Asus ROG FX503- We know the process of selecting your next laptop might vary from person to person; some might look for aspect over performance, while some will look for what’s under the hood. When it comes to gaming laptops, the quality of the internal components tells a lot about the device and how smooth the gaming experience will hold for those AAA games. Laptops nowadays pack a mean punch regarding graphics, speed and connectivity. Some might say that laptops will someday be on par with desktop gaming rig builds, although we might hold off on that thought. Nonetheless, recent gaming laptop models keep uncovering surprises with each upgraded model.
Considering there are many key elements to keep in mind when choosing a gaming laptop, from display to memory and other components, the general rule of thumb stays the same as for ready-made gaming desktops or custom-built rigs, since users will always opt for the best hardware combination while getting the lowest possible price per piece. This rings true for several brands’ gaming laptops being offered on the market today, as they keep upgrading and improving each unit offered as optimized bundles for the best retail prices available.
On this occasion, we will feature a gaming laptop from a brand with big wins and high marks on the gaming field. Asus ROG has quickly become a high-demand brand for gaming equipment due to its Republic of Gamers series of products and the balance of its hardware’s performance. And even though this gaming laptop is not part of the Asus ROG series, with the build the company has put together for this one, it might as well earn its honorific spot in the gaming category, nonetheless.
ASUS ROG FX503 Gaming Laptop Specifications:
Here’s the brief specification table of the ASUS ROG FX503V:
| CPU | Intel Core i7-7700HQ @ 2.80GHz (6MB cache, TurboBoost up to 3.8GHz) |
| RAM | 4GB DDR4 2400MHz |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 4GB GDDR5 |
| Storage | 128GB M.2 SSD + 1TB 7200RPM HDD |
| Display | 15.6″ LED-backlit FHD (1920×1080) 60Hz Anti-Glare Panel with 45% NTSC |
| Connectivity | Integrated 802.11 AC (2×2) Wi-Fi3 x USB 3.0 port(s) Type-A1 x RJ45 LAN Jack1 x HDMI, Support HDMI 2.01 x SD Card Reader |
| Audio | Built-in Stereo 2W Speakers & Array MicrophoneICEpower Technology1 x Combo Audio Jack (Mic + Headphone) |
| Power | 4 Cells 64 Whrs Polymer Battery, 180W Adapter |
| Dimensions | 384 x 262 x 24 mm (WxDxH) |
| Weight | 2.5kg |
Keep reading to know more about the ASUS FX503 laptop in depth.
Build and Aesthetics
For a laptop that packs quite a punch, the FX503 is pretty handy in size, with the highest thickness of 2.4 centimetres with the lid closed. That is still a little higher than ASUS’ excellent Zephyrus notebook, but still pretty good. The FX503 will fit most small-sized backpacks with ease. It is easy to carry by itself, weighing a meagre 2.5kg. By gaming laptop standards, that is pretty good.
Four indented lines make out the shape “X”. The pattern on the lid is straight brushed aluminium in black. ASUS has grown relatively fond of this pattern, as we have seen the same in their other models.
With the lid closed, the power, standby and hard drive LEDs are visible at the bottom.
Display, Battery and Audio Performance
Asus FX503 features a 15.6-inch, LED-backlit FHD anti-glare screen and does a quite good job.
The display on the FX503 seemed bright, but the viewing angles and contrast were a bit below our expectations. Note that the laptop comes with either an IPS or a TN display. However, the good thing we liked was that it was not glossy, meaning we didn’t have to worry about annoying reflections even when using the laptop in brightly lit rooms.
Coming to the audio department, the speakers are placed above the keyboard.
As for the output quality, we were surprised at how loud the speakers could get, and they sounded impressive. They further provided a balanced output, and the sound was stable at high volumes, and no details were lost at low volumes. Asus FX503 does miss out on the dedicated application for sound modes found on the ROG laptops. The laptop comes with generic sound drivers and speakers.
Final Verdict: ASUS ROG FX503
The Asus FX503 gaming laptop isn’t the best you can buy today. But for its price, it’s certainly an option worth considering for casual gamers. In my opinion, the ideal use case for such a laptop isn’t dedicatedly for gaming but rather a mix of gaming, productivity and everyday functionality.
Simply put, the FX503 works if you’re a gamer only in the evenings and want to get some work done during the day. The sheer hardware power of the laptop makes it more than capable of running regular tasks, including video and photo editing and regular use.
If you’re a hardcore PC gamer, perhaps the Asus FX503 isn’t the best fit. The NVIDIA GTX 1050 graphics card with either 2GB or 4GB of video RAM isn’t the best out there – true top-notch performance would need the GTX 1080 at the very least. However, if you aren’t too fussy about graphical performance or don’t need cutting-edge hardware, the FX503 strikes the right balance between all functions. If you want a relatively affordable gaming laptop today, it’s worth a look.