Asus has announced its latest Republic of Gamers (ROG) Strix gaming laptops, bringing updated hardware and redesigned chassis options to its 2026 lineup. The new Strix G16 and G18 models feature Intel’s Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processor and updated display technology, as it leans further into high-end gaming and creator workloads.
The new systems are built on Intel’s latest Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus chip, paired with up to Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU. That combination targets users running demanding games and creative applications, with support for features like ray tracing and AI-assisted rendering.
The laptops can handle high refresh rates at native resolution, with additional frame gains available through DLSS 4 and Multi-Frame Generation.
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The Strix G16 includes a 2.5K panel with a 300Hz refresh rate, moving up from 240Hz in the previous version. The larger Strix G18 uses a 2.5K 240Hz Nebula HDR display with Mini LED backlighting, reaching up to 1600 nits of peak brightness. Both panels include anti-reflection technology to improve visibility and maintain color consistency across different viewing angles.
Thermal management has also been updated and the systems use a combination of a vapor chamber, a tri-fan setup, and a layered heatsink structure to manage heat from both the CPU and GPU.
Strix gaming laptops design
The chassis design has been reworked with easier access to internal components. There’s a new tool-less entry system using spring-loaded tabs, so users will be able to open the device without screws. Storage and memory upgrades have been made easier thanks to a new latch-based system.
Alongside the G16 and G18, Asus says a higher-end Strix SCAR 18 model is also on the way. It will use the same Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processor as the other two models, but with configurations up to the GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU. The SCAR 18 will also support a higher total system power budget than the previous generation, so hardware will be able to run at higher performance levels.
More details on the SCAR 18, including full specifications and availability, are expected later.
What do you think about Asus’s latest ROG Strix laptops? Let us know in the comments.
