If you’ve been craving an actual high-end gaming laptop deal, this is it. For now, the Asus ROG Strix G18 is back down to $1,799 at Walmart — a full $300 off its normal price. For a top-tier 18-inch system with a high-speed QHD+ panel and higher-end graphics, that pricing is under what comparable rigs typically run.
This configuration bundles an AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX processor with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 laptop GPU, along with 32GB of DDR5 memory and a 1TB PCIe Gen4 SSD. You also receive an ROG Nebula 18-inch 240Hz display, a MUX Switch with Advanced Optimus, and the company’s relentless cooling approach. In other words, it’s designed to crank high frame rates into 1440p-class resolutions without sounding like a hair dryer.
What Makes This Asus ROG Strix G18 Deal Different
Big gaming laptops are popular for a reason, bringing desktop-grade performance and screen real estate to put in the same package. The trade-off is price: 18-inch models from top-tier lines can easily start well north of $2,000. For a lower $1,799, the Strix G18 is within range for customers who need top-tier speed but don’t want to pay boutique-brand premiums.
Against peers, the value is clear. Competing 18-inch systems from well-known gaming brands frequently ask more for similar memory and storage and often charge a premium for 240Hz QHD+ panels. Meanwhile, this configuration includes the features most enthusiasts add to their short list: Advanced Optimus for seamless switching, a MUX path for lower latency, and ample power budgets to minimize performance throttling. Ryzen 9 9955HX is AMD’s multithreaded monster, designed to sustain high clocks under load, a characteristic that pays off in compile times, content creation, and heavily threaded games. Especially with a companion GeForce RTX 5070 laptop GPU, it means smooth QHD+ gaming with settings dialed up and leaning harder on Nvidia’s DLSS capabilities, ranging from basic frame generation to heavy Max-Q capacity tuning. In practical terms, expect esports titles like Valorant, Rocket League, and CS:GO to sail past the display’s 240Hz ceiling with competitive settings, while demanding single-player releases can typically be tuned for 80–120 fps at QHD+ with upscaling. The MUX Switch adds a few extra frames by allowing for a direct GPU-to-panel path while lowering latency — handy in shooters and racing sims where response trumps all. It’s also worth considering how that informs what most players play. As per the Steam Hardware Survey, 1080p is the dominant resolution on PC, but QHD adoption continues to rise. Buying into a QHD+-capable rig today is about providing headroom for sharper visuals and higher-refresh gaming over the next few years as game releases evolve.
The crowning glory here is the ROG Nebula 18-inch panel: a 16:10 QHD+ resolution at an unprecedented 240Hz, with fast gray-to-gray response times to boot, wide color coverage, and even Adaptive Sync as well.
That’s just the balance that hits a sweet spot for competitive play and cinematic single-player, giving you both speed and fidelity. Go to Item Page. The added vertical space is a boon for creatives and spreadsheet warriors between matches.
Cooling has long been a hallmark of the Strix family. The G18 also features a high-surface-area heatsink, dual heat-pipe technology, and a high-airflow fan; some configurations use liquid metal thermal interface on the processor to better transfer heat. The upshot is more consistent clocks in sustained sessions, and less performance sag as the system heats up — precisely what you want when a raid or ranked run is going late into the night.
Construction-wise, the Strix G18 leans hard into gamer swagger with per-key RGB and a chassis light bar, but it’s function-first in the most important of areas: there’s a solid keyboard deck and responsive trackpad for travel days, and a port mix that usually includes USB-C, HDMI, and 2.5G Ethernet. You’ll also get used to carrying around a giant power brick (and a load of 7 pounds or so).
How It Compares and Who Should Buy the Strix G18
If you’re cross-shopping, 16-inch performance laptops can be less expensive, but they abandon screen size and frequently panel speed. Ultra-premium 18-inch machines offer the same, or slightly higher, frame rates at a much higher cost. This Strix G18 splits the difference, with top-shelf screen and CPU-GPU combo but just 32GB of memory out of the box (it’s also easy to pop open for DIY upgrades; most G18 models have a second M.2 slot).
Engineering students or game-streaming creators will love the multi-core horsepower and desk situation provided by the 18-inch screen. Gamers will love the 240Hz panel and MUX Switch. The only customers who ought to hesitate are regular commuters — the G18’s size and charger weight aren’t conducive to daily shuttling.
Shopping Advice Before You Check Out With This G18
Confirm the specific retailer SKU to check for a 240Hz Nebula panel, 32GB DDR5 memory, and a 1TB Gen4 SSD. Look for the features that matter to you — USB4/Type-C charging support, Wi‑Fi 6E or even Wi‑Fi 7 connectivity, and webcam resolution. Inventory and pricing for performance-oriented laptops come and go fast, so if you’re eager to see if you can score a deal on one of your own favorite models, check soon; some sales may expire early or even as we speak (retailers do this in particular).
Once it arrives, install the latest GPU drivers (which are here), set the laptop to “Ultimate” or “Discrete GPU” state if you have it plugged in, and toggle Advanced Optimus for playing so that the dGPU drives the panel. If you’re battery-bound, then switch back to hybrid mode in order to extend your run time. These little things quickly amount to a smoother, faster experience.
Market watchers describe steady demand for gaming notebooks as mainstream PC sales ebb and flow, with 16- to 18-inch models driving premium growth such as that tracked by analyst firms like IDC. That makes this $300 discount on a fully loaded 18-inch rig that much more appealing. If you can take advantage of the upgrade window, though, it’s one of those rare deals that nails performance, panel quality, and cost all at once.