Asus ROG Strix Hero II (15.6-inch, 2018)

One of the cheapest 144Hz gaming laptops around ; Multitude of RGB lighting options ; Keyboard and trackpad make for easy typing and browsing

Outperformed by similarly priced laptops ; Struggles to cope with modern AAA games in Full HD

One of the cheapest gaming laptops you'll find with a 144Hz display, but rival options offer superior performances for less cash

Full-power Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 graphics. Eye-catching, thin-bezel design. Discrete left and right touchpad buttons. Transparent QWER keys are an unusual, cool touch.

Middling battery life. Expensive given the specs.

Bottom Line: A midrange gaming laptop designed with MOBAs in mind, the Asus ROG Strix Hero II entices with its subdued appearance, beefy specs, and high-refresh-rate panel, but the pricing and battery life are sore points.

Attractive looks ; Impressive RGB lighting ; Amply equipped for MoBAs and most modern games

Maybe a little too excessive for MoBA players

The Asus Strix Hero II is an attractive gaming laptop that’s well-equipped for its price.

Stylish design; Vivid 144-Hz panel; Excellent keyboard; Awesome speakers; Powerful performance; Above-average battery life ; Webcam stares at your chin; Bottom runs hot ; The Asus ROG Strix Hero II is a sleek gaming laptop that bursts with power and...

Webcam stares at your chin; Bottom runs hot ; The Asus ROG Strix Hero II is a sleek gaming laptop that bursts with power and captivates you with its sharp 144-Hz panel and intense speakers.

The Asus ROG Strix Hero II is a sleek gaming laptop that bursts with power and captivates you with its sharp 144-Hz panel and intense speakers.

Great performance ; Slimmer form-factor

Lackluster RGB

The ROG Strix Hero II isn’t the best gaming notebook that money can buy. However, there aren’t many that can outperform it on a strictly price-for-performance basis.

144 Hz narrow bezel display with minimal ghosting ; quieter and cooler than the GL504GS ; longer battery life than the GL504GS ; brighter backlight than the GL504GS ; dual internal storage bays ; great internal speakers ; easy serviceability

suboptimal webcam placement ; no per-key RGB lighting ; still loud when gaming ; no Thunderbolt 3

Similar to how the Razer Blade 15 GTX 1060 runs cooler, longer, and quieter than the Blade 15 GTX 1070, the GL504GM also runs cooler, longer, and quieter than the GL504GS. There are thus several reasons why would one would prefer the less expensive...

very responsive 144-Hz panel ; NVMe-SSD + SSHD ; good input devices ; very fast WLAN ; RGB illumination ; powerful sound ; powerful tools ; thin bezels

unfortunate positioning of the webcam ; limited CPU and GPU Turbo ; high noise level under load ; neither Optimus nor G-Sync ; weak battery life ; no Thunderbolt 3

In the segment of slim gaming laptops having a thin-bezel design, we can see the beginnings of a tough competition. After the Gigabyte Aero 15X and the Razer Blade 15 were already able to convince us almost completely in the last few months, with the...

Great build quality and aesthetics.

Webcam is poor.

Overall the ASUS ROG Strix Hero II is a good option for gamers looking for a laptop that has the right balance between power and portability.