Asus launches new ROG Strix G16 and Strix G18 gaming laptops for 2026
Over a year has passed since Asus unveiled its current ROG Strix G16 and ROG Strix G18 gaming laptops (curr. $2,569 on Amazon). With the advent of Intel Arrow Lake-HX Plus processors, Asus has decided to refresh both laptops with more upgrades in several areas. Incidentally, the same is true for the ROG Strix Scar 18, too.
According to Asus, the ROG Strix G16 and ROG Strix G18 will be available with up to the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 laptop GPU. The pair will also ship with up to 380 W power adapters. A 100 W boost compared to last year's models, this indicates that Asus' 2026 models will provide more power to their CPUs and GPUs than their 2025 counterparts.
Additionally, Asus includes 90 Wh batteries, as well as up to 64 GB of DDR5-6400 RAM split across two SO-DIMM slots. Also, 2 TB of PCIe 4.0 storage will be present, as will dual Thunderbolt 5 ports and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity. Moreover, 2.5 Gigabit LAN and tool-free access returns. Likewise, Asus continues to equip its 16-inch and 18-inch gaming laptops with full-surround RGB light bars.
However, only the ROG Strix G18 will feature a Mini LED display. Featuring over 2,000 local dimming zones, this appears to be the same 240 Hz display from last year's model. Similarly, the ROG Strix G16 returns with a 2.5K and 300 Hz IPS panel.
For reference, the ROG Strix G16 comes in at 2.7 kg with 354 x 264 x 226~304 mm dimensions. Meanwhile, the larger 18-inch model weighs in at 3.5 kg with 399 x 294 x 231~320 mm dimensions. Asus plans to offer the new ROG Strix G16 and ROG Strix G18 in Eclipse Grey and Volt Green finishes too. The company has not confirmed pricing or availability for any market yet, though.
Source(s)
Add as a preferred