ASUS G74SX-A1 17.3-Inch Gaming Laptop - Republic of Gamers

by Asus

• Intel Core i7 Processor 2GHz
• 12GB SO-DIMM RAM
• 1.5TB 7200RPM Hard Drive
• 17.3-Inch Screen, Nvidia GTX 560M
• Windows 7 Home Premium

Product Description

Amazon.com

The Choice of Champions
No One Comes Close

The world of portable gaming has a new reigning king. The G74 is a performance notebook that imposes its will with the combined power of a second generation Intel^® Core^™ i7-2630QM CPU and NVIDIA^® GTX 560M GPU with 3GB of GDDR5 VRAM. A score of P2008 in 3DMark11 and P9180 in 3DMark Vantage takes over the reins as the fastest notebook in the land. Support for DirectX^®11 ensures that you'll not only have the fastest rig in town, but also the ability to play games as they were meant to be seen for a long time.

Plus, its 17.3-inch LED-backlit Full HD display delivers the latest in high-definition entertainment with brilliant 1080p playback. The ROG G74SX-A1 breaks from the heard of traditional gaming notebooks with built-in overclocking features through the ASUS Power4Gear Hybrid utility—instantly giving you extreme power with a push of a button.

The ROG G74SX-A1 also boasts a massive 1.5TB 7200RPM hard drive, 12GB DDR3 system memory, Blu-ray Combo drive, high-speed wireless N, SuperSpeed USB 3.0 connectivity, Bluetooth v2.1, HDMI connectivity, 2.0 megapixel camera, and stereo speakers with EAX Advanced HD 5.0 sound.

Key Features

• 17.3-inch LED-backlit Full HD display for immersive cinematic experience with resolution up to 1920 x 1080 (Learn more)
• 2nd generation Intel Core i7-2630QM processor with Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 Technology for the best visibly smart performance that adapts to your needs (Learn more)
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M graphics with 3GB GDDR5 VRAM for leading DirectX 11 gaming (Learn more)
• ASUS Power4Gear Hybrid that innovatively saves battery life and delivers extreme performance (Learn more)
• SuperSpeed USB 3.0 for quicker device charging and up to 10x faster transfers than USB 2.0¹
• 1.5TB 7200RPM hard drive and 12GB of DDR3 system memory for smooth computing and ample storage for all your games and media files (Learn more)
• Backlit gaming keyboard with ergonomic tilt-up design for comfortable control in any lighting environment
• EAX Advanced HD 5.0 Audio for premium gaming sound

Learn More

Hail to the King baby!

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The ROG G74SX-A1 is great for gaming, but its hardware is serious business. Powered by the 2nd generation Intel Core i7-2630QM processor with 8-way processing capability, the ROG G74SX-A1 outperforms other notebooks with massive memory bandwidth for ultra-smooth multitasking performance. Featuring Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 Technology, processor speed is automatically adjusted to your needs by accelerating performance for your task at hand. With a host of power profiles, this gaming powerhouse has a built-in overclocking mode via ASUS Power4Gear Hybrid that activates with a simple push of a button located above the keyboard that turns up system performance above its default level.

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Leading Gaming Power for the Next Generation

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The ROG G74SX-A1 features the new NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M graphics engine for unprecedented visual performance. With unmatched DirectX 11 support, experience a totally new class of virtual interaction for more dynamic gaming. The ROG G74SX-A1 also features a massive 1.5TB 7200RPM hard drive to store your movies, games, and pictures. Plus, the ROG G74SX-A1 offers 12GB of DDR3 system memory for incredible multitasking capability.

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True-to-life Multimedia

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Featuring a 17.3-inch LED-backlit Full HD display, the ROG G74SX-A1 lets you enjoy the latest in HD playback for an immersive experience with sharp images, smooth video transitions, and brilliant clarity. With HDMI connectivity, turn this gaming powerhouse into your personal media center by connecting to an external monitor or HDTV and enjoy flawless 1080p HD playback. Pair that up with THX + EAX 5.0 3D gaming audio technology, and together they make the ROG G74SX-A1 not only a great gaming notebook, but also a hub for multimedia entertainment.

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	Get Comfy
View larger	Gaming is something to be enjoyed, so why not be more comfortable for extended gaming sessions? Fatigue will be a thing of the past, thanks to the ROG G74SX-A1's 5° incline keyboard designed to provide a better ergonomic angle, as well as super comfortable rubber-like palm rests that's easy on the palm and wrist. There's also more space between the keyboard and number pad, so it resembles a desktop keyboard. The harder you work, the more heat you generate. A computer is no different, and with the amount of power in the ROG G74SX-A1, some serious cooling is needed. A unique venting design pulls air from underneath the notebook, cooling the system down, and then vents it through the rear, keeping hot air away from the user and reducing ambient noise for prolonged gaming.

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	Stealth and Strength
View larger	Like its predecessor, the G74SX-A1 design was inspired by sharp polygonal shapes, but this time inspiration came from the US Navy's Sea Shadow stealth ship and modern day aircraft carriers. Like the stealth ship, opponents will never know what hit 'em, and like an aircraft carrier, the G74SX-A1 has the firepower to shock and awe the competition.

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Relax, ASUS Has You Covered

Ranked as the #1 most reliable PC brand by 3 independent sources,² readers and editors alike choose ASUS as their trusted notebook and netbook. ASUS tirelessly strives to exceed expectations of quality to ensure you an unmatched peace of mind every time you start your PC.

This notebook is also backed by the industry's most comprehensive warranty.

2 Year ASUS Global Warranty³

Offers a level of coverage that would add hundreds of dollars to the price of competing laptops:

• 2 year global warranty
• 30 day Flawless Display Guarantee
• 2-way free standard shipping
• 24/7 tech support

1 Year Accidental Damage Protection (ADP)³

Whether your notebook is damaged by accidental spills, drops, electrical surges, or fire, ASUS will fix it or replace it for you during the first year after purchase.

• Covers accidental drops, spills, power surges, and fire damage
• Target 3 business day turnaround time for repair / replacement; not including receiving and shipping time
• 1-way shipping (from ASUS to the user) at no additional cost
• 24/7 toll-free phone support

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What's in the Box

• ROG G74SX-A1
• AC Adapter
• 8 cell Battery Pack
• Warranty Information Card

Specifications

• Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
• Display: 17.3-inch Full HD display (1920 x 1080)
• Processor: 2nd generation Intel Core i7-2630QM quad-core processor (2.0 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 2.9 GHz)
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M 3GB GDDR5 VRAM
• WLAN: 802.11 b/g/n (@ 2.4GHz), Bluetooth v2.1
• LAN: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet
• Memory: 12GB DDR3 SDRAM, 4 x SODIMM Sockets (up to 16GB)
• Storage:1.5TB 7200RPM hard drive (2 x 750GB HDD)
• Optical Drive: Blu-Ray Combo drive
• Camera: 2.0 megapixel
• Speakers: Stereo speakers with EAX 5.0 sound
• Microphone: Digital Array Microphone
• Card Reader: 8-in-1 card reader (MMC/SD/Mini-SD/XD/Memory stick/MS Pro/MS-Duo/MS-Pro Duo)
• Input / Output: 1 x Mic-in, 1 x Headphone-out, 1 x VGA port/Mini D-Sub 15-pin for external monitor, 3 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x USB 3.0 port, 1 x Gigabit LAN, 1 x HDMI
• Battery: 8 cell
• Dimensions: 16.5 x 12.8 x2.4–inches (W x D x H)
• Weight: 9.4lbs (with 8 cell battery)
• Color: Black

© 2011 ASUS Computer International. All Rights Reserved. ASUS is a registered trademark of ASUSTeK Computer. All specifications and terms are subject to change without notice. Please check with your supplier for exact offers on selected models. Products may not be available in all markets. Product may not be exactly as shown in photos.

¹All figures theoretical values compared to USB 2.0 benchmarks for reference purposes. Actual speed depends on device and system status.
²Rated number 1 Windows-based PC maker in PCMag.com's Service & Reliability Report 2010. Rated number 1 PC brand according to SquareTrade, the leading direct-to-consumer warranty company (for more information visit http://www.squaretrade.com/pages/laptop-reliability-1109/ ). Rated number 1 reliable PC maker in Q2 2010's RESCUECOM report http://www.rescuecom.com/2010-2nd-Quarter-Computer-Reliability-Report.html
³ASUS reserves the right to exclude certain SKUs; check with your retailer to confirm coverage of specific models. Valid for notebooks purchased in the US and Canada only. Certain retailers do not participate in ADP coverage. For complete details, please visit: usa.asus.com/event/ASUS360 and adw.asus.com/.

Check Out Other Great ASUS Products

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ASUS VE278Q LED-backlit Monitor Play games on a big screen with the 27-inch Full HD LED-backlit ASUS monitor. Its LED-backlit display gives you bright visuals that turns gaming to an ultra-realistic experience.

ASUS RT-N56U Wireless N Router Simultaneous dual-band and Gigabit Ethernet capabilities means that this router is ready for prime-time gaming action with high-speed throughput and strong signals. Its EZ QoS also lets you easily prioritize your Internet traffic to keep ping down for online games.

ASUS PA246Q IPS Monitor Want an external monitor that can give you the truest colors for photo-editing and graphics design? Check out the 24-inch PA246Q with IPS panel display showing 1.073 billion colors (10-bit) with 1920x1200 resolution.

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Product Description

17.3" Full HD (1920x1080) LED/i7-2630QM Quad Core (2.0GHz)/12GB DDR3 RAM/NVidia GTX 560M 3G GDDR5 VRAM/1.5TB HDD/BluRay Disk Combo Optical Drive/Illuminated Keyboard/Windows 7 Home Premium (64bit)/802.11BGN/2.0M Pixel/Bluetooth/8 Cell battery/1 USB 3.0 port/3 USB 2.0 ports/8-in-1 card reader/Gaming Backpack and Gaming Mouse/2YR Global warranty/1YR Accidental Damage Warranty/30-Day Zero Bright Dot/2-way FREE shipping/24-7 tech support

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Happy July 29, 2011

By Matt T

Amazon Verified Purchase

I'm extremely pleased with this purchase and would recommend looking for a gaming / high performance laptop. I've been using the Asus G74sx-A1 literally as a laptop. When I purchased it I was concerned about its size and weight, however after many 5+ hour sessions I'm still comfortable with the notebook on my lap and the mouse on the arm rest of my sofa.

****Disclaimer****
I'm using a OCZ Vertex 3 120gb SSD as the boot drive.
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Pro -

* Performance is perfect for the applications I run: World of Warcraft(settings high-ultra), VMware running multiple guest machines, minecraft, starcraft 2 (settings ultra)and adobe products.

* The LCD screen itself has vibrant colors

* Fans are silent! Heat is almost non-existent anywhere on the laptop aside from what the vents are blowing out.

* Keyboard layout is comfortable, the back-lit keys are a nice touch.

* Installing upgrades is so easy. The access panel on the underside of the laptop is simple to open(all you need is either a flat head screwdriver or a coin). Components are laid out well and are easy to reach / access.

* Running Linux Mint and Back Track with no issues.

Cons -

* Keyboard performance, at times key presses are missed. It might be the way I hit the keys or a driver issue. I'm currently using the atk 1.10 driver. ***Bios Update 202 has fixed all keyboard performance(missed key strokes) issues I had***

* Speaker sound quality is fine but the overall volume seems to be a bit low.

A SSD in my opinion is a fantastic upgrade for most systems. Money well spent.

In the next week I'll be installing SolidWorks to test out some 3D CAD action....

If you have any questions please feel free to ask, I'll do my best to respond in a reasonable amount of time. Read more ›

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The best notebook I've bought yet! September 16, 2011

By WolfPup VINE™ VOICE

Amazon Verified Purchase

First off, I want to mention that while the G74 is kind of marketed as good for games, don't let that scare you off if you're just looking for a quality, high end notebook for other uses. The system doesn't look flashy or anything, and being good at running games just means it's good at running anything else you can throw at it too.

I get a little technical in some places here, so please feel free to ask if you've got any questions! I'm kind of trying to answer all the questions that I had about it before I bought it.

In no particular order:
-the G74's keyboard is one of the best I've used on a notebook. It LOOKS similar to my Macbook Air's keyboard, but the feel of the keys is better-they're less "mushy" and have more travel. By notebook standards it's quite good, and it also feels more solid than most notebooks.

I love having a number pad, though should mention that for some reason it's not a "true" number pad. Like on a desktop keyboard, the numberpad is actually completely separate keys, while on the G74, the numbers are duplicates of the numbers above your keyboard. Most of the time that makes no difference, though it does mean you there's no number lock on the keyboard to turn the numberpad into arrows and the like. (It does have almost full sized arrow keys in between the numberpad and regular keyboard, and also has typical page up/page down buttons, etc., and of course normal keyboards work like normal when plugged in to it.)

-The screen is way above average by notebook standards. The only fault I can find is it does have some light bleed when the system first boots before Windows loads, though I haven't noticed it once the system's booted.... Contrast and viewing angles and the like are way above average (Anandtech's reviews of the G73 have shown it having the best contrast of any notebook screen). I'd rather have a "matte" screen than glossy, but 99% of notebooks are "glossy" now, and it works fine. (I should note about half of my use of the system is hooked up to a 24" monitor through an HDMI to DVI adapter, using an external keyboard and mouse).

-The system is advertised as having an excellent cooling system, and it really seems to. When you're just browsing the web or anything it's very quite, though what's impressive is that it doesn't really get much louder under full load. I think under load it's the quietest notebook I've ever used (much quieter than my Macbook Air or previous Asus N80). Dell's M15x is the only comparable system I've used when it comes to how cool it keeps the CPU and GPU when running Folding @ Home on them, which maxes out both 100%. Although it's not as strenuous as Folding @ Home, right now I'm playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on it just to make sure it does okay, and it seems to hold the GPU to the upper 50s or lower 60s, and the CPU just slightly warmer than that. That's easily 20 degrees c cooler than the other notebooks I've used, despite the G74 having higher end hardware it's having to cool.

Intel's i7 processors overclock themselves when needed, if they're running cool enough, and impressively, even maxing out 8 threads of Folding at Home, the CPU kept itself overclocked to 2.5GHz the entire time, which is WAY better than I was expecting.

-Running Modern Warfare 2, I'm able to max out all settings at 1920x1080, and seem to get average frame rates in the 80-90 frames per second range (probably dipping in to the 60s and going as high as 115+). That's with everything set to max except antialiasing off (I never see the point to it at such high resolutions, though I did play with it on, which seems to reduce frame rates by maybe an average of 10-30fps, which is still excellent, though I can't tell any difference in the graphics at that resolution). It almost always looks silky smooth.

I should mention that 1920x1080 is over 2.5x higher resolution than the game consoles can run this at. While they can OUTPUT at 1080p, they're actually RENDERING at 720p or below and scaling, and of course have lower quality effects settings, lower quality textures, etc.

-As per above, I'm very happy with Nvidia's Geforce GTX 560. It's 15% faster than the 460 model in the G73 this computer replaced. Nvidia does have two GPUs that are faster than this, but still, this definitely gets the job done with room to spare. I should note that the Best Buy model of the G74 has a slightly "crippled" version of this GPU, with a 128-bit memory interface instead of the full 192-bit interface that the more expensive versions of the system ship with. (From everything I've read, that "crippled" version is still excellent for the price.)

-Sound through the headphone jack is clean, with no hissing or anything. That should be a given, but I've used more expensive notebooks than this that have bad hissing and crackling through the jack. (The only way to hear crackling is if the microphone is cranked up.)

-As advertised, it's very easy to access both the RAM, and hard drive bays on this system-technically you just need a coin or something to unscrew the bottom. It comes with 3 of the 4 DIMM slots filled (12GB total). Right now as a power user, I'm okay with 4GB in Windows 7, so 12GB is just complete overkill...but I'm not complaining!

The only aspect of the design I don't like is that the second hard drive bay uses a ribbon/cable connector instead of plugging in to a fixed SATA connection, if that makes sense. If I ever swap hard drives again, I'll just unplug the cable from the drive, and not also from the motherboard.

-The system seemed to run fine as shipped, though I did do a clean install onto an Intel 320 series SSD that I bought, with my own copy of Windows 7. If you plan on doing something like that, probably all you'll want to install in terms of drivers from Asus' site are the Ethernet driver, and the "ATK" driver (this is for the keyboard, to make the special function keys work, like volume up and down, screen brightness, etc.). Oh, and of course I reinstalled Asus' Blu Ray playback program too. Windows handled everything else just fine, and I got the video drivers from Nvidia.com...

...Speaking of which-one of the reasons I bought this system is it's one of the few on the market that DOESN'T use switchable graphics, and that DOES let you install Nvidia's normal video drivers, you don't have to use special modified ones from the manufacturer, that never get updated.

I'm just running Nvidia.com's newest drivers for my OS and GPU, and they installed without incident, with no hacks or tricks or anything-they install just like if this were a desktop system.

I also love that this DOESN'T use "Optimus" (switchable graphics). Many notebooks are now using the integrated graphics built in to Intel's new CPUs as the GPU, and then through fancy driver tricks trying to use a real, separate GPU for things that need it. At best, that hurts performance-you'd be stuck with the GPU having to basically send finished screen shots over the PCIe bus to the integrated graphics, which basically play it as a movie. That's at BEST. At worst, it hurts compatibility with games and other programs, introduces weird bugs, makes it harder to get driver updates, etc.

Again, to be clear, the G74 DOESN'T do that-it just has a normal setup where the integrated graphics are NOT used, and the Geforce GTX 560 is what's connected directly to the monitor....which is a good thing.

For "normal" programs like Microsoft Office and Open Office, Firefox, etc., it's lighting quick. Fastest computer I've used, and really a joy to use.

I personally find this very portable-it's not that much heavier than my 14" notebook was, and I really don't find it any less portable than my 14" Asus or 13" Macbook Air. The only "problem" isn't really a problem with it, it's just hard to find a case that it'll fit in easily. I'm trying Targus' XL case next, which will hopefully get the job done.

-Unfortunately, like virtually all notebooks now (even my Macbook Air) the G74 doesn't come with a clean OS disc like computers used to. It does have a program on there that lets you make recovery discs, which took four DVD+RWs, and I think you should also be able to make recovery discs using Windows 7's built-in back up program ("Create a system image", and "Create a system repair disc"). I made all those discs, but didn't actually use them, since I had a copy of Windows 7 Pro I bought for it.

So...I'm really happy with this. It's pretty much perfect if you're looking for a pretty high end, yet not too pricy notebook. You can get even more powerful, but you may end up spending 2x the price, or more even. The more expensive models I looked at from other companies had other things I didn't like-like some used Optimus, others didn't let you use Nvidia's normal video drivers, etc., so...I really think this is one to consider! Read more ›

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Major Flaw Ruins Otherwise Impressive Laptop October 21, 2011

By P. Shopper

I was so excited to get this laptop. The specs on it were incredible. I got it and sure enough, it was super fast. After a while I started noticing weird keyboard issues and worse, sporadic activity with the touchpad. I typically use an external mouse at home so it didn't get to be a big deal. But then I had to start taking it to school, to meetings, other places where I just wanted to use the stupid touchpad without it lurching all over the screen. I figured this would be a simple update.

Boy was I wrong. As I began to read through the ASUS forums, seeing comments from hundreds of other users with the exact same problems and no fix available, I began to get that sinking feeling in your stomach that you get when you realize you've just spent a ton of money on a lemon. BIOS updates don't work, driver updates actually made the problem worse.. When I discovered that ASUS has known about this issue for over a year and has not only failed to address it but continues to ship the laptop, I was furious.

I don't mind going through a little hassle to update some software components, but when yo have hundreds of complaints of hardware issues right out of the box it begins to wound the reputation of the manufacturer - in this case, ASUS. I've always been a huge fan of ASUS. My last laptop was an ASUS, and despite the fact that all but two of the USB ports eventually failed, I was impressed enough that I decided to drop money I barely had on this nice new laptop. I'm supremely disappointed with the laptop and with ASUS's failure to address the issue....

If you want to get this laptop, pray that you don't have the same problems that thousands of others are having with the keyboard, numpad key (which his laptop doesn't have - it has a calculator button instead), and worst of all, the trackpad. Some people report they don't have these problems. Thousands report they do. All of the good things in this laptop are eclipsed by this very serious basic hardware failure.

If you do buy this laptop, test it out for two days without getting too invested in it. If you start having any problems with the trackpad - the cursor lurching over the screen, the cursor freezing up, etc etc, return it immediately. Don't think you're going to get it fixed through some easy software tweak. Read more ›