ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 2024 Review
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16, which was launched in March 2024, is considered to be one of the top gaming laptops currently on the market, possibly even one of the best laptops of the year. With top-of-the-line computing components, housed in a stylish CNC machined aluminum chassis, this laptop has a discreet appearance that could easily be mistaken for a regular word processor or a MacBook imitation upon first glance. Its impressive performance has definitely garnered a lot of attention at What’s the best.
Expanding on the excellent 2023 version with significant improvements, the standout feature being the massive RTX 4090 GPU. This model, which was reviewed, allows for a top-tier gaming experience to be portable in a backpack, although the high price tag is a reflection of that luxury.
Alongside ROG’s Strix line of gaming laptops, the Zephyrus stands tall as a more understated option while still delivering the same level of computing power when necessary.
To fully understand this powerhouse of a machine, writer and tester Olivia dedicated numerous hours to testing it out. She can now provide a comprehensive overview of its features, her personal experiences with it, and suggestions for potential improvements.
The newest additions to the Zephyrus series indicate that ASUS and ROG may have hit the perfect balance for gaming laptops. Despite not looking like a typical gaming laptop from the outside, with its minimal RGB lighting, the sleek design doesn’t give away its true capabilities. It’s only upon opening it up that the high-quality components are able to stand out.
The laptop shines thanks to its powerful 4090 GPU and Ultra 9 processor, delivering outstanding performance in a wide range of AAA games. Whether with or without ray tracing, the graphics are pushed to their limits on the stunning 240 Hz OLED panel, a unique feature that sets this laptop apart from others.
While it does suffer from common issues seen in gaming laptops like overheating and short battery life, this laptop addresses the former with a dual fan setup and vapor chamber to regulate temperatures. Unfortunately, a solution for the battery life problem is still lacking.
Despite being on the more expensive end, it continues to rank high on numerous lists as one of the top gaming laptops, making it worth every cent.
Pros
- A sophisticated and modern design for individuals seeking discreet high performance.
- Excellent speakers, featuring Dolby Atmos technology.
- Colorful and vibrant OLED display, one of the limited laptops that come with this feature.
Cons
- The battery life is a major limitation.
Asus Rog Zephyrus g16 Specification
| CPU | Intel Core Ultra 9 |
| GPU | GeForce RTX 4090 |
| RAM | 32GB DDR5 7467 MHz |
| Storage | 2TB NVMe M.2 |
| Display | 16-inch 2.5K OLED 240 Hz |
| Battery life | 4 hours normal use (reviewed unit) |
| Dimensions | 354 x 246 x 14.9 mm |
| Weight | 1.95 kg |
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024) is a gaming laptop intended to seamlessly integrate with its surroundings. It lacks flashy RGB lights or any extraneous features protruding from its design; instead, it boasts a sleek aesthetic and impressive internal components.
The model that was evaluated featured the RTX 4090, along with the availability of the 4060, 70, and 80. This machine excelled in performing everyday tasks, watching movies, rendering, and gaming without any issues.
The laptop display utilizes OLED technology, which is relatively new in the market. With a resolution of 2.5K and a refresh rate of 240Hz, the display makes everyday tasks more clear and smooth, while enhancing the viewing experience of movies with vibrant colors.
The 4090 GPU can handle anything effortlessly, but its high power consumption leads to significant heat generation. A solution to the longstanding issue of excessive heat in gaming laptops has been found in the form of a dual fan system with a vapour channel.
Although this system effectively keeps internal temperatures in check, it is important to note that using the laptop on your lap may result in discomfort due to the heat. The aluminium body, designed for efficient heat dissipation, is best placed on a cooling mat or laptop stand when engaging in demanding tasks such as high frame rate gaming.
The body of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 laptop is compact and well-suited for its internal components. It is on par with the MacBook in terms of design, being nearly as slim but boasting double the gaming capabilities.
The illuminated strip on the back seems to be more for aesthetics than for any practical purpose, along with the small ROG logo, these are the only hints that this laptop offers more than meets the eye.
While there are some disadvantages like the change to soldered RAM, absence of a privacy shutter, and typical gaming laptop battery problems, overall you are getting a fantastic computer for the price.
What’s new in Asus Rog Zephyrus g16 Laptop
The major differences between the 2024 and 2023 models mainly lie on the interior, although the design of the case is also noteworthy.
Managing to increase power while reducing size and weight is truly impressive, as well as the switch from the previous prismatic shimmer to a “slash light” that illuminates in sync with soundwaves, provides charging status, or simply adds a cool aesthetic.
If you prefer a more discreet look, the chassis is ideal as the sleek CNC-machined aluminum gives a sophisticated appearance to the computer, making it suitable for both professional settings and gaming events.
When it comes to gaming, the updated version of this model stands out from its previous version with up-to-date hardware, such as the 14th-generation Intel I9 Ultra and the GeForce RTX 4090, making it difficult to match in terms of performance.
However, the limitation lies in the RAM department. Although it is faster than before, it only goes up to 32GB of soldered DDR5 RAM, unlike the 2023 model which could go up to 48GB by adding more RAM.
While this may seem insignificant, considering that some gaming laptops can go up to 64GB, it would be beneficial to be able to easily upgrade and enhance the hardware as technology advances.
However, having top-notch specs is pointless if you lack a quality screen to fully utilize the RAM, but fear not, this laptop has you covered.
Featuring an impressive 240Hz refresh rate, you can seamlessly utilize all your RAM for smooth gaming at high FPS. And if gaming isn’t your thing, kick back and enjoy stunning visuals with the OLED display technology when watching movies.
After examining the 2024 G16 closely, its strengths and weaknesses are more clear, revealing the value it offers for the price. It’s time for a comprehensive review.
Judging by its exterior, the laptop’s true capabilities would come as a surprise. Resembling a MacBook more than a typical gaming laptop, the sleek silver CNC-machined aluminum gives it an Apple-esque appearance with some distinct variations.
The diagonal back lighting illuminates the screen, with multiple customization options in the ROG Aura software. It pulses at a slow pace when it’s charging, and can also react to the volume. Unfortunately, these are the only practical configurations available.
The remaining effects are categorized with vague terms like “Resonance,” “Neoretro,” and “Glitch,” in an attempt to differentiate how the light band’s appearance can be altered.
Despite being visually appealing, it is not very practical and tends to use up the battery faster. This lighting option may not be the most flashy for gaming laptops, particularly in the era of RGB lighting. It seems like a poorly executed feature, and hopefully future versions will improve upon it, as this one falls short.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16
Apart from the disappointing slash lighting, the rest of the build is impressive, sturdy without being too bulky. The metal chassis is a pleasant surprise, with plenty of grills at the bottom for the fans without sacrificing overall construction.
During intense gaming sessions, the fans do push out a lot of heat. The fans on the sides remain cool, but the middle of the laptop can become quite warm. I tried using an old laptop stand, but considering the size of the computer, it may be worth investing in a quality laptop stand or cooling pad.
Typing on the laptop can cause the keyboard to heat up. The keys have a pleasant tactile response, striking a balance between being satisfying to use without feeling too heavy or cheap.
Unfortunately, the backlighting on the keys is only focused on the lettering, making it difficult to see symbols and function numbers at the top of the keys. As someone who is enthusiastic about keyboards, I can confidently say that typing on this keyboard felt excellent and I ended up writing a significant portion of this review on it.
However, I personally did not like the overly “gamer” style lettering on the keys, which seemed out of place with the laptop’s overall design. While the US model features RGB lighting for the keyboard, it is unclear if or when this feature will be available on the UK model, as currently it only offers a white backlight.
The laptop has a variety of ports and offers two power input choices depending on the type of activity you are engaged in. The Thunderbolt connector supports USB-C connection, charging, and DisplayPort functionality to conserve space.
However, this charger is more suitable for lighter tasks like watching movies or browsing the internet. For gaming, a heavier 240W charger is necessary to provide double the power and enable longer gaming sessions exceeding 30 minutes. This transition smoothly leads us to discuss the laptop’s overall usability.
Asus Rog Zephyrus g16
The usability of the computer can greatly differ depending on its intended use, with the main drawbacks of gaming laptops being their battery life and cooling system.
The G16 includes two chargers: one USB-C with 100W power and another rectangle connector with 240W power. I found myself using the USB-C charger only for light tasks like watching Netflix, while the more demanding tasks required the 240W charger, which I affectionately called “big boy”.
Without the larger charger, I only got about 1.5 hours of gaming due to the high power consumption of the 4090. The battery is said to last 300 full cycles, but the actual lifespan will vary depending on how often you charge it, especially since the OLED display drains the battery faster at higher brightness levels.
Laptop gaming heavily relies on the battery, however, the demand for a 4090 GPU means that these high-end models require more power. To maintain a slim design, ASUS has restricted the GPU to 115W, sacrificing performance for power efficiency.
Achieving a balance between performance, portability, and power consumption is a challenging task, with many compromises to be made. Personally, I believe ASUS should consider limiting the Zephyrus line to a maximum of a 4080 GPU. While it may be appealing to have the power of a 4090 in a standard laptop size, it may be best saved for future versions.
Next, there is the issue of cooling, which is often a drawback in gaming laptops. Some gaming laptops have been designed with extended backs to accommodate larger GPUs and the necessary fans, but ASUS prioritized maintaining a slim and sleek design.
They implemented an “intelligent” cooling system along with a triple fan and vapour chamber setup inside the laptop to regulate temperatures effectively. One thing that stood out immediately, however, was the noise coming from the fans.
The laptop had a “quiet” setting that was not completely silent, and while the fan noise can get loud during intense tasks, the cooling system is effective.
I sometimes had to use headphones while gaming, missing out on the Dolby Atmos speakers I wanted to use. It’s a pity that only the 4080 and 4090 models have the vapor chamber included in the cooling system – it would have been nice to see it in all models.
With that being said, the primary concerns I observed during testing were related to the system’s internal interactions, its performance during use, and particularly its performance while gaming, which is a separate issue altogether.
Asus Rog Zephyrus g16 Performance
For individuals seeking to optimize their computer’s performance and get the best value, this laptop is a great option. The ASUS Armoury software provided allows you to keep track of temperature and usage, enabling you to customize performance for any game you desire.
You can also adjust the color lighting and animated desktop backgrounds to compete with the popular Wallpaper Engine. However, I would suggest using the engine over Armoury as there may be noticeable delays.
Numerous customers consider this factor when investing a significant amount of money in a gaming system. But how does it actually fare in terms of performance? The answer varies.
The level of game optimization upon release is crucial. To put it simply, the more efficiently games are optimized, the more a standard GPU can be utilized, resulting in improved overall performance. Through testing and running benchmarks, transitioning between games such as Helldivers and Stray to the highly demanding Cyberpunk reveals the disparities in performance.
If you are looking for a laptop for high FPS gaming, this one is definitely for you. Helldivers 2 and Apex Legends run incredibly well on the 240Hz OLED screen without any performance issues.
However, not all games ran as smoothly. While Cyberpunk ran decently, enabling ray tracing meant experiencing less than 30FPS. I tested various benchmarks with different configurations, and found that I had to make compromises on quality in order to achieve smooth gameplay.
Nevertheless, when it did function, it was absolutely stunning. The rich hues of Night City provided a great opportunity to test the DCI-P3: 100% Pantone verified color range, although I had some difficulties calibrating HDR while playing the game. I suggest setting aside HDR gaming and instead concentrating on using it for movies and shows you may be interested in watching.
Undoubtedly, this hardware is incredibly powerful and high-performing. It is equipped with the latest Intel AI Boost NPU, which enables machine learning to optimize hardware acceleration on your computer, effectively handling extra tasks and minimizing power usage.
The synergy between these components is evident, but the limitations of the 4090 only become apparent when faced with demanding hardware-heavy games and tasks.
Cost and rivalry
When you break down the different parts of the 4090 G16, it seems like a good value. It may not be featured in our list of the top affordable gaming laptops, and some people might be put off by the £4,000 price tag, but just the GPU itself is worth £1,500.
Factor in the CPU, screen, motherboard, RAM, and power supply, and the costs add up fast. Building a desktop with similar specifications might be a more cost-effective option.
The portability of this impressive device is a key factor in its marketability and appeal, as it can seamlessly transition from being set up on a laptop stand connected to a monitor to being used on someone’s lap while lying in bed.
However, we will not delve into the debate of desktop versus laptop gaming, as there are many other laptops available on the market.
Every gaming technology company is consistently participating in two competitions – one involving technological advancements from top companies such as Intel, Nvidia and AMD, and the other involving the race to launch a superior flagship product before competitors.
ASUS’ ROG has been a key player in this race for a considerable amount of time, particularly with their Strix gaming technology line.
While they have not become complacent, other companies have not remained stagnant either. Razer’s Blade and Lenovo Legion pose as the biggest threats to ROG’s position as the frontrunner.
The Legion gives off a more traditional gaming laptop vibe, but for a closer match to the Zephyrus, you would turn to the Blade. It offers a similar sleek metal build, subtle gamer aesthetic, and impressive internal components. Nevertheless, the level of quality at this point may result in diminishing returns.
In general, it cannot be denied that the price of the model I tested is quite high. It exceeds the budget that many dedicated gamers, including myself, would be willing to pay.
This laptop seems to target those who are obsessed with having the latest and best technology for their gaming experience, and who enjoy pushing their computer to its limits. While I do not fall into that category, there are definitely people out there who do.
The 4090 GPU makes up nearly one percent of all Steam users, which may seem like a small percentage at first glance. However, it is worth noting that this GPU is more popular than any other AMD GPU and on par with the Steam Deck.
There is a market for this kind of laptop, and those interested will appreciate the quality of this laptop.
Conclusion:
In summary, after going through a plethora of technical specifications, meticulous analysis, and testing, it can be concluded that this laptop is clearly designed with a specific user in mind, although I may not be exactly the target audience.
There are numerous strengths to be acknowledged, such as the ability to run ray tracing smoothly, the high-quality screen suitable for binge-watching TV series, and the impressive build and design.
However, it is difficult to overlook the minor issues that bother me, such as the absence of a privacy shutter, the limited and non-upgradeable RAM, inconsistent benchmark results, and occasional performance hiccups despite the high-end hardware.
When investing £4,000 in a product, one would expect there to be no drawbacks, yet unfortunately, there are some present.
If I were a more dedicated gamer, spending 40 hours a week playing Warzone, or an animator staying up late to perfect projects in Blender, maybe I would consider overlooking these issues. However, that’s not the case for me.
If you feel the same way, that’s perfectly fine. While I can’t fully recommend the 4090 model, I would suggest looking into the 4080 model instead.
It offers a more balanced performance for about £600 less, without sacrificing GPU power due to its form factor, and it also utilizes vapour chamber cooling.
The Zephyrus line is more robust than ever, but occasionally there may be an excess of a positive thing.
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