Asus ROG G752 review

The ASUS ROG G752 does not hold back on power. The configuration we were provided has more than enough punch for driving even the most demanding games at full 1080p resolution.

The Nvidia GeForce GTX 970M is based upon one of the most popular desktop GPUs of the current generation, and – with 3GB of video memory available – chews through high resolution textures, effects and other graphical bells and whistles without breaking a sweat.

When I first started benchmarking the G752, I was a little confused by the lower than expected results – before I realized that the laptop includes Nvidia's G-Sync technology. This new tech is usually reserved for desktop monitors, but essentially allows the screen and graphics card to synchronize each frame in order to totally eradicate tearing and other graphical glitches.

After turning G-Sync off, I saw frame rates of games and benchmarks rise further, even without any noticeable graphical degradation.

In my time with the G752, I found that every fast-paced game – from Rocket League to Grand Theft Auto V – played at ultra or very high settings while maintaining a steady 60 frames per second (fps). Slower titles, such as The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, could be cranked up to the highest settings and looked absolutely beautiful on the 1080p IPS screen.

Benchmarks

Here's how the Asus ROG G752VT performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

• 3DMark: Cloud Gate: 20,263; Sky Diver: 19,093; Fire Strike: 6,596
• Cinebench: CPU: 672 points; Single Core CPU: 142 points; Graphics: 74 fps
• PCMark 8 Home Test: 4,807
• PCMark 8 Battery Life: 1 hour and 49 minutes
• Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor: (1080p, Ultra): 54 fps; (1080p, low): 122 fps
• Metro: Last Light: (1080p, Ultra): 30 fps; (1080p, Low): 99 fps

Thanks to the combination of a brand new Skylake i7 processor, Maxwell GPU and speedy SSD, the G752 steamed through our series of benchmarks without so much as a stutter. 3DMark's more strenuous Fire Strike test clocked up a mighty score of 6,596, an appreciable jump of more than 700 points over the score achieved by last year's Asus ROG G751.

Overall, the 3DMark results were on par with the MSI GS60 Ghost Pro, which is an almost identical machine on most fronts. Interestingly, the G752VT actually managed to score higher on both the Cinebench and PCMark 8 Home Test benchmarks. Managing to run Metro: Last Light at a stable 30 fps is incredibly impressive for a single GPU machine, while it managed to blast past the frame rates achieved by the Gigabyte P55K v4 on Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor.

Battery life

As you might expect from a gaming laptop packing near desktop-level components, battery life isn't the strongest of the ROG G752's assets. Asus suggests an estimate of 4 hours of life with regular usage, but in my tests it rarely broke past 2 hours when gaming and running other intensive tasks.

When playing a 1080p Blu-ray with the screen at around 50% brightness, the G752 only just managed to get to the end of the film with a few minutes of battery life remaining. When word processing, web browsing or watching YouTube videos, I manage to get closer to 2 hours 30 minutes.

Still, a rather lackluster performance, despite the 6,000mAh, 8-cell battery.

Clearly, Asus intends for the G752 to spend most of its life tethered to a power socket – especially when gaming. Rather than a go-anywhere portable gaming powerhouse, I suggest you think of it more as a compact desktop PC with plenty of grunt that can be moved around with relative ease.

Multimedia

Unlike the 4K panel found in the smaller Asus ROG G501 (which has a 15.6-inch screen), Asus has stuck with a tried-and-tested, 1080p IPS panel in the G752. This can hardly be called a disappointment, but it's not the gob-smacking display you might expect from such a powerful machine.

The IPS screen is mostly accurate, displaying deep blacks and a wide range of contrast that makes games look vibrant. A matte finish on the screen may not make the colors pop as much as some more glossy alternatives, but it does drastically reduce reflections and makes gaming possible in almost any lighting condition. Refresh rates up to 75Hz and Nvidia G-Sync compatibility make it an ideal screen for gaming on the go.

Given the laptop's size, it's no real surprise that the included audio system is a fairly impressive setup. Stereo speakers nestling either side of the screen's hinge are capable of delivering convincing surround sound, whilst the sub-woofer on the bottom of the G752 gave plenty of thump to in-game bullet impacts and growling engines.

Asus Sonic Studio II gives you full equalizer control with a number of presets and has adjustments for bass, reverb and voice clarity, too. For game streamers out there, there are also some handy options to enhance your voice-overs when casting your games via Twitch or YouTube.

Bundled software

Although there isn't a massive selection of pre-installed software on the Asus ROG G752, non-gaming apps are included, like McAfee Internet Security, a trial of Microsoft Office 365 and an alternative in the form of the free-to-use WPS Office.

Gamers will be more excited to find that XSplit GameCaster comes pre-installed with an unlimited license. This app allows for simple recording and streaming to all the most popular services, along with options for webcam overlays and much more. Plus, it can be easily accessed by a dedicated button located alongside the 5 macro keys on the top left of the keyboard.