Image: Asus
This week at Computex, Asus announced the latest iteration of its Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 and G16 laptops. While they’re designed with gamers in mind, these machines have features that video editors and creatives will appreciate too.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, G16
So, first things first, they’re thin and portable, which is what we’ve come to expect from Zephyrus models at this point, but the display quality is also top notch (with ridiculously fast refresh rates) and the AI-driven innards are designed to make the machine more power-efficient and last longer as a result. Did I mention they just look damn good, too? It’s an impressive refresh.
Asus
Let’s talk about the design first.
I’ll be the first one to admit that I’m a sucker for a modern white laptop aesthetic, so I’ve fallen right into the Zephyrus’ honey trap here. Available in either Eclipse Grey or Platinum White colorways, it’s the kind of design that really pulls you in like a siren luring a faraway sailor. The distinct Slash Lighting array, which is the big line going diagonal down the top lid, gives it a really premium and minimalist look. It’s also made of CNC aluminum, so there’s no doubt that the chassis is durable and will last you a good while.
They’re also pretty lightweight, too. The G14 weighs 3.30 pounds, and the G16, equipped with a bigger screen and is heavier as a result, weighs 4.07 pounds. That’s lighter than their predecessors.
Now, onto the guts!
The Zephyrus G14 comes with up to an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor (the G16 gets up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 285H processor). Both machines will also feature Neural Processing Units (aka NPUs) that handle AI tasks, freeing up the CPU and GPU. They’re also packed with the latest Nvidia 50 Series graphics cards (up to 5070 Ti for the 14-inch, up to 5090 for the 16-inch)–these are known for their significant advancements in AI-driven graphics and increased frame rates. In fact, Asus claims these models offer up to 50 percent more performance per watt than the previous generation. They’ve also got the next standard in connectivity, which is Wi-Fi 7.
The new Zephyrus comes in either 14- or 16-inches, hence the G14 and G16, respectively. The 14-inch boasts a 2880×1800 120Hz OLED panel, and the 16-inch a 2560×1600 240Hz (!!!) OLED panel. Though I haven’t seen either panel with my own eyes yet, based on those resolutions and screen types, the picture should be lovely on both machines. OLED is an especially good screen type for editors to work on because they produce deep blacks and rich colors.
No word on launch dates just yet, but the Zephyrus G14 has a starting price of $1,799, and the G16 a starting price of $2,149.99.
Author: Ashley Biancuzzo, Associate Editor, PCWorld
Ashley Biancuzzo manages all laptop and Chromebook coverage for PCWorld. She’s been covering consumer tech since 2016, and her work has appeared on USA Today, Reviewed, Polygon, Kotaku, StarWars.com, and Nerdist. In her spare time, she enjoys playing video games, reading science fiction, and hanging out with her rescue greyhound.
