For a balance of performance and portability with a focus on intensive tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D is a strong contender with its high-end GPU and processor, albeit at a higher price point. However, its larger size and weight make it less ideal for frequent travel. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 offers a more reasonable price, excellent battery life, and superior portability, making it a better choice for general business use and moderate gaming or engineering tasks, thanks to its capable CPU and GPU. It also boasts a higher resolution display with better color accuracy, which is great for detailed work. The ThinkPad's robust build quality and excellent keyboard make it a durable and comfortable choice for everyday 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 X3D
Excellent for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad P16
Very good for software development
Very good overall build quality
Very good battery life
Excellent speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
9.2/10
6.9/10
9.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D is excellent 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.
Engineering and Design
9.1/10
8.3/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
9.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
8.3/10
8.2/10
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
350.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
569.0 nits
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D 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, and content creation.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
3.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D has 3 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.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has very good build quality, while the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$3,500
$1,449
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D has a price of $3,500 and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 costs $1,449.
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D and Lenovo ThinkPad P16 are both very good for general use.
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.
Content Creation
8.2/10
8.2/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D 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.
Software Development
7.9/10
8.4/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad P16 to be very good for software development, while the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D 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.
Portability
Poor
Poor
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
6.6 lbs
WEIGHT
6.5 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D both have poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 compare to other laptops
"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 17 X3D 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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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