ASUS ROG has launched its 2026 Strix gaming laptop lineup in the Philippines, and the headliner is the Strix SCAR 18 with the world's first 18-inch 4K 240Hz Mini LED panel. Local pricing runs from PHP 159,995 for the entry Strix G16 up to PHP 439,995 for the fully loaded SCAR 18.

The 2026 refresh leans on three things: faster displays, next-generation silicon and meaningfully better cooling. Every model pairs Intel's Core Ultra 9 processor 290HX Plus with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series laptop GPUs, so the differences mostly come down to screen size, GPU tier and how much you want to spend.

Strix G16 and G18: the mainstream picks

The Strix G16 and G18 now run 2.5K ROG Nebula displays pushed to a 300Hz refresh rate, which is the spec competitive players actually feel. ROG's Intelligent Cooling does the heavy lifting here, with end-to-end vapor chambers, Tri-Fan Technology and Conductonaut Extreme liquid metal that ASUS says cuts internal temperatures by up to 15 degrees Celsius.

The G16 ladder is where most buyers will look. It opens at PHP 159,995 with an RTX 5050, steps up through an RTX 5060 at PHP 189,995 and an RTX 5070 at PHP 209,995, and tops out at PHP 319,995 for the RTX 5080 with 32GB of RAM. The 18-inch Strix G18 with an RTX 5070 Ti sits at PHP 244,995. Every config bundles a backpack, a gaming mouse and the ASUS No. 1 Quality and Service package.

Strix SCAR 18: the flagship

The SCAR 18 is the statement piece. That 18-inch 4K 240Hz Mini LED panel carries over 2,000 dimming zones, up to 1,600 nits peak brightness and 100 percent DCI-P3 coverage, with ROG Nebula ELMB for up to 16x greater motion clarity. Inside, it goes up to an RTX 5090 laptop GPU with system power pushed to 320W in Manual Mode.

ASUS also rebuilt the thermals here, with a 20 percent thicker 3.5mm vapor chamber and Liquid Crystal Polymer fans that raise airflow by 91 percent. At PHP 439,995 for the RTX 5090 build with 64GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD, it is priced like the halo product it is.

Built to be opened

One underrated touch across the range is the patented tool-less design, giving simple access to RAM, SSD and fans plus a Q-latch system for drives. For a market where buyers keep laptops for years and upgrade as budgets allow, easy access matters more than another RGB zone. The SCAR 18 still brings the flash too, with a full Aura RGB light bar and an AniMe Vision lid panel of 810 LEDs. All models ship through authorized retailers with up to a 3-year warranty and 1-year accidental damage protection.