ASUS ROG’s CES 2025 announcements were much broader than a laptop refresh. On January 7, 2025, the company introduced or previewed a new gaming ecosystem spanning Strix and Zephyrus laptops, the redesigned Flow Z13, an RTX 50-series XG Mobile dock, desktop PCs, graphics cards, OLED monitors, motherboards, BTF components and a Wi-Fi 7 router.
These were CES announcements, not a universal launch schedule. Pricing, retail availability and exact specifications vary by country and configuration, so the “up to” figures below should not be treated as specifications for every model.
ASUS ROG’s CES 2025 announcements at a glance
| Category | Products announced | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming laptops | ROG Strix SCAR, Strix G, Zephyrus G14 and G16 | RTX 50-series Laptop GPUs, high-refresh displays and newer Intel or AMD platforms |
| Gaming tablet | ROG Flow Z13 | Ryzen AI Max+ platform with unified CPU and GPU memory |
| External graphics | 2025 ROG XG Mobile | Thunderbolt 5 and RTX 50-series Laptop GPU options |
| Desktops | ROG G700 and 2025 ROG NUC | Upgrade-friendly full tower or compact 3-liter gaming PC |
| Graphics cards | ROG Astral, Strix, TUF Gaming and Prime RTX 50-series cards | Premium cooling and a broad range of build styles |
| Monitors | PG27UCDM, XG27AQDPG and XG32UCG | 4K/240Hz QD-OLED, 500Hz OLED and dual-mode 4K/160Hz operation |
| Components and networking | New motherboards, BTF hardware and GT-BE19000AI router | Rear-mounted connectors, Wi-Fi 7 and gaming-network features |
For the complete first-party announcement, see ASUS ROG’s CES 2025 roundup.
Strix SCAR and Strix G laptops
The 2025 Strix range targets buyers who want sustained gaming performance rather than the smallest possible chassis. The Intel-based Strix SCAR 16 and SCAR 18 were announced with up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU, a 2.5K 240Hz ROG Nebula HDR display with a 3ms response time, up to 64GB of DDR5-5600 memory and up to 4TB of PCIe 4.0 SSD storage.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →#1 Best Overall
- CUTTING-EDGE PERFORMANCE – Experience next-level performance with Windows 11 Home, an Intel Core Ultra 9 Processor 275HX, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU powered by the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture and featuring DLSS 4 and Max-Q technologies.
- HIGH-PERFORMANCE MEMORY AND STORAGE – Multitask seamlessly with 32GB of DDR5-5600MHz memory and store your game library on 1TB of PCIe Gen 4 SSD.
- 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.
That advertised 4TB configuration uses two 2TB drives in RAID 0. It may improve throughput, but it is not redundant: a failure affecting one drive can compromise the array.
The Intel Strix G16 and G18 were listed with up to the same Core Ultra 9 275HX processor and an RTX 5080 Laptop GPU, alongside up to 32GB of memory and 2TB of storage. AMD versions were listed with up to a Ryzen 9 9955HX3D in the G16, a Ryzen 9 9955HX in the G18, and up to RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5070 Laptop GPUs respectively.
All of these figures are maximum configurations. Regional models can use different processors, graphics, displays, memory and storage. ASUS’s Strix specifications and comparison information is the best place to confirm a particular SKU.
Tool-less access is the practical highlight
ASUS emphasized a one-lever chassis-opening system on the Intel-based Strix models and a tool-less Q-Latch SSD mount. The laptops retain upgradeable memory and dual SSD slots, with one SSD slot supporting PCIe 5.0 drives. Listed models also include 90Wh batteries, Wi-Fi 7 on the Intel versions and two Thunderbolt 5 ports.
Tool-less access makes maintenance and upgrades easier, but it does not mean every component is replaceable or that opening the chassis has no warranty implications. Buyers should check the warranty terms for their country. ASUS’s stated 240W cooling and power design also applies to the relevant Intel configuration, not automatically to every Strix model.
One important naming distinction matters here: an RTX 5090 Laptop GPU is not the same product as a desktop RTX 5090. The model number alone does not establish equivalent performance.
Zephyrus G14 and G16: more portable performance
The 2025 Zephyrus G14 and G16 refreshes keeps the series focused on portability. ASUS listed the G14 with up to a Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and RTX 5080 Laptop GPU, an AMD G16 with up to the same Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, and an Intel G16 with up to a Core Ultra 9 285H and RTX 5090 Laptop GPU. Depending on the model, OLED Nebula displays include 3K/120Hz and 2.5K/240Hz options.
The buying decision is therefore less about which family is universally faster and more about priorities. Strix models generally provide larger cooling systems and easier internal access for sustained gaming. Zephyrus machines are thinner and more suitable for carrying between home, school or work, but a slim chassis can involve trade-offs in sustained power, thermals and upgradeability.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11See ASUS’s 2025 ROG gaming-laptop lineup for model-level differences.
Rank #2
- BEST-IN-CLASS PERFORMANCE – Achieve unrivaled performance with Windows 11 Pro an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU.
- HIGH-PERFORMANCE MEMORY AND STORAGE – Multitask seamlessly with 32GB of DDR5-5600MHz memory and store all your game library on 1TB of PCIe Gen 4 SSD, with raw throughput up to 7,000MB/s.
- TOP-TIER ROG NEBULA HDR DISPLAY – Experience breathtaking visuals for gaming, creating, and entertainment, with Mini LED technology, 2,000+ dimming zones, dual ACR layers, a 240Hz refresh rate, and 100% DCI-P3 color for vibrant, lifelike imagery.
- 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.
ROG Flow Z13 is the unusual announcement
The redesigned Flow Z13 is a Windows gaming tablet built around AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor, with 16 Zen 5 CPU cores, Radeon 8060S integrated graphics and 40 GPU compute units. ASUS listed up to 128GB of unified LPDDR5X-8000 memory, a 13.4-inch 2.5K 180Hz touchscreen, a 70Wh battery and 1TB of PCIe 4.0 NVMe storage.
Its defining feature is the unified-memory architecture. CPU and GPU resources draw from the same memory pool, allowing allocation to shift according to the workload. ASUS says changing the allocation requires a reboot, so this is not necessarily a live software slider that can be adjusted while a game is running.
The Z13 also includes a replaceable SSD, a stainless-steel vapor chamber, liquid-metal thermal compound, second-generation Arc Flow Fans and a kickstand that adjusts through 170 degrees. Its form factor places it between a gaming laptop, Windows tablet and compact creative workstation.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Unified memory is not the same as dedicated VRAM, however. Real-world gaming performance depends on bandwidth, power limits, drivers and the game itself. The tablet format may also be less comfortable for long sessions than a conventional laptop, and “up to 128GB” applies only to the highest configuration. ASUS’s Flow Z13 product page has the detailed specifications.
The 2025 ROG XG Mobile brings external RTX graphics
The 2025 XG Mobile is an external graphics dock using RTX 50-series Laptop GPUs and Thunderbolt 5. The new connection standard is intended to broaden compatibility beyond the tightly integrated arrangements used by earlier external GPU products, including potential use with compatible laptops and handheld PCs such as the ROG Ally.
It remains an external GPU, not a desktop graphics card installed directly into a motherboard. Performance depends on the host device, its Thunderbolt implementation, the cable, drivers and power delivery. Thunderbolt 5 also does not mean that every USB-C laptop or handheld supports the full feature set. Confirm compatibility for the exact device and operating-system configuration before buying.
More information is available on the 2025 ROG XG Mobile page.
RTX 50-series desktop graphics cards
ROG announced a broad RTX 50-series range across its ROG Astral, ROG Strix, TUF Gaming and ASUS Prime families.
- ROG Astral: flagship designs with quad-fan cooling, a vapor chamber, phase-change thermal pads, protective PCB coating and a metal frame. ASUS also announced a liquid-cooled Astral RTX 5090 variant.
- ROG Strix: high-end air-cooled cards using features such as phase-change thermal pads, protective PCB coating, vented exoskeletons and Aura Sync RGB.
- TUF Gaming: durability-focused cards for buyers who want a less extravagantly styled alternative.
- ASUS Prime: more conventional-looking options for mainstream or understated PC builds.
Quad fans, vapor chambers and phase-change pads are cooling features, not automatic frame-rate guarantees. Their value should be judged through independent testing of temperatures, noise and overclocking headroom. ASUS’s ROG Astral RTX 5090 page describes the flagship design.
Rank #3
- CUTTING-EDGE PERFORMANCE – Experience next-level performance with Windows 11 Home, an AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX Processor, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU powered by the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture and featuring DLSS 4 and Max-Q technologies
- HIGH-PERFORMANCE MEMORY AND STORAGE – Multitask seamlessly with 16GB of DDR5-5600MHz memory and store your game library on 1TB of PCIe Gen 4 SSD.
- DYNAMIC DISPLAY THAT KEEPS YOU IN THE GAME – Immerse yourself in stunning visuals with a smooth 165Hz/3ms display for gaming and entertainment.
- STATE-OF-THE-ART ROG INTELLIGENT COOLING – ROG’s advanced thermals keep your system cool, quiet and comfortable. State of the art cooling featuring Tri-Fan technology, full-width heatsink, and full-surround vents.
- CUSTOMIZABLE RGB LIGHTBAR – Showcase your style with a customizable 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.
G700 and ROG NUC cover opposite desktop priorities
The ROG G700 is a large, 58-liter prebuilt tower with a glass side panel, ROG components, AMD or Intel processor options, and the possibility of a high-end ROG Astral graphics card. ASUS presents it as an upgrade-friendly, modular prebuilt rather than a sealed appliance.
That could appeal to buyers who want a ready-made system without giving up access to internal components. The announcement does not establish whether every model uses standard power supplies, motherboards and cooling hardware, nor does it prove that the G700 will cost less than an equivalent DIY build. Those details need to be checked against the exact regional configuration.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
The 2025 ROG NUC takes the opposite approach. Its chassis is only 3 liters and includes an RTX 50-series Laptop GPU, up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and up to 96GB of RAM. Connectivity includes HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C, six USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports and Ethernet.
The NUC is aimed at small desks and living rooms, not maximum desktop performance. Its graphics processor is a laptop GPU, so comparisons should be made with compact gaming PCs and gaming laptops rather than a full-size desktop with a desktop RTX 5090. Product details are listed on the ROG NUC page.
Three very different gaming monitors
ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM
The PG27UCDM combines a 27-inch fourth-generation QD-OLED panel with 4K resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate. It is the most broadly appealing of the three announcements for players who want high pixel density, strong contrast and high refresh without choosing a specialist esports display.
ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDPG
The XG27AQDPG targets competitive gaming with a 500Hz OLED panel. That refresh rate matters mainly when the game, graphics card and settings can produce extremely high frame rates. It is not automatically a better monitor for cinematic single-player games, where 4K resolution and image quality may matter more.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →ROG Strix XG32UCG
The 32-inch IPS XG32UCG offers a dual-mode design: 4K at 160Hz or Full HD at 320Hz. This is arguably the most practical concept for mixed-use players, allowing a high-resolution mode for general gaming and a faster mode for competitive play.
One ASUS roundup paragraph reportedly referred to this monitor as the “XG23UCG,” while the product heading identifies it as the XG32UCG. The latter is the model name to use unless ASUS documentation for a particular region says otherwise. See ASUS’s XG32UCG product page.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Motherboards and the BTF cable-management ecosystem
For AMD builders, ASUS announced the Crosshair X870E Apex with AM5 support, two PCIe 5.0 x16 slots, three PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots and an overclocking-oriented design. An X870E Extreme board was also previewed, although the CES roundup did not provide complete specifications.
Rank #4
- CUTTING-EDGE PERFORMANCE - Experience next-level performance with an Intel Core i5 Processor 14450HX, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Laptop GPU powered by the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture and featuring DLSS 4 and Max-Q technologies.
- HIGH-PERFORMANCE MEMORY AND STORAGE - Multitask seamlessly with 16GB of DDR5-5600MHz memory and store all your game library on 512GB of PCIe Gen 4 SSD.
- DYNAMIC DISPLAY — Immerse yourself in smooth visuals with a FHD+ 165Hz display, ideal for gaming, content creation, and entertainment. Featuring a new AGLR film that significantly reduces glare while enhancing contrast, Dolby Vision HDR brings visuals to life with richer, brighter, and more vivid colors. Every image stays sharp and punchy — even from wide viewing angles, so the picture looks just as good off-center as it does straight on.
- 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 360° 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.
The B850 family was described with Wi-Fi 7, multiple M.2 slots and tool-free SSD installation. ASUS’s Intel B860 boards were described with Wi-Fi 7, PCIe 5.0, multiple M.2 slots, support for high-bandwidth CUDIMM DDR5 kits and, on some models, tool-free component removal.
ROG also announced the Maximus Z890 Hero BTF and TUF Gaming B850-BTF WiFi motherboards, plus the ROG Ryuo IV SLC 360 ARGB cooler. BTF moves selected power and data connectors to the rear of the motherboard for cleaner cable presentation. The Ryuo cooler adds an AMOLED pump display with naked-eye 3D visuals.
BTF is an ecosystem decision, not a drop-in motherboard upgrade. The case must provide clearance for rear connectors, and the motherboard, power cables and other parts must be compatible. The cooler’s display is a visual feature, not evidence of better cooling performance.
ROG’s Wi-Fi 7 router
The ROG Rapture GT-BE19000AI router was announced with Wi-Fi 7, AI-assisted game acceleration, features intended to address ping, jitter and packet loss, ad and tracker blocking, security functions and an ASUS claim of up to 46% lower idle energy use.
Those claims should remain attributed to ASUS. A router cannot guarantee lower ping because latency also depends on the ISP, geographic distance, routing, congestion, Wi-Fi conditions and the game server. Wi-Fi 7 is most useful when the home network and client devices support it; wired Ethernet can still be the better choice for a stationary gaming PC.
See ASUS’s ROG networking range for current product information.
What ASUS had not established at CES 2025
The January announcement did not provide one complete, universal price list or launch timetable. It also did not establish independent gaming performance, battery life, noise levels, thermal behavior or performance-per-dollar for the new hardware.
That matters because many of the most important decisions depend on details that vary by region: the exact CPU and GPU, display panel, memory configuration, storage layout, warranty terms and stock status. ASUS’s announcements and comparison charts are useful for identifying features, but they are manufacturer claims rather than neutral benchmarks.
For buyers considering one of these products now, the sensible process is to identify the exact country-specific SKU, confirm its current retail status and warranty, then compare independent testing before treating any performance or value claim as settled. Do not infer current availability or a discount from the January 2025 announcement.
Recommended Free Tools
Which ROG CES 2025 product fits which buyer?
- Maximum laptop performance: Strix SCAR 16 or 18, assuming the weight, price and plugged-in use are acceptable.
- Portable gaming and work: Zephyrus G14 or G16.
- Tablet-style portability: Flow Z13, especially for buyers interested in shared CPU/GPU memory.
- External graphics: XG Mobile, but only after confirming host, cable, driver and power compatibility.
- DIY-free desktop performance: G700, with careful comparison against a self-built PC.
- Smallest footprint: ROG NUC, accepting laptop-GPU performance and tighter upgrade limits.
- Flagship desktop graphics: ROG Astral, provided the case, power supply and budget can support it.
- High-end mixed gaming: PG27UCDM for 4K/240Hz OLED.
- Competitive esports: XG27AQDPG if the system can sustain very high frame rates.
- One display for different games: XG32UCG and its 4K/160Hz and Full HD/320Hz modes.
- Clean cable-managed builds: BTF hardware, but only with a compatible case and component ecosystem.
- Wi-Fi 7 networking: GT-BE19000AI when the broadband connection and client devices justify the upgrade.
The Bottom Line
ASUS ROG’s CES 2025 event was a platform-wide refresh rather than a single product launch. The most consequential announcements were the RTX 50-series laptops and graphics cards, Flow Z13’s unified-memory design, the flexible XG32UCG monitor and the stronger focus on upgradeable or ecosystem-based hardware. Buyers should treat pricing, availability and performance as model- and region-specific rather than assuming every CES specification applies to every retail unit.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
