This Asus laptop computer is my go-to MacBook different – and it is on sale at Finest Purchase

What is the deal?

The 2K show mannequin is now not obtainable on the market, however that is okay as a result of the 3K OLED model is out there at Finest Purchase. The laptop computer housing a Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card at the moment prices a reduced $1,200, whereas the 4070 construct is $2,000.

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ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Whereas technically a gaming laptop computer, the brand new Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 may very well do extra for the skilled person than the common gamer.
• Its lengthy battery life, feature-packed keyboard, and OLED show enable customers to sort out the workday with ease and luxury.
• Nevertheless, the laptop computer comes filled with bloatware that takes up plenty of space for storing, and its working temperature can run excessive.

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Let me ask you a query: when does a gaming laptop computer cease being a gaming laptop computer? I feel the reply is when the {hardware} is the least spectacular factor concerning the system. That is the case with the seemingly MacBook-inspired Asus ROG Zephyrus G14. After a few weeks of testing, I truthfully forgot IT got here with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU. Each different facet of the laptop computer was extra enthralling. Its efficiency was the furthest factor from my thoughts.

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I particularly talked about the MacBook as a result of the Zephyrus G14 actually appears like one. Not solely is IT a shiny silver, however the show is paying homage to what you’d discover on a MacBook Professional. IT‘s a 2K decision (2,880 x 1,800 pixels) OLED display surrounded by thick black bezels. 

The darkish borders function a distinction, making colours on the display appear extra vibrant. Moreover, the keyboard can be paying homage to one you’d discover on an Apple laptop computer.

In case you’re a frequent reader, you understand how a lot I admire snug keyboards. Nicely, I am completely happy to say that the Zephyrus G14 positively has one.

Every key has a slight indentation that guides your fingers towards the middle, and most even have a pleasant, springy really feel. Placing the 2 collectively leads to a typing expertise that’s fairly simple on the fingers. The M keys on the high do not have the identical haptic suggestions; they’re mushier by comparability as a result of Asus did not anticipate them to get as a lot motion. However on these 4 is the place you will discover the laptop computer’s audio controls, the stand out being the M4, which launches the Armoury Crate app that configures the RGB lights.

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The Perform keys should be referred to as out as effectively, as Asus made a number of attention-grabbing selections right here. The F5 key, for instance, causes the inner followers to enter turbo mode. As a aspect word, the location of the followers themselves leads to a design tradeoff. 

They’re situated on the backside of the laptop computer as a substitute of the rear or sides to make sure the laptop computer is skinny. With this mannequin measuring lower than an inch thick, I’d say Asus was profitable. Nevertheless, this design selection traps warmth with no complete lot of air flow, resulting in a pc that may shortly get scorching. In case you purchase this laptop computer, I’d advocate you get a laptop cooling pad to maintain temperatures low.

The F10 key can be attention-grabbing since IT gives a fast approach to utterly disable the touchpad, which is helpful for individuals who favor utilizing a normal mouse and keyboard combo.

With the OLED show and all of the lights all through the physique, one would assume the battery would not final very lengthy. Surprisingly, that isn’t the case. The Zephyrus G14 has among the finest batteries I’ve ever seen on a laptop computer. In my expertise, the one different system that outperforms IT is the Acer Chromebook Spin 714.

I carried out my typical take a look at of enjoying a nonstop YouTube livestream at 720p and 50% brightness. The Zephyrus G14 lasted 10 hours straight. Most laptops, from what I’ve seen, faucet out at six hours. I used to be genuinely shocked at this longevity. Gaming laptops are identified to be power-hungry, so I wasn’t anticipating a lot, however I used to be fortunately confirmed unsuitable.

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The Zephyrus G14 is powered by an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS processor alongside the GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card I discussed earlier. I discovered the CPU to be extra spectacular after I ran each by way of benchmarking checks. On Cinebench R23, the Ryzen 9 earned a rating of 16,107, placing IT among the many higher echelon of processors and effectively above the common Intel Core i9-9880H. The GPU did not fare as effectively by comparability. The discrepancy between the 2 tells me the laptop computer is nice at dealing with a wide range of workloads, from web shopping to video enhancing, however might battle with gaming.

The Zephyrus G14 has one different main draw back in addition to its heating situation. The laptop computer comes with plenty of bloatware. The SSD is full of a number of forgettable apps. Granted, some are helpful. Armoury Crate controls the RGB lights, and GeForce Expertise manages your recreation library. The onboard assistant? Not a lot. A minimum of, I did not discover myself in search of IT.

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

Asus’ ROG Zephyrus G14 is a unbelievable laptop computer for most individuals. Geeks like myself will admire the customizable RGB lighting and the {hardware}, which is nice sufficient for many gaming classes. Professionals will admire the fashionable design and the lengthy battery life.

If I needed to decide one group that would really like this laptop computer probably the most, IT can be the professionals crew. The RTX 4060 GPU is on the low finish of the sequence so its efficiency will disappoint avid gamers in search of uncooked energy. Plus, the bloatware cuts an excessive amount of into the SSD, limiting the quantity of huge information you may have at a time.

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The Zephyrus G14 begins at $1,600. My evaluation unit, particularly, prices $1,900, which is actually not low cost. Moreover, there is not a lot you are able to do to decrease the value tag, because the customization choices solely add to the laptop computer. The underside line: the Zephyrus G14 is definitely worth the value, however if you need one thing cheaper, take a look at ZDNET’s finest finances gaming laptops for suggestions.