RTX 3080 Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 gaming laptop reviewed: The case opens a gap for more fresh air

Cooling powerful hardware in thin laptops like the Zephyrus S17 continues to be problematic. The Asus ROG gaming device that we just reviewed is running an Intel Core i9-11900H and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 laptop GPU, both high-end components that require a lot of fresh air to reduce waste heat.

Some desktop gaming PCs tend to open up their tower cases in order to give their systems more fresh air, and Asus seems to have had a similar idea for laptops. On the ROG Zephyrus S17, the keyboard is lifted up from the rest of the case, creating a gap into the interior and allowing fresh air to be drawn in more easily. Does this work?

Yes and no. The S17's big advantage over most 17-inch competitors is actually its quiet operation - apart from some irritating noise - even when it's under strain. The high-end gaming device is quieter than the competition with the same graphics performance.

But it's still far from cooler as a result. On the contrary, it gets a bit warmer but by no means to a critical degree. At the same time, a question that is difficult to answer in the test remains: Is the potential access for dust and dirt a negative factor for longevity?

There might be a positive effect behind the exotic design, since it makes the Asus laptop run more quietly. Details regarding the unusual design and all other advantages and disadvantages of the very good gaming laptop can be found in our in-depth review.