ASUS’ ROG Zephyrus G14 has been considered one of our favourite for rattling close to half a decade. However the 2024 mannequin is on one other degree. That’s as a result of even with out a contemporary technology of GPUs from NVIDIA, ASUS went and redesigned your entire factor anyway. And the result’s a pocket book with a beautiful aluminum unibody chassis with a extra mature design that doesn’t must throw RGB lighting in your face to get some consideration. This version can also be sleeker and lighter whereas nonetheless offering highly effective efficiency. Although ASUS made a number of trade-offs when in comparison with its predecessor, with a beginning worth of $1,600, the brand new ROG Zephyrus G14 is just not solely a greater worth than virtually all of its 14-inch rivals, it’s additionally merely the most effective pound-for-pound gaming laptops round.
Photograph by Sam Rutherford/Engadget
For anybody who desires sturdy efficiency in a conveyable design, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is each pound for pound and greenback for greenback the only option round.
- Lovely understated design
- Attractive OLED display
- Sturdy efficiency
- Good port choice
- Punchy audio system
- Backside vents can get a bit toasty
- Keyboard solely has single-zone lighting
- Armoury Crate app is form of messy
- RAM is soldered in
$2,000 at Greatest Purchase
Design
In comparison with earlier fashions that had been awash in RGB or had dot-matrix shows constructed into their lids, this yr’s G14 is an train in restraint. It’s virtually like the road has grown out of its awkward teenage section and change into a classy however nonetheless fun-loving grownup. The lid is accented by a easy diagonal slash with white (not RGB) LEDs embedded down the center. In the meantime, on the within, there’s a sturdy deck with a big touchpad and surprisingly highly effective audio system.
The one factor I miss is per-key RGB lighting as a substitute of ASUS’ single-zone method. In spite of everything, it is a gaming laptop computer and in the event you’re going to supply a number of colours, it’d be good to have full customizability.
That stated, the G14’s redesign isn’t nearly fashion, it’s purposeful too. The swap to a unibody aluminum body has strengthened the entire machine. There’s barely a touch of flex even on usually weaker elements just like the lattice between keys. However extra importantly, ASUS additionally decreased the laptop computer’s weight to simply 3.3 kilos, which is noticeably lighter than rival notebooks with related steel builds just like the (3.95 kilos). Plus, even with the smaller measurement, the G14 incorporates a wholesome collection of ports together with a full-size HDMI 2.1 jack, two USB-C (considered one of which helps Thunderbolt 4), two USB-A and a microSD card reader.
Show
One other glowing part of the G14 is its OLED display. Along with producing vibrant colours, it has a pointy 2,880 x 1,800 decision together with a 120Hz refresh charge and a coloration gamut that covers one hundred pc of the DCI-P3 spectrum. Not too long ago, I’ve been watching Three Physique Downside and I’ve been completely loving the OLED panel’s glorious distinction and deep blacks. Moreover, as a result of ASUS features a handful of color-calibrated settings for sRGB, D65 P3, DCI-P3 (however not Adobe RGB), the G14 is a really succesful photo- and video-editing machine.
The one small situation is that as a result of 2,880 x 1,800 is a considerably unusual decision, you might not have the ability to play your entire video games at their native decision, which is a matter I encountered when taking part in Returnal.
Efficiency
A giant change for the 2024 ROG G14 is that GPU choices now prime out with an NVIDIA RTX 4070 as a substitute of a 4080 like on the earlier mannequin. Which may be a bummer for some, however as I desire laptops which are simpler to hold round, I’m OK with buying and selling out just a little top-end oomph for enhanced portability. And with all fashions that includes an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS chip together with not less than 16GB of RAM (or 32GB like on my evaluation unit) and 1TB of storage, you gained’t be missing in velocity.
On Geekbench 6, the G14 matched the efficiency we noticed from a bigger XPS 16 with an Intel Core Extremely 7 155H chip. In video games, it hit 90 fps in Cyberpunk 2077 on extremely settings, which is simply shy of a way more costly Razer Blade 14 (101 fps). That stated, there are some necessary particulars you must know. Not like earlier fashions, the most recent G14’s reminiscence is soldered to the motherboard, so there’s no manner so as to add additional RAM later. Moreover, whereas each ASUS and Razer’s 14-inch methods seem to have the identical RTX 4070 GPU, the G14’s is capped at 90 watts versus 140 watts for the Blade, which explains the small hole in gaming efficiency.
It’s additionally price noting that warmth will be a difficulty in sure conditions. In regular use, it’s not an enormous deal because the followers hardly ever must spin up when searching the net or watching films. However beneath load, as a result of the G14’s vents are on the underside of the pocket book, your lap can get toasty quick. Fortunately, this gained’t be a significant drawback in the event you’re gaming, because you’ll most likely wish to be at a desk or desk to place an exterior mouse on anyway.
Battery life
Whereas the G14 doesn’t final fairly so long as a conventional ultrabook, it nonetheless carries sufficient juice to final practically a complete workday. On PCMark 10’s Fashionable Workplace rundown check, it lasted 7 hours and 29 minutes which is barely higher than the Razer Blade 14’s time of 6:46. And, new for 2024, ASUS has added its proprietary Slim Energy Jack, which kind of seems like a USB-C port in the event you squint (but it surely isn’t). Nevertheless, if you wish to actually journey mild, the G14 helps charging by way of USB-C so you may go away the adapter at dwelling. The one caveat is that USB-PD on this maxes out at 100 watts (versus 180 watts when utilizing the included brick), so the battery should discharge whereas gaming or performing different intensive duties.
Wrap-up
Despite the fact that we already beloved its predecessors, the 2024 ROG Zephyrus G14 has managed to take one other huge leap. It’s bought an exquisitely crafted chassis together with a vibrant new show and boomier audio system – all whereas shedding practically half a pound in weight. On the within, you continue to stand up to an RTX 4070 GPU. Certain, it’s a contact slower than a equally outfitted Blade 14, however contemplating our evaluation unit prices $2,000 in comparison with $2,700 for the closest equivalently specced Razer, I’m completely satisfied to commerce a tiny little bit of efficiency to get a way more reasonably priced machine. And that’s earlier than you think about a beginning worth of simply for one with an RTX 4060. My greatest gripe is that ASUS’ Amoury Crate app nonetheless feels clunky, due to settings which are laborious to seek out or toggles that don’t work such as you’d count on. However make no mistake, the G14 is a superb laptop computer – for each avid gamers and content material creators – who need good efficiency in a conveyable bundle. So whereas I respect what the Blade 14 and different high-end notebooks can do, ASUS’ newest creation is the one I’d purchase.
