World's First 8-Core Powered Gaming Laptop - ASUS ROG Strix GL702ZC

There’s always something inherently magical when you hear the words “gaming” and “laptop” together. Or maybe it’s just me, I don’t know, LOL! But I was able to witness the awakening of the world’s first-ever gaming laptop to be powered by the 8-Core AMD Ryzen – the ASUS ROG Strix GL702ZC!

Not gonna lie, events like these are what really make me thrum with excitement. And though I’m probably the worst person to ask when it comes to all the technical jargon, seriously, I’m a noob at this stuff, I truly, honestly, appreciate how brands are making the market extremely competitive nowadays!

The event I went to a couple of weeks back was really for the media to get to know the latest in ASUS ROG’s line-up of gaming laptops!

Almost everybody I knew was there! Not just the brand reps but the big names in tech media, too, haha! It was a super fun experience which I hope to have a repeat of in the days to come.

“The Philippine gaming landscape continues to be ever so exciting each day that passes and we take this opportunity to introduce new and innovative gaming machines. ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) being the World’s Undisputed No. 1 Gaming Brand Worldwide is committed to empower Filipino gamers and enthusiasts by providing beyond conventional products that meets the evolving demands of today’s consumers,” shares George Su, Country Manager of ASUS Philippines System Business Group.
The arrival of the Ryzen-powered ROG Strix GL702ZC is only one of the remarkable things that happened to ASUS ROG this year and you can expect from more powerful gaming machines from us in the upcoming months,” Su concludes.

But enough about the event, let’s talk about the ROG Strix GL702ZC, why don’t we? 🙂

The Strix GL702ZC is the world’s first gaming laptop that is powered by the AMD Ryzen 7 1700 processor. This processor features eight cores and 16 threads, with a maximum boosted speed of 3.7GHz to give users the performance required for intense gaming or productive computing. Their strong multi-threaded performance is prized by power users for providing enough oomph for simultaneous gaming and streaming, or more productive pursuits, like content creation and heavy multitasking.
Strix GL702ZC features AMD Radeon™ RX580 graphics with 4GB DDR5 VRAM for the visual prowess required for the latest games and graphics-intensive virtual reality (VR) applications.

Strix GL702ZC can be specified with up to a 17.3-inch 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) IPS display with 178° wide viewing angles and AMD FreeSync display technology. This display will be available in multiple configurations, including 1080p variants at 75Hz and 120Hz. The high-resolution option is great for content creators and gamers who play less demanding titles, while the high-refresh alternative is ideal for action-packed shooters and fast-paced play.
AMD FreeSync synchronizes the display’s refresh rate with the graphics card to prevent lag, minimize frame-rate stutter and eliminate visual tearing for ultra-smooth gaming visuals. In addition to compensating for performance wrinkles, FreeSync lowers input lag and eliminates visual tearing, resulting in fewer disruptions to your sense of immersion. Strix GL702ZC even works with FreeSync-compatible external monitors via DisplayPort or HDMI.

Despite accommodating desktop-class hardware, the Strix GL702ZC is easy to carry around town or to the next LAN party. The chassis is only 1.3” thick and weighs less than 7 lbs.

In a NUTSHELL:

Specification	GL702ZC
Color	Myst Black
Processor	AMD Ryzen™ 7 1700, 8C/16T, 65W; AMD Ryzen™ 5 1600, 6C/12T, 65W;
Graphics Card	AMD Radeon™ RX580; 4GB DDR5 with VR Support
Operating System	Windows 10 Home
Memory	8GB or 16GB DDR4 with 64GB MAX SUPPORT
Storage	1TB HDD 7200RMP + 128GB SSD / MAX 512GB NVME
Display	17.3” IPS FHD (1920 x 1080) 75Hz, FreeSync™ 17.3” IPS FHD (1920 x 1080) 120Hz, FreeSync™ Anti-glare and wide-view technology

The ROG Strix GL702ZC AMD Ryzen™ 7 is priced at PHP 99,995 while the OG Strix GL702ZC AMD Ryzen™ 5 costs PHP 84,995. They are currently available for order via rog-masters.ph/pre-order-rog-gl702zc/.

OMGluie Thoughts:
(BUT feel free to skip this part, coz who am I kidding, LOL, IDK anything, ok.)

On paper, the ROG Strix GL702ZC is every bit the powerful piece of machinery it claims to be. Top of the line specs and the possibility of choosing between the most up-to-date hardware to fit the depths of your pocket? Where do I sign up, right?? Plus, everything is housed in one pretty sexy package! Black, red, sleek, gorgeous, and that iconic ROG branding? What’s not to want??

But would I buy it? If I was looking for a gaming laptop that COULD, possibly, be a desktop replacement, one that I didn’t have to move around, commute, or travel with, this would probably be a top contender. But since I am always on-the-go, with a myriad of things to do, besides gaming, the seven lbs. and 17.3″ screen might be a problem. At least, for me.

So yes, without a doubt, the ROG Strix GL702ZC is definitely one badass MOFO but if you’ve got too many places to go, the performance trade-off is something to think about. (If you want to see a more in-depth review, Back2Gaming wrote one HERE so head on over!)

P.S. If your dilemma is the same as mine (weight and portability on a gaming laptop) ROG also has the Zephyrus, there’s just a slight compromise on the gaming specs! So do check it out!