ASUS ROG Strix 18" G814JU-N5008W 2024, Core i7-13650HX, 16GB, 2TB SSD, RTX 4060, Eclipse Gray

The Strix G18 is a desk-bound gaming beast with a stunning 18-inch 240Hz display and a 2TB SSD. Performance is strong thanks to the i7-13650HX and 140W RTX 4060. It's heavy and light on ports, but US pricing makes it a solid value for a big-screen gaming rig.

The i7-13650HX is a 14-core beast that lands in the 83rd percentile for CPUs, and the RTX 4060 at 140W sits in the 88th percentile for GPUs. That combo chews through modern games at 1440p without much drama. The 2TB NVMe SSD is a standout, hitting the 94th percentile for storage, so load times are snappy and you won't be uninstalling games every other week. The 16GB of DDR5 is solid but sits mid-pack at the 56th percentile, which is fine for now but might feel tight in a couple years. The real weak spot is port selection, 24th percentile, so you'll want a USB hub on your desk.

Against the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10, the Strix G18 holds its own on display quality and storage, but the Legion typically offers better port selection and a more refined chassis. The MSI Raider GE68 is a closer match in raw gaming grunt, though the Strix G18's screen is a step above. The Apple MacBook Pro M4 Pro and Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition are in a different lane entirely, better for creators and portability but not direct gaming rivals. The HP OMEN Transcend 14 is far more portable but gives up the big screen and raw GPU headroom.

Pricing is all over the map depending on where you live. US buyers can snag this for around $1,550 to $1,650, which is actually pretty reasonable for an 18-inch gaming laptop with a 2TB SSD and a 240Hz screen. European pricing is brutal though, with listings in the €2,950 to €3,230 range, and that's a much harder sell. If you're in the US, this is a solid deal. If you're in Europe, you're paying a hefty premium for the same hardware.

The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is a big, bold gaming laptop that puts a massive 18-inch 240Hz display front and center. It packs an Intel Core i7-13650HX and an RTX 4060 with a full 140W TGP, so it's built to push frames without leaving much on the table. The 2TB SSD is a nice touch too, especially if your game library looks like a digital hoarding situation.

But this thing is not portable. At 3.42kg, it's basically a desktop with a screen bolted on. The port selection is thin for a machine this size, and the RAM is fine but not exactly future-proof. Still, for a desk-bound gaming rig with a gorgeous screen, it makes a strong case.

Skip this if you need any kind of portability. At 3.42kg with a 1st percentile compact score, it's a desk anchor. Also skip it if you rely on lots of wired peripherals, the port selection is a weak spot at the 24th percentile. And if you're in Europe, the price jump makes it a much harder recommendation compared to US pricing.

If you want a desktop replacement that lives on your desk and delivers a big, beautiful gaming experience, the Strix G18 is a great pick. The 18-inch 240Hz panel is the star here, and the RTX 4060 at full power keeps games smooth. Just don't plan on hauling it to coffee shops. Buy it for the screen and the storage, stay for the frames.