Verdict
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 ( 2023 ) sets a new benchmark for gage laptop , becoming one of the very first systems to stuff high - power specification in an ultra - portable design . But you ’ll need to make up a premium for that enhanced portability .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 ( 2023 ) is a gaming laptop with the lofty aspiration to pressure high - terminal specs into an extremist - portable design .
Unlike the ‘ background permutation ’ alternative that often weigh well over 2 kg , the G14 is just about lighter enough ( at 1.7 kg ) to be deliberate as a productivity laptop computer that you’re able to take to and from the office .
That has n’t blow the performance , with Asus managing to squeeze in the juggernaut RTX 4090 GPU into the top - death constellation , do it even more sinewy than the newRazer Blade 14 . But with all of that power inside a slender skeletal frame , surely something has to give ? I ’ve spent several weeks with this gaming laptop computer , so here are my thoughts .
Price and Configurations
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 ( 2023 ) is available with a wide ambit of spectacles . The base model can be find oneself for £ 1699.99/$1699 , which feature an AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS CPU , Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and 16 GB of RAM .
My review article manakin packs the top spec , including an AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU , Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU and 32 GB of RAM , and is priced at a steep £ 3399.99/$3299.99 .
For context , theMedion Erazer Major X20is priced at just £ 1899.95 with an Intel i9 - 13900HX CPU , Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and 32 GB of RAM . That means you ’re pay a premium for the Asus name , as well as the improved portability of the Zephyrus G14 .
Design and Keyboard
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 ( 2023 ) look just like premature launching of this gambling laptop line of merchandise . It has keep the stocky 14 - inch blind , with a slim chassis measuring in at just 20.5 mm .
It ’s one of the most portable gaming laptop computer you ’ll likely find , with a weighting of just 1.72 kg which is over 100 g lighter than the top - end Razer Blade 14 , and is promiscuous to hold in one hired hand with slight strain . I ’ve been carrying the Zephyrus G14 ( 2023 ) between my home and the part for weeks now , and while its ponderousness certainly is detectable , it ’s never caused my back too much trouble .
None of this is too surprising since the ROG Zephyrus G14 has been flaunting its radical - portable designs since 2020 . But ingredient in the ultra - powerfulRTX 4090 GPUinside – the most hefty wandering graphics chip Nvidia has to offer – and you ca n’t avail but gawp at the laptop ’s lithesome frame .
Asus reach this remarkable exploit by using a magnesium - aluminium alloy for the main chassis . It does n’t feel quite as stout or fancy as the Razer Blade 14 with its aluminum case with an anodised finish , but I in person did n’t have any squeamishness with the build quality of the G14 . It ’s for certain robust enough to conduct around without reverence of being easily damage .
On the laptop computer ’s rear , it reckon like someone has repeatedly stabbed the lid with a shrewd needle to create 6000 tiny holes . Upgrade to an AniMe Matrix exemplar of this laptop , and those muddle will be filled with LED sparkle , let you to create your own tradition beam - up pixel artistry . It ’s a great means of enabling the drug user to stamp their own personality on the laptop . And even if you do n’t prefer for the AniMe Matrix firing , I still think the holey design looks great , helping the G14 stand out from the crowd .
Despite the slender form , Asus has manage to squeeze numerous ports onto the Zephyrus G14 . It packs 2x USB - A , 2xUSB - C , HDMI 2.1 , a microSD card reader and a 3.5 mm earphone jack . There ’s not much more I ’d want in this section , other thanThunderbolt 4which is single to Intel on Windows machines .
Asus has fitted a 1080p webcam into the laptop , with support forWindows Hellofor logins via facial recognition – I forgot I even had a password on this laptop since this process was so unseamed . The television camera ’s capture quality is a little grainy though , so while decent for employment meetings , you ’ll need a better external option for cyclosis on YouTube or Twitch .
I ’m a big sports fan of the keyboard . It has deep presses with just about enough feedback for a cheering typing experience . Key presses are muted too , allowing it to be used in an spot setting without disturbing colleagues , but lack that clicky crunch of a mechanically skillful keyboard .
You only get an RGB backlight with blue-ribbon models , otherwise , it ’s just a plain white glow underneath the key . And if you do end up with an RGB good example , there ’s no per - key lighting , specify your customisation choice . That ’s dissatisfactory , especially if you ’re purchasing a model that costs over £ 3000/$3000 . I ’ve got no issues with the touchpad though , it works just fine .
Display and Sound
One of the self-aggrandising upgrades for the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 ( 2023 ) compare to late models can be found with the screen . Asus has opt for its new ROG Nebula HDR Display panels , which useMini LEDtechnology for stunning result – an IPS screenland is also available alternatively if you ’re on a fuddled budget .
Asus send me the Mini LED model , and I genuinely think this is one of the just laptop computer screens I ’ve ever used . The vibrant colours of the autumnal wood ofHorizon Zero Dawnwere incredible , especially when displaying the bright sun poking between the thicket of leaves .
I used a tintometer to benchmark the laptop ’s video display so I was n’t relying solely on my own eye test . The results back up my impressions with a 587 - nit peak brightness figure , almost double the issue of your median laptop . This is also one of the only Mini light-emitting diode screen I ’ve used that has achieved a 0 ignominious level – typically only OLED screens can achieve this . Asus claims a contrast of 100,000:1 for HDR . Either way , the contrast is so high that my colourimeter ca n’t immortalize it .
This wondrously high direct contrast results in a massive advance for dark shot , which I found to be the type inReturnal . While some laptops and monitors have struggled to display much detail in the dark alien cosmos of thePS5port , that is n’t an military issue with the Zephyrus G14 . It ’s able to keep on that drear aesthetic , yet it ’s still possible to easily see your surroundings with balance beam of light edit out through the dark with dazzle illumination .
The colour reporting is superb too , with 100 % forsRGB , 93 % forAdobe RGBand 100 % forDCI - P3 , comfortably making this laptop computer presentation accurate enough for content creation . It ’s deserving bring up that these results will be a lot lowly with the more low-cost IPS panel .
Every single configuration of the ROG Zephyrus G14 fall with a Quad HD ( 2560×1600 ) firmness of purpose , which is a skillful middle ground between 4 K and Full HD . That aver , I ca n’t serve but feel the power of the RTX 4090 graphics silicon chip in my revue mannequin is wasted with no choice to upgrade to 4K.
Therefresh rateis also fixed at 165Hz , no matter which simulation you make up on . That ’s suitably high enough for the mean gamer , especially with max graphics setting , but it rules out the G14 from being a realistic alternative for seriouseSports .
I was surprised by how impressive the 4 - speaker system sounded on this laptop , which is loud and booming enough to frivol away you into thinking the audio is coming from a right sound arrangement rather than a small laptop . The gravelly spokesperson of Sean Bean inCivilization VIsounded superbly detail , while the bass voice also do by gunfire and explosion like an expert well – even better than the Razer Blade 14 during a direct comparing .
Performance
There are spate of 14 - inch portable laptops usable that offer a high gaming performance , but most are limited to an RTX 4070 GPU , include the popular Razer Blade 14 . The Asus ROG Zephyrus breaks free of such restrictions , somehow managing to fit up to an RTX 4090 GPU in spite of appearance . You ’re effectively getting the performance of a desktop replacement inside an ultra - portable design .
This admittedly is n’t the full - powered version of the RTX 4090 crisp , limit to a 125 electric power . For comparison , the RTX 4090 fleck regain inside the Razer Blade 16 has aTGP(Total Graphics Power ) of 175W , and so is capable of squeeze out a petty mo more performance power . Nevertheless , the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 ( 2023 ) is still capable of remarkable gaming public presentation , specially since the GPU is pair off with an AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS C.P.U. .
cyber-terrorist 2077 is a notoriously difficult biz to unravel , yet the G14 negociate an average execution of 63fps in Quad HD with max artwork preferences . With the same setting , the G14 also manage to hit 77fps for Returnal , 77fps for Borderlands 3 , 108fps for Horizon Zero Dawn and 132fps for F1 22 . The Zephyrus G14 achieved between 10 to 15 less frame per second than the Razer Blade 16 , but these were all still very healthy grievance that would guarantee a smooth gambling experience .
Performance resolution were a piddling erratic at times , with the average physical body rate qualified on how long the G14 had been running . There was a notable build - up of heat on the shape above the keyboard , with the ErgoLift intent and built - in vapour chamber failing to keep the internal ingredient and form completely cool .
as luck would have it , the execution never dropped importantly enough to strangle my experience , while Asus has successfully been able to divert the oestrus to areas of the laptop computer you ’re unlikely to touch during use . I used the InfiRay P2 Pro caloric camera to take the below picture ; the bright sections of the laptop mean a greater body-build - up of heat , showing the field around the touchpad and the rightfulness and left edge of the keyboard remained cool .
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 ( 2023 ) is n’t relying solely on a powerful GPU . My review manakin was also powered by the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS central processing unit and 32 GB DDR5 RAM , lead in a supercharged performance .
This was particularly obtrusive when play through the late phase of Civilization VI , where personal computer usually start to slow down in - between turns when the single-valued function becomes crowded , but the G14 sped through these loading metre within a couple of moment .
I also used synthetical benchmark to get an thought of how powerful the G14 is compare to other laptops . My review model predictably outscore the Razer Blade 14 , and posted alike scores to laptop that are significantly heavier – the ROG Zephyrus G14 ( 2023 ) librate just 1.72 kilogram , while the Razer Blade 16 and Medion Erazer Major X20 both come in at 2.4 kilo each , although do admittedly have enceinte 16 - inch screens .
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 ( 2023 ) also performed well in my SSD tests , with a read and write grievance of 6667MB / s and 4937MB / s. This results in speedy installation and loading times for your PC games . Storage capability is plentiful , with 1 TB of blank .
Battery Life
The two giving issues with ultra - powerful gambling laptops are inept system of weights and short shelling lifespan . Asus may have lick the former , but the latter remains a problem due to the power - athirst nature of the RTX 4090 GPU .
When benchmarking the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 ( 2023 ) , it only survive 3 60 minutes and 20 minutes on a individual bang . That ’s a poor result compare to the Razer Blade 14 , which lasted 10 hour and 18 hour in the same test .
I ’m loath to judge the G14 too harshly for this though . The power of the RTX 4090 and the Ryzen 9 processor will no doubt have circumscribe the stamen of this laptop , but it remains a foiling for those who want to work on the move aside from a power germ .
The good news is that the 240W AC Adapter bundle up in with the laptop computer take less than 1 hour to completely replenish the battery . In 30 minute , the Zephyrus G14 ’s battery was restored by 61 % . This speedy charging make the short battery life a bit more achievable .
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Should you buy it?
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 ( 2023 ) strikes a thoroughgoing balance between performance and portability , ready this the perfect selection for those who want both a productivity political machine and a high - death gaming scheme .
This may disagree with other configurations , but my poser of the G14 ( with an RTX 4090 ) lasted less than 4 hours on a single charge . TheRazer Blade 14lasted double as long as this , if you ’re happy to sacrifice office for length of service .
Final Thoughts
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 ( 2023 ) has redefine what it means to be a gamy - specification gaming laptop computer . Previously you ’d have to finalize for a large , cumbersome laptop for ultimate force , and yet the G14 pop the question manufacture - chair specs inside an radical - portable frame that can be pick up comfortably with one hand – that ’s virtuous conjuration .
The G14 impressment in other area too , with a stunning Mini light-emitting diode display , loud booming speakers and a design that can be personalise with light-emitting diode lighting . If I was going to buy myself a laptop , this would be my first choice .
It ’s by no mean value perfect though . The Mary Leontyne Price is really steep compared to other laptops , despite lack per - key RGB lighting . assault and battery life is poor too , limiting its appeal for productiveness tasks , especially when compared to theRazer Blade 14 .
If you ’re looking for serious value but still fancy powerful specs , then theMedion Erazer Major X20is a great alternative . Yet the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 ( 2023 ) remains the absolute honest option if you want the perfect balance wheel of portability and high performance . control out ourBest Gaming Laptoplist for more choice .
Trusted Score
How we test
Every gambling laptop we review goes through a serial publication of uniform checks designed to estimate central things , including build quality , operation , blind caliber and battery life .
We also spend some serious meter with it playing the former treble - A secret plan .
FAQs
The fundament toll comes in at £ 1699.99/$1699 , but that can be pushed up to £ 3399.99/$3299.99 and anywhere in - between when upgrading the specs at checkout .
The Zephyrus G14 ( 2023 ) only live for 3 hours and 20 minutes in our productivity trial for barrage life . It ’s of import to note our sample distribution has a power - hungry RTX 4090 GPU , so toughness may improve when opting for lower powered specs .
Yes , our tests showed it to become very raging while running demand game . Fortunately , the area of the laptop you ’re most probable going to come in contact with during play remain relatively cool .