Asus ROG 15" Laptop model: G551JW-DS71-CA

Quick Description
A high-powered gaming laptop; it doesn't quite compete with the performance of similarly priced gaming desktops but it will enable to play (or complete other demanding tasks) while on the road.
It's on the thick and heavy side of the spectrum but that's the price to pay for such performance. Also, be aware that demanding tasks will drain the battery quickly.
Other Considerations
Here are a few things about this laptop which could come as a surprise. For each point, you will find how to fix it (if it's an issue) and how much to budget for it. Not every point below will be a concern, but hopefully, we can keep your surprises to a minimum.
Frequently Discounted. This device gets discounted on a regular basis (32.68% of the time to be exact).
Assuming you are starting over fresh, you can expect to spend $90 on accessories, for a total cost of $1290.
Available at 2 locations, from $1200
Based on 1069 days of observation, the Asus ROG 15" Laptop usually costs ~$1410 in Canada. The lowest price on record for this laptop is $879.92. If you were waiting for this laptop to drop in price, this could be the day you were waiting for.
Scroll down to find charts comparing the Asus ROG 15" Laptop to similar devices, to see how well it runs your favorite apps and to find where it can be bought from.
Pricing
History
Here's how this device has been priced up to now:
Here are a few Canadian retailers who currently sell this product:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon or Newegg at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.Specs
Here's how the Asus ROG 15" Laptop ranks compared to similar devices. The more stars there are, the better (except for the price row).
Bang for the Buck | |
---|---|
Versatility for the Price | |
Price | |
Durability | |
Power | |
General-purpose power | |
Graphical power | |
Memory | |
Storage | |
Portability | |
Autonomy | |
Ease of Maintenance |
Bang for the Buck | |
---|---|
Versatility for the Price | |
Price | |
Durability | |
Power | |
General-purpose power | |
Graphical power | |
Memory | |
Storage | |
Portability | |
Autonomy | |
Ease of Maintenance |
Bang for the Buck | |
---|---|
Versatility for the Price | |
Price | |
Durability | |
Power | |
General-purpose power | |
Graphical power | |
Memory | |
Storage | |
Portability | |
Autonomy | |
Ease of Maintenance |
The Meaty details
The Specs
The features
- Upgradable and Maintainable
- Built-in Media Card Reader
- DVD
- Fixed storage: 72000+ RPM hard drive (fast)
- Webcam / Front-Facing Camera / Selfie Cam
- DisplayPort (mini)
- HDMI
- USB 3
- USB Type-A
- Ethernet 10
- Ethernet 100
- Ethernet 1000 (Gigabit)
- Built-in Number Pad
- 3.5mm Headphone+Microphone combo jack
- Bluetooth 4
- Wi-Fi b
- Wi-Fi g
- Wi-Fi n
- Multiple Monitor Support
- Built-in Microphone
- Built-in Speakers
- Built-In Keyboard
- Paired Memory
Repair / Upgrade Options
Score | Ease of Maintenance | |
---|---|---|
Battery Replacement | 10/10 | Easy DIY project |
Memory Upgrade | 8/10 | Easy project for an enthusiast |
Data Storage | 8/10 | Easy project for an enthusiast |
Graphics Upgrade | 0/10 | Can't be repaired or updated |
What it's capable of
Here are the tasks this computer can handle and how easily it'll breeze through it. A 5-star rating means it should handle the task at a professional level, a 1-star rating means it can do it, but it likely won't be a pleasant experience.
Activities it will handle
-
Web & Communication
The basics Design Websites -
Audio & Visual medias
The basics Music Production Drawing and Illustrations Photo Editing Video Editing -
Texts & Numbers
The basics -
Video Games
Casual and Mobile Games Enthusiast Games Triple-A Video Games -
3D and CAD
The basics
Programs, Apps and Games it will handle
Activity ratings are good but sometimes, you want to be absolutely sure your next purchase will be able to run a specific piece of software.
A 1 star rating means the program'll be usable (according to the developer's own definition; some are more demanding than others); 3 stars mean recommended specs are met with this device; 5 stars will means you will have plenty of overhead to handle uncommon uses of that program like mods, plug-ins and more.
In the same price range
For roughly the same price, you could get one of these. Anything in there sounds like a better deal?
-
Dell Inspiron 13" Convertible Laptop from US$940;
~$1329 with accessoriesDevice Ratings
Bang for the Buck Versatility for the Price Power Storage Portability Autonomy Bang for the Buck Versatility for the Price Power Storage Portability Autonomy by All Smart Devices standards
Bang for the Buck equivalent Versatility for the Price -18.12% inferior Power equivalent Storage equivalent Portability 27.67% better Autonomy 25% better Bang for the Buck Versatility for the Price Power Storage Portability Autonomy Bang for the Buck Versatility for the Price Power Storage Portability Autonomy Processor: Intel Core i7-7500UGraphics: Intel HD Graphics 620Memory: 8.00 GBStorage: 256.00 GBScreen Size: 13.3"Screen Resolution: 1920×1080Dimensions: 32.48 x 22.44 x 2.02 cmWeight: 1.55 kgdetailed info US$938.16 from Amazon (New)as of 2019-02-19 11:51:59, ESTPricing Accuracy
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the Amazon site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. × -
HP Pavilion gaming PC from US$9905% cheaper than usual
~$1525 with accessoriesDevice Ratings
by Stationary Computers standards
Bang for the Buck Versatility for the Price Power Storage Portability Autonomy N/A by All Smart Devices standards
Bang for the Buck 31.25% better Versatility for the Price equivalent Power 20% better Storage 35.63% better Portability -11.95% inferior Autonomy -21.67% inferior Bang for the Buck Versatility for the Price Power Storage Portability Autonomy N/A Processor: Intel Core i5-8400Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 TiMemory: 12.00 GBStorage: 1 TB + 256 GB (~1.25 TB)Dimensions: 17.00 x 27.70 x 33.80 cmWeight: 5.15 kgdetailed info from US$984 - US$984 from HP (New)as of 2019-02-15 10:50:07, EST
- US$984 from Best Buy (New)as of 2019-02-19 11:23:24, EST
Pricing Accuracy
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the retailer's site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. × -
Microsoft Surface Pro from US$9105% cheaper than usual
~$1480 with accessoriesDevice Ratings
Bang for the Buck Versatility for the Price Power Storage Portability Autonomy by All Smart Devices standards
Bang for the Buck -15.62% inferior Versatility for the Price -13.12% inferior Power equivalent Storage equivalent Portability 49.68% better Autonomy 56.66% better Bang for the Buck Versatility for the Price Power Storage Portability Autonomy Processor: Intel Core i5-7300HQGraphics: Intel HD Graphics 630Memory: 8.00 GBStorage: 256.00 GBScreen Size: 12.3"Screen Resolution: 2736×1824Dimensions: 29.21 x 20.14 x 0.85 cmWeight: 0.77 kgdetailed info from US$900.74 - US$900.74 from Amazon (New)as of 2019-02-18 14:42:36, EST
- US$946.14 from Staples (New)as of 2019-02-18 11:13:53, EST
Pricing Accuracy
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the retailer's site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. × -
Apple MacBook Air (13" 1.8GHz - 128GB) from US$910;
~$1289 with accessoriesDevice Ratings
Bang for the Buck Versatility for the Price Power Storage Portability Autonomy by All Smart Devices standards
Bang for the Buck -19.37% inferior Versatility for the Price -61.25% inferior Power -13.13% inferior Storage -20% inferior Portability 34.59% better Autonomy 70% better Bang for the Buck Versatility for the Price Power Storage Portability Autonomy Processor: Intel Core i5-5350UGraphics: Intel HD Graphics 6000Memory: 8.00 GBStorage: 128.00 GBScreen Size: 13.3"Screen Resolution: 1440×900Dimensions: 32.50 x 22.70 x 1.70 cmWeight: 1.35 kgdetailed info US$907.56 from Apple (New)as of 2019-02-17 15:29:58, ESTPricing Accuracy
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the Apple site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. × -
Samsung Note 9 from US$910;
~$1255 with accessoriesDevice Ratings
Bang for the Buck Versatility for the Price Power Storage Portability Autonomy by All Smart Devices standards
Bang for the Buck -52.5% inferior Versatility for the Price -60.62% inferior Power -41.25% inferior Storage -20% inferior Portability 62.89% better Autonomy 73.33% better by Large Smartphones and Phablets standards
Bang for the Buck Versatility for the Price Power Storage Portability Autonomy Processor: Qualcom Snapdragon 845Graphics: Qualcom Adreno 630Memory: 6.00 GBStorage: 128.00 GBScreen Size: 6.4"Screen Resolution: 2960×1440Dimensions: 16.19 x 7.64 x 0.88 cmWeight: 0.20 kgdetailed info from US$908.31 - US$908.31 from Samsung (New)as of 2019-02-17 13:31:47, EST
- US$984.01 from Freedom Mobile (New)as of 2019-02-19 04:19:25, EST
- US$1044.55 from Bell (New)as of 2019-02-19 04:15:58, EST
- US$1044.55 from Sasktel (New)as of 2019-02-19 04:17:31, EST
- US$1089.98 from Telus (New)as of 2019-02-18 15:10:39, EST
Pricing Accuracy
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the retailer's site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. × -
Apple Mac mini (2.8GHz) from US$910;
~$1638 with accessoriesDevice Ratings
by Stationary Computers standards
Bang for the Buck Versatility for the Price Power Storage Portability Autonomy N/A by All Smart Devices standards
Bang for the Buck -48.12% inferior Versatility for the Price -66.25% inferior Power -35.63% inferior Storage 25% better Portability 30.81% better Autonomy -21.67% inferior Bang for the Buck Versatility for the Price Power Storage Portability Autonomy N/A Processor: Intel Core i5-4308UGraphics: Intel Iris Graphics 5100Memory: 8.00 GBStorage: 1 TBDimensions: 19.70 x 19.70 x 3.60 cmWeight: 1.20 kgdetailed info US$908.31 from Staples (New)as of 2019-02-18 15:52:11, ESTPricing Accuracy
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the Staples site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. ×