Back in August, the Republic of Gamers arm of Asus revealed a number of gaming laptops powered by Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 10 Series of graphics processors. One of these was the Strix GL502VM sporting the GTX 1060 graphics chip, a 15.6-inch screen, and a choice of Intel Core i5-6300HQ and Core i7-6700HQ processors. Apparently there’s a 17.3-inch model too called the Strix GL702VM that will begin shipping on September 23.
The Strix GL702VM is very similar to its 15.6-inch cousin although it sports two memory slots instead of just one, enabling capacities of up to 32GB of DDR4 memory clocked at 2,133MHz. The smaller laptop appears to only support up to 16GB of system memory, with the default configuration consisting of a single 8GB DDR4 memory chip.
On the storage front, the larger notebook provides an additional option over the GL502VM spanning standard hard drives and solid state drives, and M.2-class solid state drives that connect via a small PCIe slot on the motherboard. Here’s a quick comparison chart:
| HDD | SSD | M.2 SSD | |
| GL502VM | 1TB 5,400RPM 1TB 7,200RPM |
128GB 256GB 512GB |
N0 |
| GL702VM | 1TB 7,200RPM | 128GB 256GB 512GB |
256GB |
Both units come packed with a combo audio jack for a microphone and headphones, one USB 3.1 Type-C port, three USB 3.0 ports, an Ethernet port for wired networking, HDMI output, and a mini DisplayPort jack. They also offer the same processor options and the same built-in GTX 1060 graphics chip with 6GB of GDDR5 video memory although the GL502VM also serves up a model with only 3GB of video memory.
What’s great about both laptops is that their screens support Nvidia’s G-Sync technology, which will synchronize the display’s refresh rate with the output framerate of the GTX 1060 graphics chip, eliminating screen tearing and stutter. The GL702VM is served up in 3,840-by-2,160 and 1,920-by-1,080 resolutions, just like the smaller GL502VM model.
Keeping the system components cool is a triple-copper thermal module that consists of two heat pipes and three fans. There’s a fan on each side of the laptop that ejects the heat collected by the heat pipes, and a third “boost” fan mounted above the GTX 1060 graphics chip to make sure it runs optimally, even under heavy loads. The two main fans measure just 7mm thin while the boost fan measures only 4mm thin.
On the connectivity front, the new GL702VM includes dual-band Wireless AC networking, but the product specifications don’t mention Bluetooth. However, the GL502VM listing shows Bluetooth 4.0 and options for either Wireless N or Wireless AC connectivity, so the larger unit may offer Bluetooth 4.0 as well.
The new Strix GL702VM is thin and lightweight, measuring just 0.972 inches thick and weighing a mere six pounds. The laptop’s screen sports a 17mm bezel on the top and 13mm bezels on the sides, offering more screen and less framing. Like its smaller cousin, the GL702VM includes a built-in HD webcam, an SD card reader, and a backlit chicklet keyboard built for PC gaming.
A version of the GL702VM can be found on Amazon for $1,400 right here packing the Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor, 16GB of system memory, and a 1TB hard drive. This same model can be purchased on Newegg here as well.
