What is the deal?
The 2K show mannequin is now not out there on the market, however that is okay as a result of the 3K OLED model is out there at Greatest Purchase. The laptop computer housing a Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card presently 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 common gamer.
- Its lengthy battery life, feature-packed keyboard, and OLED show enable customers to deal with the workday with ease and luxury.
- Nevertheless, the laptop computer comes full of bloatware that takes up numerous 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 actually 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 harking back to what you’d discover on a MacBook Professional. It is a 2K decision (2,880 x 1,800 pixels) OLED display surrounded by thick black bezels.
The darkish borders function a distinction, making colours on the display appear extra vibrant. Moreover, the keyboard can be harking back to one you’d discover on an Apple laptop computer.
Should you’re a frequent reader, you know the way a lot I admire comfy keyboards. Effectively, I am completely satisfied 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 simple on the fingers. The M keys on the prime 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 Operate keys must be referred to as out as effectively, as Asus made a number of attention-grabbing selections right here. The F5 key, for instance, causes the interior followers to enter turbo mode. As a aspect notice, the position of the followers themselves leads to a design tradeoff.
They’re positioned 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. Nevertheless, this design selection traps warmth with no entire lot of air flow, resulting in a pc that may rapidly get sizzling. Should you purchase this laptop computer, I might advocate you get a laptop computer cooling pad to maintain temperatures low.
The F10 key can be attention-grabbing because it gives a fast approach to fully disable the touchpad, which is helpful for individuals who want utilizing a regular mouse and keyboard combo.
With the OLED show and all of the lights all through the physique, one would assume the battery would not final very lengthy. Surprisingly, that isn’t the case. The Zephyrus G14 has among the finest 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 common check of taking part in 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 identified 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 after I ran each via benchmarking assessments. On Cinebench R23, the Ryzen 9 earned a rating of 16,107, placing it among the many higher echelon of processors and effectively above the common Intel Core i9-9880H. The GPU did not fare as effectively 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 enhancing, however could wrestle with gaming.
The Zephyrus G14 has one different main draw back apart from its heating concern. The laptop computer comes with numerous bloatware. The SSD is full of a number of forgettable apps. Granted, some are helpful. Armoury Crate controls the RGB lights, and GeForce Expertise manages your sport library. The onboard assistant? Not a lot. Not less than, I did not discover myself in search of it.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
Asus’ ROG Zephyrus G14 is a incredible laptop computer for most individuals. Geeks like myself will admire the customizable RGB lighting and the {hardware}, which is nice sufficient for many gaming periods. Professionals will admire the fashionable design and the lengthy battery life.
If I needed to decide 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 sequence so its efficiency will disappoint players in search of uncooked energy. Plus, the bloatware cuts an excessive amount of into the SSD, limiting the quantity of massive information you may have at a time.
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The Zephyrus G14 begins at $1,600. My assessment 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 value, however if you need one thing cheaper, take a look at ZDNET’s finest finances gaming laptops for suggestions.
