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Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is lighter and more portable, making it better suited for frequent travelers or those who value mobility. It offers exceptional battery life and a higher resolution OLED screen which is great for general use and watching content. However, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17, while heavier and less portable, provides significantly better performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming due to a more powerful processor and dedicated graphics card. It also has a high refresh rate display which benefits fast-paced gaming. So, if you prioritize performance for intensive tasks and gaming, and don't mind the extra weight and shorter battery life, the ROG Strix Scar 17 stands out; otherwise, the Zenbook S 13 is an excellent all-round choice for general use with better portability and battery life. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook S 13
- Very good for general use
- Very good for software development
- Best in class portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
8.6
7.9
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
292.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
9.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for general use, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.5
8.4
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 offers a superior gaming and 3D experience with a high-end Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card and a screen refresh rate that is significantly higher compared to the ASUS Zenbook S 13, which has an integrated graphics option and a standard refresh rate, suitable for less demanding gaming and 3D tasks. While both have high-quality displays, the ROG's dedicated GPU and faster refresh rate screen provide a smoother and more visually responsive gaming experience, despite likely being less portable and more expensive than the Zenbook.
Software Development
8.3
7.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for software development, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is good.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
8.1
8.1
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
292.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers a high-resolution display with exceptional brightness and color accuracy, which benefits general use and engineering or design work; however, it has a lower refresh rate not ideal for the fast-paced visuals required in gaming and 3D applications. On the other side, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 provides a balance with good resolution and color reproduction, suitable for general tasks and professional work but its slower refresh rate, compared to dedicated gaming laptops, falls short for 3D gaming. Both laptops prioritize screen qualities like resolution and color over refresh rate, making them less optimal for gaming where high refresh rates are key for smooth visuals.
Battery
11.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has 7 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Best in Class
Poor
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2.2 lbs
WEIGHT
6.3 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
8.5
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has very good build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook S 13 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,400
$2,499
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a price of $1,400 and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 costs $2,499.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.6
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and ASUS Zenbook S 13 are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is tailored for engineering and design professionals who require a high-resolution OLED screen with excellent color accuracy and a lightweight design, powered by an efficient CPU and ample RAM for multitasking. Conversely, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17, while heavier and less portable, offers a more powerful CPU, a superior gaming-grade GPU, a larger screen with a higher refresh rate, and is equipped with a quality keyboard and extra features like hardware ray tracing and DLSS beneficial for demanding engineering software and gaming.
Content Creation
8.5
8.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 are both very good for content creation.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
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How the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook S 13 | ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $2,499 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | January 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.7'' x 8.5'' x 0.46'' | 15.6'' x 11.1'' x 1.02'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.2 lbs | 6.39 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.66" | 15.55" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.52" | 11.1" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1355U | Intel i9-12900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11 Hours | 7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 63 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1800 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 360Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 365 nits | 292 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.5/10 | 5.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.4/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | No Webcam | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
ASUS Zenbook S 13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | May 2023
"The Asus Zenbook S 13 is the slimmest OLED ultrabook worldwide struggles with annoying fans. The new Zenbook S 13 leaves us with mixed feelings, particularly since last year's model was so good. Asus has completely reworked the device, making the laptop noticeably slimmer. The result also looks good and the case makes a great impression, particularly also in terms of the stability. The new plasma ceramic surface feels great, and there are no problems with fingerprints. In addition, it now includes some of the known connections such as an HDMI port and a regular USB-A connection, which is a good achievement in such a slim device."
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2021
"Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 laptop review: liquid metal 7 nm AMD Zen 3 is stunning. The raw performance increase is absolutely bonkers if you're upgrading from a laptop on Coffee Lake-H or older. The 45 W Ryzen 9 5900HX is neck-to-neck with the thicker, heavier, and hotter Schenker Ultra 17 running on a desktop-class Core i9-11900K despite their wide TDP differences. The performance-per-watt advantages can make Intel Rocket Lake feel like a last generation platform at times. As for the chassis itself, it's a huge light show with RGB LEDs on almost all sides of the system."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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