We’ve recently done our going full series that take leverage companies’ ecosystem and products, including Apple, Huawei, Samsung, and Xiaomi. Today, we’re taking a more gaming-centric approach as we look at how much it’s going to cost to get all ASUS products for your gaming setup.
In order to game, you’ll need a platform to game on. ASUS does make impressive PC components, such as their STRIX line of GPUs, but we’re taking into consideration their gaming laptops for this one. While I am an advocate for desktop PCs, I do understand the need for something more portable. Thankfully, ASUS’ ROG line is among the best when it comes to making gaming laptops.
Author’s note: As per usual, we’re using Villman and PCHub’s pricing here as their websites and price lists are easy to navigate and offer a wide variety of products to choose from. We are not affiliated with both companies.
Table of Contents
The Hardware
Laptop
ASUS has a wide variety of gaming laptops in the market, and we’re recommending the ROG Strix G G531GT and ROG Zephyrus S GX701GXR. These two are at both ends of the spectrum, with the Strix G being the cheapest and the Zephyrus S being the best gaming laptop ASUS offers today. Again, if you can, do wait for ASUS’ 2020 laptop line up, which includes the Zephyrus Duo and the Strix Scar 17.
The ROG Strix G G531GT is equipped with a color-accurate 15.6-inch Full HD 120Hz display, an Intel Core i5-9300H CPU, and an NVIDIA GTX 1650 GPU. Storage-wise, it comes with a 1TB HDD + 512GB SSD combo, and it’s available for PHP 59,995.
The ROG Zephyrus S GX701GXR, on the other hand, comes with a 17.3-inch Full HD 144Hz display, an Intel Core i7-9750H, and an NVIDIA RTX 2080 GPU. It’s paired with 32GB of RAM, and 1 TB SSD for PHP 209,995.
Monitor
Whether you’re hooking it up to your desktop PC for productivity or your gaming laptop for a bigger, more immersive experience, monitors are definitely an underrated part of your setup. Thankfully, ASUS is coming out with four new ones that offer high refresh rates, low response times, and great color reproduction. If you’re on a budget, consider the ASUS VP249QGR as it only costs PHP 10,820, and you get a 24-inch Full HD IPS panel running at 144Hz with a 1ms mPRT response time.
If the budget is of no concern, then consider the TUF Gaming VG279QM or the TUF Gaming VG27AQ. Both displays are 27-inch color-accurate IPS panels. However, the former is only Full HD but runs at 280Hz while the latter is a QHD panel running at 165Hz. If you play a lot of e-sports titles and fast-paced games, the first option would be the better choice, while the second option is an amazing middle-ground for visual fidelity and refresh rate. Both retail for an SRP of PHP 25,410 and PHP 29,180, respectively.
The Gear
Keyboard
While you could use the laptop’s keyboard, using an external keyboard for gaming does have its benefits. Not only would it feel better, but it’d also help prolong your laptop’s lifespan since you’d be spamming the WASD key so much. If you’re dead set in getting an ASUS keyboard, then I’d suggest going all out with the ROG STRIX Flare. It’s the keyboard we use at the office, and it is a truly premium keyboard that is built to fit any setup.
It costs PHP 8,730 when paid for cash in PCHub.
Mouse
Mice are personal preference as we all have different preferences in shape. Those on a budget may opt for their TUF line of mice, which include the TUF M3 and TUF M5 priced at PHP 860 and PHP 940, respectively. Do take note, however, that these mice use a Pixart 3327 sensor, and have high LODs (lift-off distance). You could lower it though with some electrical tape.
If you’re looking for a larger, ergonomic mouse, then the ROG Gladius 2 is also a great choice – that is, if you can get over the 110-gram weight. It costs PHP 4,340 in PCHub.
Mousepad
ASUS has two well-regarded mousepads on the market: the ASUS ROG Sheath and ROG Scabbard. The ASUS Sheath is a typical cloth mousepad with amazing glide and wide surface that can fit your desk and arm. The Scabbard, on the other hand, is made of a hybrid pad made with Cordura fabric that allows your mouse to glide as if its on a hard pad. It’s also water-resistant, making it easier to clean and immune to spills.
The ASUS ROG Sheath is priced at PHP 1,730, with a special Pink LTD edition priced at PHP 1,990. Meanwhile, the ROG Scabbard is priced at PHP 2,100. Both prices are taken from PCHub.
Headphones
Lastly, ASUS also has audio equipment for gaming. For gamers on a budget, ASUS is offering the TUF Gaming H3 headphones with 7.1 surround sound compatibility for PHP 2,230.
Those who want to go all out, however, may opt for the top of the line Asus ROG Theta 7.1. Priced at PHP 15,770, it offers users a lot more features such as four drivers per earcup for a better 7.1 experience, built-in DAC, AI-powered noise-canceling mic, and metal earcups for added durability. Both headphones are also available in PCHub.
On the Go
Phone
Gaming doesn’t stop when you’re not on your PC. For on-the-go scenarios, you’d want a gaming phone that can do it all! While the ROG Phone II may seem dated with the last generation’s Snapdragon 855+ chipset, it’s still more than capable of playing any game available in the market with respectable frame rates. There are two choices here, the ROG Phone II, and the more affordable ROG Phone II Strix Edition. The main difference between the two is that the Strix Edition comes with less RAM (8GB vs. 12GB) and less storage (128GB vs. 512GB), but performance should overall be the same.
The ROG Phone II Strix Edition is priced at PHP 34,995, while the original ROG Phone II is priced at PHP 49,995.
How much is it going to cost?
If you’re on a budget and want to get the bare minimum essentials – which include a laptop, mouse, mousepad, headphones, and phone, here’s how much it’s going to cost:
[table “1436” not found /]If you’re going for an external monitor and add-in the keyboard as well, then it’ll add up to:
[table “1437” not found /]Lastly, if you want to go all out and get yourself the best ASUS setup, then it’s going to cost:
[table “1438” not found /]Why would you want to go all ASUS?
While our first “Going Full” series focuses on companies that offer a lot of features in terms of its ecosystem, going full ASUS is only meant for people who actually are fans of the brand, and for those that value aesthetic with their Aura Sync technology.
ASUS has been in the PC and gaming peripheral market for a long time now, and offer a wide variety of products that offer users great build quality, longevity, and reliability. This is why they’ve become so popular among PC gamers builders alike. While they are one of the pricier brands in the market, you will definitely get what you pay for.
Would you like to see more gaming-centric, going-full series? Let us know in the comments below!
Pls do best alternative gaming setup