How much power do you need for esports? Last I checked, some gamers were fine with 1080p or less, but Asus’ Asus ROG Strix GA15DK esports machine is packed to the gills with up to an AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 graphics card. So sure, this thing has all the DNA of a competitive gamer, but it’s a powerhouse you can use for about anything.
It’s quite affordable considering the hardware and the cost implication of going “DIY” and building your own rig with similar components. It’s upgradeable and has illuminating RGB lighting donned across the front grille, giving the desktop a cosmetic touch.
For its price, however, you get yourself some of the best pack-in peripherals we’ve ever seen at this price range.
Here’s what we think about this gaming desktop by Asus.
Asus ROG Strix GA15DK specifications
- Processor AMD Ryzen 7-5800X (32M Cache, up to 4.7 GHz)
- Graphics NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB GDDR6
- Memory 16GB DDR4 3200 MHz
- Storage 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD + 1TB HDD
- Weight 24.2 pounds
- Dimensions 19.6 x 7.3 x 16.6 inches
Price and Availability
The ROG Strix series of gaming desktops are available for different prices, depending on the model. The base model (GL10DH-AH762), packs an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X CPU, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GPU, 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD.
In the midst there is the Asus ROG Strix GA15DH-AH772 that we reviewed a few months ago. It features a similar Ryzen 7 3800X chip as the base model, RTX 2070 SUPER graphics card, 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD + 1TB HDD.
Now, for our 2021 review unit – the ROG Strix GA15DK-AS776, Asus went all-in with an AMD 7 5800X CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 graphics card, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD + 1TB HDD, to create a peppy mainstream gaming desktop PC.
- Read more: Asus ROG Strix GA15DH-AH772 Review
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Asus ROG Strix GA15DK Review: Design
The ROG Strix GA15DK shares looks with its predecessor, the Asus ROG Strix GA15DH-AH772 that we reviewed earlier this year. That means you get a dark gray, aggressively angular design and some bit of RGB. The very front of the case has a bunch of stripes and angles and a clickable flap that pops to reveal a clever trick: a side hook for holding your headset.
Additionally, there’s an ROG logo and an RGB stripe cutting across the front, which you can change via the Asus’s software.
Both sides are the same dark gray color, but the desktop gets a transparent side panel for showing off your PC’s innards. The GA15DK-AS776 measures 19.6 x 7.3 x 16.6 inches, so its larger than other desktops with these souped-up specs, like MSI’s Trident X, which is petite in comparison at 15.6 x 15 x 5.1 inches, but almost similar in size as HP’s Omen 30L (GT13-0092) at 17.05 x 16.61 x 6.5 inches.
Asus ROG Strix GA15DK ports
I can’t help but appreciate the sheer number of easily accessible ports on the front of the Strix GA15DK: 1x USB 3.2 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Type-C, 1x Headphone, 1x Microphone, all next to a black handle at the top, which increases the large PC’s maneuverability.
Of course, there are more at the back: 4x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 1x Mic, 1x Line Out, 1x Line In, 1x Ethernet, 1x HDMI-out. On the RTX 3070 graphics card, there are more display ports (one HDMI, three DisplayPorts, one DVI) in case you need to connect to extra screens.
Gaming, Graphics and VR
Not surprising, the Nvidia RTX 3070 with 8GB of GDDR6 can tear through games. For instance, it plays Call of Duty: Black Ops’ battle royale mode, Cold War, in 4K with all settings on high, at between 50.2 and 56 frames per second (fps). At 1080p, it runs at between 124 and 132 fps.
On Cyberpunk 2077 (1920 x 1080, ultra), the GA15DK-AS776 runs the game at 81 fps, just below the ROG Strix GA35 (AMD Ryzen 9 5900X CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 GPU), but higher than the desktop average. At 4K, it runs the game at 27 fps, again a few frames behind the Strix GA35 machine.
On the SteamVR performance, the desktop reaches a perfect 11, making it Oculus Rift and HTC Vive ready.
Overall, the ROG Strix GA15DK will never struggle run a AAA or demanding game, and it’ll just go about its business delivering games to you at an enormously enjoyable level of fidelity and smoothness. It also runs quietly, and you’ll barely ever hear it struggle – or even work hard, really – no matter the task or game.
Asus ROG Strix GA15DK performance
With an AMD Ryzen 7 5800X processor, 16GB of memory and 512GB SSD + 1 TB HDD, the ROG Strix GA15DK-AS776 is no slouch. It’ll power through your average workday and simple tasks, like word processing and photo editing. If you throw in complex professional tasks, and pair it with an equally capable monitor – something like the LG 27GN800-B – it will reliably deliver the best computing experience, too.
If you’re willing to pay for a quality gaming PC right now, one that will be your go-workhorse as well, then I can’t think of many better investments performance-wise. The best is to get the ROG Strix GA15DK, enjoy it, and maybe upgrade your build with a new GPU down the line (many years later). This is the beauty of PC gaming.
Bottom Line
Asus’ newest ROG Strix GA15DK is an excellent machine, and for the price tag, excellent value. The particular build (GA15DK-AS776) in this review is an exceptional refresh over last year’s already great gaming OC, now with well-considered components and supporting hardware that makes a perfect gaming machine and a capable workhorse – all without breaking the bank.
OK, while any machine setting your back anything north of one gran might not quite be a ‘cheap gaming pc’ but it’s certainly exquisite value, and any discounts would certainly accentuate this.
All said, the Asus ROG Strix GA15DK-AS776 doesn’t claim to be an ultimate powerhouse and is comfortable in its own skin, not pretending to be anything it isn’t. It’s a reliable, well-performing gaming PC from a reputable gaming family, and it deserves to be applauded as one of the best pre-built gaming computers of the year. I would have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone looking for an esports machine that handles work well, too.
The Review
Asus ROG Strix GA15DK
The ROG Strix GA15DK (GA15DK-AS776) is great value for money gaming desktop by Asus with the latest AMD processor and powerful RTX graphics, all packed in an exquisite case with RGB light streak.
Recommended Configuration
ROG Strix GA15DK Gaming Desktop PC, AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, GeForce RTX 3070, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB SSD + 1TB HDD, Wi-Fi 5, Windows 10 Home, GA15DK-AS776
2 used from $999.99
PROS
- Excellent balance of components
- Great performance
- RTX goodness an icing on cake
- Decent I/O ports
CONS
- No gaming Keyboard and Mouse in-the-box
Review Breakdown
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EDITORS RATING
Last update on 2024-10-30 at 11:58 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
