[CES 2025] ASUS Announces New ROG Strix Laptops, ROG Flow Z13, ROG Zephyrus Refresh & ROG G700 Desktop

ASUS has brought updates to its gaming laptops / PCs lineup with the highlights being the redesigned ROG Strix laptops and new ROG Flow Z13 with AMD’s all-new Ryzen AI Max processors. Also introduced is the updated ROG Zephyrus laptops, new ROG XG Mobile eGPU, and the new ROG G700 desktop PC.

ROG Strix Series

The 2025 ROG Strix lineup will continue to retain the Strix SCAR 16, SCAR 18, G16, and G18 quartet, now with a redesigned chassis with more rounded corners, more RGB lighting, and first-ever for a gaming laptop – tool-less bottom panel access for upgrades and maintenance (including the Q-Latch carried over from desktop motherboards). The Strix G series is further split into Intel and AMD variants (the AMD variants will retain the old design), with a special variant featuring AMD’s 3D V-Cache-infused Ryzen 9 9955HX3D processor.

There’s one small problem with this configuration, however: the GPU option for the G16 maxes out at RTX 5070 Ti, which means the most powerful laptop CPU on the market is unlikely able to properly stretch its muscles. Odd hardware pairing, if you ask me – especially when the Core Ultra-powered Strix SCARs get access to top-tier RTX 5090 Laptop GPUs. In any case, all models feature QHD+ 240Hz panels, with the SCARs using Mini-LED display technology; RAM options are all capped at DDR5-5600 and varies in base capacities depending on models.

Internally, the cooling system has been redesigned for Intel-based models with a new sandwiched structure that places the full-width vapor chamber heatsinks in between two sets of heatsinks at the exhaust; also new is the intake ports at the sides of the chassis to help pull in more fresh air. AMD-based models remain on the traditional 7-heatpipe cooling setup, with only the top configuration (RTX 5070 Ti) using a triple-fan cooling setup.

ROG Flow Z13

The ROG Flow Z13 makes a return after a one-year hiatus, this time featuring AMD’s new Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor with 16 Zen5 CPU cores, onboard Radeon 8060S GPU based on RDNA3.5 architecture, paired with unified quad-channel 128GB (max) of LPDDR5X-8000 RAM. Its display is a 13-inch QHD+ 180Hz IPS panel with 500 nits of brightness, and it also gets a 70Wh battery, all packed inside a chassis just 1.2kg (not including the detachable keyboard). I shall remind you that this is a 13-inch barely-a-laptop with 16 full-sized CPU cores and a proper gaming CPU all in one chip – how crazy is that?

ROG Zephyrus Refresh

The Zephyrus G14 and G16 also gets a small hardware update since the redesign last year. ASUS introduced the second-gen Arc Flow fans for all gaming laptops announced here, and that includes these refreshed Zephyrus laptops. All told, the cooling system is now 23% more efficient, though this didn’t say exactly what the thermal improvements look like. Latest hardware options include up to AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 or Intel Core Ultra 9 285H, along with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPUs.

New XG Mobile eGPU

With the return of ROG Flow Z13, the XG Mobile external GPU (eGPU) module is now updated with two options: NVIDIA RTX 5090 Laptop GPU or RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU. Since the old proprietary XGm connector is no more, the new XG Mobile eGPUs connect via a single Thunderbolt 5 cable, which connects both to the GPU and the additional I/O ports it provides. These includes a pair of USB 3.2 Gen2 (10Gbps) Type-A ports, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.1, and 5GbE LAN, and another Thunderbolt 5 port.

ROG G700 Desktop

Finally, the ROG G700 gaming desktop comes in two versions: the Intel-powered G700, and the AMD-powered GM700 (ASUS still officially refers it as G700). Team Blue’s configuration tops out with the Core Ultra 9 285K, while AMD’s will feature the Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor; both versions will be available in air-cooled or liquid-cooled (240mm AIO) setups, and paired with ASUS’s own off-the-shelf components, including ROG Astral NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 GPU and B860/B850 motherboards.

The chassis features a very standard case layout: intake at front, exhaust at rear and top, while all chassis fans are provided by Cooler Master, according to the spec sheet. You also get 1000W 80+ Gold PSUs and heatsinked 2TB SSDs, though you do lag behind in connectivity features – given that these motherboards aren’t exactly premium units, they are only equipped with Wi-Fi 6 and 2.5GbE LAN. Still plenty enough for wired connection, but wireless may not age as well since it lacks all the Wi-Fi 7 goodies.

Availability

No availability information has been announced for all the aforementioned products thus far, though ASUS Malaysia says this will be updated in due course.

Pokdepinion: The Flow Z13 is going to be one insane machine, I can feel it.