When deciding between the ASUS ROG Strix G18 and the Lenovo Flex 5, consider that the ASUS will deliver superior performance for gaming and demanding applications, but this comes at a higher price and with less portability. Alternatively, the Lenovo offers flexibility and better portability at a lower price, making it favorable for general use and light tasks, but it may not be suitable for intensive 3D work or gaming. Also, the Lenovo may have longer battery life due to less power-intensive components. 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 ROG Strix G18 (2024)
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Best in class speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo Flex 5 16
Good portability
Very good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.7/10
7.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
422.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
5.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.4/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) is very good for general use, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 offers a powerful CPU and ample RAM for smooth multitasking, along with a high-quality screen for crisp visuals, but it's less portable and has shorter battery life, making it less ideal for on-the-go usage. In contrast, the Lenovo Flex 5 16, while still delivering respectable performance and screen quality, prioritizes portability and longer battery life, which may come at the expense of the higher-end specs seen in the ASUS for demanding tasks.
Gaming and AI
8.7/10
6.2/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 comes with a high-end GPU and a screen with a high refresh rate, making it well-suited for smooth and visually intense gaming and 3D applications, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16, with a more modest GPU and lower refresh rate, provides a less optimal experience for such tasks, although it might offer better battery life and flexibility for everyday use at a lower price point. The screen quality and CPU of the Lenovo are adequate for general use but may lag behind the ASUS in demanding scenarios.
Engineering and Design
9.2/10
7.2/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 typically packs a powerful CPU, ample RAM, and a top-tier GPU, ensuring smooth performance for demanding engineering applications, along with a high-quality screen for detailed visuals; however, it's less portable due to its size and may have noticeable operating noise under heavy load. In contrast, the Lenovo Flex 5 16, while still offering solid performance with decent CPU, RAM, and GPU for engineering tasks, places a greater emphasis on portability and comes with a flexible form factor, but it might have slightly inferior screen quality and less optimal speakers and keyboard compared to the ASUS model.
Content Creation
8.8/10
7.6/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 is good.
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.
Software Development
8.5/10
7.5/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) is very good for software development, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 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
8.7/10
7.3/10
18.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
422.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has a better screen than the Lenovo Flex 5 16 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When choosing between the ASUS ROG Strix G18 and the Lenovo Flex 5 16 for general use, consider that a quality screen with high resolution and brightness provides better viewing and less strain on your eyes during daily tasks; the ASUS offers a more vibrant display. For engineering and design work, accurate colors are crucial, so a laptop like the ASUS with a wider color gamut will render designs and images more precisely. However, gamers and 3D professionals should lean toward laptops with higher refresh rates for smoother visuals in fast-paced scenarios, and both the ASUS and the Lenovo may fall short for these specific needs.
Battery
8.0 Hours
11.5 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has 8 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has 11.5 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
Poor
Good
18.0in
SIZE
16.0in
6.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8/10
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) and Lenovo Flex 5 16 both have good build quality, though the ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,203
$779
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) has a price of $2,203 and the Lenovo Flex 5 16 costs $779.
"With the ROG Strix G18, Asus has made an almost consistently good debut in the still quite new 18-inch laptop segment. The base unit case shows a few signs of weakness in the area of stability and is something which has an effect on the perceived quality of the input devices (the chassis tends to rattle a bit). Nevertheless, thanks to generous port features (incl. Thunderbolt 4), a striking design, and extensive lighting (keyboard, LED strip on the front), gamers get a fitting gaming platform."
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 is a solidly equipped, 2-in-1 in the lower price segment. Performance is definitely sufficient for everyday tasks and in tests the battery proved itself to be very economical. That aside, there is a lot of standard fare on show and a search for real highlights ends in vain. The low color coverage and reflective display can be avoided by going for an optional 2.5K display but this also presumably results in poorer battery life. The cooling uses only one fan and leads to a raised temperature on one side of the device under load. Additionally, there is very loud fan noise, also under load or when gaming. On top of that, we also occasionally noticed electronic noises."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) or the Lenovo Flex 5 16
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.
About Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
101,595
Recommendations made
22,013
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.