21600016.941.4SPL3082.4N1.355.7median 17.6median 68.2Delta1.86.937.944.634.235.930.335.135.94027.840.72734.230.745.829.255.625.545.422.754.822.962.722.565.220.466.819.163.918.965.317.270.316.875.217.274.320.873.817.680.11784.6178317.278.817.275.417.27617.2751775.51774.11771.116.973.43090.71.481.1median 17.2median 74.126.7hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAsus Zephyrus S GX701GXMSI GE75 8SG Raider
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 8.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (2.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | reduced highs - on average 6.9% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (6.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (15.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 31% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 62% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 18% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 78% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

MSI GE75 8SG Raider audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (91 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 15.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 5.1% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (5.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.7% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (12.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 14% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 82% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 9% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 89% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management

Energy Consumption

Thanks to Nvidia’s Optimus technology, the power draw when idle (19-30 watts) is not too high. However, the Razer Blade 15 draws even less power (10-16 watts) when idle. Under load, the GX701 consumes between 104 and 203 watts. The included 230-watt power adapter should have no trouble supplying the laptop with enough energy.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.8 / 1.3 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 19 / 22 / 30 Watt
Load midlight 104 / 203 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 Zephyrus S GX701GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H
Acer Predator Triton 500
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
MSI GE75 8SG Raider
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-8750H
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H
Average of class Gaming
 
Power Consumption
8%
26%
20%
14%
-4%
5%
Idle Minimum *
19
16
16%
10.4
45%
16
16%
7
63%
19
-0%
13.7 ?(2 - 64, n=191, last 2 years)
28%
Idle Average *
22
22
-0%
14.6
34%
18
18%
15
32%
22
-0%
18.9 ?(6.5 - 67, n=191, last 2 years)
14%
Idle Maximum *
30
32
-7%
16.3
46%
23
23%
22
27%
29
3%
26.5 ?(9 - 101.1, n=191, last 2 years)
12%
Load Average *
104
89
14%
88.5
15%
88
15%
92
12%
102
2%
111.7 ?(32.1 - 202, n=191, last 2 years)
-7%
Witcher 3 ultra *
167
147
12%
155.4
7%
120
28%
207
-24%
190
-14%
Load Maximum *
203
173
15%
182.4
10%
167
18%
254
-25%
231
-14%
249 ?(64.5 - 418, n=190, last 2 years)
-23%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

While the GX531 had a 50-Wh battery, the GX701 features a 76-Wh battery. This battery is larger than the battery in the GL704 (66 Wh), but smaller than in the Acer Triton (82 Wh), the Razer Blade 15 (80 Wh) and the Gigabyte Aero 15 (94 Wh). The last two notebooks achieve the best results in our battery tests. For example, in our Wi-Fi test, in which the brightness is set to 150 cd/m², the GX701 achieves a battery runtime of about 4 hours. However, other gaming laptops can last for as long as 6.5 hours. This is why those who travel a lot should go with a competing device. Nevertheless, the battery life is still not that bad for a high-end notebook.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
4h 58min
WiFi Websurfing
3h 50min
Load (maximum brightness)
0h 52min
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H, 76 Wh
Acer Predator Triton 500
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H, 82 Wh
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, 80 Wh
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, 94.24 Wh
MSI GE75 8SG Raider
GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile, i7-8750H, 65 Wh
Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-8750H, 66 Wh
Average of class Gaming
 
Battery Runtime
17%
89%
128%
27%
19%
69%
Reader / Idle
298
335
12%
682
129%
549
84%
468
57%
372
25%
548 ?(57 - 1290, n=90, last 2 years)
84%
WiFi v1.3
230
190
-17%
387
68%
382
66%
281
22%
235
2%
366 ?(57 - 745, n=191, last 2 years)
59%
Load
52
81
56%
88
69%
174
235%
53
2%
67
29%
86 ?(36 - 173, n=155, last 2 years)
65%
H.264
364
392 ?(56 - 747, n=99, last 2 years)
Witcher 3 ultra
50
52
81.7 ?(47 - 155, n=23, last 2 years)

Pros

+ users can choose between G-Sync and Optimus
+ Pantone-certified
+ high-quality case
+ very good performance
+ RGB lighting
+ slim
+ external webcam
+ large PCIe SSD
+ practical tools
+ chic design
+ 144 Hz panel
+ slim bezels

Cons

- no Thunderbolt 3, no Gigabit ethernet, no SD card reader
- battery life could be longer
- fan management in 3D applications
- no maintenance options
- subpar input devices

Verdict

ROG Zephyrus S GX701GX, review device provided courtesy of Asus Taiwan.
ROG Zephyrus S GX701GX, review device provided courtesy of Asus Taiwan.

Because the choice of very thin, high-end 17.3-inch laptops is extremely limited, Asus has a trump up its sleeve with the brand-new ROG Zephyrus S GX701GX. 

Sure, there are things to nitpick such as the selection of ports, fan control, maintenance options and input devices. Nevertheless, we were still pleasantly surprised by the 17-inch notebook. Users can get excited, not only about the color-accurate 144 Hz panel but also, about one of the fastest implementations of the RTX 2080 Max-Q on the market. 

However, this laptop has a hefty price tag: Asus asks 3000 Euros ($3407) for the top-end model. Those who would prefer a 15-inch device should take a look at the Acer Triton 500, the Razer Blade 15 or the Gigabyte Aero 15 X9.

Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX - 02/28/2019 v6(old)
Florian Glaser

Chassis
82 / 98 → 83%
Keyboard
75%
Pointing Device
72%
Connectivity
57 / 81 → 70%
Weight
59 / 10-66 → 87%
Battery
74%
Display
91%
Games Performance
100%
Application Performance
99%
Temperature
78 / 95 → 82%
Noise
70 / 90 → 78%
Audio
76%
Average
78%
86%
Gaming - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701GX (i7-8750H, RTX 2080 Max-Q) Laptop Review
Florian Glaser, 2019-02-28 (Update: 2019-03- 9)