ASUS has just announced their Spring 2020 collection, and boy, do we have a lot of goodies waiting for us. The new lineup features 10th-gen Intel Core H-series CPUs along with NVIDIA GeForce RTX Super graphics, and is headlined by none other than the revolutionary ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15.
ROG Zephyrus Duo 15
The Zephyrus Duo 15 is undoubtedly the star of the show. It's the best mash-up we could hope for - packing the power of a Zephyrus gaming laptop, and the ScreenPad Plus previously seen on the ZenBook Pro Duo.
Things get even more exciting once you realise that the ScreenPad Plus is attached to a hinge that tilts it up 13° for better viewing comfort and exposes a massive 28.5mm air intake that draws in cool air for better cooling. This hinge automatically activates upon opening the lid, and moves seamlessly to lock the ScreenPad Plus solidly in its tilted position.
The Zephyrus Duo 15 comes with 2 options for the display. You can choose between an ultra-fast 300Hz 3ms FHD display or a 4K UHD display with 100% Adobe RGB coverage - both of which are PANTONE-validated for pinpoint colour accuracy.
For more details, check out our article here.
ROG Zephyrus S17
The Zephyrus S17 features an expansive 17.3" display with super-narrow bezels in a slim chassis measuring only 18.7mm thin. The screen is super fast, with a 300Hz refresh rate and 3ms GTG response time. You can pair this with up to an RTX 2080 Super GPU and 10th-gen Intel Core i7 CPU for insanely speedy performance.
The size of the chassis also allows you to enjoy a desktop-style keyboard, with the NumberPad - a combination touchpad and numeric-style keypad - making a welcome appearance. You'll also enjoy per-key RGB LED backlighting along with an integrated volume roller complete with backlight brightness.
ROG Zephyrus S15
Gamers who want power in a package that won't weigh them down can consider the Zephyrus S15. It packs up to S17-level components in an 18.9mm-thin chassis, and like the rest of the family, it also has Thunderbolt 3 connectivity and dual M.2 SSDs that can be configured in a RAID 0 array.
Battery life is also optimised thanks to its GPU Switch technology, which allows users to toggle between G-SYNC mode for smoother gaming and Optimus mode to prolong battery life. You'll enjoy the perks of the S17, but in a portable 15" form factor that is great for nomadic gamers.
ROG Zephyrus M15
Attractively priced with a wide array of configurations, the Zephyrus M15 is an easy choice for a wide audience. Users can choose from a range of displays to best fit their needs, including 240Hz and 144Hz FHD panels and a 4K UHD panel. As for GPUs, options range from the affordable GTX 1660Ti up to the RTX 2070.
The Zephyrus M15 also offers Thunderbolt 3 connectivity, dual display outputs, and ample USB ports, making it a versatile and powerful device for gamers and creators alike.
ROG Strix SCAR 15/17
The geek of the bunch, the ROG Strix SCAR 17 is the model that would fit right at home in esports arenas. It features a 300Hz IPS-level panel, up to an 8-core Core i9-10980-HK processor, up to 32GB of 3200MHz DDR4 RAM, and up to an RTX 2080 Super GPU, ensuring that you'll experience peerless performance even in an esports setting.
Those who want to balance portability and power may choose the SCAR 15, which features the same tournament-grade 300Hz refresh rate screen, and is powered by up to a 10th-gen Core i9-10980-HK processor and up to an RTX 2070 Super GPU.
Further enhancing its gaming and esports cred are its customisable RGB LED lighting effects, including a wraparound light bar that screams 'gamer', as well as the ROG Keystone II, a nifty little NFC-enabled device that can do a number of handy things, including:
Launch any game or app when inserted
Provide a secret, encrypted Shadow Drive to store your 'Japanese homework'
Trigger stealth mode to mute audio and minimise all apps when removed
Sounds conducive to specific 'interests' other gaming too, doesn't it? :)
ROG Strix G15/17
The ROG Strix G15/17 introduces a whole new colour scheme to the family. Apart from the usual Original Black and the striking Glacier Blue, you'll also be able to choose Electro Punk, which is a showstopping combination of dark brushed metal and neon pink highlights.
In fact, the colour scheme is so striking that ROG created a full cast of complementary gaming peripherals, including a mousepad, headset, mouse, tenkeyless keyboard, and backpack.
Before I wrap up this post, there's one more thing we need to talk about, and that is...
Liquid Metal Cooling
Every 2020 model Strix and Zephyrus gaming laptop powered by a 10th-gen Intel Core CPU will now ship with liquid metal pre-applied.
This isn't a new technology per se, but applying it is a delicate process that's usually painstakingly done by hand, thus the lack of mainstream usage despite its unrivaled cooling capabilities...until now.
ASUS ROG was so keen to push the boundaries of cooling that they developed custom machinery just for this process, and invented a special barrier that sits directly on the CPU package to prevent spillover.
You can watch the application process here:
So there you have it, ROG's newest lineup to grace 2020. Prices and availability have yet to be announced, so stay tuned!
