Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5) / ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (2025) G835LX

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5): 13.6-inch · M5

ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (2025) G835LX: G835LX-SA129X variant: Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU (24 GB), 64 GB DDR5 and 2 × 2 TB SSDs in RAID 0, Windows 11 Pro. The RTX 5080 G835LW and the 16-inch SCAR 16 are separate models; within the G835LX family memory, storage and operating system can differ by country.

SpecificationApple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5)ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 18 (2025) G835LX
Release year20262025
Display13.6-inch Liquid Retina IPS; 2560 × 1664; 224 ppi; 500 nits; P3; True Tone Apple18-inch ROG Nebula HDR Mini LED; 2560 × 1600 (16:10); 240 Hz; 100% DCI-P3; G-Sync; anti-glare low-reflection (AGLR) surface; Pantone Validated

The Mini LED backlight dims in many small zones independently, which keeps dark areas dark in HDR content; it is not as precise as pixel-level OLED control.

ASUS
ProcessorApple M5; 10-core CPU (4 performance, 6 efficiency); 16-core Neural Engine AppleIntel Core Ultra 9 275HX (24 cores / 24 threads, up to 5.4 GHz, 36 MB cache, 13 TOPS NPU)

The cores are a mix of performance and efficiency cores; there is no Hyper-Threading, so core and thread counts are equal.

ASUS
Graphics8-core GPU; 10-core GPU option; hardware ray tracing; Neural Accelerators

The 10-core GPU is a configure-to-order option; the base model has 8 cores.

Apple		NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU; 24 GB GDDR7; ROG Boost 1647 MHz; 175 W (150 W TGP + 25 W Dynamic Boost)

1647 MHz is the 1597 MHz boost clock plus a 50 MHz ASUS overclock. 175 W is the highest total graphics power; the 25 W Dynamic Boost share moves to the GPU when CPU load is low. The GPU is soldered and cannot be upgraded.

ASUS
Memory16 GB; 24 / 32 GB options

Unified memory; cannot be upgraded after purchase.

Apple		64 GB (2 × 32 GB) DDR5-5600 SO-DIMM; 2 slots; up to 64 GB

Both slots are filled in this variant and ASUS’s stated maximum is already reached; an upgrade means replacing the modules.

ASUS
Storage512 GB; 1 / 2 / 4 TB options Apple2 TB + 2 TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD, RAID 0; 2 × M.2 slots

RAID 0 combines the two drives into one fast volume; if either drive fails all data can be lost, so regular backups matter. ASUS states that only single-sided SSDs are supported.

ASUS
Memory bandwidth153 GB/s Apple—
WirelessApple N1: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread AppleWi-Fi 7 (802.11be, tri-band, 2 × 2); Bluetooth 5.4

A compatible router is needed to benefit from Wi-Fi 7 speeds.

ASUS
Connections2 × Thunderbolt 4 / USB 4 (40 Gbit/s; charging and DisplayPort); MagSafe 3; 3.5 mm jack with high-impedance headphone support Apple—
External displaysUp to 2: each up to 6K 60 Hz or 4K 144 Hz; a single display up to 8K 60 Hz, 5K 120 Hz or 4K 240 Hz

Both external displays can run from one Thunderbolt port while the built-in display stays on.

Apple		—
Charging40 W Dynamic Power Adapter in the box (60 W max); 35 W dual USB-C or 70 W options

Fast charging requires a 70 W or higher USB PD source.

Apple		—
Battery53.8 Wh lithium-polymer; up to 18 hours video streaming; up to 15 hours wireless web

Apple test figures; vary with use and configuration.

Apple		—
Camera12 MP Center Stage; Desk View; 1080p video Apple—
AudioFour speakers; Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos; three-mic array with Voice Isolation Apple4 speakers; Dolby Atmos; Hi-Res audio; AI noise cancelation ASUS
KeyboardBacklit Magic Keyboard; Touch ID; Force Touch trackpad Apple—
Size / weight30.41 × 21.5 × 1.13 cm; 1.23 kg

Weight can vary by configuration.

Apple		—
ColoursSky Blue, Silver, Starlight, Midnight Apple—
Operating temperature10–35 °C Apple—
GPU switching—MUX Switch and NVIDIA Advanced Optimus

The MUX switch connects the internal display directly to the NVIDIA GPU to reduce latency in games; Advanced Optimus does this switch without a restart.

ASUS
Ports—2 × Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C; DisplayPort, Power Delivery, G-SYNC); 3 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A; HDMI 2.1 FRL; 2.5G LAN; 3.5 mm combo audio jack

Thunderbolt 5 can offer up to 120 Gb/s in one direction, useful for fast external storage and high-resolution monitors. Independent testing criticised the lack of rear ports.

ASUS
Keyboard and camera—Per-key RGB keyboard with numeric keypad and Copilot key; 1080p IR camera (Windows Hello) ASUS
Battery and power—90 Wh 4-cell lithium-ion battery; 380 W adapter; plus a 100 W USB-C adapter

The 380 W adapter is needed for gaming performance; the 100 W USB-C adapter is for light use and charging on the go. ASUS notes that box contents can vary by region.

ASUS
Operating system—Windows 11 Pro ASUS
Lighting—AniMe Vision dot-matrix display on the lid; Aura Sync light bar ASUS
Size and weight—39.9 × 29.8 × 2.35–3.20 cm; 3.30 kg

The carried weight rises noticeably with the adapters.

ASUS
In the box—ROG backpack, ROG Fusion II 300 headset, ROG Gladius III Mouse P514

ASUS notes that accessories can vary by region.

ASUS