Review Summary
Expert Rating
Gaming laptops have come a long way from their chunky, noisy, and battery-guzzling past. We recently got our hands on the HP Omen MAX 16, which is one of the first machines in India to sport the powerful RTX 5080 GPU. Now, there is a new challenger in the form of the Asus ROG Strix SCAR 16, which is armed with the same core hardware—and then some.
Under the hood, it packs an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, NVIDIA RTX 5080 Laptop GPU, a whopping 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 2TB Gen4 NVMe SSD. Whether it’s AAA gaming, video editing, 3D rendering, or juggling multiple workflows, this beast handles it all with ease. True to ROG tradition, it comes dressed in a flashy, RGB-heavy design that makes no effort to hide its gaming DNA, all the while offering desktop-grade performance. But with a price tag nearing Rs. 4,00,000, the big question is: does it justify the splurge? Let’s find out.
Table of Contents
Design and Display
If I had to describe the ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 in one word, it would definitely not be “subtle.” One look, and it practically yells, “I’m a gaming laptop, deal with it!” And honestly? I’m all for it. The SCAR 16 leans hard into that signature ROG flair, with RGB lighting in all the right (and arguably extra) places. There’s a vibrant light strip wrapping around the chassis, glowing accents under the keyboard, and of course, the ever-iconic ROG logo lit up on the lid.
Speaking of the lid, this year’s model also brings back the AniMe Matrix LED panel. Originally seen on the Zephyrus G-series, last year’s G16 GA605WV traded it out for a minimal Slash Lighting strip. But considering how beloved the AniMe Matrix has become among fans, it’s no surprise ASUS chose to reserve it for their flagship SCAR lineup. It adds that extra layer of cool, and yes, you can customise animations, messages, and more.
The build quality is rock solid. The magnesium alloy lid feels premium, the deck shows little to no flex, and despite the laptop tipping the scales at around 2.8kg, it’s surprisingly well-balanced. Sure, it’s not ultrabook light, but for what it packs inside, it feels manageable, especially for a performance-first machine like this.
Now, unlike most gaming laptops that push a few ports to the rear, ASUS has reworked the rear hinge design for better thermals and more practical I/O placement. The result? All ports are easily accessible without the risk of hot air toasting your fingers during a gaming session.
Moving on to the display, ASUS has gained a lot of praise in recent years for its use of excellent laptop panels, and this one is no different. You’re looking at a 16-inch WQXGA (2560×1600) Mini LED panel with a buttery smooth 240Hz refresh rate. For folks unfamiliar with Mini LED, it’s essentially like giving your regular LCD a shot of espresso. You get deeper blacks, punchier colours, and insane brightness, all while avoiding the risk of OLED burn-in.
The display has 1200 nits of peak brightness, supports HDR, and offers excellent colour coverage with over 100% DCI-P3. Coupled with a 240Hz refresh rate, the panel is great for gaming and content creation. As far as content consumption goes, from dynamic HDR scenes in The Last of Us to deep blacks in The Dark Knight, everything looks crisp and vibrant.
Rounding out the entertainment experience is a quad-speaker setup tuned with Dolby Atmos. And yes, they deliver—loud, clear, and surprisingly bassy. Whether you’re catching up on YouTube, watching Netflix, or casually gaming without a headset, these speakers hold up really well. Of course, for competitive titles, you’ll still want a proper gaming headset, but for everything else, the built-in speakers are more than capable.
Ports and Connectivity
Like I mentioned earlier, the ROG Strix SCAR 16 skips rear-mounted ports and instead places them along the sides of the chassis, much like most mainstream gaming laptops. Most of the action happens on the left side, where you’ll find the power port, a 2.5G Ethernet jack, a full-sized HDMI 2.1 port, one USB-A 3.2 Gen2 port, dual Thunderbolt 5 ports, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
On the right side, ASUS has thrown in a couple more USB-A 3.2 Gen2 ports. You’ll also spot a few vent cutouts here, but don’t worry, those are for air intake, while the exhaust vents are neatly tucked away at the back.
For most users, the I/O setup should feel more than adequate. But that doesn’t mean it’s flawless. Personally, I really missed having an SD card reader, especially since this machine clearly targets creators alongside gamers. Also, considering the SCAR 16 is positioned as a desktop replacement, I expected more thoughtful cable management. I mean, there’s a reason why many premium laptops place their ports on the rear, which is to keep things tidy. With all major cables coming out from the left side here, things might look a bit messy, especially if you’re using it with an external monitor, mouse, charger, and Ethernet plugged in all at once. Again, this might not bother everyone, but if you’re the kind of person who hates cable clutter, it’s something worth keeping in mind.
Moving to the webcam, ASUS has included a 1080p Full HD IR camera on top of the display, and it works just fine. Is it better than your typical grainy 720p webcam? Absolutely. Is it great for video calls? Yep. Can you stream with it? As long as you’ve got decent lighting and aren’t looking for DSLR-level crispness, you’ll manage just fine.
What I do appreciate is the Windows Hello support, thanks to the built-in IR sensors. Just glance at the screen, and boom, you’re logged in. It’s fast, secure, and genuinely useful. That said, there’s no physical shutter for added privacy, which is a bummer.
Keyboard and Touchpad
Moving along to the keyboard, and for the most part, it’s actually pretty great. It feels spacious, mainly because ASUS has ditched the traditional numpad in favour of well-spaced, full-sized keys. The key travel is solid, the feedback is clicky and satisfying, and whether you’re hammering out an article or bunny-hopping your way through Valorant, the experience is smooth and responsive.
ASUS claims this is a professional esports-grade keyboard, with switches rated for over 20 million presses. I obviously didn’t sit down to test that exact number, but in day-to-day use, and while gaming, it held up brilliantly. There’s a good rhythm to it, and those customizable hotkeys at the top are a welcome bonus.
Speaking of customisation, the keyboard features per-key RGB lighting that’s vivid, dynamic, and just plain fun to mess with. Yes, the Armoury Crate software is still a bit bloated and occasionally hogs resources, but it offers a wide array of lighting effects. You can also sync it with your other Aura-compatible peripherals using Aura Sync for that full battle station aesthetic.
Quick tip: By default, Windows’ Dynamic Lighting feature takes over keyboard lighting controls. It’s functional, but limited. If you want full RGB customisation, you’ll want to disable Dynamic Lighting and switch back to Armoury Crate. It’s more powerful, though a bit heavier on system resources, which is a classic trade-off.
Now, for the touchpad, and I’ve got to say — it’s quite premium. It’s generously sized, especially for a 16-inch gaming laptop, and features a smooth glass surface that makes navigation effortless. Windows gestures work perfectly, and there’s excellent palm rejection too. Additionally, in the top-right corner, you’ll notice the “NUM LK” badging. Tap it, and the touchpad transforms into a digital numpad. It’s a neat little trick, one ASUS has carried over from its ZenBook series.
Do I find it useful? Not really. Let’s be honest here, no hardcore Excel enthusiast is buying the SCAR 16 to balance spreadsheets. I would’ve actually preferred the Smart Touchpad we’ve seen on other ASUS ultrabooks, like the Zenbook A14, that allows for quick controls like brightness and volume via gestures. Maybe that’ll make its debut on the ROG lineup in the 2026 version.
Performance
Okay, now let’s talk about performance because if the SCAR 16 doesn’t deliver here, what’s even the point? Packed with an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX and the mighty RTX 5080 Laptop GPU, this is one of the most potent combinations available in a gaming laptop in 2025. Add 32GB of DDR5-5600 RAM, and it’s a multitasking beast. That said, the storage setup feels a bit underwhelming. Don’t get me wrong, the included 2TB Gen4 NVMe SSD is fast for its generation, with good sequential read/write speeds and quick boot times. But in a market where similarly specced laptops like the HP Omen MAX 16 ship with Gen5 SSDs, this feels like an odd corner to cut, especially considering the price.
The impact of this shows up in real-world productivity benchmarks. While the SCAR 16 posts impressive scores in PCMark 10, PCMark 10 Extended, and DaVinci Resolve, it consistently lags a few steps behind the Omen MAX 16, which features the same CPU and GPU combo. The difference isn’t huge, but it’s noticeable.
However, flip over to pure synthetic benchmarks like Cinebench R23/R24 and Geekbench 6, and the Strix SCAR 16 pulls ahead or matches scores with the best of the best, showcasing just how powerful the Core Ultra 9 really is.
| Benchmark | HP Omen MAX 16 | ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 |
| Cinebench R24 MT | 1928 | 1935 |
| Cinebench R24 ST | 132 | 137 |
| Cinebench R23 MT | 33333 | 35459 |
| Cinebench R23 ST | 2170 | 2234 |
| PCMark 10 | 8718 | 8581 |
| PCMark 10 Extended | 11990 | 11905 |
| Geekbench 6 ST | 3036 | 3085 |
| Geekbench 6 MT | 18870 | 16540 |
| Puget Benchmark - DaVinci Resolve | 10747 | 9205 |
On the GPU side, the RTX 5080 performs exactly as expected, delivering desktop-grade performance in a somewhat portable form factor. In 3DMark Fire Strike, it scored close to 40,000, which is phenomenal and comfortably in the upper echelon of laptop GPU scores.
But stretch those tests out using Fire Strike Ultra or Extreme, and things start to dip slightly, with the SCAR 16 starting to trail the Omen MAX 16. Curiously, though, in 3DMark Time Spy and Time Spy Extreme, the SCAR 16 holds steady and shows no significant falloff. So it's not entirely consistent, which makes things more interesting.
| Benchmark | HP Omen MAX 16 | ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 |
| 3DMark Time Spy | 20528 | 20377 |
| 3DMark Time Spy Extreme | 10653 | 10707 |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra | 14741 | 13745 |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Extreme | 25653 | 25255 |
| 3DMark Fire Strike | 34289 | 39487 |
| 3DMark Night Raid | 82524 | 89379 |
Switching over to gaming benchmarks, the results follow the same pattern. In Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra RT preset, DLSS Frame Generation 2x), the SCAR 16 averaged 123 FPS, slightly behind the Omen MAX 16's 135 FPS. Similarly, in Forza Horizon 5 on Extreme settings, the SCAR 16 posted 145 FPS, again trailing the Omen's 154 FPS.
Of course, these numbers are mostly used to compare the two laptops. For proper gaming, you are going to experiment with the settings you like, and the RTX 5080 with its generous 16GB of next-gen GDDR7 VRAM allows for just that. Especially in titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Alan Wake 2, where Multi Frame Generation with DLSS 4 is available, you can easily enjoy gaming at 240 FPS on the 240Hz display. That's the kind of excellent gaming experience that NVIDIA's latest GPUs offer.
Also, it's important to note that these results were recorded on the Strix SCAR 16 with the Turbo fan profile enabled, MUX switch set to dedicated GPU, and the RTX 5080 pulling its full 175W TGP. There was no observed thermal throttling. The GPU stayed below 80°C, and while the CPU peaked around 91°C, it mostly hovered in the high 80s, which is well within expected norms for a machine of this calibre.
Thermals and Upgradability
The credit for these thermals goes to the SCAR 16's reworked cooling system. The laptop features a full-length vapour chamber, Tri-Fan cooling system, and Conductonaut Extreme liquid metal on both the CPU and GPU.
The air intake vents are cleverly placed—on the bottom panel, along the sides, and even around the keyboard. Hot air is expelled via large vents at the rear, keeping the system cool under sustained load. Even during extended gaming sessions or stress tests, the palm rest area and keyboard stay surprisingly comfortable to touch.
As for upgradability, ASUS hasn't screwed up, and I mean that quite literally. That's because accessing the internals takes just seconds. You don't even need a screwdriver. Just slide the bottom latch to the left, lift the panel, and you're in. Inside, you'll find two SSD slots secured with Q-latches—no tools required. The RAM slots are fully accessible too, with no annoying shielding or odd placements.
That said, you don't get direct access to the motherboard or the cooling components unless you fully disassemble the bottom chassis. But for most users, essential components like RAM, SSDs, battery, and fans are just a few seconds away.
It still leaves you wondering why the SCAR 16 trails the Omen Max 16 in performance, especially when both share nearly identical specs and there's no thermal throttling in sight. The Gen4 SSD could play a part, but from what I can tell, ASUS seems to be prioritising thermal stability and quieter acoustics over raw benchmark numbers. HP, on the other hand, appears to push the silicon harder, resulting in better scores, possibly at the cost of higher temps or louder fans.
As a reviewer, it's my job to highlight these subtle differences, even if they don't drastically affect real-world usage. And truth be told, once you're in a game, most players won't even notice the gap. So from a consumer standpoint, there's really nothing to worry about.
Battery Life and Charging
Let's be real—no one buys a gaming laptop for battery life, and the SCAR 16 doesn't try to fool anyone. Its 90Wh battery managed just 1.5 hours in the PCMark 10 Video loop test. Switching to iGPU-only mode gave a better result of just under 4 hours. Still not groundbreaking, but definitely more usable for casual tasks.
Interestingly, the HP Omen Max 16 showed similar behaviour, which points to some needed optimisation in NVIDIA's Optimus tech on the RTX 50-series. That said, ASUS does have an edge here thanks to Advanced Optimus, letting you toggle GPU modes without restarting—something HP still makes you do.
As far as charging goes, the 380W power brick gets the laptop to 50% in under 30 minutes. Plus, for lighter workloads or travel, you can charge the laptop via USB-C (up to 100W). Just don't expect to fire up a game while running on Type-C—it's strictly for light use like browsing or working on docs.
Verdict
Priced at Rs. 3,79,990, the Asus ROG Strix SCAR 16 (2025) is every bit the performance powerhouse it promises to be. With an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX and RTX 5080 GPU under the hood, it delivers near desktop-level performance in a portable (albeit heavy) package. The Mini LED display is stunning, the keyboard is a joy to use, and the overall thermal and build design is rock solid.
That said, it's not perfect. The use of a Gen4 SSD at this price point feels like a missed opportunity, especially when the competition offers faster Gen5 storage. Battery life is limited, fan profiling could be slightly tweaked, and NVIDIA's Optimus tech could use some more work. Still, that doesn't take away from the fact that this is a seriously capable machine, not just for gaming, but for content creation, multitasking, and everything in between. If you're looking for a machine that combines premium design, top-tier specs, upgrade flexibility, and sheer power, and you're willing to pay for it, the Strix SCAR 16 won't disappoint.
Editor's Rating: 8.5 / 10
Pros:
- Desktop-class performance
- Gorgeous Mini-LED display
- Tool-less upgradability
- Bold RGB aesthetics with efficient cooling
Cons:
- Misses out on faster Gen5 storage
- Side-port layout can get messy