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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize top-tier performance for intensive gaming or engineering tasks, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17, with its more powerful graphics card and faster processor, is the better choice, although it is significantly heavier and more expensive. On the other hand, if you are looking for a balance between decent gaming performance and better portability at a lower price, the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 could suit your needs. The TUF Gaming A16 also has better battery life and a slightly higher resolution display with a more modern aspect ratio, which could be beneficial for productivity and general use. 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 17
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS TUF Gaming A16
- Good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.4
7.4
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17's Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card and higher screen refresh rate at 360 Hz make it very good for gaming and 3D applications, providing smoother visuals and better performance in graphically intense tasks compared to the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 which has an AMD RX 7600S GPU and a refresh rate of 165 Hz, still good for gaming but less so for fast-paced scenes.
Engineering and Design
8.6
7.7
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is highly regarded for engineering and design due to its top-tier CPU and GPU combination, substantial system memory, and excellent screen resolution and color accuracy, which are crucial for demanding software and tasks. The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 also offers a respectable CPU and GPU setup and ample memory but has a slightly lower screen color accuracy and a more portable build, making it a balanced option for engineering and design purposes but not as powerful as the ROG Strix Scar 17.
Content Creation
8.2
7.6
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for content creation, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 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.
Screen Quality
8.1
7.5
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
292.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has a better screen than the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 offer sharp resolution and suitable brightness, making them good for general use where clarity and visibility are key. For engineering and design, both laptops have panels that cover a broad range of colors, ensuring accurate color representation which is essential for detailed work. However, for gaming and 3D tasks where smooth motion is crucial, their lower refresh rates make them less ideal, as they may not provide as fluid an experience compared to laptops with higher refresh rates.
Battery
7.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has 12 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
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
6.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.8 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.2
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has very good build quality, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,499
$838
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has a price of $2,499 and the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 costs $838.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
292.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
5.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 are both good for general use.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 offers superior performance for general use due to its high-end CPU and large screen with fast refresh rate, but it is less portable and has shorter battery life than the ASUS TUF Gaming A16, which also provides good general use performance with a solid CPU and RAM capacity, plus it benefits from a slightly longer battery life and better portability. Both have high-quality, non-touch IPS screens but the TUF Gaming A16's screen is a bit smaller with a higher resolution and a more productivity-oriented aspect ratio, while the Strix Scar 17's larger, lower-resolution screen is designed with a focus on gaming.
Software Development
7.5
7.3
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 are both good for software development.
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.
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How the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 | ASUS TUF Gaming A16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,499 | $838 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | April 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 11.1'' x 1.02'' | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.97'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.39 lbs | 4.85 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.55" | 13.98" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.1" | 9.92" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900H | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 12 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 360Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 292 nits | 294 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.9/10 | 7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | No Webcam | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 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 | N/A | |
Shopping
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."
ASUS TUF Gaming A16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Dominic Bayley | May 2023
"The A16 makes an excellent case against more expensive laptops like the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 and the MSI Katana GF76, especially if you’re into 1080p gaming. However, although its affordable, it doesn’t skimp on performance or a robust chassis. But for me, the biggest factor that sets it apart from these options is its incredible battery life. In my time reviewing laptops, I can’t remember when I last saw a gaming laptop lasted 11 and a half hours on a single charge, which makes the A16, in my book, truly outstanding."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 or the ASUS TUF Gaming A16
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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