Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) review

Since the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 has been one of the greatest gaming laptops available since its launch, it is acceptable to refer to it as a legendary laptop. Asus had a successful recipe that included premium technology, a reasonably priced device for gamers on the road, and a stylish design. Why then would you discard everything?

The Zephyrus G14 of 2024 is a drastic change. A redesigned metal frame, an OLED screen, and fewer hardware choices form the foundation of what seems like a whole new laptop. It’s okay if this doesn’t feel like the Zephyrus G14. A number of well-considered sacrifices come together to create a laptop that is unmatched in its ability to combine power and mobility at a cost that rivals cannot match.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) review: Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) specs

With the 2024 Zephyrus G14, Asus reduced the number of choices compared to the previous year’s offering. A 3K OLED Nebula HDR display, 1TB of PCIe 4.0 storage, and an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS CPU are among the standard specifications included with each option. 32GB of LPDDR5X-6400 RAM is also included in every configuration that I can currently locate, but there’s a bit more to that tale.

The memory on the 2024 Zephyrus G14 is soldered, in contrast to earlier models. It cannot be upgraded or changed. You may change the RAM on laptops like the Razer Blade 14 if you so want.

One of the main areas of disagreement with the Zephyrus G14 is memory. It’s difficult to predict if certain stores will have 16GB devices, but if you can, I highly advise choosing the 32GB model. Although the soldered RAM greatly restricts the laptop’s ability to be repaired and upgraded, it probably helps Asus attain a more compact form factor.

Other than that, the GPU is the primary difference between setups. The laptop now supports an RTX 4050 to an RTX 4070, as opposed to previous year’s model, which supported an RTX 4050 up to an RTX 4090. Additionally, these GPUs do not operate at full power. With a base power of 65 watts and an extra 25 watts via Dynamic Boost, Asus limits all of them at 90 watts.

That is less power than earlier designs, and based on what you know about laptops’ Total Graphics Power (TGP), that seems to be a negative thing. Fortunately, Nvidia’s latest GPUs are very efficient; the G14’s reduced power budget results in very little performance loss (more on that later).

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) review: A radical redesign

With the Zephyrus G14, a lot has changed, most notably the use of aluminum by Asus in the body. The Zephyrus G14 has a quality look and feel that helps it stand with laptops like the Razer Blade 14 and Alienware x14 R2. This is a significant departure from earlier versions that employed a plastic casing. One may argue that it is even more powerful than the MacBook Pro.

Not only does the sleek silver frame look amazing, it makes it feasible for the Zephyrus G14 to reach some unattainable proportions. With a thickness of only 0.63 inches, the laptop is somewhat thicker than the Alienware x14 R2 and slightly thinner than the Razer Blade 14. But the weight is the main factor here. When I took the 3.3-pound laptop out of the package, I was astounded by how light it felt.

Although Alienware and Razer’s competitors are almost the same thickness, they weigh more than four pounds. This is the weight of the MacBook Pro. Even with Asus’ laptop outfitted with an RTX 4070, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M3 Pro or M3 Max weighs more than the Zephyrus G14. I took out the scale since it was such a drastic shift, and sure enough, the laptop weighs 3.3 pounds.

To achieve this weight, there are undoubtedly some compromises made. The G14’s soldered memory is a significant source of dispute, and its 73 watt-hour battery is rather modest. Fortunately, the battery is counterbalanced by reduced GPU power consumption, which I’ll discuss in more detail later.
The 2024 Zephyrus G14 has an amazing appearance. The all-silver design has the ROG insignia, which was formerly a plastic one, imprinted into the metal frame. Despite the gaming-focused gear, you may choose between silver and black, both of which would look great in a coffee shop. It seems to be more of a high-end Windows laptop than a gaming laptop.

However, the Zephyrus G14’s shift to a more conventional appearance leaves something lacking. Gone is the distinguishing hump on earlier models that let you hold the laptop at an angle by raising the lid. Now, it’s a more traditional clamshell. Furthermore, the LED array that was available with Asus’ AniMe matrix is no longer available; in its stead is a diagonal line that has many lights on it.

Although it has similarities to the previous Zephyrus G14, this laptop is quite different, and I wish Asus had handled it accordingly. Specifically, the Slash Lighting seems a little strange. You are really at the mercy of an array of Asus settings that vary slightly in how the lights fade or flash in each zone, giving you very little control over how it operates. I ended up leaving the light on most of the time, however there are a few party tricks like the Slash Lighting responding to music or lighting up for alerts.

This laptop has progressed from the G14, and while it does so, it has lost some of its gaming aesthetic. The lighter weight and superior aluminum body finish are two areas where it works to your advantage; in other aspects, however, something is lacking. The most significant absence from this edition is undoubtedly the body bump from earlier iterations, which improved thermals in addition to typing.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) review: Excellent connectivity remains

Although Asus may have made some cosmetic changes to the G14 to make it more resemble a MacBook, no connection was lost in the process. There are still two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A connectors, two full-size HDMI 2.1 ports, and two USB-C ports (one USB 3.2 Gen 2 and the other USB 4). Up to 100W of power transmission is also supported by that USB 4 connector.

Asus also included a 3.5mm headphone connector and a microSD card reader. This split is excellent as well. Larger connectors like the HDMI 2.1 and headphone jack are on the left side of the laptop, out of the way if you’re using a mouse. Both kinds of USB ports are divided, with one on each side.

Additionally, Asus improved upon the power connection. The barrel power adaptor, which was positioned in the middle of the laptop’s left side and at a 90-degree angle, was one of my main complaints with the prior design. Asus moved the power connector to the rear of the laptop, out of the way, and swapped it out with a square, straight adapter that seems much more secure. It’s a major improvement in quality of life.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) review: Keeping some things the same

I’m glad Asus left the keyboard on the 2024 Zephyrus G14 alone. I think the Zephyrus M16 keyboard is one of the best for gaming laptops, as you can see from my review. Similar to the Razer Blade 14, it is quick, but with a little bit more travel. It’s a pleasure to write on, and even though I’ve spent the last year getting used to Razer’s keyboard, using the Zephyrus G14 felt familiar.

Additionally, you get a sizable trackpad that extends from the laptop’s bottom to the keyboard’s border. Although somewhat smaller than the one on the Blade 14, it is still around twice as large as the one on the Lenovo Legion 9i.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024): There isn’t a better laptop screen

The OLED display is the main improvement the G14 receives this year. Although OLED had already been spotted on the Razer Blade 15, Asus is making the OLED screen a standard feature rather than an optional addition on all 2024 G14 variants. The specifications for every option are the same: a 16:10 OLED panel with a refresh rate of 120Hz and a resolution of 2,880 x 1,800.

Together with its amazing specifications, the panel has G-Sync and Adaptive Sync compatibility, as well as Dolby Vision HDR (albeit Windows does not support Dolby Vision very well). Additionally, you get a MUX switch and Nvidia Advanced Optimus, which let you to quickly switch between integrated and dedicated graphics while playing games.

Yes, it’s just as fantastic as you could anticipate. The laptop’s display had some of the greatest color I’ve ever seen right out of the box. A startling 93% of Adobe RGB is covered, along with 100% of DCI-P3 and sRGB. The color accuracy, which displayed an inaccuracy of 0.72 outside of the box, is the most astounding. That is fantastic.

Additionally, brightness is good but not quite as good as on an OLED gaming display. It’s excellent that the screen peaked in SDR at about 450 nits. HDR increased for a 4% window to 670 nits. The only genuine competitors to its useable brightness are the mini-LED screens seen on laptops such as the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024): Where Windows hurts

The Zephyrus G14 weighs similar to a MacBook, but its battery life is definitely not comparable. I could get six hours of regular usage out of the laptop without needing to charge it, but it only lasted five hours during our typical online surfing session. The Zephyrus G14 doesn’t have the battery life I would want, even with a MUX switch.

This is mostly an expectation-based issue. Despite being a gaming laptop, this one looks and feels like a creative laptop thanks to its stunning OLED screen and stylish silver frame. The laptop’s battery life indicates that the internal machinery is still designed for gaming, so don’t expect it to last more than ten hours.

However, battery life isn’t that bad. The laptop has enough legs for extended periods of time without the power brick thanks to the USB-C power supply feature, and its battery lasts long enough to allow you to do some respectable work before requiring a recharge.

Should you buy the 2024 Zephyrus G14?

Even though the 2024 Zephyrus G14 has already drawn attention and generated a good deal of criticism, I find this laptop to be really exciting. For a gaming laptop, the MacBook-like form factor is unrivaled, and the OLED panel has some of the greatest color fidelity I’ve ever seen. I can declare with confidence that, after using a plethora of 14-inch gaming laptops, I have never used a notebook quite like the 2024 Zephyrus G14. It has a daring design and is executed surprisingly well. Nothing works better for how I use a gaming laptop.

However, it’s crucial to understand the many other applications for gaming laptops. The Zephyrus G14 is not concerned with peak performance since it makes due with a “good enough” attitude. Additionally, in an effort to create a design that very few other computers can match, upgradability is no longer an option. Above all, however, the 2024 Zephyrus G14 is inferior than the model from the previous year. You can get a 2023 model with the same features for approximately $400 cheaper if you buy it during a year when laptop technology is less expensive. That is, if you are not interested in the drastic overhaul.

Personally, I think it’s great to see the Zephyrus G14 start to compete with laptops like the Razer Blade 14, which costs far less and has a better screen and comparable performance. Considering the various 14-inch alternatives available on the market, the 2024 Zephyrus G14 is an obvious choice.

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