Two high-end laptops have arrived at the editorial staff of HelloSolar.info, and not the least: they are indeed the first to opt for the latest Intel processors and, above all, a GeForce RTX 3070Ti and 3080Ti. The results are impressive, sometimes even with an unprecedented level of performance.
The weeks go by and the observation is always the same, relentless: playing on PC in 2022 is expensive, much more than before. Components are becoming scarce, prices are soaring – especially on the graphics card side – and it is currently difficult to see even the beginning of a way out of the crisis. To join the “PC Master Race”, you must therefore be ready to spend lavishly, while being patient. If you have an XXL budget and are looking for a portable and overpowered gaming machine, this article is for you: we had the opportunity to test two models of laptops from Asus and Razer: d on one side the ROG Strix Scar 15 equipped with a GeForce RTX 3070 Ti and on the other the Blade 17 which integrates a GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. They are, quite simply, the most high-end laptop graphics cards on the market. Add to that the latest generation of Intel processor (Core i9-12900H for the first and Core i7-12800H for the second) and you get the most powerful laptops ever designed.
Features of the Razer Blade 17 and Rog Strix Scar 15
| Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 | Razer Blade 17 | |
| screen size | 15.6 | 17.3 |
| Screen type | IPS | IPS |
| Definition | 2560×1440 | 2560×1440 |
| Refresh rate | 240Hz | 240Hz |
| Processor | Intel Core i9-12900H | Intel Core i7-12800H |
| Graphic card | GeForce RTX 3070 Ti | GeForce RTX 3080 Ti |
| RAM | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| Storage | 1TB | 1TB |
| connectors | 2 USB 3.1×2 USB-Cx1 HDMI 2.1x1RJ45x1 Jack | 2 USB 3.2×3 USB-Cx1 HDMI 2.1×1 jack |
| Dimensions | 26x35x27cm | 26x39x20cm |
| Weight | 2.3kg | 2.7 |
Buy the Razer Blade 17 from Razer
Buy the Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 (RTX 3070 Ti) on Materiel.net
Buy the Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 (RTX 3080 Ti) on Materiel.net
Of course, all this has a price: count 3000$ for the Strix Scar 15 in 3070 Ti and 4699$ (!) for the Razer Blade 17. Is this really reasonable? This is what we will try to see in the following lines. Note that this article is not intended to test the two laptop models, but to discuss their performance in game, with the emphasis on the comparison with a desktop graphics card for the Razer Blade 17. That being said said, whether in terms of manufacturing quality, finish, comfort of use and screen quality, we are dealing with two excellent products, very high-end, and fittings with their price positioning.
On the left, the ROG Strix Scar 15. On the right, the Razer Blade 17
ROG Strix Scar 15: a superb ultra-powerful 15-inch
Let’s start with the ROG Strix Scar 15 equipped with an Intel Core i9-12900H processor, a GeForce RTX 3070Ti (8GB) with a 150W TGP, 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB NVMe SSD First of all, we note the fairly high TGP of the card, one of the highest we have seen on a laptop. We’ll be pitting it against the ROG Zephyrus M16 featuring an RTX 3070 with a 100W TGP and the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro featuring an RTX 3070 with a 140W TGP. Remember that the TGP (Total Graphics Power) represents the energy consumption of the graphics card. The higher it is, the better the performance… but the more the PC will require a good cooling system.
Most of the Rog Strix Scar 15’s cooling is on the back
Apart from the TGP, what concretely differentiates the RTX 3070 Ti from the “classic” RTX 3070 on a laptop PC? It’s a bit the same thing on a desktop PC: the 3070 Ti is based on the same architecture (Ampere) and the same fineness of engraving (8 nm), but integrates more calculation units and a clock frequency a little higher. The difference is not huge, however, but should be enough to be comfortable in 1440p, which is the definition of the screen of the Rog Strix Scar 15. But, as you will see, the different TGPs we compare here can make a real difference.
At 1080p, the ROG Strix Scar 15 is impeccably comfortable and will deliver 60 FPS in the vast majority of games, with a maximum graphics options profile. The games that show the lowest scores are somewhat always the same: in 1920×1080, Cyberpunk 20077 will approach 60 FPS on average, without however reaching them, as will Metro Exodus (Enhanced Edition), which will still be playable at over 50 FPS with ray-tracing on “high” and DLSS on “balanced”. But we appreciate the 82 FPS of Borderlands 3 and the 89 FPS of Control. The latter runs particularly well with all ray-tracing effects activated as well as DLSS.
In 1440p (the native definition of the 15.6-inch screen at 240 Hz), the 3070 Ti of the ROG Strix Scar 15 still does very well, even if it is necessary to make a cross on the 60 FPS in several securities. Cyberpunk 2077 thus drops to 42 FPS and Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition will struggle to exceed 45 FPS (where you have to bet a DLSS in “performance” mode). But we appreciate being able to play Control at 66 FPS and Red Dead Redemption 2 at 55 FPS.
The RTX 3070 Ti against the other 3070 for laptops
But the most important thing here is to see if the performance difference with a laptop PC equipped with a GeForce RTX 3070 is sufficient and justifies the price differences. The graph below compares three models: our Strix Scar 15, a Zephyrus M16 in 3070 with a “small” TGP and a Legion 5 Pro in 3070 with a rather high TGP. The benchmarks were made in 1440p. Clarification: these three laptops also have different processors, which can affect the final performance. But it is above all, here, the graphics card which will define the level of power.
Results in 1440p
As you can see, the Strix Scar 15 still has the advantage, but the gap is not very high, especially with the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro which does particularly well at 2560×1440 pixels. The gap is a little bigger with the ROG Zehyrus M16, which has a lower TGP. But apart from the impressive boost on Watch Dogs Legion, there is never more than a 6 FPS gap on other games.
We are all the same on a portable PC able to run at more than 50 FPS most AAA of the moment, in 1440p, which is quite admirable. But despite everything, we were hoping for a slightly higher performance gap compared to models with a GeForce RTX 3070.
4th Gen Max-Q makes its debut
On portable PCs dedicated to video games and equipped with a GeForce GPU, Nvidia is implementing a Max-Q “label”, which is its 4th generation. Basically, these are specifications that the manufacturer must respect in order to benefit from better optimization, whether in terms of power, energy management, temperature and noise from ventilation.
Max-Q thus encompasses a whole battery of technologies pushed by Nvidia and fuel for algorithms: Dynamic Boost, which intelligently distributes energy between the CPU and the GPU according to the task in progress, Whisper Mode, which allows efficient management of ventilation and temperature, or Resizable Bar allowing faster and more efficient communication between the CPU and the GPU. The two laptop models mentioned in this article are labeled Max-Q 4th generation.
Razer Blade 17 RTX 3080 Ti: as powerful as a “desktop” 3070
Now let’s look at “the beast”, the most high-end model from Razer, sold for nearly $4,700. The Blade 17 is the first laptop PC with a GeForce RTX 3080 Ti that we are testing, which is also accompanied by a 12 generation Intel processor (Core i7-12800H), 16 GB of RAM in DDR5 and a 1 TB NVMe SSD. It also has a 17.3-inch screen in WQHD (2560×1440 pixels) which goes up to 240 Hz. For the purposes of our tests, we launched 7 games in this definition, but also in Ultra HD via a screen 4K connected to PC via HDMI. Because, with such a configuration, we can decently hope to play in 3840×2160… It’s true, but not always at 60 FPS.
The Razer Blade 17 is particularly thin
With its particularly high TGP of 165W, the 3080 Ti of the Razer Blade 17 delivers an unprecedented level of performance on a laptop PC. We are of course far from the performance of an RTX 3080 Ti for desktop PC, but neck and neck with what delivers a GeForce RTX 3070 “desktop” which has a much higher TGP (320W) and, sometimes, not very far of a “desktop” RTX 3080. The Blade 17’s 3080 Ti even often takes over the desktop 3070, whether at 1440p or Ultra HD. This is the case, in particular, on Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition, Cyberpunk 2077 or Watch Dogs Legion.
Results in 1440p
When you go up in definition to reach the sacrosanct 3840×2160 pixels, you have to say goodbye to 60 FPS, unless you lower the level of detail. But, here again, we are at the same level as a GeForce RTX 3070 desktop, which is even regularly outdated (on Cyberpunk 2077, Metro Exodus or Control). Here, however, the RTX 3080 desktop retains a clear advantage.
Results in Ultra HD
If you buy this Razer Blade 17 with an RTX 3080 Ti, you should of course not expect to have the performance of the equivalent model on a desktop PC. The format is not the same, the constraints linked to Max-Q limit many things… But we are still impressed by the general level of performance and we have never had an equivalent to a high-end fixed PC, but in portable version.
2 ultra high-end laptops… at a luxurious price
Our opinion on the ROG Strix Scar 15 is a little more mixed: the PC is, in itself, excellent (good screen, impeccable finish), but the in-game performance gap offered by the “Intel 12th generation / RTX 3070 Ti “doesn’t seem huge compared to a machine with a previous generation CPU and an RTX 3070. The Strix Scar 15, with its 32 GB of RAM, is on the other hand a dream PC for working on heavy tasks, type video editing. Same story for the Razer Blade 17, also equipped with 32 GB of RAM: with its comfortable 17” screen, it’s a pleasure to watch videos while on the move. Our JRI at the editorial office will have a good time hard to part with.
But whether you opt for Razer or Asus ROG, the price remains frankly high and you will clearly have to wait for a good reduction during the sales or a Black Friday to crack. Nevertheless, these “new generation” portable PCs reach an unprecedented level of power.
Buy the Razer Blade 17 from Razer
Buy the Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 (RTX 3070 Ti) on Materiel.net
Buy the Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 (RTX 3080 Ti) on Materiel.net
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