This is the 14-inch gaming laptop to beat

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 has been one of our favorites for nearly five years. But the 2024 model is on another level. That’s because, even without NVIDIA’s new generation of GPUs, ASUS redesigned the entire system. The result is a laptop with a gorgeous aluminum unibody and a more mature design that doesn’t need to shine RGB lights in your face to get attention. This version is also sleeker and lighter, while still delivering powerful performance. Although Asus has made some trade-offs compared to its predecessor (which starts at $1,600), the new ROG Zephyrus G14 is not only a better value than almost all of its 14-inch competitors, it’s also one of the best priced. – About a pound of gaming laptop.

Photography: Sam Rutherford/Engadget

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is the best choice for anyone who wants powerful performance in a portable design.

advantage

• Beautiful understated design
• Gorgeous OLED screen
• Powerful performance
• Good port selection
• Powerful speakers

shortcoming

• Bottom vents can get a little hot
• The keyboard only has single zone lighting
• Armory Crate app is a bit confusing
• RAM is soldered on

$2,000 at Best Buy

design

Compared with previous models that were either saturated with RGB or had dot-matrix displays built into the lid, this year’s G14 is a restrained performance. It’s almost like the series has grown from its awkward teenage stage into a stylish but still fun adult. The lid has a simple slash with a white (not RGB) LED embedded in the middle. Meanwhile, on the inside, there’s a solid platform with a large trackpad and surprisingly powerful speakers.

One thing I miss is the RGB lighting for each key, as opposed to Asus’ single-zone approach. After all, this is a gaming laptop, and if you’re going to offer it in multiple colors, it better be fully customizable.

That said, the G14 redesign is as much about function as it is about style. The one-piece aluminum frame is used instead to enhance the strength of the entire machine. There’s little sign of flex even on typically weaker parts, like the latticework between keys. But more importantly, Asus has also lowered the laptop’s weight to just 3.3 pounds, significantly lighter than competing laptops with similar metal construction (3.95 pounds). Additionally, even with its diminutive size, the G14 is packed with ports, including a full-size HDMI 2.1 jack, two USB-Cs (one of which supports Thunderbolt 4), two USB-A, and a microSD card reader.

exhibit

Another highlight of the G14 is its OLED screen. In addition to producing vibrant colors, it features a razor-sharp 2,880 x 1,800 resolution, a 120Hz update rate, and a color gamut that covers 100% of the DCI-P3 spectrum.I’ve been watching it recently three body problem I really like the excellent contrast and deep blacks of the OLED panel. Additionally, since Asus includes some color calibration settings for sRGB, D65 P3, DCI-P3 (but not Adobe RGB), the G14 is a very capable photo and video editing machine.

One small issue is that since 2,880 x 1,800 is a less common resolution, you may not be able to play all games at native resolution, which is an issue I encountered while playing the game return.

Performance

One big change for the 2024 ROG G14 is that the GPU options now come with an NVIDIA RTX 4070 instead of the 4080 like the previous model. For some, this might be disappointing, but since I prefer laptops that are easier to carry around, I can sacrifice some high-end features for enhanced portability. With all models equipped with an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS chip and at least 16GB of RAM (or 32GB on my review unit) and 1TB of storage, you won’t be short on speed.

On Geekbench 6, the G14’s performance matched what we saw from the larger XPS 16, which features an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H chip. In gaming, it hit 90 fps Cyberpunk 2077 At ultra settings, that’s a far cry from the more expensive Razer Blade 14 (101 fps). That said, there are some important details you should know. Unlike previous models, the latest G14’s memory is soldered to the motherboard, so additional RAM can’t be added later. Additionally, while both Asus and Razer’s 14-inch systems appear to have the same RTX 4070 GPU, the G14 is capped at 90 watts while the Blade is capped at 140 watts, explaining the slight gap in gaming performance.

It’s also worth noting that heat can be an issue in some cases. In normal use, this isn’t a big deal, as the fan rarely needs to spin when browsing the web or watching movies. But under load, your knees can get hot quickly since the G14’s vents are located on the bottom of the laptop. Thankfully, this won’t be a big issue if you’re gaming, as you’ll probably want to keep an external mouse next to your desk or table anyway.

Battery Life

While the G14 doesn’t last as long as a traditional ultrabook, it still has enough power to last almost an entire workday. In PCMark 10’s Modern Office benchmark, it lasted 7 hours and 29 minutes, slightly better than the Razer Blade 14’s time of 6 minutes and 46 seconds. And, new for 2024, Asus has added its proprietary Slim Power Jack, which looks a bit like a USB-C port if you squint (but it’s not). However, if you want to really travel light, the G14 supports charging via USB-C, so you can leave the adapter at home. It’s important to note that USB-PD on this unit maxes out at 100 watts (compared to 180 watts when using the included brick), so the battery may still discharge while gaming or performing other intensive tasks.

wrap up

As much as we already loved its predecessor, the 2024 ROG Zephyrus G14 has managed to take another major leap forward. It features a well-crafted chassis, a vibrant new display, and powerful speakers, all while being nearly half a pound lighter. Internally, you still get an RTX 4070 GPU. Sure, it’s a bit slower than the similarly equipped Blade 14, but considering our review unit costs $2,000 and the closest comparably specced Razer is $2,700, I’m happy to trade in a little performance for one A more affordable machine. And that’s before you factor in the RTX 4060’s starting price. My biggest complaint is that Asus’ Amoury Crate app still feels clunky, thanks to settings that are hard to find or toggles that don’t work just as well for you. d expectations. But there’s no doubt that the G14 is a great laptop, both for gamers and content creators who want good performance in a portable package. So while I appreciate the capabilities of the Blade 14 and other high-end laptops, I’m still going to buy Asus’ latest offering.