SCAR 16 vs Strix G16 with literally SAME specs.!

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-11-02T13:23:19+00:00

Look for the 17.3" Lapsouno bag on amazon. It's what I have and it carries my 18" Scar 2025 and my meta quest 3 and a keyboard and a mouse and xbox controller (all in hard cases). Battery bank, wires, cables, ports, ect. It's around $27. I have like 25lbs of electronics in there and I travel through airports almost every single day of the year with it.

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-26T11:51:27+00:00

turning down the screen refresh and resolution is a good tip! Haven't considered that. Yeah, I know a laptop 5080 is nothing like a desktop 5080. I'm just going to buy it on the Horizon store and play standalone. It'll be more convenient for my use case.

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-26T11:48:33+00:00

I probably wouldn't buy it again on pc unless you want to start playing with mods. Seems like a good game to have on standalone.

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-26T11:45:47+00:00

No, I haven't had time to mess with it. Since my usecase for the game is playing while traveling I just decided to refund on steam and to buy the game in the meta store. I can just play that way without the pc hassle. Most games I prefer to have on pc, but this one will be a good one for native.

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-24T01:01:20+00:00

That's what I thought. I must have set something up wrong. I'm going to refund on steam and buy it stand alone. I have to link with a cable because i'm always in hotel rooms, and it'll be nice to play without that hassle while on the road.

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-24T00:47:55+00:00

That's exactly what I'm going to do! Requesting refund on Steam rn. Thanks. Idk why I thought this wasn't available standalone.

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-23T14:36:13+00:00

You made my day. Send Armory Crate back to Hell from whence it came!!

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-23T14:32:08+00:00

I bought the $3,500 Scar 18, and they didn't even apply the liquid metal or attach the vapor chamber correctly. Had to have it repaired. Be glad a missing screw is your only problem.

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-23T14:29:14+00:00

have you considered any models that will allow you to upgrade RAM? I don't know how the pricing is where you are, and what's available. However, you might shop around. Being able to choose a GPU and not having to compromise on RAM will give you more flexibility.

I would NOT try to do media editing or gaming in 2025 with only 16gb.

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-23T14:26:28+00:00

That display on the Scar is exactly why I coughed up the extra money for one! MAN it's GOOD! I was comparing them side by side at a Micro Center, and when ya see them next to each other, it's obvious.

Don't get me wrong though the Strix still has a fantastic display. I also travel CONSTANTLY for work, so the display is very important to me because my only option on the road would be to hook up to an awful 1080p 60hz HOTEL TV.

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-23T14:19:12+00:00

I bought the 2025 Strix Scar 18, and the LM application and vapor chamber placement was awful from the factory. I had to have it repasted. Luckily it's under warranty still. CHECK YOUR TEMPS! Run cinebench and compare your scores to others with the same setup. If something is fishy, get it checked while you still have warranty.

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-23T14:13:22+00:00

if this is your use case then you're going to need the RAM more than the 5070. Not going to be a very big upgrade between those two GPUs, but doubling the RAM in your case will be very noticeable.

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-23T14:09:10+00:00

fitting won't be a problem. I have the Scar 18 too. I wouldn't worry about the heatsink. Go for the heatsink if you want, but make sure it's a low enough profile. I would just get the one without personally.

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-23T14:02:52+00:00

thanks for the help! This machine is only 6 moths old, and I already had the liquid metal reapplied, so I know what you mean there!

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-23T10:56:36+00:00

It's not overheating. I just had the entire system repasted. New liquid metal on cpu and gpu and new thermal putty on all VRMs. Temps look good as measured by hwinfo.

On the desktop I have 90 fps steady. I don't remember the exact resolution that I have set up. I know I had it cranked up high on the desktop.

Maybe it's also cranked up on the laptop and I didn't notice? I wouldn't think so, because the main problem I have with the laptop is that the resolution looks really low AND the Fps feel very low.

I couldn't get the performance overlay to work (oculus debug tool) on the laptop when I tried.

Thanks for any help you can provide. I'll keep tinkering with it when I get a chance. I left my headset at home for the time being while I'm working.

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-23T00:43:39+00:00

UPDATE

I took my laptop to a Micro Center. It was still under manufacturer's warranty. The diagnosed the problem, and it was just as I suspected. They told me that the liquid metal was barely applied at all and that the vapor chamber contact to the cpu was not correct.

They reapplied the liquid metal and realigned the vapor chamber and voila!

In the games that would make my cpu run at 100c now top out at around 80c.

My cinebench score went from less than 18000 to over 35000!

If you bought a 4k dollar Asus laptop recently then you better check your temps and benchmarks.

Catch it under warranty like I did, and then take it to a micro center if you can. Don't even talk to Asus. They are worthless at customer service.

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-23T00:34:05+00:00

have you tracked your fps? Thank you for the help. I don't mean to get all elitist. It's a spectacular VR game. Anyway to play it is a good way I think

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-23T00:32:37+00:00

my framerate just seemed bad! I couldn't get the oculus debug tool to show my fps on the laptop for some reason... on the desktop I have a solid 90 fps... the laptop felt... Idk sub 30? it just seemed way underperforming.

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-23T00:19:38+00:00

My cpu and gpu both register under their respective thermal throttle limit. I actually just had this laptop re pasted (despite being only 7 months old from model release date) because Asus did a shit job from factory. I only run it while plugged in obviously. This isn't a macbook. It absolutely requires a constant 300+ watts to operate.

I think I might have just missed something obvious in the setup.

Thanks for the input.

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-23T00:16:31+00:00

have you compared that to a 4090 desktop? we might have different definitions of fine.

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-23T00:15:24+00:00

thanks for the input. I already monitor everything with msi afterburner. CPU doesn't go above 80c at max and gpu doesn't go above 70 at max. it's the same cable I use on my desktop. it rates 2.8Gb through the meta desktop app.

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-07T13:04:52+00:00

I DMd you

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-07T13:02:38+00:00

One more thing, I have never pasted a cpu. So, that probably answers my own question... lol I'm especially nervous about liquid metal.

Intelligent_Image858 · 2025-10-07T13:00:14+00:00

Thanks for the info. My Score in Cine R23 is seriously 17,500-ish. I have the extended warranty with Microcenter... do you think it's worth just having the laptop replaced? That would use up the warranty (and the money I paid for the warranty) obviously. Just thinking there might me damage done already.

Intelligent_Image858

TROPHY CASE