The high performance ROG Zephyrus from ASUS was one of our favorite Max-Q powered gaming laptops last year. The high-end components paired with a unique cooling system that pops open when you open the laptop resulted in an efficiently cooled portable powerhouse.
ASUS isn’t resting on its laurels however, and is showing off the updated version this year at CES 2019: the Zephyrus S GX701.
The biggest change might not be a huge surprise, but is exciting. As expected, we’re starting to see the new Nvidia RTX 2080 GPUs in Max-Q format, meaning all the exciting new features the Turing powered GPUs bring to the table, but in a gaming laptop friendly, compact design. The Zephyrus S GX701 will take full advantage of these developments, with the inclusion of an RTX 2080, fully loaded with 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM. It will also be available with an RTX 2070 or the new RTX 2060, so you’ll have options.
This ASUS laptop will also pack in an Intel Core i7-8750H CPU with six cores and 12 threads, and up to 24GB of DDR4-2666 RAM for a fully decked out portable gaming experience.
It also has an extensive suite of connectivity options:
- 1 x USB3.1 Gen2 Type-C with DisplayPort 1.4
- 1 x USB3.1 Gen1 Type-C
- 1 x USB3.1 Gen2 Type-A
- 2 x USB3.1 Gen1 Type-A
- 1 x HDMI 2.0b
- 1 x 3.5mm headphone and microphone combo jack
Display Focus
But a high end GPU isn’t much good without a display that can take full advantage of everything the card is capable of. Luckily, ASUS didn’t skimp on the panel side.
With the GX701, we’re looking at a 17.3-inch display with a high refresh rate of 144Hz, Nvidia G-Sync support for an optimal visual experience, and Nvidia’s Optimus tech which means the GPU won’t be in use when it doesn’t need to be, potentially extending battery life.
Specifics like cost, full battery life, and release date haven’t yet been revealed, but we’ll keep you posted as we learn more about the updated Zephyrus.
