Two additional USB 3.0 connectors are arranged on the left side, as are the rig's optical drive (a Blu-ray burner) and SD/MMC card reader. Looking for connections? There are plenty on the G751: two USB 3.0 ports, a VGA connector, three audio jacks, Ethernet, HDMI and even a Thunderbolt port can be found on the machine's right edge. The ledge and lid have a few brushed-metal accents and the vents are flared with red paint that lends them a sort of 'jet intake' look, but the rest of the machine is covered in a matte, almost soft finish. It's a unique design, and it gives the rest of the machine's chassis license to be fairly subtle by comparison. Not only does moving the screen closer to the user make the laptop seem a little less large while it's being used, but it also gives the machine an isolated area to vent heat away from the user. This look is typical of ASUS' heaviest gaming machines, but it's more than just visual flair - it's a surprisingly well-thought-out design. This leaves a distinctive, large 'brick' jutting out from behind the laptop's open lid.

Even at a glance, you can tell it's a little different: Instead of placing its screen hinge on the far edge of the machine's base, the G751 pivots its screen a few inches away from that edge. Fortunately, ASUS' ROG G751 does, owning its gargantuan frame by taking liberties with the standard tropes of laptop design. It's a necessity, of course, but it's also a shame - few gaming rigs embrace their size as a means of standing out.

Thick, heavy chassis and enormous screens almost make them a parody of portable computing. In a world where most notebooks strive to get thinner and lighter, 17-inch gaming laptops stand out like the sorest of thumbs.

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