Asus ROG Strix G16 gaming laptop drops to $1,199

If you’ve been waiting for a genuine price cut on a beastly gaming laptop, this one should be on your radar. The baseline Asus ROG Strix G16 is currently a similar $1,199 (or about £855 converted) for a system that crushes our performance-per-dollar curve.

That matters because 16-inch performance laptops have slowly climbed in price over the past couple of years, with good builds often costing $1,500 to $2,000. Market trackers like Circana have observed increasing average selling prices throughout the PC category, and import costs can drive MSRPs upward. A genuine $1,199 for decent hardware is getting harder to come by.

What makes this $1,199 Asus ROG Strix G16 build special

For its part, this Strix G16 is the result of an arrangement between Intel and Nvidia that teams an Intel Core i7-14650HX CPU with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060, 16GB of DDR5 memory, and a 1TB NVMe SSD. That’s a 21st-century, creator-centric baseline: a mess of CPU threads for the physics-heavy games and multitasking that creators are wont to undertake, a tier of GPU built for high-refresh 1080p, some quick storage on which to grow your game collection plus project files.

That’s paired with a 16-inch Full HD panel running at 165Hz and rated for 300 nits of brightness. That combination is reasonably practical for most players. 1080p is still prevalent on PC, as shown in the Steam Hardware Survey, and it’s an added benefit: higher refresh rates are much more noticeable among competitive titles. The reality is that it’s more realistic to drive 165 frames per second at 1080p, and it does well in terms of thermals and noise instead of pursuing a configuration primarily designed to hit ultra settings at higher resolution.

Real-world performance expectations for this Strix G16

Nvidia’s 60-class GPUs have long offered the best price-to-performance ratio in laptops, and the RTX 5060 appears to continue that trend. You will achieve smooth 1080p gameplay over 60 fps on popular competitive titles and well along in the triple digits when they’re optimized for performance. That corresponds with trends in UL’s 3DMark results and independent testing from major PC review outlets.

The Intel HX-series chip comes with high clocks and plenty of threads, which pays off in open-world games dense with simulation (as well as multitasking while streaming and recording). Along with 16GB of DDR5, it’s a responsive setup, though if you work with large RAW photo sets or complex video timelines you’d be wise to upgrade the memory to 32GB – and that’s an affordable boost.

Thermals and build that match the speed of this laptop

Cooling is what separates a quick first-minute lap from the full session. The end-to-end vapor chamber in the Strix G16, for example, enables liquid metal on the CPU and a tri-fan array to keep boost clocks sustained longer while reducing thermal throttling under heavy loads. In real-world terms, that translates to more even frame times during extended raids, exports that complete at a faster pace, and lower skin temperatures where your palms would rest.

But despite all that performance hardware, the chassis is surprisingly clean and fairly slim for a 16-inch system. That’s the sort of form factor that you can use to commute in, without having to carry around a full-on desktop replacement with plenty of room for cooling and a spacious keyboard deck.

Why creators benefit from this ROG Strix G16 configuration

If you have a day with games and another with production work, this config is tight. The RTX 5060 graphics card features Nvidia Studio drivers, providing accelerated performance in Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and Blender with CUDA and the NVENC encoder, as well as a boost to H.264/H.265 workflows thanks to Intel’s Quick Sync. A 1TB SSD gives room for current projects, and most Strix G16 models come with two SODIMM slots and extra M.2 storage you can add — check the configuration before making the purchase.

Key things to check before buying the ROG Strix G16

Panel details matter: Make sure you get the 165Hz Full HD screen rated at around 300 nits, and if possible ensure there’s a MUX switch or Nvidia Advanced Optimus letting the GPU drive the display directly for as many frames as it can push. For essentials like HDMI 2.1, Ethernet, and USB-C or Thunderbolt (depending on your docking needs), check the port selection.

Battery expectations should be realistic. Like most gaming setups, this one is optimized for maximum performance when operating on AC power. Light office work might last hours, but heavy gaming certainly will not. Check that the power adapter meets your card’s needs, and think about how you want to game if you’re playing away from a wall socket.

Finally, verify any warranty terms and return windows with the retailer. Deals are nice; flexibility in case of a panel lottery or coil whine is even better.

Bottom line on the $300 discount for the Strix G16

With specs that include the i7-14650HX, RTX 5060, 16GB of DDR5, a 1TB SSD, and a 165Hz refresh rate on its 16-inch display, this ROG Strix G16 sticks to all the right super-modern fundamentals you need for smooth gameplay and creator workflows at or around FHD resolutions.

At $1,199 (it’s a $300 discount), that makes it a rather tempting buy in a landscape where midrange prices are still on the rise.