Asus ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 Review: A Gamer’s Delight

ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 Is Designed To Look Like A Gaming Laptop

From the very first look, it's evident that the ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 is a gaming laptop. It has plenty of RGB lighting along with a per-key RGB backlight, and even the ROG logo lights up to match the overall aesthetics of the laptop. Of course, you can turn these things off via Armoury Crate app.

The 2022 edition of the ROG Strix SCAR 15 is slightly thinner and lighter when compared to its predecessor. Most of the I/O is conveniently located at the back, which includes an HDMI port, RJ45 Ethernet jack, USB Type-C port, Thunderbolt 4 port, and a charging port.

The ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 also supports Keystone, which lets you apply different light effects, and sound effects, and it can also activate shadow drive storage, allowing users to have an encrypted storage solution within the laptop. Last but not the least, the ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 also has a customizable armor cap that is easy to replace.

ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533's Display Is Gamers’ Delight

Although the display on the ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 is not as vivid or bright as the one on the ROG Flow X16 (review), it is definitely one of the most color-accurate displays that I have seen on a gaming laptop in this class.

The 15.6-inch display on the ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 is vivid and vibrant, and it also has Dolby Vision certification. On top of that, the panel offers QHD resolution along with up to a 240Hz refresh rate. Again, the display has thin bezels on three sides, however, it does not have a built-in web camera, which is a bummer.

For both gaming and content consumption, the display on the ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 is just great. On top of that, you can also choose between various color profiles from the Armory Crate GameVisual settings menu to further customize the color profile.

ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 Has A Great Keyboard And Trackpad

The keyboard on the ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 offers the right amount of travel with plenty of feedback. Similarly, the large trackpad with a built-in virtual Numpad is a treat for non-gamers. I personally liked how vivid the backlight is, and the dedicated media control keys come in handy at times.

ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 Speakers Are Good But Not Great

This has been my complaint about most gaming laptops. The speaker setup on the ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 sounds good, especially with Dolby Atmos support. However, they aren't loud enough, especially when compared to some gaming laptops from Alienware.

The ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 does not have a built-in web camera. However, the brand does include one in the retail box, albeit, with a 720p resolution. Given brands like Lenovo, Acer, and MSI offers a 1080p built-in web camera, we expect the same from this premium gaming laptop.

ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 Is A Performer Too

Although the ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 does not pack the cutting-edge hardware, it still has plenty-powerful CPU -- Intel Core i9-12900H and GPU -- RTX 3070 Ti with 8GB video memory. The laptop also offers 32GB DDR5 RAM and 1TB of PCIe Gen4 SSD.

The laptop also has MUX switch to help the GPU to deliver maximum performance. Similarly, the laptop also uses liquid metal instead of regular thermal paste, which is said to improve heat dissipation and help the laptop run cool even with continuous gaming.

ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 CPU Performance

The Intel Core i9-12900H on the ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 uses the hybrid CPU architecture. The single-core performance of the Intel Core i9-12900H on the ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 is much better compared to other laptops with the same CPU. The gain in the single-core performance does indicate that the ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) does deliver better gaming performance.

Even when it comes to multi-core CPU performance, the ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 is either better or on par with other laptops with the Intel Core i9-12900H. In most cases, it also outperforms the 16-inch Apple MacBook Pro with the M1 Max processor.

ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 GPU Performance

On the 3DMark Time Spy benchmark, the ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 posted 11128 points. The benchmark also confirms that the laptop can offer over 105fps on Battlefield V at 1440p resolution and 125fps at 1080p resolution.

ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 Gaming Performance

We tested games like the Shadow of The Tomb Raider, Far Cry 6, Forza Horizon, and Cyberpunk 2077. As per these numbers, the ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 can easily handle most modern AAA titles and offer over 60fps even at 1440p resolution and high graphics settings.

The bright display also further elevates the gaming experience. Again, most games just ran well without any stutters and I also tested the same in the MUX mode and by connecting the laptop to an external monitor. The ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 is clearly a great gaming laptop that offers high fps even on the most demanding titles.

Verdict: Polished Gaming Machine

With the latest offering, Asus has further refined the ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533, which comes very close to being a perfect 1440p-class gaming laptop. For the asking price of over Rs. 2,20,000, the ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 is slightly expensive. However, it does pack some tricks that one might see on a regular gaming laptop.

While there are plenty of laptops that offer similar specifications at a slightly lower price, the ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 feels more refined. Overall, the ROG Strix SCAR 15 (2022) G533 is a well-balanced gaming laptop with style and substance.