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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →ASUS announced the ROG Strix Hero II and Scar II GL504 on June 4, 2018. The Scar II was the performance model that could carry a GeForce GTX 1070; the Hero II was generally the GTX 1060, MOBA-focused version. Both introduced a narrower-bezel 15.6-inch design, eighth-generation Coffee Lake-H processors and a fast 144 Hz 1080p panel, but the exact specification depended on the regional SKU.
What ASUS announced in 2018
The Hero II and Scar II were two versions of ASUS’s GL504 gaming-laptop family. ASUS positioned the Hero II for MOBA players, with a diagonal lid texture and cyberpunk-style palm-rest graphics. The Scar II targeted first-person-shooter players, using a camouflage/Kevlar-inspired design and offering the family’s highest graphics option. ASUS’s announcement is dated June 4, 2018 (the U.S. news page is dated June 5): ASUS announcement.
The important clarification is that “GL504 with GTX 1070” does not describe every model. In the launch configurations documented by ASUS, the GTX 1070 belonged to the Scar II GL504GS, while the Hero II GL504GM used a GTX 1060. Scar II versions with GTX 1060 also existed, so the model name alone is not enough to identify the GPU.
The narrower-bezel 144 Hz display
Both featured models retained a 15.6-inch diagonal while shrinking the side bezels. ASUS said the redesigned GL504 was nearly an inch narrower than the preceding GL503 generation. The lower bezel remained relatively large, which raises the display and can make the viewing angle more comfortable, but this was still a substantial gaming laptop rather than an ultrabook.
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- PREMIUM ROG NEBULA DISPLAY – Immerse yourself in stunning visuals with the ultra-fast 240Hz/3ms display ideal for gaming, creation, and entertainment. Featuring a new ACR film that enhances contrast and reduces glare.
- STATE-OF-THE-ART ROG INTELLIGENT COOLING – ROG’s advanced thermals keep your system cool, quiet and comfortable. State of the art cooling equals best in class performance. Featuring an end-to-end vapor chamber, tri-fan technology and Conductonaut extreme liquid metal applied to the chipset delivers fast gameplay.
- CUSTOMIZABLE FULL-SURROUND RGB LIGHTBAR – Showcase your style with a full-surround RGB light bar that syncs with your keyboard and ROG peripherals. In professional settings, Stealth Mode turns off all lighting for a sleek, refined look.
- 15.6-inch diagonal
- 1920 × 1080 resolution
- IPS-type technology
- 144 Hz refresh rate on the featured fast panel
- 3 ms gray-to-gray response time
- ASUS-stated 100% sRGB coverage
ASUS’s display overview describes the narrow-bezel design and panel options here: ROG Strix Scar II and Hero II overview. A 144 Hz rating is a ceiling, not a promise that every game reaches 144 frames per second. It is most useful in competitive titles where the GPU can produce high frame rates; demanding modern games may require reduced settings, and some regional GL504 configurations used a 60 Hz panel.
Coffee Lake processors and graphics options
The principal U.S. launch systems used Intel’s eighth-generation Coffee Lake-H Core i7-8750H: six cores, twelve threads and an ASUS-listed maximum of 4.1 GHz. ASUS configuration material also lists the Core i5-8300H, so not every GL504 has the i7.
Graphics created the real divide between the two designs:
| GPU | CUDA cores | Video memory | Memory bandwidth |
|---|---|---|---|
| GeForce GTX 1060 | 1,280 | 6 GB | 192 GB/s |
| GeForce GTX 1070 | 2,048 | 8 GB | 256 GB/s |
Those figures come from ASUS’s comparison article, which also documents the U.S. launch configurations: Scar II and Hero II comparison. The extra resources of the GTX 1070 matter at high settings, in effects-heavy scenes, in VR and when trying to stay near 144 Hz. They do not turn a 2018 Pascal laptop into a modern high-end system.
Hero II versus Scar II
| Feature | Scar II GL504GS-DS74 | Hero II GL504GM-DS74 |
|---|---|---|
| Positioning | FPS-oriented | MOBA-oriented |
| CPU | Core i7-8750H | Core i7-8750H |
| GPU | GTX 1070, 8 GB | GTX 1060, 6 GB |
| Display | 15.6-inch 1080p IPS-type, 144 Hz, 3 ms | 15.6-inch 1080p IPS-type, 144 Hz, 3 ms |
| Memory | 16 GB DDR4-2666 | 16 GB DDR4-2666 |
| Storage | 256 GB NVMe SSD plus 1 TB 5,400-rpm SSHD | 256 GB NVMe SSD plus 1 TB HDD |
| 2018 U.S. launch price | $1,999 | $1,699 |
| Best fit | Higher settings and more 144 Hz headroom | Lower-cost 1080p esports and MOBA gaming |
These are launch-era U.S. configurations, not a universal specification for every country. ASUS’s archival product page lists variants including GL504GW, GL504GS-XS76 and GL504GS-DS74: official GL504 series specifications.
What changed in the chassis and cooling
The redesign was more than a cosmetic refresh. Compared with the GL503 generation, the narrower bezels reduced the footprint while preserving a 15.6-inch screen. The compared U.S. systems measured approximately 36.1 × 26.2 × 2.61 cm and weighed about 2.4 kg (5.3 lb). That is compact for its class, but not light once the charger is included.
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- STATE-OF-THE-ART ROG INTELLIGENT COOLING – ROG’s advanced thermals keep your system cool, quiet and comfortable. State of the art cooling equals best in class performance. Featuring an end-to-end vapor chamber, tri-fan technology and Conductonaut extreme liquid metal applied to the chipset delivers fast gameplay.
- SHOW OFF YOUR STYLE – Express yourself with the customizable AniMe Vision, showcasing text, animations, or your own creations on the lid of your laptop. The full-surround RGB light bar creates a striking 360° glow, while Stealth Mode turns off all lighting for a sleek, professional look around the base.
ASUS called the thermal system HyperCool Pro. Its advertised hardware included:
- Two 12-volt fans
- Anti-dust tunnels intended to limit dust reaching the radiator fins
- An additional radiator over the previous design
- Extra heat pipes in GTX 1070 Scar II configurations for the GPU and power circuitry
These are design claims rather than a guarantee about a surviving second-hand machine. Years of dust, dried thermal paste, worn fans or modified firmware can change temperatures and noise substantially.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteGaming performance: what 144 Hz meant in practice
In ASUS’s own comparison testing, both systems exceeded 100 FPS in lighter esports games such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Rocket League. The GTX 1070 Scar II generally stayed near or above 100 FPS in heavier titles, while the GTX 1060 Hero II remained playable but was often around the 80-FPS range in demanding examples such as Project Cars 2 and Far Cry 5 under the tested settings.
Those results are ASUS’s reported tests, not independently reproduced benchmarks, and they are not predictions for current games. The practical distinction is straightforward: choose the Scar II when high settings and higher sustained frame rates matter; choose the Hero II when esports, MOBAs or older games make the GTX 1060 sufficient.
Keyboard, wireless and connectivity
The shared feature set was aimed at both gaming and everyday use:
- Desktop-style keyboard with dedicated volume and microphone-mute keys
- Four-zone RGB lighting and ASUS’s HyperStrike Pro keyboard design
- Four-antenna ROG RangeBoost wireless system
- 802.11ac 2×2 Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 in the compared U.S. systems
- USB Type-C and Type-A ports
- HDMI 2.0 and Mini DisplayPort 1.2
- RJ-45 Ethernet, SD-card reader and combined 3.5 mm audio jack
Port layouts, wireless modules, storage and keyboard details can vary by country. ASUS’s regional guide documents that variation: ASUS ROG regional product guide.
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- DYNAMIC DISPLAY – Immerse yourself in stunning visuals with the smooth FHD+ 165Hz display for gaming. Featuring a new ACR film that enhances contrast and reduces glare.
- STATE-OF-THE-ART ROG INTELLIGENT COOLING – ROG’s advanced thermals keep your system cool, quiet and comfortable. State of the art cooling equals best in class performance. Featuring an end-to-end vapor chamber and tri-fan technology to deliver quiet gameplay.
- CUSTOMIZABLE FULL-SURROUND RGB LIGHTBAR – Showcase your style with a full-surround RGB light bar that syncs with your keyboard and ROG peripherals. In professional settings, Stealth Mode turns off all lighting for a sleek, refined look.
How to decode a GL504 listing
GL504 identifies the chassis family, not a complete configuration. In the launch material, GL504GM generally indicates GTX 1060 systems and GL504GS generally indicates GTX 1070 systems. Suffixes such as DS74, XS76 and country-specific codes can change the memory, storage, panel, keyboard, operating system and bundled accessories.
Before buying, obtain the full model code and verify the installed hardware. A listing that says only “Scar II GL504” cannot establish the GPU, refresh rate or drive configuration.
Launch pricing and availability
ASUS ROG listed the U.S. Scar II GL504GS-DS74 at $1,999 and the Hero II GL504GM-DS74 at $1,699 when these systems were announced and offered for preorder in 2018. Those are historical launch prices, not 2026 values.
As of August 18, 2026, ASUS’s product page is an archival reference for a legacy family and does not establish a meaningful current U.S. retail price or new-stock channel. Treat any GL504 purchase today as used, refurbished or surplus hardware.
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Is a GL504 worth buying in 2026?
When the Scar II makes sense
- You specifically want this chassis and find a verified GTX 1070 GL504GS.
- The used price is close enough to a GTX 1060 Hero II that the extra GPU headroom is worthwhile.
- You play competitive shooters or demanding 1080p games and value higher settings.
When the Hero II makes sense
- The machine is substantially cheaper and your library is mostly esports, MOBAs or older games.
- You can accept tuning settings to maintain smooth frame rates.
- Condition, battery health and warranty matter more than maximum graphics performance.
When to walk away
- The asking price approaches that of a newer laptop with a current-generation GPU and CPU.
- The battery, charger, hinges, display or cooling system is damaged or unverified.
- You need ray tracing, modern upscaling features, long unplugged battery life or genuinely portable weight.
Used-buying inspection checklist
- Verify the GPU. Check Windows Device Manager, GPU-Z or BIOS information rather than trusting “Scar II” in the listing.
- Confirm the panel. In Windows display settings, select 144 Hz if available; test for dead pixels, flicker, image retention and excessive backlight bleed.
- Stress the system. Run a sustained CPU/GPU workload and watch for severe throttling, crashes, fan surges or performance collapse.
- Inspect storage. Identify whether the secondary drive is an HDD, SSHD or replacement SSD, and check its health.
- Check physical condition. Examine hinges, palm-rest flex, keyboard wear, rubber feet, ports and display-cable behavior.
- Test the charger and battery. Confirm the correct high-wattage ASUS adapter and assess battery wear; a degraded battery limits practical mobility.
- Check software support. Expect Windows 10-era drivers and utilities, and verify that ASUS control software works with the exact model.
In 2026, the GL504’s value is determined more by price, thermals, battery and overall condition than by its original launch specification. The Scar II is the faster member of the pair; the Hero II is the cheaper 1080p esports option. Neither should be mistaken for a current high-end gaming laptop.
