More than a month back we reviewed the Asus ROG Strix Hero Edition, so when the GL503 'Scar Edition' of the gaming laptop landed at our review desk, we were a bit sceptical. Was it just cosmetic changes and it was just another gaming laptop. Much to our surprise and delight the Scar Edition - despite boasting a lot of similar specs - is a completely different machine with its own set of strengths. We played quite a few games on the GL503 Scar Edition and here's our review:
Design and display
Gaming laptops have a distinct look and feel and the GL503 Scar Edition is no different. At 2.6kg, it is a laptop that's on the bulkier side but doesn't feel too heavy. Why is it called the Scar Edition? There's a diagonal crease on the metal lid and hence the name. The laptop has subtlety in terms of looks and doesn't have too 'blingy' lights with the ROG logo only lighting up when the laptop is switched on. The design is dominated by the 15.6-inch screen which has thick plastic bezels.
The keyboard has a carbon fibre finish and is comfortable to use. The travel time between the keys is good enough. The keyboard and trackpad are critical in any gaming laptop and with the GL503 Scar Edition, they both fare well. There is enough spacing and keys aren't really cramped. As for the trackpad, it's large and comfortable to use with two dedicated buttons. The Hero Edition of the laptop didn't have buttons along the trackpad. There's a dedicated shortcut button above the keyboard which launches the Asus ROG Gaming Centre.
There's the usual array of ports on either sides of the laptop -- four USB 3.0 Type-A ports, one Type-C Thunderbolt 3.0 port, Gigabit Ethernet, video out via HDMI as well as a mini-DisplayPort, an SD card slot, and a 3.5mm combo audio socket.
The GL503's display panel, Asus claims, can reproduce 72 per cent of the NTSC colour gamut. The display comes with a refresh rate of 144Hz and adds a nice touch to the whole gaming experience. The display of the laptop impressed on the whole as it produces crystal clear performance. The visuals are smooth and accurate and the refresh rate comes in handy for first person shooter games as there aren't any lags and motion blurs are also not visible.
Performance
In terms of specifications, the GL503 runs Windows 10, is powered by Intel's Core i7-7700HQ processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 GPU. There's 16GB of RAM to along with 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD and a 1TB Seagate hybrid hard drive. Asus has placed two speakers on the sides of the GL503 and the sound output is reasonably good. We have seen better performance from speakers from other laptops - especially at this price point.
The GL503 Scar Edition delivers commendable performance and we didn't have too many complaints with it. It doesn't heat up even though the noise levels were slightly above acceptable. If the Hero Edition of the laptop was targeted at multi players online gaming, the Scar Edition claims to target first point shooter games. In fact, Asus claims that "'ROG Strix SCAR Edition was built with special attention to FPS gamers looking for a competitive edge."
We tried our hand at a few FPS or first person shooter games like Call of Duty and Counterstrike. In terms of having a "competitive edge", we aren't sure whether the Scar Edition offers that but nevertheless we were satisfied with its performance. There weren't any stutters or lags and the whole experience was pretty smooth. As we mentioned earlier, the noise level is a bit high but most gamers are accustomed to the noise. The good part is that the multiple air vents placed at the bottom of the device work fine. Even after a couple of hours of regular gaming, the device didn't heat up at all.
There's a thermal design Asus has employed which enables heat pipes and dual fans. It automatically adjusts cooling system to optimize GPU and CPU performance. There are venting holes placed right above the keyboard as well. The company claims that the upgraded 12V fans, which spin at higher speeds compared to traditional 5V blades, drive strong airflow to boost cooling efficiency. There's an additional fan-boost function which further increases cooling performance.
We even tried our hand at games which aren't FPS games and the laptop delivered. While playing PES 2018, for instance the gameplay was smooth and the graphics looked much better on the Scar Edition's display.
The battery life of the laptop, however, is pretty abysmal. It was difficult to run the laptop without a charger for even an hour. The maximum time we could operate it without plugging it in was 62 minutes. Even by gaming laptop standards, that's a low. Although - and we keep this saying about gaming laptops - it's a feature that doesn't seem to bother most gamers.
Verdict
The GL503 Scar Edition is a laptop that will attract a lot of gamers despite its price. The laptop starts at Rs 1,54,990 but has a lot going for it. It's a powerful laptop with an impressive display. Although the sound output could've been better but overall this is a very good gaming laptop. Add to it the fact that it's compact and easy to carry around works in its favour. A solid performer that looks good as well. Not much more you can ask for in a gaming laptop, can you? There is intense competition in the gaming laptops now and those looking for alternatives can look at the HP Omen series or Asus's Hero Edition.
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