Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 (2025)

With flashy lights and strong performance, the ROG Strix Scar 16 is only let down by its relatively high cost

- BRANDON HILL

PRICE £3,166 (£3,800 inc VAT) from amazon.co.uk

Asus' ROG Strix Scar 16 makes quite a visual statement. For a start, the large ROG logo on the lid is actually a multicolour LED. Even that is made to look bashful compared to the array of 810 white LEDs that dance around when the laptop is in standby mode and flash “STRIX” when you turn it on. You can change these patterns to premade animations or import your own.

Want more? There’s an RGB light ring around the entire perimeter of the enclosure, and per-key backlighting on the keyboard - all of which can be configured with the supplied Armoury Crate tool.

Despite the showy exterior, the construction feels basic in places. It’s solid, but the keyboard deck and chassis bottom are constructed of plastic (this helps to prevent overheating and cuts down on weight), while the bezels at the top and bottom of the screen are sizeable.

Still, there’s a good set of ports around the edges. Asus incorporates three USB-A ports and twin Thunderbolt 5 connectors, along with an HDMI 2.1 port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. There’s also a 2.5GbE port, plus Wi-Fi 7.