What is the deal?
The 2K show mannequin is now not obtainable on the market, however that is okay as a result of the 3K OLED model is obtainable at Greatest Purchase. The laptop computer housing a Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card at present prices a reduced $1,200, whereas the 4070 construct is $2,000.
ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Whereas technically a gaming laptop computer, the brand new Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 may very well do extra for the skilled consumer than the typical gamer.
- Its lengthy battery life, feature-packed keyboard, and OLED show enable customers to sort out the workday with ease and luxury.
- Nonetheless, the laptop computer comes filled with bloatware that takes up quite a lot of space for storing, and its working temperature can run excessive.
Let me ask you a query: when does a gaming laptop computer cease being a gaming laptop computer? I feel the reply is when the {hardware} is the least spectacular factor in regards to the machine. That is the case with the seemingly MacBook-inspired Asus ROG Zephyrus G14. After a few weeks of testing, I truthfully forgot it got here with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU. Each different facet of the laptop computer was extra enthralling. Its efficiency was the furthest factor from my thoughts.
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I particularly talked about the MacBook as a result of the Zephyrus G14 actually appears like one. Not solely is it a shiny silver, however the show is harking back to what you’d discover on a MacBook Professional. It is a 2K decision (2,880 x 1,800 pixels) OLED display screen surrounded by thick black bezels.
The darkish borders function a distinction, making colours on the display screen appear extra vibrant. Moreover, the keyboard can also be harking back to one you’d discover on an Apple laptop computer.
If you happen to’re a frequent reader, you know the way a lot I recognize snug keyboards. Nicely, I am pleased to say that the Zephyrus G14 positively has one.
Every key has a slight indentation that guides your fingers towards the middle, and most even have a pleasant, springy really feel. Placing the 2 collectively leads to a typing expertise that’s fairly straightforward on the fingers. The M keys on the high do not have the identical haptic suggestions; they’re mushier by comparability as a result of Asus did not anticipate them to get as a lot motion. However on these 4 is the place you may discover the laptop computer’s audio controls, the stand out being the M4, which launches the Armoury Crate app that configures the RGB lights.
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The Operate keys should be known as out as properly, as Asus made a number of attention-grabbing decisions right here. The F5 key, for instance, causes the inner followers to enter turbo mode. As a aspect notice, the position of the followers themselves leads to a design tradeoff.
They’re situated on the backside of the laptop computer as an alternative of the rear or sides to make sure the laptop computer is skinny. With this mannequin measuring lower than an inch thick, I might say Asus was profitable. Nonetheless, this design selection traps warmth with out a complete lot of air flow, resulting in a pc that may shortly get scorching. If you happen to purchase this laptop computer, I might advocate you get a laptop cooling pad to maintain temperatures low.
The F10 key can also be attention-grabbing because it provides a fast method to fully disable the touchpad, which is beneficial for individuals who desire utilizing a normal mouse and keyboard combo.
With the OLED show and all of the lights all through the physique, one would assume the battery does not final very lengthy. Surprisingly, that’s not the case. The Zephyrus G14 has probably the greatest batteries I’ve ever seen on a laptop computer. In my expertise, the one different machine that outperforms it’s the Acer Chromebook Spin 714.
I carried out my regular take a look at of enjoying a nonstop YouTube livestream at 720p and 50% brightness. The Zephyrus G14 lasted 10 hours straight. Most laptops, from what I’ve seen, faucet out at six hours. I used to be genuinely shocked at this longevity. Gaming laptops are recognized to be power-hungry, so I wasn’t anticipating a lot, however I used to be fortunately confirmed unsuitable.
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The Zephyrus G14 is powered by an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS processor alongside the GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card I discussed earlier. I discovered the CPU to be extra spectacular after I ran each by way of benchmarking checks. On Cinebench R23, the Ryzen 9 earned a rating of 16,107, placing it among the many higher echelon of processors and properly above the typical Intel Core i9-9880H. The GPU did not fare as properly by comparability. The discrepancy between the 2 tells me the laptop computer is nice at dealing with quite a lot of workloads, from web shopping to video enhancing, however might battle with gaming.
The Zephyrus G14 has one different main draw back moreover its heating challenge. The laptop computer comes with quite a lot of bloatware. The SSD is filled with a number of forgettable apps. Granted, some are helpful. Armoury Crate controls the RGB lights, and GeForce Expertise manages your recreation library. The onboard assistant? Not a lot. No less than, I did not discover myself on the lookout for it.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
Asus’ ROG Zephyrus G14 is a incredible laptop computer for most individuals. Geeks like myself will recognize the customizable RGB lighting and the {hardware}, which is nice sufficient for many gaming periods. Professionals will recognize the fashionable design and the lengthy battery life.
If I needed to choose one group that would love this laptop computer probably the most, it might be the professionals crew. The RTX 4060 GPU is on the low finish of the collection so its efficiency will disappoint avid gamers on the lookout for uncooked energy. Plus, the bloatware cuts an excessive amount of into the SSD, limiting the quantity of massive recordsdata you possibly can have at a time.
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The Zephyrus G14 begins at $1,600. My overview unit, particularly, prices $1,900, which is actually not low cost. Moreover, there is not a lot you are able to do to decrease the value tag, because the customization choices solely add to the laptop computer. The underside line: the Zephyrus G14 is definitely worth the value, however if you’d like one thing cheaper, take a look at ZDNET’s best budget gaming laptops for suggestions.
