The Asus ROG Chimera is the most interesting gaming laptop launch at IFA 2017 so far. Here’s everything you need to know.
The ROG Chimera is the world’s first laptop with a 144Hz display. It’s not often we start a laptop specifications rundown with the screen, but those who have experienced 144Hz screens will know exactly why. Your average laptop screen puts out a mere 60Hz (60 images every second), which is fine for most uses but always feels a bit lethargic when gaming.
Desktop monitors have had this problem solved for years; 75, 100, 120, 144 and 240Hz monitors have been available for some time, and make gaming much smoother and more responsive-feeling. Laptops have always been a bit behind, and it wasn’t until last year that we started to see a few machines appear with 120Hz displays.
Asus has reset the bar again, with this 144Hz display that also comes equipped with Nvidia G-Sync for tear- and stutter-free gaming.
Related: Hands-on with the Asus ROG Zephyrus
The screen is a 17.3-inch affair, and it only comes in a Full HD resolution, which is a little disappointing considering it’s now possible to get hold of 4K displays with the same refresh rate. This doesn’t appear to be an IPS screen, either, meaning that while you’ll get all the joy of a high refresh rate, depth of colour will probably come second to speed.
Still, elsewhere this laptop is a powerhouse, with an overclockable Intel Core i7-7820HK processor, and 8GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 GPU.
The laptop also comes with a built-in Xbox wireless receiver for Xbox One controllers, which effectively means the Chimera can be a sort-of portable Xbox One, especially when you consider how many Xbox One games are now available for Windows.
This machine will set you back $2999 (probably £2999) and goes on sale in the US in mid-October.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
