Per-key RGB lighting is unavailable and so the same quad-zone RGB lighting returns. We feel there's no excuse here since this is a 17-inch laptop with more surface area to spare. We're hopeful that future iterations will give these keys the proper full-size treatment much like on the Dell Precision 7530. The most disappointing aspect of the keyboard is its Arrow keys and NumPad keys as they are physically smaller than the QWERTY mains for noticeably spongier feedback. In this case, it appears that no major changes to the keyboard have been made despite the generational leap in chassis design. Key clatter is relatively quiet - even from the Space and Enter keys - and feedback from the main QWERTY keys is satisfactory if not slightly on the soft side. Key travel is 1.8 mm to be deeper than most Ultrabooks where 1.6 mm or shorter is common. Keyboard size and layout remain identical to the GL703. Other than these minor drawbacks, construction quality is excellent on our unit with no noticeable defects or uneven gaps. Lid angle is also limited to just under 150 degrees even though the hinges are otherwise satisfactory to prevent teetering. The Razer Blade Pro is still the more inflexible system and so are the larger ROG G series or MSI GT75 series. If we are to mention any nitpicks, then it would be that its chassis could have been even stronger. It's actually quite thick in contrast to the narrow bezels and it feels stronger than on the Zephyrus GX501. The lid is another strong point as it is more rigid than we had anticipated. The base twists and the keyboard will warp slightly when under moderate pressure, but they exhibit no creaking in the process. Case quality is above average and certainly superior to the MSI GS73 series. The design looks undeniably sleek especially when compared to the sea of thick 17-inch gaming laptops in the market, but webcam placement suffers much like on the XPS 15 series. Outside of pure aesthetics, it's the 7 mm bezels that the GL704 is known for. These visual touches give the GL704 a distinctive look without being too gaudy or distracting. To add even more visual flare, a new quad-zone LED light bar across the front edge is compatible with Asus AURA for customizeable lighting effects and the ROG logo on the outer lid will glow in tandem as well. The matte palm rests carry a light checkerboard texture and a light camouflage paint to avoid what would have otherwise been flat and boring plastic. Whereas the lid is of Zephyrus origin, the base of the GL704 is all original. Edges and corners are flatter and sleeker than on the GL703 and the end result is a system that looks high-end and not just a less expensive knockoff of the ultrathin Zephyrus line. The GL704 redesign draws inspirations from the Zephyrus series for its outer lid yet again, but this time much more closely. We described the GL703 chassis as a "budget version" of the then-new Zephyrus GX501. For this review, we'll be comparing it to the last generation GL703 and showing how it represents the biggest step forward for the 17-inch GL series yet. Until these competing OEMs catch up with their own 17-inch narrow bezel offerings, however, the GL704 is in a category of its own. Direct competitors in the 17-inch space are common including the Lenovo Legion Y730 17, EVGA SC17, HP Omen 17, or MSI GS73VR. The starting price of $1600 USD may be a bit high, but this is only because Asus isn't artificially bumping down the price floor with slower primary HDDs or GTX 1050 SKUs. SKUs are limited to just these core options for now with more likely to come early next year. In fact, this is one of the first gaming laptops in its size class along with the less expensive TUF FX705 series to have narrow bezels.Īs opposed to the enthusiast ROG G series or entry-level TUF FX series, the GL704 series targets upper mid-range or mainstream gamers with its GeForce GTX 1060 GPU, Core i7-8750H CPU, and 144 Hz 1080p display (up from 120 Hz on the GL703). The new model has been completely redesigned from the ground up to incorporate narrow bezels on all three sides and to be one of the most compact 17-inch gaming laptops available. Asus made public its GL704 series at Gamescom 2018 as the direct successor to the GL703 series.
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