Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
3DMark: Sky Diver: 19,178; Fire Strike: 6,658; Time Spy: 2,436
Cinebench CPU: 737 cb points; Graphics: 89 fps
GeekBench: 3,629 (single-core); 13,800 (multi-core)
PCMark 8 (Home Test): 3,399 points
PCMark 8 Battery Life: 2 hours and 46 minutes
Battery Life (techradar movie test): 4 hours and 28 minutes
The Division (1080p, Ultra): 34 fps; (1080p, Low): 86 fps
GTA V (1080p, Ultra): 25 fps; (1080p, Low): 109 fps
Performance
When it comes to gaming, the GL753 holds its own. It can't compete with the god-like performance of the HP Omen's GTX 1070, but the 1050 Ti has plenty of muscle to get the job done.
It has no problem running modern games, and you can go ahead and pump up the settings on some older games, as well. Resident Evil 7 looked more than creepy running on the GL753, well enough that I had more than a few moments of genuine terror. The one thing the GL753 seemed to have a hard time with in RE7 was rendering hair realistically.
The GL753 runs hot. Really hot. When it's working hard, it exhausts an incredible amount of heat, and the fan noise can't be ignored. The noise isn't so bad that it overtakes in-game sounds, but it does break the silence in an atmospheric game like Resident Evil 7.
Dark and moody
The 17-inch 1080p screen looks great, with bright and clear colors that really pop. Everything looks crisp running on the GL753, from the Windows desktop to an HD movie stream. The one place where the screen failed to impress was in rendering black levels.
Resident Evil 7 heavily relies on darkness to set the creepy mood and unfortunately the GL753 failed to deliver. The parts of the screen not lit by our in-game flashlight didn't look as black as they should have.
On a fully blacked-out screen, we also noticed some light bleed from the bottom corners of the screen. It wasn't enough of a distraction to pull us out of the game, but it was noticeable.
The speakers sound really nice. They're placed on the front of the laptop, so the sound comes right at you when you're sitting in front of it. Resident Evil 7 did a fine job with its creepy sounds, and I even listened to a CD in the DVD drive. It doesn't approach the loudness of the HP Omen, but the sound is more than adequate for a laptop.
Pre-loaded software you actually want
We usually bemoan any and all pre-installed software, but we have to hand it to Asus’ Mission Control. The GL753 includes Asus' ROG Gaming Center software, accessible at any time through a dedicated key on the keyboard. A full screen control center pops up with a quick keystroke and default view shows CPU temperature, fan RPM, and lists the tons of controllable and adjustable options the GL753 affords.
The UI is clever and making adjustments and customizations are really simple. Of all the built-in gaming customization software we've seen, ROG Gaming Center is easily our favorite.
We liked
For 1080p gaming, this is almost as good as it gets, especially factoring in the price. The customizable RGB keyboard gives that extra layer of personalization, and the whole laptop looks sharp without being gaudy.
We disliked
It really heats up when it's working hard, almost to the point of being uncomfortable. Light bleed around the edge of the screen in dark scenes is subtle, but still hard to ignore.
Final verdict
The GL753 is a great full HD gaming laptop. At just $1,299 (about £1,090, AU$1,700), it's a fantastic value. Not only does it have a customizable, RGB keyboard, it has tons of ports, a brand new processor, and a graphic card capable of some serious heavy graphical lifting.
It looks good, too. As far as gaming laptops go, it's practically understated, but it still has enough flourish to let a keen observer know it's designed for gaming. While the chassis is mostly plastic, it doesn't feel cheap or creaky. If you're looking for a powerful 17-inch laptop but don't want to break the bank, the Asus ROG Strix GL753 has just what you need.
