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Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 laptop review: Gaming device case opens up to provide more fresh air. Cool - but is it safe?

Open Sesame!

Laptops have little space to adequately cool powerful hardware. Asus probably wondered, "why don't we just open the case and let the hardware get a direct supply of fresh air?" No sooner said than done, but does this actually work? Does it deliver the promised advantages in terms of noise and temperature, and is it stable enough at the same time? We put this to the test.

Last year's Zephyrus S17 was quite an unusual 17-inch gaming device. When opened, the case also opened up a bit on the underside, which was supposed to provide a better air supply. So as not to compromise stability, the position of the touchpad and keyboard was shifted in an unusual way.

This year, Asus is launching the completely redesigned new edition of the S17. In addition to hardware updates (Tiger Lake and RTX 30), the case has also been modified entirely. Once again, a gap opens when you open the laptop, but it's not at the bottom anymore; instead, the keyboard is raised.

S17 (2020) vs. S17 (2021): The old S17 opens at the bottom, and the keyboard and touchpad are placed differently; the new model opens at the top, it raises the keyboard, and the layout is more conservative again.
S17 (2020) vs. S17 (2021): The old S17 opens at the bottom, and the keyboard and touchpad are placed differently; the new model opens at the top, it raises the keyboard, and the layout is more conservative again.

Among the competition, we include the two Gigabyte models Aorus 17G and Aero 17 HDR, the Schenker XMG Ultra 17 and the MSI GE76 Raider 10UH. In addition, we will naturally compare it with the predecessor.

Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD (ROG Series)
Processor
Intel Core i9-11900H 8 x 2.5 - 4.9 GHz, 107 W PL2 / Short Burst, 90 W PL1 / Sustained, Tiger Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU - 16 GB VRAM, 140 W TDP ( including 15 W Dynamic Boost), Geforce 462.35, Nvidia Advanced Optimus
Memory
32 GB 
, 16 GB soldered plus 16 GB DDR4-3200 slot, dual-channel
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 2560 x 1440 pixel 170 PPI, BOE099D (BOE CQ NE173QHM-NY3), IPS, glossy: no, 165 Hz
Mainboard
Intel HM570
Storage
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB, 2048 GB 
, 1780 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Tiger Lake PCH-H - cAVS (Audio, Voice, Speech)
Connections
5 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, USB-C Power Delivery (PD), 1 HDMI, 2 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: 1x 3.5 mm combo audio jack, Card Reader: SD card reader (UHS-II, 312 MB/s), 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), MediaTek MT7921 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/), Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.2 (Dual Band) 2*2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 19.9 x 394 x 264 ( = 0.78 x 15.51 x 10.39 in)
Battery
90 Wh Lithium-Ion
Charging
fast charging / Quickcharge
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 720p HD
Primary Camera: 0.9 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: 2x 1-watt tweeter with Smart Amp technology, Keyboard: optical mechanical RGB keyboard, Keyboard Light: yes, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.765 kg ( = 97.53 oz / 6.1 pounds), Power Supply: 1.023 kg ( = 36.09 oz / 2.26 pounds)
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Possible contenders in comparison

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Price
90.1 %
v7 (old)
07 / 2021
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
i9-11900H, GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
2.8 kg19.9 mm17.30"2560x1440
82.4 %
v7 (old)
08 / 2020
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
i7-10875H, GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q
2.6 kg18.7 mm17.30"1920x1080
86 %
v7 (old)
06 / 2021
Aorus 17G YD
i7-11800H, GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
2.8 kg26 mm17.30"1920x1080
88 %
v7 (old)
05 / 2021
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
i9-11980HK, GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
2.8 kg22 mm17.30"3840x2160
84.9 %
v7 (old)
04 / 2021
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
i9-11900K, GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
4.7 kg43.5 mm17.30"1920x1080
87.1 %
v7 (old)
03 / 2021
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
i7-10870H, GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
3 kg27.4 mm17.30"1920x1080

Case - Lifts to reveal a gap

The keyboard unit is lifted to provide more air flow
The keyboard unit is lifted to provide more air flow
One of the two hinges
One of the two hinges
The configurable multiwheel
The configurable multiwheel

The black case, which is quite thin for a 17-incher, is made of sturdy metal, and the palm rests on the inside are rubberized.

When you open the lid, the sturdy hinges simultaneously lift the thin keyboard unit, so that a narrow gap opens up in the case. This is meant to take in more air, and at the same time, it also puts the keyboard in a more ergonomic position.

Due to the metal used, this mechanism makes quite a stable impression, and even the keyboard unit doesn't flex. However, it can be moved slightly, which results in audible noises. At the same time, dust can penetrate more into the interior, not to mention crumbs and other dirt particles.

You can't see any electronic components through the narrow gap, though; they might be especially covered to prevent dirt from penetrating.

Asus has reduced the length and width by a few millimeters with the redesign, but the new model is about 1 mm (~0.04 inches) thicker in return.

The remaining 17-inch competition is a bit larger and also thicker. Therefore, the Zephyrus is one of the thinner and smaller 17-inch gaming devices. At under 2.8 kg (~6.2 lb), it's also one of the lighter ones in direct comparison; the two Gigabyte models are about the same weight. 

Size comparison

399 mm / 15.7 in 319 mm / 12.6 in 43.5 mm / 1.713 in 4.7 kg10.3 lbs405 mm / 15.9 in 276 mm / 10.9 in 26 mm / 1.024 in 2.8 kg6.22 lbs397 mm / 15.6 in 268.5 mm / 10.6 in 27.4 mm / 1.079 in 3 kg6.67 lbs396 mm / 15.6 in 270 mm / 10.6 in 22 mm / 0.866 in 2.8 kg6.1 lbs399 mm / 15.7 in 272 mm / 10.7 in 18.7 mm / 0.736 in 2.6 kg5.78 lbs394 mm / 15.5 in 264 mm / 10.4 in 19.9 mm / 0.783 in 2.8 kg6.1 lbs297 mm / 11.7 in 210 mm / 8.27 in 1 mm / 0.03937 in 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity - Generous amount of ports, slow WLAN

The S17 has five fast USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports. The two USB-C ports also support charging via USB, and one of the two supports Thunderbolt 4.

Most of the ports are located on the left, which is convenient for right-handed users. SD cards can be inserted into the reader with a click, and they don't protrude from the case - very good. On the other hand, the numerous ports are quite close to each other on the left, but they shouldn't interfere with each other thanks to the clever arrangement of potentially thick cables next to rather thin cables (e.g. HDMI next to LAN, USB-A next to USB-C).

Left: Power supply, HDMI, LAN, USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Thunderbolt 4, headset jack
Left: Power supply, HDMI, LAN, USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Thunderbolt 4, headset jack
Right: 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, SD reader
Right: 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, SD reader
Front: Nothing
Front: Nothing
Back: Nothing
Back: Nothing

SD card reader

According to Asus, the SD card reader supports the UHS-II standard at up to 312 MB/s. In our copying test of 1 GB of image content from our 128 GB AV PRO V60 microSD to the desktop, the reader achieves a value of 183 MB/s and is therefore on par with the competition. The read rate in AS SSD of 256 MB/s is at the top in this class.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
 
222 MB/s +21%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
193.9 MB/s +6%
Aorus 17G YD
  (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60)
192 MB/s +5%
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
  (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60)
184 MB/s +1%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
 
183 (181.31min - 182.94max) MB/s
Average of class Gaming
  (19 - 197.3, n=78, last 2 years)
91 MB/s -50%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
 
257 MB/s
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
  (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60)
207 MB/s -19%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
203.2 MB/s -21%
Aorus 17G YD
  (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60)
197 MB/s -23%
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
  (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60)
188 MB/s -27%
Average of class Gaming
  (25.8 - 269, n=78, last 2 years)
114.9 MB/s -55%

Communication

The MediaTek chip for WLAN
The MediaTek chip for WLAN

The Zephyrus S17 does support Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.2, but unfortunately, the built-in MediaTek MT7921 lags behind the Intel modules of the competition. The direct predecessor with the Intel AX201 was twice as fast here - an inexplicable downgrade.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1588 (1508min - 1656max) MBit/s +150%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1510 MBit/s +137%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1390 MBit/s +119%
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1369 (693min - 1436max) MBit/s +115%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX210
1240 (422min - 1441max) MBit/s +95%
Average MediaTek MT7921
  (548 - 985, n=16)
797 MBit/s +25%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
MediaTek MT7921
636 (325min - 728max) MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1540 MBit/s +121%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX210
1261 (629min - 1366max) MBit/s +81%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1260 MBit/s +81%
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1169 (619min - 1217max) MBit/s +67%
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1152 (915min - 1267max) MBit/s +65%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
MediaTek MT7921
698 (529min - 748max) MBit/s
Average MediaTek MT7921
  (90 - 972, n=16)
628 MBit/s -10%
050100150200250300350400450500550600650700750800850900950100010501100115012001250130013501400Tooltip
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD MediaTek MT7921; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø697 (529-748)
Aorus 17G YD Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1148 (619-1217)
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD MediaTek MT7921; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø625 (325-728)
Aorus 17G YD Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1346 (693-1436)

Webcam

Unlike the predecessor, a webcam including dual microphones is now installed at the top edge. Unfortunately, there's no shutter, and its quality corresponds to the current standard, which is still very low despite the coronavirus and home office.

ColorChecker
9.8 ∆E
5.7 ∆E
8.4 ∆E
3.9 ∆E
7.8 ∆E
2.9 ∆E
4 ∆E
14.3 ∆E
6.9 ∆E
9 ∆E
5.3 ∆E
5.4 ∆E
14.6 ∆E
4.1 ∆E
7.9 ∆E
7.3 ∆E
7.9 ∆E
6 ∆E
9 ∆E
6.7 ∆E
6.6 ∆E
6.1 ∆E
5.9 ∆E
4.2 ∆E
ColorChecker Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD: 7.06 ∆E min: 2.86 - max: 14.6 ∆E
ColorChecker
6.4 ∆E
7 ∆E
9.5 ∆E
5.9 ∆E
10 ∆E
5.6 ∆E
5.6 ∆E
15.5 ∆E
8.1 ∆E
5.3 ∆E
6.5 ∆E
2.1 ∆E
10.5 ∆E
3.9 ∆E
7.2 ∆E
4.6 ∆E
8.7 ∆E
8.1 ∆E
2.3 ∆E
6.3 ∆E
8 ∆E
5.1 ∆E
2.4 ∆E
8.1 ∆E
ColorChecker Aorus 17G YD: 6.79 ∆E min: 2.11 - max: 15.47 ∆E
ColorChecker
5.6 ∆E
3.5 ∆E
7.7 ∆E
9.8 ∆E
7.1 ∆E
12.3 ∆E
5.1 ∆E
5.6 ∆E
6.9 ∆E
7.4 ∆E
10.1 ∆E
7.3 ∆E
3.7 ∆E
4 ∆E
9.9 ∆E
6.1 ∆E
4.5 ∆E
10.3 ∆E
3.3 ∆E
2.7 ∆E
2.8 ∆E
2.7 ∆E
6.3 ∆E
6.7 ∆E
ColorChecker Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD: 6.3 ∆E min: 2.66 - max: 12.3 ∆E

Security

Fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button
Fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button

Needless to say, TPM 2.0 is supported, but there is no slot for a Kensington lock.

However, there's a fingerprint sensor in return that is integrated into the power button. It can be set up easily for logging in via Windows Hello.

Maintenance

The Zephyrus S17 is once again easy to maintain
The Zephyrus S17 is once again easy to maintain

Last year, the complicated opening mechanism prevented an easy maintenance. Fortunately, this is different this year thanks to the redesign: 11 Torx screws secure the bottom cover, which can be removed very easily afterwards. Underneath, you finally get simple access to the SSD slots (one occupied), the RAM (one slot replaceable, the other one soldered), the MediaTek WLAN module, the battery, and the fans - very good!

Accessories and warranty

Apart from the usual paperwork, Asus doesn't include any other accessories in the box. The manufacturer grants a 24-month warranty.

Input devices - Optical-mechanical switches

Keyboard

The RGB-lit keys emit a clearly perceptible clicking noise. The travel feels flatter than it actually is (1.9 mm/~0.08 in), which makes the keyboard feel a bit mushy despite its mechanical switches. Nevertheless, typing is quite fast, but it doesn't feel particularly satisfying. When it comes to gaming, though, the keys are probably better suited, as they respond quite quickly. In exchange, the WASD keys start a proper click frenzy in shooters and the like due to the quite high-pitched mechanical triggering noise.

Gaps: The home for crumbs
Gaps: The home for crumbs

Unlike in the predecessor, the layout is more in line with the standard. Only the numpad on the right is a bit smaller, and the arrow keys are located underneath, so they have extra space and are full-size as a result. The multiwheel, a rotating wheel that can be configured individually so that various functions like volume or brightness can be adjusted, is located on the upper left.

The keys protrude minimally above the base, which means that the gaps that result could be a gateway for crumb invasions. The RGB backlight can be adjusted in three brightness levels.

Touchpad

The touchpad
The touchpad

The touchpad has become even larger, very large in fact (~13 x 8.5 cm/~5.1 x 3.4 in). However, the dedicated mouse buttons are gone as a result. There's a small space between the touchpad's surface and the case edge, where small crumbs can quickly build up as well.

The gliding properties are good, and the trackpad is precise even during slow movements and in the corners.

The integrated mouse buttons have a very short pressure point, but a clear click feedback in return.

Display - WQHD and many features

Grainy, matte subpixel grid
Grainy, matte subpixel grid
Slight, uneven backlight bleeding
Slight, uneven backlight bleeding

The 17.3-inch IPS display from BOE is equipped with Adaptive Sync and NVIDIA Advanced Optimus; it has a WQHD resolution (2560x1440) and supports 165 Hz. This makes the image look noticeably sharper than Full HD models. Alternatively, a 144 Hz 4K model is supposed to be available as well.

The average brightness of an acceptable 288 nits is on par with the Aorus 17G, while the Aero is much brighter - the S17 would be, too, if the brightness distribution wasn't so uneven; we can observe a decrease in brightness especially towards the lower right corner. We didn't notice any PWM.

Response times are fast as it should be for a gaming device.

288
cd/m²
296
cd/m²
303
cd/m²
310
cd/m²
322
cd/m²
288
cd/m²
292
cd/m²
262
cd/m²
231
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
BOE099D (BOE CQ NE173QHM-NY3) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 322 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 288 cd/m² Minimum: 17.4 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 72 %
Center on Battery: 296 cd/m²
Contrast: 1073:1 (Black: 0.3 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.05 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.89, calibrated: 1.92
ΔE Greyscale 3.11 | 0.5-98 Ø5.1
99% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
84% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
84.4% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
98.7% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
94.2% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.13
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
BOE099D (BOE CQ NE173QHM-NY3), IPS, 2560x1440, 17.3"
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
Sharp SHP14DC, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.3"
Aorus 17G YD
Sharp LQ173M1JW04, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.3"
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
AU Optronics AUO329B, IPS, 3840x2160, 17.3"
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
AU Optronics B173HAN05.1, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.3"
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
AU Optronics B173HAN05.1, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.3"
Display
-11%
-12%
4%
-14%
-12%
Display P3 Coverage
94.2
73.6
-22%
72.3
-23%
86.9
-8%
69.8
-26%
71.8
-24%
sRGB Coverage
98.7
99.7
1%
100
1%
100
1%
97.2
-2%
98.1
-1%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
84.4
73.7
-13%
73.7
-13%
99.6
18%
72
-15%
73.9
-12%
Response Times
-2%
-99%
-604%
-16%
-175%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
4.8
5 ?(2.2, 2.8)
-4%
13.6 ?(6.8, 6.8)
-183%
52 ?(25.2, 26.8)
-983%
5.6 ?(2.8, 2.8)
-17%
20.4 ?(9.2, 11.2)
-325%
Response Time Black / White *
8
8 ?(3.6, 4.4)
-0%
9.2 ?(5.2, 4)
-15%
26 ?(10, 16)
-225%
9.2 ?(4.8, 4.4)
-15%
10 ?(5.2, 4.8)
-25%
PWM Frequency
151500
Screen
10%
3%
36%
16%
-15%
Brightness middle
322
308
-4%
286
-11%
488
52%
306
-5%
324.6
1%
Brightness
288
310
8%
282
-2%
467
62%
299
4%
312
8%
Brightness Distribution
72
76
6%
73
1%
86
19%
93
29%
87
21%
Black Level *
0.3
0.34
-13%
0.24
20%
0.33
-10%
0.22
27%
0.28
7%
Contrast
1073
906
-16%
1192
11%
1479
38%
1391
30%
1159
8%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
3.05
1.49
51%
2.79
9%
1.23
60%
1.92
37%
3.87
-27%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
5.23
3.97
24%
6.23
-19%
2.94
44%
4.78
9%
9.35
-79%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
1.92
0.99
48%
0.82
57%
0.77
60%
1.34
30%
1.42
26%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.11
2.3
26%
3.5
-13%
1.5
52%
2
36%
6.5
-109%
Gamma
2.13 103%
2.193 100%
2.358 93%
2.169 101%
2.153 102%
2.23 99%
CCT
6553 99%
6981 93%
6147 106%
6614 98%
6738 96%
5702 114%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
84
74
-12%
74
-12%
99
18%
72
-14%
66.3
-21%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
99
96
-3%
96
-3%
99
0%
93
-6%
98
-1%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-1% / 5%
-36% / -12%
-188% / -50%
-5% / 6%
-67% / -35%

* ... smaller is better

The contrast and black level are okay, but the 4K Aero is obviously better again, although so is the Schenker Ultra.

The panel seems to be well calibrated out of the box; the color deviations are already low, and they can even be reduced a bit further through manual calibration.

Grayscales
Grayscales
Saturation
Saturation
ColorChecker
ColorChecker
Grayscales calibrated
Grayscales calibrated
Saturation calibrated
Saturation calibrated
ColorChecker calibrated
ColorChecker calibrated

Asus states that DCI-P3 is covered by 100%, which is almost confirmed by our measurements (94%). The smaller sRGB color space is nearly completely covered, and AdobeRGB is still covered by 84%.

sRGB
sRGB
AdobeRGB
AdobeRGB
DCI-P3
DCI-P3

When looking at the panel from an oblique angle, the content is quickly covered by a whitish veil. Furthermore, the display could be brighter, so outdoor use is predominantly recommended in areas in the shade and with a direct overhead view.

There are no issues in the shade with a direct overhead view
There are no issues in the shade with a direct overhead view
In the shade from an oblique viewing angle
In the shade from an oblique viewing angle

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
8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ ms rise
↘ 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. » 19 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (20.9 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
4.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ ms rise
↘ 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 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 13 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (32.7 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 8619 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured.

The display is quite viewing-angle stable in dark environments, and only little brightness is lost when it is viewed from extreme angles.

Performance - Great, but it deteriorates strongly on battery power

The Zephyrus S17 is equipped with strong gaming hardware: The Intel Core i9-11900H Tiger Lake processor, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 laptop GPU, the 2 TB of SSD storage, and the 32 GB of RAM in dual-channel mode, 16 GB of which are soldered, leave little to be desired. Moreover, we didn't detect any PWM.

In the Asus Armoury Crate software, where all the relevant performance settings are located alongside My Asus, we set the slider to "Windows" for our tests, making the OS settings crucial. For the measurements, we use the High Performance mode found in the taskbar.

Processor

The Intel Core i9-11900H is a 45-watt octa-core CPU with cores that clock from 2.5 to 4.9 GHz (4.4 GHz in Turbo mode with all cores running simultaneously).

The Cinebench R15 loop reveals a consistently high performance that even surpasses that of the Schenker XMG Ultra on a sustained basis, despite the fact that the latter's output is slightly higher. The Comet Lake CPU in the predecessor is outperformed by over 30% in the multithread test.

TDP in the Cinebench R15 loop
TDP in the Cinebench R15 loop

During a single run, the TDP fluctuates constantly between 107 watts and 90 watts. Oddly, the tests often start at 90 watts and end at 107 watts, whereas the opposite is usually the case. In subsequent iterations, however, there are also short performance drops during a run, where the TDP briefly drops to 42 watts.

The CPU performance decreases considerably on battery power. From the initial 2,184 points in the Cinebench R15 multi test, only 802 points remain, which corresponds to a drop of 63%!

012024036048060072084096010801200132014401560168018001920204021602280Tooltip
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD Intel Core i9-11900H: Ø2117 (2043.84-2183.76)
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS Intel Core i7-10875H: Ø1561 (1522.36-1646.36)
Aorus 17G YD Intel Core i7-11800H: Ø1943 (1915.62-2089.21)
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake Intel Core i9-11900K: Ø2057 (2014.3-2361.09)
Cinebench R23: Single Core | Multi Core
Cinebench R20: CPU (Single Core) | CPU (Multi Core)
Cinebench R15: CPU Single 64Bit | CPU Multi 64Bit
Blender: v2.79 BMW27 CPU
7-Zip 18.03: 7z b 4 -mmt1 | 7z b 4
Geekbench 5.5: Single-Core | Multi-Core
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2: 4k Preset
LibreOffice : 20 Documents To PDF
R Benchmark 2.5: Overall mean
Cinebench R23 / Single Core
Average of class Gaming
  (1136 - 2235, n=168, last 2 years)
1885 Points +19%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K
1619 Points +2%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H
1586 Points
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (1574 - 1605, n=4)
1585 Points 0%
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
1497 Points -6%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Core i7-10870H
1217 Points -23%
Cinebench R23 / Multi Core
Average of class Gaming
  (5668 - 36249, n=168, last 2 years)
21617 Points +70%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K
14066 Points +11%
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
12862 Points +1%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H
12720 Points
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (11135 - 13012, n=4)
12109 Points -5%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Core i7-10870H
10450 (9829.16min - 10450.5max) Points -18%
Cinebench R20 / CPU (Single Core)
Average of class Gaming
  (439 - 856, n=168, last 2 years)
725 Points +19%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K
634 Points +4%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H
608 Points
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (600 - 615, n=5)
607 Points 0%
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
Intel Core i9-11980HK
585 Points -4%
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
541 Points -11%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Core i7-10870H
474 Points -22%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
Intel Core i7-10875H
461 Points -24%
Cinebench R20 / CPU (Multi Core)
Average of class Gaming
  (2179 - 13832, n=168, last 2 years)
8261 Points +64%
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
Intel Core i9-11980HK
5256 Points +5%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K
5055 Points +1%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H
5023 Points
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
4818 Points -4%
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (4324 - 5160, n=5)
4758 Points -5%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Core i7-10870H
4020 Points -20%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
Intel Core i7-10875H
3917 Points -22%
Cinebench R15 / CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (191.9 - 318, n=171, last 2 years)
278 Points +15%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K
254 Points +5%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H
241 Points
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (236 - 243, n=5)
240 Points 0%
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
Intel Core i9-11980HK
230 Points -5%
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
227 Points -6%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
Intel Core i7-10875H
202 Points -16%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Core i7-10870H
196 Points -19%
Cinebench R15 / CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (905 - 5663, n=174, last 2 years)
3380 Points +55%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K
2361 Points +8%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H
2184 (2043.84min - 2183.76max) Points
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
2089 Points -4%
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (1770 - 2211, n=5)
2068 Points -5%
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
Intel Core i9-11980HK
2067 (1924.65min - 2067.29max) Points -5%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Core i7-10870H
1715 (1653.3min - 1715.27max) Points -21%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
Intel Core i7-10875H
1646 Points -25%
Blender / v2.79 BMW27 CPU
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
284.1 Seconds * -23%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
Intel Core i7-10875H
281 Seconds * -22%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Core i7-10870H
272 Seconds * -18%
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (231 - 270, n=5)
247 Seconds * -7%
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
Intel Core i9-11980HK
233 Seconds * -1%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H
231 Seconds *
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K
227 Seconds * +2%
Average of class Gaming
  (87 - 555, n=163, last 2 years)
172 Seconds * +26%
7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4 -mmt1
Average of class Gaming
  (4199 - 7581, n=167, last 2 years)
6305 MIPS +9%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K
6174 MIPS +7%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H
5795 MIPS
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (5582 - 6018, n=5)
5781 MIPS 0%
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
Intel Core i9-11980HK
5668 MIPS -2%
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
5547 MIPS -4%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
Intel Core i7-10875H
5284 MIPS -9%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
Intel Core i7-10875H
5284 MIPS -9%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Core i7-10870H
5208 MIPS -10%
7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4
Average of class Gaming
  (23795 - 140932, n=167, last 2 years)
84461 MIPS +47%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K
57579 MIPS +1%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H
57263 MIPS
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
Intel Core i9-11980HK
56759 MIPS -1%
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (49486 - 57263, n=5)
52910 MIPS -8%
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
48261 MIPS -16%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Core i7-10870H
46135 MIPS -19%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
Intel Core i7-10875H
44947 MIPS -22%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
Intel Core i7-10875H
44947 MIPS -22%
Geekbench 5.5 / Single-Core
Average of class Gaming
  (986 - 2210, n=167, last 2 years)
1897 Points +15%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K
1777 Points +8%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H
1648 Points
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (1576 - 1692, n=5)
1634 Points -1%
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
Intel Core i9-11980HK
1613 Points -2%
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
1583 Points -4%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
Intel Core i7-10875H
1307 Points -21%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Core i7-10870H
1266 Points -23%
Geekbench 5.5 / Multi-Core
Average of class Gaming
  (4557 - 23194, n=167, last 2 years)
14902 Points +55%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K
10482 Points +9%
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
Intel Core i9-11980HK
9884 Points +3%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H
9628 Points
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
9317 Points -3%
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (7725 - 9856, n=5)
9140 Points -5%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Core i7-10870H
7756 Points -19%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
Intel Core i7-10875H
7474 Points -22%
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 / 4k Preset
Average of class Gaming
  (6.72 - 38.9, n=167, last 2 years)
23.3 fps +40%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K
17.1 fps +2%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H
16.7 fps
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
Intel Core i9-11980HK
15.8 fps -5%
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
15.8 fps -5%
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (13.6 - 16.7, n=5)
15 fps -10%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Core i7-10870H
13.5 fps -19%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
Intel Core i7-10875H
12.8 fps -23%
LibreOffice / 20 Documents To PDF
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Core i7-10870H
48.8 s * -10%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
Intel Core i7-10875H
47.7 s * -7%
Average of class Gaming
  (19 - 96.6, n=164, last 2 years)
47.3 s * -7%
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (40.5 - 49.3, n=5)
44.5 s * -0%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H
44.4 s *
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
Intel Core i9-11980HK
41.1 s * +7%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K
40.5 s * +9%
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
39 s * +12%
R Benchmark 2.5 / Overall mean
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Core i7-10870H
0.589 sec * -11%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
Intel Core i7-10875H
0.583 sec * -10%
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
0.558 sec * -5%
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
Intel Core i9-11980HK
0.552 sec * -4%
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (0.52 - 0.544, n=5)
0.531 sec * -0%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H
0.53 sec *
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K
0.4981 sec * +6%
Average of class Gaming
  (0.3609 - 0.759, n=168, last 2 years)
0.4379 sec * +17%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
2184 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
197 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
241 Points
Cinebench R20 CPU (Multi Core)
5023 Points
Cinebench R20 CPU (Single Core)
608 Points
Cinebench R23 Single Core
1586 Points
Cinebench R23 Multi Core
12720 Points
Help

System performance

The system performance is outstanding. Although the XMG Ultra is always a few percentage points ahead, our Zephyrus usually comes in second, while the Aero and the Aorus are marginally slower.

There was a blue screen once during the test as we tried to run 3DMark 06.

PCMark 10 / Score
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i9-11900K, Samsung SSD 980 Pro 2TB MZ-V8P2T0
7884 Points +9%
Average of class Gaming
  (5776 - 9852, n=151, last 2 years)
7823 Points +8%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i9-11900H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB
7245 Points
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i9-11980HK, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ
7088 Points -2%
Aorus 17G YD
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i7-11800H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ
7073 Points -2%
Average Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
  (6822 - 7245, n=2)
7034 Points -3%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i7-10870H, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00
6659 Points -8%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q, i7-10875H, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
5231 Points -28%
PCMark 10 / Essentials
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i9-11900K, Samsung SSD 980 Pro 2TB MZ-V8P2T0
11050 Points +4%
Average of class Gaming
  (9057 - 12600, n=151, last 2 years)
10809 Points +2%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i9-11900H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB
10630 Points
Aorus 17G YD
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i7-11800H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ
10295 Points -3%
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i9-11980HK, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ
10212 Points -4%
Average Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
  (9690 - 10630, n=2)
10160 Points -4%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i7-10870H, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00
9730 Points -8%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q, i7-10875H, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
9140 Points -14%
PCMark 10 / Productivity
Average of class Gaming
  (6662 - 14612, n=151, last 2 years)
9937 Points +8%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i9-11900K, Samsung SSD 980 Pro 2TB MZ-V8P2T0
9827 Points +7%
Aorus 17G YD
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i7-11800H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ
9259 Points +1%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i9-11900H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB
9182 Points
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i9-11980HK, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ
9098 Points -1%
Average Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
  (8882 - 9182, n=2)
9032 Points -2%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q, i7-10875H, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
8386 Points -9%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i7-10870H, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00
7984 Points -13%
PCMark 10 / Digital Content Creation
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i9-11900K, Samsung SSD 980 Pro 2TB MZ-V8P2T0
12250 Points +16%
Average of class Gaming
  (6807 - 18475, n=151, last 2 years)
12235 Points +16%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i9-11900H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB
10573 Points
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i9-11980HK, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ
10403 Points -2%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i7-10870H, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00
10315 Points -2%
Average Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
  (10014 - 10573, n=2)
10294 Points -3%
Aorus 17G YD
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i7-11800H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ
10075 Points -5%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q, i7-10875H, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
5069 Points -52%
PCMark 10 Score
7245 points
Help

DPC latencies

While opening several browser tabs doesn't cause any issues for the S17, the reproduction of our 4K/60 fps YouTube video on the other hand does, according to LatencyMon, even though the test is completed with 0 dropped frames. Problems are caused by the ACPI.sys driver as well as a DirectX and an NVIDIA graphics driver.

YouTube test
YouTube test
LatencyMon Main
LatencyMon Main
LatencyMon Drivers
LatencyMon Drivers
DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i7-10870H, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00
9339 μs * -546%
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i9-11980HK, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ
2676 μs * -85%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i9-11900H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB
1445 μs *
Aorus 17G YD
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i7-11800H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ
1064 μs * +26%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i9-11900K, Samsung SSD 980 Pro 2TB MZ-V8P2T0
815 μs * +44%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q, i7-10875H, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
453 μs * +69%

* ... smaller is better

Storage

Samsung's generous 2 TB NVMe SSD ranks 6th in our HDD/SSD Benchmarks article, making it one of the fastest models available. Since the SSD in the Zephyrus also performs 10% above its average counterpart in our database, it even surpasses the competition with other Samsung models, which is good as well.

AS SSD
AS SSD
AS SSD Copy
AS SSD Copy
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
Aorus 17G YD
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Samsung SSD 980 Pro 2TB MZ-V8P2T0
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00
Average Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-46%
-11%
2%
5%
-38%
-7%
Write 4K
244.2
120
-51%
227.4
-7%
230.4
-6%
240
-2%
157.1
-36%
Read 4K
89.8
45.24
-50%
91.3
2%
91.6
2%
87.8
-2%
46.3
-48%
78.9 ?(43 - 92.9, n=28)
-12%
Write Seq
2090
2241
4216
4281
2396
Read Seq
2246
4496
4543
4228
2245
Write 4K Q32T1
607
392.5
-35%
661
9%
667
10%
696
15%
436.1
-28%
Read 4K Q32T1
658
348.4
-47%
712
8%
728
11%
778
18%
524
-20%
Write Seq Q32T1
5270
3015
-43%
1540
-71%
5043
-4%
5195
-1%
3086
-41%
Read Seq Q32T1
7091
3445
-51%
6806
-4%
6821
-4%
7099
0%
3363
-53%
Write 4K Q8T8
2270
1712 ?(6 - 4986, n=14)
-25%
Read 4K Q8T8
2490
2081 ?(6 - 6679, n=14)
-16%
AS SSD
-70%
-37%
-24%
-22%
-100%
-20%
Seq Read
5085
2744
-46%
5150
1%
5438
7%
5010
-1%
2967
-42%
Seq Write
4434
1351
-70%
3920
-12%
3904
-12%
3974
-10%
2604
-41%
3992 ?(1900 - 8590, n=31)
-10%
4K Read
80.3
47.24
-41%
46.6
-42%
56.2
-30%
51.9
-35%
42.97
-46%
72.4 ?(49.8 - 86.4, n=31)
-10%
4K Write
214.7
109.1
-49%
145.8
-32%
165.8
-23%
156.8
-27%
107.8
-50%
197.6 ?(112.6 - 254, n=31)
-8%
4K-64 Read
2573
1118
-57%
2071
-20%
2489
-3%
2611
1%
1684
-35%
2045 ?(662 - 2811, n=31)
-21%
4K-64 Write
2972
1926
-35%
3267
10%
3480
17%
3859
30%
2164
-27%
2665 ?(567 - 3414, n=31)
-10%
Access Time Read *
0.018
0.064
-256%
0.078
-333%
0.054
-200%
0.072
-300%
0.116
-544%
0.03406 ?(0.018 - 0.078, n=31)
-89%
Access Time Write *
0.02
0.034
-70%
0.029
-45%
0.026
-30%
0.026
-30%
0.106
-430%
0.03371 ?(0.017 - 0.092, n=31)
-69%
Score Read
3161
1439
-54%
2633
-17%
3089
-2%
3164
0%
2023
-36%
2666 ?(1224 - 3399, n=31)
-16%
Score Write
3631
2170
-40%
2805
-23%
4036
11%
4414
22%
2532
-30%
3262 ?(1081 - 3999, n=31)
-10%
Score Total
8380
4283
-49%
7716
-8%
8620
3%
9134
9%
5571
-34%
7222 ?(3537 - 9031, n=31)
-14%
Copy ISO MB/s
3239
3190
-2%
3424
6%
2106
-35%
Copy Program MB/s
899
987
10%
1091
21%
687
-24%
Copy Game MB/s
2171
2096
-3%
2365
9%
1590
-27%
1774 ?(512 - 2679, n=23)
-18%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-58% / -61%
-24% / -29%
-11% / -15%
-9% / -14%
-69% / -81%
-14% / -16%

* ... smaller is better

Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 7091 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 5270 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 658 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 607 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 89.8 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 244.2 MB/s
CDM 6 Write 4K Q8T8: 2270 MB/s
CDM 6 Read 4K Q8T8: 2490 MB/s

Continuous load read: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8

No graph data

Graphics card

An RTX 3080 laptop GPU can run at a maximum of 165 watts, but Asus "only" allows 140 watts in the S17.

In the synthetic 3DMark benchmarks, the GPU in the S17 performs close to the expected level, perhaps marginally better.

On battery power, 3D performance drops sharply as well, but this isn't unusual for gaming devices. Instead of around 38,000 points in 3DMark 11, we only get 16,164 points on the go.

3DMark 11
3DMark 11
3DMark Cloud Gate
3DMark Cloud Gate
3DMark Fire Strike
3DMark Fire Strike
3DMark Time Spy
3DMark Time Spy
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Gaming
  (1029 - 72178, n=164, last 2 years)
43264 Points +14%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i7-10870H
42813 Points +12%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-11900K
41696 Points +9%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
  (31288 - 43744, n=40)
38259 Points 0%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-11900H
38087 Points
Aorus 17G YD
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i7-11800H
36043 Points -5%
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-11980HK
35787 Points -6%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q, Intel Core i7-10875H
32995 Points -13%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i7-10870H
190146 Points +18%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-11900K
184618 Points +14%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-11900H
161692 Points
Average of class Gaming
  (15902 - 193851, n=89, last 2 years)
145733 Points -10%
Aorus 17G YD
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i7-11800H
130616 Points -19%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q, Intel Core i7-10875H
128974 Points -20%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
  (38816 - 192950, n=35)
116297 Points -28%
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-11980HK
49955 Points -69%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i7-10870H
32222 Points +11%
Average of class Gaming
  (781 - 53059, n=176, last 2 years)
31048 Points +7%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-11900K
30650 Points +6%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-11900H
28939 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
  (16455 - 32366, n=46)
27420 Points -5%
Aorus 17G YD
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i7-11800H
27275 Points -6%
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-11980HK
26177 Points -10%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q, Intel Core i7-10875H
23649 Points -18%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-11900K
13144 Points +15%
Average of class Gaming
  (224 - 22717, n=171, last 2 years)
12960 Points +13%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i7-10870H
12678 Points +11%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-11900H
11424 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
  (6407 - 13210, n=45)
10681 Points -7%
Aorus 17G YD
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i7-11800H
10144 Points -11%
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-11980HK
9989 Points -13%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q, Intel Core i7-10875H
8906 Points -22%
3DMark 11 Performance
30521 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
55536 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
24604 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
11381 points
Help

Gaming performance

At Full HD, for example, The Witcher 3 runs consistently at over 100 fps even in Ultra settings, and 76 fps is still reached in the native WQHD resolution.

While the XMG Ultra 17 is faster, the Zephyrus goes head-to-head with the MSI and its 155-watt RTX 3080. The MSI is mostly ahead in The Witcher 3, but the S17 is about 5% faster in Far Cry 5

The Witcher 3
1024x768 Low Graphics & Postprocessing
Average of class Gaming
  (108.2 - 718, n=83, last 2 years)
461 fps +16%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
453 (18.8min, 101P0.1, 318P1 - 703max) fps +14%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
398.5 fps
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Core i7-10870H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
370.2 (340min - 422max) fps -7%
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
365 (13.7min, 64.8P0.1, 203P1 - 687max) fps -8%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
  (151 - 465, n=28)
360 fps -10%
1366x768 Medium Graphics & Postprocessing
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
374 (84.4min, 197P0.1, 257P1 - 547max) fps +28%
Average of class Gaming
  (168.5 - 617, n=84, last 2 years)
369 fps +26%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Core i7-10870H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
301.3 (278min - 322max) fps +3%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
293.2 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
  (236 - 374, n=25)
291 fps -1%
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
267 (51min, 92.9P0.1, 164P1 - 557max) fps -9%
1920x1080 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off)
Average of class Gaming
  (40.1 - 449, n=105, last 2 years)
243 fps +23%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
242 (65.9min, 93.8P0.1, 168P1 - 419max) fps +23%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Core i7-10870H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
231.2 (219min - 243max) fps +17%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
197.1 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
  (149 - 242, n=32)
190.8 fps -3%
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
183 (68.1min, 80.8P0.1, 115P1 - 443max) fps -7%
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Average of class Gaming
  (18.4 - 216, n=143, last 2 years)
127.5 fps +14%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
123 (64.1min, 75.8P0.1, 90.7P1 - 241max) fps +10%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Core i7-10870H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
120 (109min - 132max) fps +7%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
112 fps
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
106 (43.4min, 50.9P0.1, 68.2P1 - 195max) fps -5%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
  (85.1 - 123, n=40)
105.1 fps -6%
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
Intel Core i9-11980HK, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
93.4 (80min) fps -17%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
Intel Core i7-10875H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q
82.6 (69min) fps -26%
Far Cry 5
1920x1080 Low Preset AA:T
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
180 (143min - 224max) fps +15%
Average of class Gaming
  (122 - 208, n=42, last 2 years)
159.5 fps +2%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
157 fps
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Core i7-10870H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
150 (118min - 205max) fps -4%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
  (126 - 180, n=19)
147.3 fps -6%
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
131 (102min - 159max) fps -17%
1920x1080 Medium Preset AA:T
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
162 (128min - 213max) fps +17%
Average of class Gaming
  (38 - 248, n=74, last 2 years)
145.1 fps +4%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
139 fps
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Core i7-10870H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
133 (104min - 181max) fps -4%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
  (84 - 162, n=26)
127.5 fps -8%
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
119 (89min - 146max) fps -14%
1920x1080 High Preset AA:T
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
155 (120min - 196max) fps +16%
Average of class Gaming
  (35 - 232, n=87, last 2 years)
139.4 fps +4%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
134 fps
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Core i7-10870H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
126 (100min - 172max) fps -6%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
  (79 - 155, n=28)
121.7 fps -9%
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
115 (90min - 140max) fps -14%
1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:T
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
146 (112min - 188max) fps +17%
Average of class Gaming
  (34 - 218, n=90, last 2 years)
130.5 fps +4%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
125 fps
Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR YD
Intel Core i9-11980HK, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
118 fps -6%
MSI GE76 Raider 10UH
Intel Core i7-10870H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
117 (89min - 160max) fps -6%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
  (75 - 146, n=33)
113.7 fps -9%
Aorus 17G YD
Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
108 (79min - 136max) fps -14%
Asus Zephyrus S17 GX701LXS
Intel Core i7-10875H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q
101 fps -19%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
1920x1080 Lowest Preset
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
177 fps +15%
Average of class Gaming
  (62 - 250, n=3, last 2 years)
165.2 fps +7%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
  (117 - 178.7, n=8)
155 fps +1%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
154 fps
1920x1080 Medium Preset
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
164 fps +16%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
141 fps
Average of class Gaming
  (36 - 219, n=4, last 2 years)
130.1 fps -8%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
  (81.6 - 164, n=12)
129.8 fps -8%
1920x1080 High Preset AA:SM
Average of class Gaming
  (32 - 293, n=11, last 2 years)
166.9 fps +21%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
160 fps +16%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
138 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
  (79.4 - 160, n=13)
123.7 fps -10%
1920x1080 Highest Preset AA:T
Average of class Gaming
  (27 - 271, n=23, last 2 years)
162.2 fps +27%
SCHENKER XMG Ultra 17 Rocket Lake
Intel Core i9-11900K, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
151 fps +18%
Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 GX703HSD
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
128 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
  (76.6 - 151, n=13)
117.4 fps -8%

The Zephyrus runs through our The Witcher 3 loop for an hour with a constantly high frame rate without any issues. Throttling isn't noticeable during this period.

The Witcher 3 FPS diagram