Thanks, that helped considerably. I'm still getting some dropouts but now I can see a relationship between them and other things I'm doing on the computer at the same time. Hopefully I'll be able to ameliorate that.

Followup: Some pruning of preloading software with Microsoft Autoruns got rid of the remaining dropout issues.

Very happy now.

Seems to be related to Windows 10, but which Windows 10 please .. Windows 10 is about 5y old and got a lot of upgrades.
1709, 1804, 1809, 1905 what do you have please.

Fallback to 1809 makes no sense when the issue was there already.

Are you using the RME ASIO driver ? Which version ?
Which mainboard do you have ?

Are you using USB ports coming from Chipset (Intel or AMD) or from 3rd party USB chips ?
Pls try all USB2 and USB3 ports.

What energy profile do you use ? Make sure that you use the Energy profile "High power" not balanced or energy saving.
Try all USB ports.

Maybe also see post #2 in this thread. Not sure to what specific setting this should be related, but simply try.

Is this a Win10 preinstallation from Asus/factory ? Some preinstallations deploy crap tools from manufacturers for system management which at the end are badly programmed and steal much performance.
I would perform a new deployment and leave out all updating / driver management tools. Only use Intel or AMD Chipset Driver and drivers for the usual things: Graphics, USB (if needed for 3rd party chipset), Network (LAN/WLAN), mousepad

Avoid to install add-on tools bundled with open source software.
Avoid to configure auto update services for tools / deactivate them.
Deactivate Operation of dynamic icons in windows startmenue, which run instantly in the background.

Measure / remeasure with LatencyMon before / after optimizing.
https://www.resplendence.com/latencymon

Use tools like O&O Win10 Shutup to harden Win10 against loss of privacy, along with that you also reduce services / startup of programs that only satisfy Microsofts demand to "steal" your data.
https://www.oo-software.com/de/shutup10

You can try to use Bitsums "process lasso pro" to priotize audio related programs and to put the Laptop into energy saving power profile automatically if you are not using it for a certain amount of time.
https://bitsum.com/

Use the fast and reliable Disk Imaging Software "Macrium Reflect" to perform backups of your system, so that it is easy for you to change back to the previous state should a change be not successfull. Only this ensures that everything from a change is full backed out (also from registry). Do not trust Microsofts own tools which at the and neither have the same performance and functionality.
https://www.macrium.com/products/home