What is the deal?
The 2K show mannequin is not obtainable on the market, however that is okay as a result of the 3K OLED model is offered at Finest Purchase. The laptop computer housing a Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card at the moment 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 person 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 cupboard space, 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 system. 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 side 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 to be like like one. Not solely is it a shiny silver, however the show is paying homage 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 be paying homage to one you’d discover on an Apple laptop computer.
Should you’re a frequent reader, you know the way a lot I recognize comfy 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 palms. 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 count on them to get as a lot motion. However on these 4 is the place you will 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 Perform keys have to be known as out as nicely, as Asus made a number of attention-grabbing decisions right here. The F5 key, for instance, causes the interior followers to enter turbo mode. As a aspect word, 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 alternative traps warmth with out a complete lot of air flow, resulting in a pc that may rapidly get scorching. Should you purchase this laptop computer, I might suggest you get a laptop computer cooling pad to maintain temperatures low.
The F10 key can be attention-grabbing because it provides a fast solution to utterly disable the touchpad, which is beneficial for individuals who desire utilizing an ordinary 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 among the best batteries I’ve ever seen on a laptop computer. In my expertise, the one different system that outperforms it’s the Acer Chromebook Spin 714.
I carried out my normal check 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 stunned 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 flawed.
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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 once I ran each by benchmarking assessments. On Cinebench R23, the Ryzen 9 earned a rating of 16,107, placing it among the many higher echelon of processors and nicely above the typical Intel Core i9-9880H. The GPU did not fare as nicely by comparability. The discrepancy between the 2 tells me the laptop computer is nice at dealing with a wide range of workloads, from web looking to video modifying, however might battle with gaming.
The Zephyrus G14 has one different main draw back in addition to 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 searching 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 trendy design and the lengthy battery life.
If I needed to decide one group that would love this laptop computer probably the most, it will be the professionals crew. The RTX 4060 GPU is on the low finish of the collection so its efficiency will disappoint avid gamers searching for uncooked energy. Plus, the bloatware cuts an excessive amount of into the SSD, limiting the quantity of huge recordsdata you’ll be able to have at a time.
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The Zephyrus G14 begins at $1,600. My overview unit, specifically, prices $1,900, which is definitely not low cost. Moreover, there is not a lot you are able to do to decrease the worth tag, because the customization choices solely add to the laptop computer. The underside line: the Zephyrus G14 is well worth the worth, however in order for you one thing cheaper, try ZDNET’s greatest price range gaming laptops for suggestions.
