ASUS ROG G751JY Laptop Review: G-Sync Gaming On The Go
ASUS ROG G751JY Design & Layout
As with previous G Series laptops, the G751's design is inspired by the F-22 Raptor. What's new this time around is an aluminum finish with an illuminated ROG (Republic of Gamers) logo.
It might not come across in pictures, but the design of the G751JY is rather intimidating. The laptop's lines and construction give it a distinct look, one that's purposely mean (this is a high end gaming notebook, after all), and its size and weight only add to the aggressive profile. If you lug this thing to a LAN party, this is a laptop that will let others know you're there for the kill count, not punch and pie.
You won't have to worry about fingerprints ruining the aesthetic, either. ASUS covered most of the top side with a rubberized coating, save for an aluminum section that extends back to the hinge. The aluminum section sports a brushed motif that gives the G751JY a bit of uptown street cred, which is to say that it doesn't look like a bargain priced laptop (nor is it one).
Underneath the reflective ASUS logo is a guitar pick-shaped badge with the ROG logo and branding. It glows red when the laptop is turned on and adds to its threatening demeanor, though be warned that you can't turn it off when the system is running. We don't suspect that will be an issue for most people in the market for a laptop like this, but for the select few who will also use the system in a professional setting, the glowing badge might not be entirely appropriate. Then again, do you really care if Bob from accounting gives you the stink eye during the next boardroom meeting?
The cooling system on the G751JY is superb. Two large vents expel hot air from the rear of the G751JY, each of which represents an independent cooling system -- one for the CPU and another for the GPU. Both of these critical components have their own fan and blower, which draw heat up through copper heatsinks. This is where the size of the laptop becomes an advantage.
Unlike thin and light notebooks that tend to get toasty underneath, the underside of the G751JY remains fairly cool, even during heavy loads that tax both the CPU and GPU simultaneously. That's a big deal if you plan on actually putting the laptop on your lap, especially if you're male and want to stay fertile.
Lifting the lid reveals the laptop's 17.3-inch Full HD 1080p (1920x1080) display. The resolution won't knock your socks off -- we've seen smaller laptops feature 3K and even 4K resolution displays -- but the upside here is that it's a high-quality In-Plane Switching panel with excellent viewing angles and color reproduction. NVIDIA validates these panels for G-SYNC integration, so you're not getting a cheaply made display, even if the resolution leaves a bit to be desired.
Again, this is a big laptop with a large footprint. It measures 12.50 inches long by 16.40 inches wide by 1.70 high, so you'll need plenty of desktop space to plop this thing on. In exchange for all that space, you get a full-size keyboard with a dedicated number pad and a large trackpad that sits slightly off-center to the left. It supports gestures, and underneath are angled left and right mouse buttons.
The same rubberized coating that ASUS used on the lid is also found on the deck of the G751JY. This helps thwart fingerprints, as opposed to glossy and carbon fiber finishes, which seem to attract finger smudges no matter how careful you type.
As for the typing experience, it's serviceable, not spectacular. That's true of many laptops, and in this instance, we like that the keys are spaced out rather than squished together. ASUS also deserves a fist bump for adding an adjustable red LED backlight for typing in the dark.
Key travel is also decent, at least for a low profile plank, and it's a quiet keyboard (in case that matters to you). Just don't expect the same experience you're used to with your mechanical keyboard -- if you're used to typing on a high quality mechanical plank, your finger will feel betrayed with pecking out a long email on the G751JY.
When it comes time to play, the G751JY's keyboard is much better suited. The all-important WSAD keys feature red outlines to separate them from the other keys, and up above on the left side are a set of dedicated keys -- there's a record key, a Steam key (loads up Steam), and three dedicated macro keys.
Unlike thin and light notebooks that tend to get toasty underneath, the underside of the G751JY remains fairly cool, even during heavy loads that tax both the CPU and GPU simultaneously. That's a big deal if you plan on actually putting the laptop on your lap, especially if you're male and want to stay fertile.
Lifting the lid reveals the laptop's 17.3-inch Full HD 1080p (1920x1080) display. The resolution won't knock your socks off -- we've seen smaller laptops feature 3K and even 4K resolution displays -- but the upside here is that it's a high-quality In-Plane Switching panel with excellent viewing angles and color reproduction. NVIDIA validates these panels for G-SYNC integration, so you're not getting a cheaply made display, even if the resolution leaves a bit to be desired.
Again, this is a big laptop with a large footprint. It measures 12.50 inches long by 16.40 inches wide by 1.70 high, so you'll need plenty of desktop space to plop this thing on. In exchange for all that space, you get a full-size keyboard with a dedicated number pad and a large trackpad that sits slightly off-center to the left. It supports gestures, and underneath are angled left and right mouse buttons.
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The same rubberized coating that ASUS used on the lid is also found on the deck of the G751JY. This helps thwart fingerprints, as opposed to glossy and carbon fiber finishes, which seem to attract finger smudges no matter how careful you type.
As for the typing experience, it's serviceable, not spectacular. That's true of many laptops, and in this instance, we like that the keys are spaced out rather than squished together. ASUS also deserves a fist bump for adding an adjustable red LED backlight for typing in the dark.
Key travel is also decent, at least for a low profile plank, and it's a quiet keyboard (in case that matters to you). Just don't expect the same experience you're used to with your mechanical keyboard -- if you're used to typing on a high quality mechanical plank, your finger will feel betrayed with pecking out a long email on the G751JY.
When it comes time to play, the G751JY's keyboard is much better suited. The all-important WSAD keys feature red outlines to separate them from the other keys, and up above on the left side are a set of dedicated keys -- there's a record key, a Steam key (loads up Steam), and three dedicated macro keys.
ASUS G751JY-DB72 Ports (Left)
ASUS G751JY-DB72 Ports (Right)
All of the ports and connectors are on the sides of the G751JY, which we prefer over placing them in the back. On the left you'll find a Kensington Lock, two color coded USB 3.0 ports, a Blu-ray writer, and a media card reader (SD and MMC).
Several more ports sit on the right side, including a headphone output and S/PDIF output combo, microphone input, audio input, two more color coded USB 3.0 ports (the left port closes to the audio ports is a Charger+ port that allows you to quick charge mobile devices, even when the laptop is off), mini DisplayPort/Thunderbolt port, HDMI port, GbE LAN port, and oddly enough, an old-school VGA port. The power input is also on the right side.
Several more ports sit on the right side, including a headphone output and S/PDIF output combo, microphone input, audio input, two more color coded USB 3.0 ports (the left port closes to the audio ports is a Charger+ port that allows you to quick charge mobile devices, even when the laptop is off), mini DisplayPort/Thunderbolt port, HDMI port, GbE LAN port, and oddly enough, an old-school VGA port. The power input is also on the right side.
Flipping the G751JY reveals a couple of more cooling vents, a subwoofer (the overall sound is decent, but whether it's for gaming, music, or watching movies, a good set of headphones or external speakers is highly recommended), and a service panel.
To access the G751JY's guts, you need to lift the rubber tab in the upper right corner of the panel and loosen the screw that's underneath. It's not a removable screw, so don't try to force it. Once loosened, you can carefully pry the panel off.
Unfortunately, there's not a lot to service underneath. You have access to the PCIe-based SSD, mechanical HDD, and one of the three RAM modules. On the plus side, there's an open SO-DIMM slot to add more RAM, though with 24GB already installed, you're probably set for the life of the laptop. We'd rather have easy access to all the RAM modules (there are three in this configuration) so that if one goes bad, it would be easy to replace. Instead, you're left hoping none of the hard to access ones bite the dust, because if they do, you're looking at some serious tech surgery.
To access the G751JY's guts, you need to lift the rubber tab in the upper right corner of the panel and loosen the screw that's underneath. It's not a removable screw, so don't try to force it. Once loosened, you can carefully pry the panel off.
Unfortunately, there's not a lot to service underneath. You have access to the PCIe-based SSD, mechanical HDD, and one of the three RAM modules. On the plus side, there's an open SO-DIMM slot to add more RAM, though with 24GB already installed, you're probably set for the life of the laptop. We'd rather have easy access to all the RAM modules (there are three in this configuration) so that if one goes bad, it would be easy to replace. Instead, you're left hoping none of the hard to access ones bite the dust, because if they do, you're looking at some serious tech surgery.
