Choose the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 for its superior gaming capabilities, with a higher refresh rate screen and powerful graphics card that also benefit 3D modeling and machine learning tasks. However, it's heavier and less portable than the Lenovo ThinkPad P16, which offers a higher resolution screen, longer battery life, and professional features like a color-accurate display and additional RAM slots that make it better suited for engineering and general use. The ASUS is generally more expensive, but the ThinkPad provides value through features like a premium build quality and a better webcam, suitable for business users. 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 Scar 15
Very good for gaming and AI
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad P16
Very good for general use
Very good for software development
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good battery life
Excellent speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.3/10
6.9/10
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
300Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Software Development
7.4/10
8.4/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for software development, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 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
7.9/10
8.2/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
283.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
569.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has a better screen for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15, while having a good screen for general use due to its resolution and brightness, falls short for gaming because its refresh rate isn't as high as dedicated gaming laptops require. The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 excels in screen quality for general use and engineering with its high resolution, brightness, and wide color gamut coverage, ensuring precise color work. However, for fast-paced 3D applications, both the ASUS and Lenovo may not satisfy due to their lower refresh rates compared to those with screens designed specifically for gaming.
Battery
5.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 has 5.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has 10 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
Fair
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
5.0 lbs
WEIGHT
6.5 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 has only fair portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8/10
8.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has very good build quality, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,000
$1,449
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 has a price of $2,000 and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 costs $1,449.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad P16 to be very good for general use, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 delivers ample performance for general use with a high-end CPU and a large storage capacity, but its portability and battery life are limited, making it less ideal for on-the-go usage. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 boasts a high-resolution screen and a powerhouse CPU suitable for a variety of tasks, along with a significantly longer battery life, though it's heavier and less portable than the ASUS.
Engineering and Design
8.5/10
8.3/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 and Lenovo ThinkPad P16 are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 with its powerful i9 processor, RTX 3070 Ti graphics, and high refresh rate display excels in tasks that require strong CPU and GPU performance, such as engineering simulations or graphic design, but trades off with less portability due to its bulkier gaming laptop appearance. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16, which comes with an i7 processor and RTX A1000 graphics, offers a balance of high-performance hardware, superior screen quality with higher resolution, and a focus on professional design features like a better keyboard and quieter operation, but it is heavier and less portable than more consumer-focused laptops.
Content Creation
8.0/10
8.2/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 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 ROG Strix Scar 15 and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 compare to other laptops
"Asus continues to refine the ROG Strix Scar lineup with new upgrades. The Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 offers almost everything you would expect from a gaming laptop at this price. The build quality is great, connectivity options are decent, and there is enough scope for internal upgrades as well. Asus reverts to membrane switches for the keyboard — though not as "clickety" as the opto-mechanical ones we saw with last year's model, they still make for a decent typing and gaming experience. The lack of biometrics in any form is a downer."
"It's only a few months since we gave the MSI CreatorPro X17 one of our rare 4.5-star ratings and our top mobile workstation honor, but the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 1 matches that achievement in a more premium overall build. Ultimately, its build quality, screen, and keyboard give our latest Editors' Choice nod to the Lenovo—it's enough of a monster on almost all fronts that it simply cannot be ignored."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 or the Lenovo ThinkPad P16
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.
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