If there's one thing guaranteed at CES every year, it is a new batch of high-end gaming laptops, but the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 is more than just an incrementally updated massive gaming laptop. It caught my eye due to its user-friendly new design, Intel Arrow Lake CPU, and Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 GPU. That's a clean sweep of new high-end gaming hardware inside, and a design change that could make gaming laptops a much more viable option for desktop gamers.
Best Gaming Laptop of CES 2025: Asus ROG Strix Scar 18
Why it wins
Gaming laptops have gone hard into the RGB aesthetics and translucent panels this year, but one laptop went hard into RGB and LED customization while also offering a slick solution for self-repair and upgradeability.
Not only is the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 a high-end desktop-replacement beast of a laptop with the latest Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX and Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 processors, the Strix Scar also features 64GB of DDR5 5600MHz memory, a 2TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD, a clicky keyboard, AnimeVision LED lights, and a Mini-LED Nebula display.
What truly sold us on the Strix Scar was the custom easy-open latch to upgrade your memory to 6400MHz memory easily and PCIe Gen 5 storage or even clean out your intake fans. While laptops still don’t match the upgradeability of a desktop, we love seeing manufacturers offer easier access for simple upgrades.
Release and availability wrap-up
The Strix Scar 18 is a monster desktop replacement laptop with top-line specs and it commands a price to match. The Strix Scar 18 (2025) G835 is $3,299 and it’s expected to ship by March 31, 2025.
| GPU | Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 mobile |
| CPU | Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX |
| Display | 18-inch, 2,560 x 1,600p, DCI-P3 100% |
| RAM | Up to 32GB |
| Storage | Up to 2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD |
| Ports | 1 x HDMI 2.1, 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1 x 2.5G LAN port, 2 x Thunderbolt 5, 1 x 3.5mm audio jack |
| Size | 15.7 x 11.7 x 0.9~1.3 inches |
| Weight | 7.7 pounds |
