ROG Zephyrus S17 Review: a god-tier gaming laptop
The ROG Zephyrus S17 Gaming laptop is nothing short of a marvel, and one that seriously tested my willpower to not go onto ASUS’ website and buy myself one immediately after I finished reviewing it.
You see ever since I slowly became more involved in the tech and video game industry, I’ve come to the realization that gaming on a PC is much more valuable than I first gave it credit for, especially if you’re someone like me, who actively likes playing games on my lap.
More importantly, with lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more people are getting sucked into gaming and PC gaming is no exception to that.
Of course, getting into gaming is a privilege considering how costly consoles and laptops (with the ROG Zephyrus S17 being no exception to this), but that’s why we’re here to talk more about the ROG Zephyrus S17 and whether it’s worth your time and money.
Key Specs
ROG Zephyrus S17
- CPU: Intel Core i7-11800H Processor 2.3 GHz (24M Cache, up to 4.6 GHz, 8 Cores)
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
- RAM: 32GB, up to 48GB
- Screen: 17.3-inch 4k UHD (3840 x 2160)
- Refresh Rate: 120Hz
- Storage: 2TB M.2 NVMe, 4.0 SSD
- Ports: 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A1, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C support, 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack, 1x Thunderbolt 4 support, 1 x card reader (SD), 1x RJ45 LAN port
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6(802.11ax) + Bluetooth 5.2
- Weight: 2.60 Kg
- Size: 39.4 x 26.4 x 1.99 (W x D x H)
Looks
If you’re looking for something stylish and sleek, then you truly have to look no further than the Zephyrus S17 as it certainly stands out from the crowd. It is an all-black laptop, with an elegance that you can feel the moment you take it out of its packaging.
The straight, but stylish angular look wouldn’t look amiss at a party due to its style, and alongside it being nice to look at, the feel of the Zephyrus S17 makes it clear from the get-go that this gaming laptop is more than just its looks, it’s got some serious tech underneath its resilient, aluminium and metal casing.
But the Zephyrus S17 truly shines when you finally get your hands on opening the laptop up. It reveals a large 17.3-inch anti-glare screen that really pops no matter if you’re doing something as simple as your taxes (blegh) or having a few matches of Apex Legends with your friends. The 4K resolution certainly doesn’t hurt the look of whatever’s on your screen either, making both light and dark colours really stand out. Black actually looks black instead of a muddy grey.
Unlike the Zephyrus Duo 15 SE though, the Zephyrus S17 this doesn’t have a second screen which isn’t too much of a loss if you’re like me – someone with no real interest in streaming, or just someone who prefers to play your multiplayer games on a console and has no real desire to have a second screen for anything.
One thing that really stood out to me as a huge pro is the beautifully designed keyboard, which automatically rises at a 5° angle. As someone who has very real pain with my wrists due to not realizing I should be taking care of them more when using a laptop at a desk or on my lap, the angle perfectly comforts my wrists and makes non-stop gaming feel like a treat instead of a workout.
And if you’re wondering, yes, the keyboard is indeed backlit and yes, because I’m predictable, I did make it rainbow coloured. If I’m going to have a stylish laptop that really speaks to me, then it’s got to be rainbow coloured.
Portability
Now the point of a gaming laptop is to have something that obviously runs a ton of games without lighting itself on fire after a few hours, but there’s also something else worth thinking about: portability. Unfortunately, this is where the Zephyrus S17 really lets itself down.
The first thing to know is that this really is one hell of a machine, which translates into ‘it’s really bloody heavy’ to the point I pity anyone who has to carry it around to work or even just to go to a cafe to play some video games in relative peace. In a laptop bag, the Zephyrus S17 feels even heavier – like I’m carrying around a ton of bricks that, with one wrong move, will absolutely cause damage if it hit someone at speed.
It isn’t just the laptop itself that’s heavy. The power pack is also pretty hefty, and while this doesn’t surprise me because of how much power the Zephyrus S17 needs, it does make carrying it around feel like quite a chore.
Ultimately, with how much strain the laptop and power pack provide, I’d argue that the best way to interact with your Zephyrus S17 is at home where the risk of carrying it everywhere is minimal at worst.
Performance
While a great design and terrible portability may leave you wondering whether grabbing the Zephyrus S17 is worth it. After all, it’s a bit of good here, a bit of bad there.
But let me reassure you that the Zephyrus S17 is not only worth your time, but worth the money you’ll be handing over to get it. And yes, it is priced at £3,299.99. Trust me when I say that if you’re looking for a gaming laptop that’ll last, this is the one for you.
The Zephyrus S17 is a powerhouse, there’s no denying that. Its bulk showcases that it can handle even the most demanding of games, and I was eager to put that to test with several different games, ranging from Crusader Kings 3 to Baldur’s Gate 3. All the games I played ran as smooth as butter on this laptop, and all were on Ultra settings. Of course, this meant that battery power would usually drain in around 5-6 hours, but considering that the games I played were very demanding, it speaks well that the Zephyrus S17 lasted even that long.
What impressed me the most about how this gaming laptop handled the games played is that this isn’t the Zephyrus S17 at its full power – it is still able to be upgraded if you so choose. Even if the laptop does start to struggle – which we doubt it will anytime soon, considering how much power it has – you can upgrade its RAM very easily.
More importantly, the laptop perfectly conveys what makes it so special and why you should consider purchasing it if you’re seriously thinking about getting into gaming: it’s powerful, has a sleek and accessible design and it’s able to perform at ultra-high settings with even the most demanding of games.
The Verdict
All in all, the Zephyrus S17 is a solid gaming laptop that, despite a few struggles with portability and a design that is sleek, but lacking in colour, should certainly tease you to get into the wonderful world of PC gaming.
Nonetheless, with the luxury of having such a powerhouse as a gaming laptop, you should expect that to be reflected in the laptop’s price. At £3,299,99, you’ll not only have to think really hard on whether you should grab the Zephyrus S17 now or wait until it’s on offer, but think whether you’ll be using it for the ‘right’ purpose. For example, if you’re someone who loves your indie games the most and will most likely just play those games, we’d recommend going for a cheaper laptop.
However, if you’re looking to splash out and are a gamer who wants indies and the graphic-pushing triple-A games, then the Zephyrus S17 is perfect, despite its cost.
Score: 5/5
A copy of a ROG Zephyrus S17 gaming laptop was provided to Gayming Magazine by PR.
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