ASUS ROG Strix G531GT Review: A Conspicuous Gaming Laptop on a Budget

iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more

ASUS ROG Strix G531GT: At First Glance

ASUS is a well-known name when it comes to gaming laptops, with its wide collection of options to choose from based on your budget. The ASUS ROG G531GT is a more budget-friendly version of the ASUS ROG Strix Scar III.

Speaking of which, the ASUS ROG Strix G531GT imitates the higher-end  G series laptops but of course with some compromises to suit its price. Speaking of its price, the laptop starts at $994.00 in August 2021 when we published this article.

The $994.00 price tag is for the base model of the ASUS ROG Strix G531GT. Thus, if you want a model with a higher spec, you’ll need to buff up your budget.    

In the sections below, I’ll discuss my experience with the ASUS ROG Strix G531GT. Therefore, let’s get right into that, shall we?

ASUS ROG Strix G531GT: Design, Dimension & Weight

The ASUS ROG Strix G531GT features all the bells and whistles of a typical modern gaming laptop. It is an aesthetic device adorned by its sharp corners, beautiful logo, RGB illuminations, and air vents.

Therefore, it is safe to say that there is no mistaking it for a regular laptop. ASUS designed the laptop with the same metal-plastic chassis as seen on the ASUS ROG Strix Scar III.

Speaking of which the laptop’s lid is made of a two-tone brushed metal finish that houses the ROG logo. Sadly, the logo does not iluminate as it does on the more expensive ASUS ROG Strix Scar III.

On a positive note, the laptop can be opened with one hand – this is possible because the two hinges aren’t too stiff but sturdy enough. While the lid is opened, the 15.6-inches screen comes into view.

It is worth mentioning that there is a 17-inch version of the laptop – ASUS ROG Strix G731GT. This is suitable for users that prefer a larger screen.

The 15.6-inch display of the ASUS ROG Strix G531GT is surrounded by slim bezels on the top and sides.

The top bezel is slim enough that ASUS didn’t place the webcam on it nor elsewhere but skipped it altogether. This might be disappointing to some users however, you can make use of a detachable camera.

Moving on the base of the laptop, it is made of carbon fiber plastic. The chiclet-styled keyboard can be seen in all its glory.

The keyboard features zonal RGB lighting rather than per-key lighting. Additionally, the keys are adequately spaced and the WASD keys are transparent.

The transparent WASD keys give them a sharp highlight from the rest of the keys. Thereby, making them stand out and easy to spot while gaming.

Furthermore, the keyboard features a row of dedicated keys placed at the top of the keyboard. These keys function as the home key, page up, and volume control.

Also, there is the Armoury Crate app control key which can be used for RGB customizations.

The 15-inch keyboard lacks a dedicated Numpad which is a good idea as it leaves enough room for other the keys to be large enough. However, with the exception of the arrow keys which are rather narrow and weirdly aligned.

Thankfully, when it comes to the typing performance of the keyboard, the feedback is firm and the keys have a deep travel. Overall, the keyboard leaves a satisfying typing experience.

As for the missing Numpad on the keyboard, ASUS provided a substitute for it on the precision touchpad. Hence, with a long touch at the upper-right corner of the touchpad, you can either enable or disable the touch Numpad.

Speaking of the touchpad, it is responsive and smooth, efficiently allowing gestures, swipes, and taps. Overall, the touchpad is comfortable to use but I would prefer a mouse thankfully, a wired mouse ships with the laptop.

Like many other similarities with the ASUS ROG Strix Scar III G531, the ASUS ROG Strix G531GT has an RGB strip wrapped around its edges. However, it misses the security keystone that is present in Hero III.

Moving on to the input and output selections on this laptop, ASUS has included the ports on the back and the left side of the laptop.

With that been said, on the left side, you’ll find 3 USB type-A ports as well as an audio connector. Meanwhile, on the laptop’s back, you’ll find an Ethernet connector, an HDMI connector, and a power connector.

Unfortunately, notable port omissions that I find hard to overlook are a Displayport and USB Type C ports. Additionally, the inclusion of a Thunderbolt 3 and a card reader would have been a nice idea.

On a brighter note, the ASUS ROG Strix G531GT has quite a number of things going for it, one of which is the air vents. ASUS has placed emphasis on enough ventilation.

This is evident from the number of air vents on the laptop’s base, on the keyboard’s base, and on the laptop’s rear. These air vents ensure proper air circulation and prevent thermal throttle when the laptop is under heavy load.

Impressively, adding to the aesthetics of the laptop is the red glow inside the air vents on the back of the laptop.

When it comes to the weight of this laptop, you won’t mistake it for a portable travel companion. It is unarguably heavy at a weight of 2848.5g.

In terms of its dimension, the laptop measures 399.7 x 293.3 x 26.1 mm. At, a thickness of 26.1 mm, the laptop is quite thick.

In conclusion, the ASUS ROG Strix G531GT is an aesthetically crafted gaming laptop. Its RGB features are hard to miss and for those that do not love RGB lightings, you can put them off.

Therefore, I’ll rate the laptop an eight out of ten in this aspect.

ASUS ROG Strix G531GT: Processor (CPU) Performance

On the processor’s side, the ASUS ROG Strix G531GT employs a powerful 9th generation processor. Users have two processor configuration options to choose from.

The first configuration is the quad-core Intel Core i5-9300H processor with an 8 MB cache memory. Additionally, this processor has a base frequency of 2.40 GHz and a maximum frequency of 4.10 GHz.

Meanwhile, the second processor configuration is the hexa-core Intel Core i7-9750H with a 12 MB cache memory. The Core i7 processor has a base frequency of 2.60 GHz and a maximum frequency of 4.50 GHz.

The model I tested shipped with the Core i7 processor. To gauge the processor performance, I performed the Cinebench 20 benchmark test.

As a result of the test, the ASUS ROG Strix G531GT recorded 2937 points. In comparison it surpassed the 2 competing laptops I pitched it against.

The two competitors employ an 8th Gen core i7-8750 processor which as expected isn’t as fast as the 9th Gen on my test model. The first competitor is the Acer Nitro 7 AN715-51 which recorded 2335 points.

Meanwhile, the second competitor is the Lenovo Legion Y530 and it recorded a score of 2335 points as well.

In conclusion, the ASUS ROG Strix G531GT is capable of handling heavy tasks proven from the multithreaded benchmark test. As a result of this, I’ll rate the laptop a seven for its impressive processor performance.

ASUS ROG Strix G531GT: Memory (RAM) Performance

In terms of memory, the ASUS ROG Strix G531GT ships with two DDR4 memory slots. The RAM works at a speed of 2666 MHz and supports up to a capacity of 32 GB.

The model I tested ships with 8 GB RAM on each slot with a total of 16 GB memory. The laptop proved to be a competent multitasking device handling multiple processes without breaking a sweat.

Practically, I was working on a word document at the same time I had about a dozen chrome tabs opened. In addition, I was also streaming music in the background.

However, all these activities had no toll on the laptop. Instead, the laptop handled them smoothly without hesitation nor a noticeable lag.

In addition to the multitasking test, I also carried out a PCMark 10 benchmark test. The laptop recorded a score of 4, 366 points.

Based on the memory performance, it is needless to say that the laptop is a competent one. Therefore, I’ll rate it a nine in this aspect.

ASUS ROG Strix G531GT: Storage Options & Performance

When it comes to storage options, the ASUS ROG Strix G531GT supports an M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD. The SSD can take up to a capacity of 1 TB.

Additionally, the laptop supports a 2.5-inch SSHD SATA drive. This drive can take a 2.5-inch SSD or HDD for a storage upgrade.

ASUS equipped the model I tested with a 512 GB SSD which recorded great read and write speeds. The laptop’s excellent storage performance is proven by the CrystalDiskMark benchmark test I performed.

The CrystalDiskMark benchmark test is used to evaluate the storage performance of a computer.

Based on the test result, the laptop recorded a sequential read speed of 1505.3 MBps. Furthermore, the laptop recorded a sequential write speed of 945.7 MBps.

The laptop delivered spectacular scores in the benchmark test. Therefore, I’ll rate it an eight in this aspect.

ASUS ROG Strix G531GT: Graphics Card Performance

As for the graphics option, the laptop employs a wide range of dedicated graphics cards. At the very bottom, you can get a configuration with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card.

The GTX 1650 GPU has a 4 GB GDDR6 VRAM. Also, it has a base frequency of 1354 MHz and a boost frequency of 1455 MHz.

Next, there’s the configuration with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics card. This graphics card comes with a dedicated GDDR6 VRAM memory of 6 GB.

Moreover, the GTX 1660 Ti GPU has a base frequency of 1500 MHz. It also has a boost frequency of 1770 MHz.

Moving up the ladder, there’s another GPU configuration with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card. The RTX 2060 graphics card also comes with a dedicated GDDR6 VRAM memory of 6 GB.

Additionally, the GTX RTX 2060 GPU has a base frequency of 1365 MHz. It also has a boost frequency of 1680 MHz.

Finally, at the topmost GPU configuration is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 with an 8 GB VRAM. The RTX 2070 graphics card has a base frequency of 1410 MHz. It also has a boost frequency of 1620 MHz.

The ASUS ROG Strix G531GT model I reviewed shipped with the base configuration with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 GPU. To gauge the graphics performance, I used the 3D Mark Fire Strike test.

The 3D Mark Fire Strike benchmark test uses DirectX 11 to determine the performance of gaming computers. The test includes two graphics stress tests – a physics test and a combined test that stresses the CPU and GPU.

For this graphics benchmark test, the higher the number the better the computer’s graphics performance.

From the test result, the laptop recorded a score of 8730 points. In comparison with the Acer Nitro 7 AN715, the laptop performed below expectation.

The laptop’s performance is quite disappointing as the Acer Nitro 7 also makes use of the same NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 GPU. Specifically, the Acer Nitro 7 scored 9292 points.

Moving on to the actual gaming performance, I played Grand Theft Auto 5 at Full HD and different quality settings. At a normal setting, the game was played at 116 fps.

Also, at a high setting, the game played at 81 fps. Finally, at a very high setting, the game played at 45 fps.

The laptop has proven to be a powerful graphic machine even at its baseline configuration. Hence, I’ll rate it a seven in this aspect.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

ASUS ROG Strix G531GT Battery Life & Performance

Battery performance on most gaming laptops tends to be the deal-breaker. With a 48Whr battery on the ASUS ROG Strix G531GT, the same sad story applies.

ASUS claimed that the battery will deliver up to 4 hours battery life. Truthfully, the laptop lasted that long during basic usage that involves web browsing and typing.

However, when it comes to more extensive tasks like gaming, the battery lasted just 65 minutes. Beating the laptop’s battery performance is the Acer Nitro 7 which lasted 79 minutes in the same gaming battery test.

Due to its meager battery backup, it is not advisable to play games with the ASUS ROG Strix G531GT unplugged from power. Therefore, the laptop is not recommended for frequent mobile users.

When it comes to charging the laptop, it ships along with a 150W charger. The 150W charger takes about 1 hour 30 minutes to charge the battery fully.

The battery performance is not the best you can get from a gaming laptop neither is it the worst. Therefore I’ll rate it a six in this aspect.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

On a final note, the ASUS ROG Strix G531GT delivers an impressive performance which is quite tempting considering the price tag. The laptop also looks the part with all the aesthetics of a gaming laptop checked.

On the other hand, the laptop comes with its fair share of compromises such as poor display quality and inadequate port selection. The battery performance is also poor even for a gaming laptop.

In conclusion, if you can make do with the compromises, generally the laptop should result in a happy ending purchase.

I hope you found this ASUS ROG Strix G531GT review helpful. If you found the review helpful, kindly click Yes to “Was this page Helpful?” below.

You could also share your thoughts with the “Leave a Comment” form found at the end of this page.

Finally, for more laptop reviews, visit our Laptop Reviews page. You may also find our Laptop Specs page very helpful.

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.