Price Analysis And Conclusion
The Asus Strix GL702VM-DB71 is hard to beat at this price. The GTX 1060 sits at the low end of what's possible in a high performance gaming laptop, and the Asus Strix 17 embodies this value-oriented sweet spot, going head to head with its little brother, the GL502VM-DB71, and MSI's Stealth Pro, which climbs above that magic $1,500 mark, but includes an SSD and comes in a thin, light package. In this value segment, trade offs abound.
In our synthetic and productivity tests, the Strix 17 falls behind slightly, but the results are all within a margin of error. In game benchmarks, the Strix 17 proves to be a worthy challenger, besting the Strix 15 in most of the tests, albeit by a slim margin.
Speaking of price, the Asus Strix 17 seems to vary from seller to seller based on the amount of VRAM that comes with the Nvidia GTX 1060. On Newegg the DB71 configuration is priced at $1,300 and only has a 3GB GTX 1060, whereas Amazon lists the DB71 at $1,400 with 6GB of VRAM. We tested the version with 6GB of VRAM. Asus also offers the Strix 15 for $1,400 as well. That means for no additional cost (assuming there are no special promotions occurring when you're shopping) and no performance compromises, you can step up from a 15.6" display to a 17.3" display. Add the additional battery life and this could be a no-brainer for those who prefer the larger footprint and display real estate.
Keep in mind that the 17" Strix gaming laptop doesn’t disperse heat as well as its smaller counterpart, which is a shame considering how well the cooling system in the Strix 15 performed. On average, the Strix 17 performed at around 8°C hotter than the Strix 15, with the temperature difference growing to nearly 10°C at max.
Additionally, one of the GL702VM’s main selling point is its G-Sync display. The G-Sync panel offers smooth performance at less than optimal frame rates. Unfortunately, the G-Sync display's smooth performance is hindered a bit by a lackluster display. In particular, the grayscale and overall average color differences were too high to go unnoticed, and we found the gamma point to dip considerably at mid to maximum brightness.
Size and battery life make an interesting dynamic in particular, because on one hand, the Strix 15 makes for a lighter and more portable system for traveling. On the other hand, the Strix 17 offers over two hours of battery life, which can be vital for travel. You'll have to weigh the options according to your needs.
MORE: Best Gaming Laptops
MORE: All Laptop Content