Geek Lifestyle Review: ASUS ROG Strix GL503GE Hero edition

Not all heroes wear capes!

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Gaming laptops aren’t cheap but brands such as ASUS are releasing models that are slightly more affordable for everyone like its ROG Strix GL503 line. First released last year, the GL503 Hero edition was updated this year with a more powerful eighth gen Intel Core processor. Does the new GL503GE deliver then? Read on as we review ASUS ROG’s latest Hero laptop!

 

Geek-sthetic – 9/10

The GL503GE shares a similar overall design to the previously released GL503, but with a some key differences such as the scale-like “Mayan pattern” from the lid all the way to the keyboard area. This pattern is even RGB-powered, making it look really cool when fired up.

Speaking of RGB, the keyboard also has RGB backlight, and the QWER buttons are highlighted in keeping with the laptop’s MOBA theme. The backlight is highly customizable with many light modes to choose from. Lastly the ROG logo on the lid glows in burning red when the laptop is in use. In the looks department, the GL503GE really looks cool! Even though it’s not a big departure from the previous model.

 

Binge Watching Factor – 9/10

ASUS packed the GL503GE with a 15.6 inch Full HD monitor with 120hz display, making it excellent for gaming. But it’s actually also good for binge-watching; the display had good viewing angles and great color accuracy. While not the absolute best gaming display, watching your favorite anime or movie is still a great experience overall with the GL503GE.

 

Sound Trip – 8/10

For watching videos, playing games, or listening to music, the GL503GE’s 3.5w Stereo Dual Speakers perform decently well. Of course it’s not audiophile grade at all, but it does the job well enough for most people. Though I do recommend going for a headset when gaming; but if you don’t have a headset, the laptop’s mic works decently well so you won’t have to worry.

 

Pro-Gaming Controls – 6/10

ASUS ROG went for a sleek and compact design for the GL503GE, but the laptop’s keyboard is full-size, complete with a number pad. The only problem though is that the keyboard feels a bit too compact, especially for gamers with long fingers such as myself. Sure, after some time you can get used to it, but I would’ve preferred a better-spaced keyboard (even if it means no number pad). Though on the bright side, the keyboard has a pretty decent tactile feel, though not to the level of mechanical keyboards of course.

The laptop I reviewed also included a mouse, a pretty standard one at that. But the fact that it has RGB lighting and peforms pretty well is a definite plus for me.

 

Gaming Prowess – 8/10

The new GL503GE packs a GTX 1050Ti GPU, an upgrade over last year’s GTX 1050. While the performance difference isn’t that big, it’s a welcome upgrade, especially as I was able to play the games that I tested on it well. The first game I played was Tekken 7, and it ran with an average 59 FPS in medium settings.

After Tekken, I tested the laptop with some CS:GO and League of Legends, and it ran both games well. If you’re a fan of esports titles, the GL503GE will serve you well!

The only problem is that there are some framerate dips in Tekken 7, mostly when I had other apps open. If you’re planning for more serious gaming or multitasking on this laptop, consider upgrading the GL503GE’s memory.

 

Everyday Reliability – 8/10

While the GL503GE Hero edition is a gaming laptop, that doesn’t mean you’ll use it just for games alone. The GL503GE Hero edition is equipped with a 8th gen Intel Core i7-8750H CPU (2.20GHz); so whether you are working on any task or just surfing the internet, the GL503GE Hero edition performs fairly well. The laptop also has a 256GB SSD, making load times for applications fast.

When not gaming the battery life can last up to 2 to 4 hours depending on the task and usage of your machine; pretty standard for gaming laptops, but I expected a bit more battery life from this laptop.

 

Final Geek Lifestyle Verdict – 8/10

The GL503GE Hero edition is a great-looking laptop with a nice display to boot. It also has speedy performance in day-to-day tasks, and it excels when playing esports titles such as LoL and CS:GO. Though for gamers looking to play more hardware-intensive titles, the GL503GE might not be powerful enough.

So does the laptop deliver? Yes it still does! It’s a great laptop for avid MOBA fans thanks to its good perfomance in those games. It also has a couple of nice features such as a quality display and decent speakers. What’s holding it back from greatness though is the slight lack of GPU power/RAM, short battery life, and cramped keyboard. Overall, I still highly recommend it for fans of all things MOBA!

 

Specs Summary

  • Processor: Intel i7 8750H 6-Core CPU
  • Installed Memory: 8GB RAM
  • Operating System: Windows 10 Home
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050Ti
  • Storage: 1TB SATA SSHD + 256GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 x4 SSD
  • Display: 15.6 Full HD 120hz
  • Dimensions: 38.4 cm x  26.2 cm x 2.4 cm
  • Battery: 64Whrs battery
  • Ports
    • USB 3.1 Gen2 (Type-C) port
    • Three USB 3.1 Gen1 port
    • USB 2.0 port
    • Mini Display port
    • HDMI 1.4 port
    • Ethernet port
    • SD card reader
    • 3.5mm headphone and microphone combo jack
    • Kensington lock
  • Price: (GL503GE) PHP 81,995