ASUS G74SX Pro Reviews

If you're after a machine to play Battlefield 3, Skyrim and Modern Warfare 3, look no further. The Asus G74S is a mammoth gaming laptop, which has the power to play all the latest titles, and while you might not get as much for your money when compared with full form desktops, it's up there with the best. Buying a gaming laptop offers fantastic pay offs in terms of space and portability. If you don't have room for a hulking desktop system, or like to have the option of taking your laptop away from your home, the Asus G74S is perfect.

The Asus G74SX is a decent and reasonably priced gaming notebook that will handle most games just fine. If you’re looking for something similar to Alienware styling but without the S$4k price tag, this might be a consideration but if not, there are definitely better choices out there. While the exterior looks pretty awesome with its sports car grille and stealth bomber style, the interior is a ho-hum affair and not likely to draw any second looks. We appreciated the bundled peripherals, and both the ROG mouse and Steelseries headset are excellent, but in the end they just emphasize how lacking the notebook’s own track pad and audio are. Its battery life is quite decent, but it's notably heavier than other 17.3-inch notebooks, and there doesn't seem to be any solid reason.

Asus has built a very nice sideline over the years with its gaming laptops, including the G74SX, which is a strong, if expensive, quad-core rig that works fine, but looks like it should cost less.

The design and appearance of the G74SX won’t please everyone—nothing ever could—but anyone looking for a mobile gaming notebook for under $2000 will be hard pressed to do better than this. The base model trims the specs down on the RAM, storage, and display and can be had for $1200, or there’s the 1080p-equipped G74SX-XR1 for $1320—add a 240GB SF-2200 SSD and you’re still looking at $1600 or so for a potent setup. Or if you just want the maximum configuration, the G74SX-A2 gives you an SSD+HDD, 16GB RAM, a great display, and even tosses in a backpack and mouse for good measure, all for $1950. As long as you grab one of the 1080p equipped models, you really can’t go wrong with the G74, and like the Alienware M17x we’re also awarding ASUS our Bronze Editors’ Choice award. Both are great gaming notebooks, and right now they’re our top two picks—grab whichever better suits your needs. Why no gold? We'd like to see the ability for the fan speed (and cooling capacity) to ramp up higher under load--just in case--and after two prior versions with NVIDIA GPUs we feel it's time for the G7 series to add Optimus support. Neither of those complaints are major, but they're the only items that are lacking.

At $1,749 MSRP, the G74SX-A1 is reasonably priced, and the street prices you'll find for this unit are significantly lower. You can also easily add some juice to this particular configuration via an SSD. Asus did a lot of things right with the G74SX-A1, and it's every bit a worthy successor to the G73 series.

ASUS has done it again. The company’s laptops have long been the go-to choice for gamers in need of a powerful yet affordable alternative to custom laptops from brands like Alienware, and the G74 upholds this tradition of affordable excellence. From the design to the display to the keyboard, there’s little fault to find. My only serious complaints stem from the weight and bulk of the laptop, but these are traits that no large 17-inch gaming laptop can buck, and it’s hardly an issue for any gamer who needs this kind of equipment.

This "mobile" gaming machine really does have everything you need for on-the-go power-computing, even though it weighs almost as much as a lightweight desktop. Asus packs a lot of power into the G74SX, and the system has a fairly svelte body to boot. Now, if only we can get a review model that doesn't have a faulty LED backlight.

The Asus G74SX-BBK8 has the menacing look of a gaming machine, and backs it up with competitive performance numbers. On top of all this, its price won't break the bank, making it a solid choice for new gamers.

The G74Sx-A1 handles gaming and productivity tasks with relative ease. It lacks extensive ports and a killer design, but serious PC gamers who can't afford a boutique machine will like it.

The Asus G74SX-A2 holds its own against top gaming laptops with its quad-core processor and Nvidia graphics, and its stealthy cooling system kicks in when those components get hot.

The Asus G74SX is a huge laptop for gamers, but its elegant design and excellent performance are worth the lack of mobility.

With the G74SX-A2, ASUS has updated its desktop gaming notebook in all the right ways. While the changes to the chassis are subtle, the design feels fresh and is comfortable to use for long stretches. Inside, the SSD, quad-core CPU, and one of Nvidia's most powerful GPUs mean that gamers won't be wanting for performance, either. While we prefer the Alienware M17x because it offers even more muscle along with a multicolor, backlit keyboard, that system carriers a $690 premium when similarly configured. If you're looking for a full HD notebook that provides a stellar gaming experience for a reasonable price, the G74SX-A2 is the way to go.

The Asus G74SX-BBK7's performance in the gaming ring is impressive; it will play high-end games, but you'll have to be mindful of the settings. With the added benefit of WiMAX that will keep you connected to your online games, provided you're near an outlet and a metropolitan area and you are subscribed, this machine will satisfy most any gamer's needs.

The masses may like playing casual games on their cellphones but real enthusiasts and gamers will definitely know how to appreciate the G74SX. We’re talking about Asus’ latest gaming laptop that boasts 17.3’’ non-reflective display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Thanks to the display and Nvidia’s GTX 560M 3GB graphics card, gaming in 3D is possible as well. Gaming performance is pretty good considering the display’s native resolution of 1920x1080. This is definitely the fastest laptop we’ve tested so far. In case you’re not keen on rushing purchase, it may be wise to wait a bit and see whether Asus straps the G74S with the GTX 570M or GTX 580M, which should definitely boost 3D gaming performance at 1920x1080.

Although it looked like a "Very Good" for a long time, the Asus G74SX scratches it slightly in the end and has to be satisfied with a very good "Good". Asus has really done a good job on the G74SX and could even improve the well-known gaming range in a few areas. While the familiar surroundings are seen on the case – even if with subtle revisions - the user may take delight in a better keyboard and a top-notch display, at least in the 3D version that we tested. The built-in hardware doesn't always meet the expectations on performance that the labels indicate. The G74SX delivers a solid performance in both applications and games and can display current tracks in the highest graphics quality smoothly most of the time. Seen in detail, the installed CPU would be capable of more in certain situations, though. The Asus G74 belongs to the current favorite of gamers among notebook users.