Asus ROG FX503 Gaming laptop review

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We know the process of selecting your next laptop might vary from person to person, some might look for aspect over performance, while some will definitely look for what’s under the hood. When it comes to gaming laptops, the quality of the internal components definitely tells a lot about the device and how smooth the gaming experience will hold for those AAA games. Laptops nowadays pack a mean punch when it comes to graphics, speed and connectivity. Some might say that laptops will someday be on par with desktop gaming rig builds, although we might hold off on that thought. Nonetheless, recent gaming laptop models keep uncovering some surprises with each upgraded model.

Considering there are many key elements to keep in mind when choosing a gaming laptop, from display to memory and other components, the general rule of thumb keeps being the same as for ready-made gaming desktops or custom-built rigs, since the users will always opt for the best hardware combination while getting the lowest possible price per piece. This rings true for several brand’s gaming laptops being offered on the market today, as they keep upgrading and improving each unit offered as optimized bundles for the best retail prices available.

On this occasion, we will feature a gaming laptop from a brand with big wins and high marks on the gaming field. Asus has quickly become a high-demand brand for gaming equipment due to its Republic of Gamers series of products and the balance on its hardware’s performance. And even though this gaming laptop is not part of the Asus ROG series, with the build the company has put together for this one, it might as well earn its honorific spot on the gaming category, nonetheless.

Specs: The good and the not so good

This laptop comes with a few goodies and add-ons worth discussing, but it also packs several qualities and favorable points that make it a sought option for gaming devices. Some of these highlights we could notice right away was its appearance and lightness, the design is attractive and easy to carry, it most definitely resembles or rather took inspiration on the build of a Zenbook and the global performance points are at a very good level. Even when the discussion around its battery life might be inconclusive, we consider the actual battery’s behavior above the average for this type of gaming laptops.

And yet, like with any other reviewed equipment, we also found some low lights and critical hits this device might suffer when compared to other models. The gathered facts are basically how the price is not compensated enough through the specs chosen for the appliance, the lack of a USB type C port and its rather low upgradability aspects, being chained to the fact that we’re dealing with a gaming laptop, which need to be built around the equipment set to run it, contrary to gaming desktops that are built to house any type of equipment bought to build it up.

For further transparency, we will provide a list of all the specs included with this device and after going through this review, you can also arrive at your own conclusions. Beginning with the processor, the Asus ROG FX503 houses an Intel core i7-7700HQ at 2.80GHz; for memory the device sports 16GB of DDR4 random access memory units, and 128GB of SSD plus 1TB HDD on storage. The Asus ROG FX503 has a built-in 15.6 in IPS full HD LED backlit display with a 1920x1080p resolution setting. Graphics are delivered through a Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 GPU with 4GB GDDR5 memory. Ports, audio and weight are all average and in relation to the common distribution of connectivity settings and general dimensions on laptops.

Design and aesthetics

When it comes to design, this Asus model actually meets and exceeds the mark of “good-lookingness”, as the textured lid and backlit keyboard bring the overall Zenbook-like feel right back at you. While the proportions and distribution make sure of keeping everything sleek and very on-brand with gaming design, it’s the small details that do it for us: the slanted streaks on the lid, the scissor system keyboard keys, the all too popular black on red highlights color scheme and the surprising 120Hz display, make for a combination that handles its weight against similar competitor or succeeding builds.

Performance

Despite the fact that the included processor is a 7th gen unit, the Asus ROG FX503 surely holds itself steady when performance is involved. Based on various benchmarks held with different tools and games to measure its capacity, the machine’s speed and reaction times meet the average for such hardware. Not only this but the GPU, although a 1050 model, delivers rather high numbers for image ratio and even when far from seamless, it ensures your gaming experience is handled and -overall- goes on smoothly.

Battery life and charge duration

As we know, big parts chomp down big power levels. In the case of the Asus ROG FX503 battery levels, it goes along other gaming laptops in the sense that it constitutes the handicap on most gaming laptops -specifically gaming laptops- since portable batteries subject of big eaters like this machine’s display, GPU and storage units do not go further than the two hour mark and frankly speaking, this is as much a blessing as it is a hindrance, one of which we keep debating if to see as something worth praising (for keeping up with the standard) or condemning (for not going the extra mile for the price and specs).

Final Verdict

Having gathered all the hard cold facts, we must say the Asus ROG FX503 device in itself is a great option for gaming laptop, and as with any laptop, you should seriously consider its intended use, the actual use it will undergo and the availability to upgrade its parts in the near future. Since the graphic distribution for this specific set might feel a bit disappointing, its should be one of the main points to consider when choosing it, and although it is balanced enough and will perform as expected, the only other possible upgrade you would be able to perform on the unit is to the RAM. With this in mind, you can now weigh your particular needs to the facts laid in this article to determine if this will be your next gaming laptop purchase.