The SSDs and RAM on this new Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 can be upgraded entirely without tools

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Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2025 with the underside panel removed. — (Image credit: Future)

For many of today's most popular gaming laptops, manufacturers have shrunk and soldered so much to save space that we've lost the ability to upgrade our machines. Not this Asus ROG Strix Scar 18, though. It's been built with upgradeability in mind.

But what's most interesting about this design is when you flip it over. There are no screws visible from the underside of this laptop. Instead, it has a single sliding latch. This unlocks the rear cover, which can then be slid off and removed—no tools required.

Underneath the cover sit two diagonally arranged NVMe slots and a pair of SO-DIMM packages. All of which can be swapped and changed. That's maybe not that amazing, but Asus has got rid of the frustratingly tiny screws and opted for small latches on each of the NVMe slots—called Q-latch—much like it's done with its motherboards in recent years.

Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 laptop on a grey background. — (Image credit: Asus)

That means the laptop can be upgraded without even a screwdriver, which is pretty special. The battery is also easily accessible. Though to get down any further than these components requires removing a few screws, but it's less likely you'll need to get down there except for repairs.

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Jacob earned his first byline writing for his own tech blog, before graduating into breaking things professionally at PCGamesN. Now he's managing editor of the hardware team at PC Gamer, and you'll usually find him testing the latest components or building a gaming PC.