ASUS had a grand appearance at Computex two months ago, mainly because the ROG Phone stole the show. But that wasn’t the only hero product the Taiwanese brand had up its sleeve.
The ROG Strix Scar II and Hero II, which are successors to the popular Strix line of gaming laptops, shared the spotlight, as well. I had the privilege of going hands-on with the Scar II and was largely impressed by its aggressive design and balanced features. Missing, however, was the Hero II.
Although the Hero II is mostly identical to the Scar II, its primary difference is the audience it caters to: MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) gamers. Those who enjoy titles such as League of Legends and Dota 2 are more inclined to go for this variant over the Scar II, which is targeted more towards fans of Overwatch and Call of Duty.
Truth be told, there isn’t much to compare aside from a set of keyboard adjustments and certain specs (the Scar II can be equipped with a GTX 1070 while the Hero II settles for a GTX 1060), and if you’ve read my initial impressions of the Scar II, you’ll have a good idea of what to expect from the Hero II, which is finally in my hands.
It comes with a 15.6-inch 1080p IPS display
Bezels are kept to a minimum on the sides and top
But that moves the webcam to the bottom bezel
The keyboard has good travel and RGB lighting
And the QWER keys are more prominent for MOBA games
Even the bundled mouse has its own RGB lighting
There’s additional lighting below the trackpad
And the ROG logo’s color syncs with the rest of the laptop
These are the ports on the left side
And these are found on the right
You’ll only find exhaust vents on the rear
How well does it perform?
If there’s one thing you can rely on with this machine, it’s the hardware. From the 8th-generation Core i7-8750H processor with six cores and Hyper-Threading to the full-powered GeForce GTX 1060 graphics chip, the Hero II is equipped to compete.
And you shouldn’t expect anything less specs-wise, because you need all the power you can get to maximize the high-caliber 144Hz panel. The display, by the way, doesn’t come with NVIDIA’s proprietary G-Sync tech to prevent tearing and stutters at certain frame rates, so it’s all on the components to keep things running smoothly.
My setup also comes with 16GB of memory and a speedy 128GB SSD + 1TB SSHD, making this as complete as you’d expect out of a US$ 2,000 mobile rig.
It goes without saying that the Hero II can handle the latest AAA games on medium to high graphics settings, though hitting 144fps may be a struggle on some titles. Not that hovering between 80 to 100 frames per second is bad, but it’s a shame that you can’t make full use of the super-fast panel.
Here are a few benchmark numbers to give you a better idea:
- Unigine Superposition (1080p Extreme, DirectX): 2097 points, 15.69fps (Average)
- Cinebench R15: 1193 (CPU), 94.48fps (OpenGL)
- Rise of the Tomb Raider (Very High settings, DirectX 12): 64.47fps (Average)
- Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (Ultra settings, DirectX 12): 34.9fps (Average)
Can it stay cool?
ASUS made sure to equip both Strix II laptops with sufficient cooling to prevent the mobile components from melting on your desk. Its system is called HyperCool Pro, and it includes two 12V fans with the ability to boost them using built-in software.
As for actual temperatures, the CPU would hit 81 degrees Celsius under the heaviest of loads. At the same time, the GPU goes as high as 71 degrees Celsius in the same conditions. While these are fine for air cooling standards, the fans do get a bit loud when being pushed too hard.
You can choose between Silent, Balanced, and Overboost for the fans — the third one is obviously the loudest. And even though the system’s fans are relatively quiet while the system is idle, I don’t appreciate the placement of the rightmost fan, which hits my mouse-using hand. Laptops normally position this to the left where hot air shoots away from the user.
On the bright side, using it on your lap is pleasant. At 2.4kg in weight, it’s not that heavy and doesn’t get warm enough to cause discomfort underneath.
Does it last long enough away from a wall?
This is probably the biggest fault of this Strix generation. For the thickness the Hero II brings to my lap, I would’ve expected much better battery endurance on a full charge.
Even without touching a single game and using the Hero II purely for surfing the web and watching a few videos on Netflix and YouTube, it rarely lasts over three hours. This is after bringing the laptop’s battery to 100 percent and lowering the screen’s brightness to 50 percent.
That’s disappointing by any laptop standard (unless you count the monsters we used in the past), although the Hero II obviously isn’t meant for non-gaming use on the go in the first place. Keep it plugged in and find another laptop to take on work trips — problem solved.
What else is there to know?
Battery life aside, the Hero II is a surprisingly good multimedia device because of the loud and clear stereo speakers. They’re positioned to the sides unlike the usual bottom-firing speakers, and have strong bass even though they output only 3.5 watts of power. Coupled with the thin bezels and color-accurate panel, watching movies on this laptop is a great alternative to just gaming on it.
This Strix also features multi-antenna Wi-Fi for better wireless internet connectivity. I tried this out in different locations with varying degrees of distance from routers, and I’ve been impressed with the range. The Hero II picks up signals flawlessly, so I don’t have to rely so heavily on the Ethernet port.
Is this your GadgetMatch?
The Hero II wins for two reasons alone: its super-slim bezels around the fast display and well-rounded specs. I can’t get enough of the color-accurate panel and the lack of distractions around it, while the 8th-generation processor and desktop-grade graphics provide all the power needed for competitive gaming.
There are only a few drawbacks here, namely the overbearing thickness for a midrange setup and horrible webcam placement. I also wish the fans were positioned better, but at least they keep the system well cooled.
My other critique is about the way ASUS treats this Strix generation. I honestly would’ve preferred ASUS keeping the Strix II branding sans the Hero and Scar variants. MOBA gamers play FPS (first-person shooter) games too, and vice versa.
The Hero II configuration I got to review retails for around US$ 2,000, but that can easily change with some component tweaks, such as going for a slower Core i5 processor and taking in less RAM. No matter what, however, the solid physique and sleek design come along for the ride.
Gaming
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang partners with global fast food giant
Jollibee GameJoy x MLBB combos launched for in-game rewards, collectibles
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang has leveled up its partnership with the Philippines’ leading fast food chain, Jollibee.
MLBB players may have already secured the Jollibee emote on the popular 5-on-5 MOBA title.
And this time, the campaign is rolling out the GameJoy x MLBB Combos, available nationwide at Jollibee stores until August 19.
This seeks to sustain player engagement through a mix of physical hero card collectibles and exclusive in-game rewards available with every GameJoy combo purchase.
The combos are available in five variants, all priced at PhP 169:
- Yumburger
- Jolly Hotdog
- Special Cheesy Yumburger
- Crunchy Chicken Sandwich
- Original Cheesy Yumburger
Each combo comes with fries, a drink, and the Peach Mango Pie.
Customers who avail of these combos will then get a GameJoy x MLBB pack, which includes one physical collectible card and a PIN which can be used to redeem mystery rewards within the title.
Players can expect skins, emotes, fragments, avatar borders, and the sought-after MLBB all-skin unlock.
For Jollibee, the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang collaboration is a follow-up to its GameJoy x Unipin partnership last year, targeting audiences who are into mobile gaming while offering their affordable menu items.
MLBB is the most-played mobile game in the country, so the promo is expecting a warm reception.
The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales is set for a Southeast Asia physical edition launch on June 18.
Bandai Namco and Square Enix announced the developed. In addition, digital editions for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, and Microsoft Store are now available for pre-order.
Those who place pre-orders will receive Elliot’s Departure Pack, which includes various items that can give the protagonist an edge.
There’s the Departure Brooch accessory, which increases the amount of currency and magicite fragments dropped by enemies. On the other hand, there’s also the Attack Up sword Magicite.
In addition to the standard digital edition, the Digital Deluxe Edition is also available for pre-order, and includes these perks:
- Fairy Bangle accessory
- Cherry Blossom Anklet accessory
- Roselle Ring accessory
Meanwhile, the physical Collector’s Edition comes with the base game, original soundtrack, and desk clock statue featuring Faie.
In The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, the duo of Elliot and Faie traverse a vast world across four ages.
This world is teeming with enemy hordes, hidden caves, and ancient ruins. Elliot can wield seven weapon types, from close-quarters swords to versatile chains and sickles.
Each weapon is customizable through magicite, allowing players to tailor their combat style. On the other hand, Faie’s powerful Magic is formidable in and out of battle.
The title will also feature several new and improved features, based on feedback from the Debut Demo.
This includes faster movement speed, refinements to the weapon shortcut menu, and additional difficulty options.
Gaming
The best Tokyo tour package that is Forza Horizon 6
Discover Japan like a first time traveller
Ever wanted to visit Japan despite an ongoing fuel crisis crippling your total travel budget? Have you ever wanted to visit iconic tourist destinations like Shibuya Crossing or Mt. Fuji? Did you ever have dreams of becoming the drift king like in Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift? Well, we have good news for you!
On May 19, you’ll be able to do all three of these things as Playground Games will finally release Forza Horizon 6 across all platforms. From an overall lens, the game is slated to build off the incredible features the franchise is best known for, now in a totally different side of the world. Experience a unique kind of car culture only famously featured within popular movie franchises, while also exploring another side to Tokyo reimagined for both new and returning players to the series.
So come, take advantage of this once in a lifetime tour package, complete with the following amenities suited to hopefully make the trip to Tokyo worth it!
Sight-seeing, your way
Forza Horizon 6 features a highly populated simulation of Tokyo with tons of activities to do, sights to see, and Horizon events to satisfy your thirst for action. From street racing to experiencing the hustle and bustle of food deliveries, Playground Games wasted no time in nailing most aspects of Japan’s culture. Of course, that also includes popular tourist attractions like Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo Tower and the Rainbow Bridge.
I mentioned in the early preview that the developers divided all of Tokyo into different sections with their own checklists on what to do and things to collect. When looking at the full game, this list is actually a lot more expansive and comes with its own scorecard for exploration called Discover Japan. It’s similar to your Horizon Events progression, right down to the tasks and rewards so the experience wouldn’t be too unfamiliar.
SEE MORE: Forza Horizon 6 already hits the mark
All of these are within your control and pace as you progress deeper into the Horizon Events, with more areas and activities to explore the further along you are. Honestly, it ends up that you’ll accomplish these things fluidly given the amount of driving you’ll be doing so plan your itinerary ahead!
Reimagining Japanese car culture
Speaking of those Horizon Events, the staple of the entire Forza Horizon franchise once again features a unique blend of racing that is authentic to the place it represents. In the case of Japan, that’s basically all the types of races you’ve already seen in most Fast and the Furious movies, especially Tokyo Drift. And yes, you will have access to a plethora of cars that you can finetune to your liking for the best performance in all the races.
Much like in previous games, there are also pockets of events called Stories that venture into specific aspects of Japanese car culture through the lens of the characters in-game. From day-trips to learning how to be a DK or “drift king,” these were designed not only to help with game progression but to expose a culture to those who are only hearing about it now. Also, some of the events can be quite challenging even for returning and experienced players.
This even extends into multiplayer features and Horizon Stunt Events that allows you to show off your skills and your car collection. Adding in car meets within major POIs on the map was a nice touch in incorporating multiplayer activities beyond the normal racing route. Also, they added the actual Daikoku Car Meet space as a staple to this aspect of Japanese car culture!
Is this your GamingMatch?
In a nutshell, Forza Horizon 6 remains true to its roots, enabling it to bring out the best of Japan in more ways imaginable. Playground Games knew what worked from every other game in the franchise and decided to double down for the better, from mechanics to the improvements. While it had already hit the mark from the preview alone, expanding it further truly made it an exciting release to watch out for.
For a game that simply offers a more casual racing experience and pushes the car collect-a-thon a lot more, it is completely decked out with activities galore. Even with some of them feeling repetitive at times, every Horizon event and mode felt just as addictive and unique to play no matter how you want to play them. It’s a formula that encourages experimentation and enables car mastery that is easy to digest, no matter the experience level – and we’re all for it.
This truly feels like an instant Swipe Right for all intents and purposes, and definitely a must-try for anyone who plans to visit or return to Japan for a quick vacation or two. Assuming, of course, that the oil crisis will finally end by then.
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