Full Specifications
| GPU | RTX 5090 24GB GDDR7 · 175W TGP |
| CPU | AMD Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX · 12 cores · up to 5.1GHz |
| RAM | 32GB DDR5-5600 · upgradeable |
| Storage | 2TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe |
| Display | 18" 2560×1600 IPS 240Hz · 500 nits · HDR400 |
| Weight | 3.1kg |
| Battery | 90Wh |
| Price | $4,499 MSRP |
Score Breakdown
Gaming Performance — 1440p & 4K Benchmarks
The RTX 5090 at 175W is in a class of its own. At 1440p most titles are GPU-limited only in the most demanding scenarios — the CPU handles everything else without a sweat. At 4K native the SCAR 18 becomes the only laptop where high settings at 60+ fps is a realistic expectation in every current AAA title.
| Game | Settings | 1440p Avg | 4K Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | Ultra + DLSS 4 Quality | 162 | 88 |
| Black Myth: Wukong | Epic + DLSS 4 Quality | 79 | 52 |
| Alan Wake 2 | Ultra + DLSS 4 Quality | 108 | 71 |
| Forza Horizon 5 | Extreme | 210 | 128 |
| CS2 | High | 240+ | 240+ |
| Elden Ring | Max | 138 | 89 |
DLSS 4 Quality where supported · Performance mode · Jan–Apr 2026
Thermals — The Best We've Tested
ASUS's Tri-Fan Technology on the SCAR 18 is genuinely impressive engineering. Three fans, a dedicated heatsink per component, and liquid metal compound on both CPU and GPU. GPU peaked at 78°C under a 30-minute combined load — the lowest we've recorded for any 175W gaming laptop. CPU peaked at 74°C. Fan noise maxes at 54dB — loud, but the thermal results justify the noise level.
Display & Build
The 18-inch 2560×1600 IPS at 240Hz is excellent — 515 nits measured, 97% DCI-P3, Pantone validated. Not OLED, but calibrated from the factory. The chassis is the most robust we've tested — zero flex, military-grade construction, with ROG's full per-key RGB keyboard and a responsive touchpad. At 3.1kg it's a desk machine, not a travel machine.
- Best thermals of any gaming laptop tested (78°C GPU peak)
- RTX 5090 + Ryzen AI 9 HX — no CPU bottleneck
- MIL-SPEC chassis, zero flex at 3.1kg
- Liquid metal TIM pre-applied at factory
- 18" real estate — best for content creation + gaming
- $4,499 — significant price jump over RTX 5080 options
- 3.1kg + large power brick — not portable
- No OLED option at 18"
- Under 1hr gaming battery