The brand new yr is all about contemporary begins. Asus took this to middle with the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16. The second one iteration of the corporate’s G16 collection, has some notable firsts as this is likely one of the first ROG-branded laptops to have an OLED panel and this is a particular sight to behold. The pc may be within the first wave of laptops to characteristic Intel’s new Meteor Lake processors which can be promising extra energy, potency and a brand new wrinkle of an AI-forward NPU. Throw in a complicated redesign and also you’ve were given a contender for the most efficient gaming laptops web page.
I were given my arms at the pre-production fashion of Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 and I’ve were given to mention, I’m liking what I’m seeing thus far. There are a couple of small issues of competition on the other hand, because the audio system may well be higher and the keyboard may well be less attackable. But when those, quite small lawsuits will also be fastened ahead of the device is going on sale, you’re taking a look on the first member of the 2024 elegance of very best gaming laptops.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 pricing and availability
As of press time, Asus has no longer divulged pricing for the G16, however the gaming pc might be to be had beginning someday in Q1. The pc might be to be had in numerous configurations with as much as a 5.1-GHz Intel Core Extremely 9 185H processor with a most of 32GB of RAM, and 2TB of SSD garage. Along with built-in Intel Arc Graphics, the G16 has configurations beginning with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU with 6GB of VRAM, topping out at an RTX 4090 GPU with 16GB of VRAM.
In any case, you’ll have two flavors of show to make a choice from together with a 16-inch, 2560 x 1600 OLED Nebula panel with a 240Hz refresh fee or a 16-inch, 2560 x 1600 TFT display with a 240Hz refresh fee.
My pre-production fashion has a three.8-GHz Intel Core Extremely 7 155H CPU with 32GB of RAM, a 2TB SSD, Intel Arc Graphics, Nvidia GeForce RT
Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 design
New yr, new glance. As a substitute of the Anime Matrix lid which was once constituted of a selection of customizable mini LED lighting embedded within the aluminum lid, Asus went for a extra understated glance. That doesn’t imply there isn’t a gentle display, because the CNC aluminum lid is bisected via the corporate’s Slash Lighting fixtures array, a customizable set of lighting embedded in a shiny strip so you’ll retain your individuality. A Republic of Avid gamers brand is living within the bottom-right nook. The notice “ZEPHYRUS” is stamped elegantly within the center-rear with 3 small standing lighting appropriate beneath.
Opening the lid, you get a full-sized RGB keyboard set in between a couple of audio system within the CNC-aluminum deck. You’ll see a trio of media buttons along side an Armoury Crate button within the higher deck. The Energy button additionally is living within the deck, appropriate above the Plane mode button. An enormous trackpad sits beneath the keyboard. The pocket book is to be had in two colours: Platinum White and Eclipse Grey like my preview unit.
The second one iteration of the G16 collection, Asus controlled to shave some thickness off the 2024 fashion, making it an outstanding 25% thinner. Measuring 13.9 x 9.7 x 0.68 inches, the Zephyrus G16 weighs in at 4.3 kilos, hanging it on a par with the HP Omen 16 (5.3 kilos, 14.5 x 9.7 x 0.91 inches).
Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 ports
For the sort of quite narrow profile, the Zephyrus G16 comes has a wholesome providing of ports, beginning with a USB 3.2 Gen2 Sort-C port, USB 3.2 Gen2 Sort-A and SD card reader at the appropriate. Glance at the left and also you’ll see a Thunderbolt 4 port with any other USB 3.2 Gen2 Sort-A, a complete HDMI 2.1 port and headphone jack. Asus pulled a quick one via together with a proprietary charging port which I’m no longer too happy with, however que sera sera.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 show
Oh my OLED! After such a lot of years, this marks the primary time that Asus is bringing an OLED panel to its ROG-branded gaming laptops. The colours are merely colourful at the 16-inch, 3K (2560 x 1600) answer panel. Style Bethann Hardison slayed in and orange-and-black checkerboard ensemble that made her heat mocha pores and skin, grimy blonde reduce and ambitious pink lip pop. The main points have been so transparent that I may just make out each and every particular person rhinestone embedded in her trendy shades.
Along with being OLED, the panel additionally has Asus’ Nebula certification, which means that it has certifications referring to DCI-P3, Delta-E and different measurements. The display additionally helps Nvidia G-Sync which when paired with the 240Hz refresh fee made Boulevard Fighter 6 glance wonderful. I didn’t come upon any stuttering as I fought my means in the course of the roster as Kimberly.
Since I’m reporting on a pre-production fashion, we have been not able to benchmark colour copy and accuracy. However thus far, I truly like what I’m seeing. The pc has Dolby Imaginative and prescient preinstalled so individuals who need to tweak the colour temperature slightly can. Whilst Vivid will paintings for many, I have a tendency to love the searing colours from the Brilliant preset.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 audio
Asus equipped the G16 with six top-mounted audio system (two tweeters, 4 woofers) that had no drawback filling my massive lounge with loud audio. On the other hand, as I listened to Tems “No longer An Angel,” I instantly spotted the distortion at the highs at most quantity. On the other hand, that didn’t impact Tems distinctive, inviting alto nor the crisp percussion. I were given a greater consequence once I switched the settings in Dolby Atmos from Track to Dynamic. However I switched to Recreation once I performed Boulevard Fighter 6 and loved weighty hits as assaults hooked up.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 keyboard
Asus made some tweaks to the keyboard, making the keycaps 12% greater than the unique. The RGB keys glow seductively, almost calling out to be touched. The backlighting is lots shiny and I had no hassle in anyway making out which key was once which once I introduced the pc into my darkened bed room for a late-night Baldur’s Gate 3 run.
Regardless of boasting a 1.7-millimeter key shuttle, I felt the keys have been just a little delicate as I wrote my evaluate. Nonetheless, I controlled to surpass my same old 70 word-per-minute consequence at the 10fastfingers examine at 73 wpm.
The keycaps aren’t the one factor that were given a dimension bump. The touchpad has grown via 37%, which gave me a variety of house to move. The ground edges deploy with a pleasant, springy click on and Home windows 11 multitouch gestures deployed with near-instant effects.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 gaming and graphics
When it ships, the ROG Zephyrus G16 will run the gamut of Nvidia’s present 4000-series chips, beginning with an RTX 4050 GPU the entire solution to the RTX 4090 GPU. And whilst we don’t recently have pricing, it’s a certain guess that anything else previous 4070 goes to price upwards of $2,000.
My pre-production unit has a 4090 GPU with 16GB of video reminiscence, so it tore via the entirety I threw at it together with Boulevard Fighter VI, Baldur’s Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 conveniently, even at the best possible settings. Sadly, since this isn’t a last product, I will’t percentage with you precise benchmarking numbers. I will say that not anything fell beneath 60 frames consistent with 2nd. Please keep tuned to this hands-on for complete benchmarking effects once we obtain the general model of the program for trying out.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 functionality
The G16 is likely one of the many laptops, gaming or another way to take the plunge to Intel’s new 14 Gen Meteor Lake processors. Those are the primary Intel processors the usage of Intel 4 (7-nanometer) production procedure, as neatly the primary to characteristic Intel Arc graphics and Intel’s new NPU (neural processing unit) .
Intel is promising we will be expecting enhancements in two key spaces:uncooked functionality and function consistent with watt. For instance, the corporate claims that its new Core Extremely 7 165H CPU is 11% quicker than AMD’s Ryzen 7 7840U chip and eight% quicker than the Core i7-1370P, final yr’s fashion when every of the chips are working at identical energy in multithreaded duties. On this fit up, you’ll see the functionality cores getting the most important spice up with Intel surpassing final yr’s mode via 21%. We’ve already observed a few of this in a few of our early critiques. On the other hand, we’ve but to place a gaming device via its paces, one thing I’m excitedly expecting.
I’m additionally curious to peer how the brand new NPU will come into play with reference to potency. This new chip is designed to maintain all the ones fancy AI processes, taking the burden of the CPU and GPU making for quicker AI effects and general higher potency. I’ve had the chance to peer a couple of demos that have been intriguing, however I’m withholding judgment till we do exact benchmarking.
What I will inform you concerning the 3.8-GHz Intel Core Extremely 7 155H CPU in my early fashion ROG G16 is that it’s a beast. Regardless of opening 90 Google Chrome tabs with a mixture of movies, spreadsheets, paperwork, social media, information and buying groceries websites, I couldn’t create a decelerate. I even attempted developing some AI photographs in Canva, however no cube.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 battery lifestyles
The Zephyrus G16 has a 90WHr battery that I’m keen to place via its paces with each our Pc Magazine Battery Check (steady internet browsing over Wi-Fi at 150 nits of brightness) along side our gaming examine (PCMark 10 script) to peer what, if any distinction the NPU makes on battery lifestyles.
Base line
Swish, robust and bursting with attainable, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 has its hat within the working for one of the crucial very best gaming laptops web page, supplied its fancy new Intel Meteor Lake chip can are living as much as the hype performance-wise. The AI portion is for sure intriguing, however till I see one thing that can get advantages avid gamers particularly, the ones are the benchmarks I’m going to are living and die via. Thus far we’ve observed promising numbers, however the verdict’s out till we get our arms on a last manufacturing unit.
The redesign is crowd pleasing and I really like a svelte device that I will take with me at the street with out worry of inducing again ache down the road that may nonetheless kick some ass. As a result of relying at the already battle-test Nvidia RTX 4000 collection, the G16 is a bonafide ass kicker. I simply hope the audio system and keyboard are higher at the ultimate fashion, however because it stands, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 holds a variety of promise.
Allow 48h for review and removal.