As nicely as a plentiful provide of recent gaming displays to coo over this week, this 12 months’s CES tech bonanza has additionally introduced us dozens of recent gaming laptops, together with the world’s strongest 14in laptop computer, the Asus Zephyrus G14. But it’s not a lot the G14’s souped up innards which have me all aflutter (though its 4th Gen AMD Ryzen CPU and RTX 2060 Max-Q combo is definitely attractive). Instead, it’s the laptop computer’s dinky proportions, which measure simply 17.9mm thick and weigh in at a mere 1.6kg. That, and the very fact it’s received an odd LED matrix show on the again of the lid can wink at strangers throughout the desk from me.
This (fortunately) non-obligatory LED-encrusted lid received’t be to everybody’s tastes, after all, however for those who’re the type who likes to plaster their laptop computer in cool, arty-looking stickers, then the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 may very well be proper up your road. However, earlier than you set free that inevitable groan of pointlessness I can hear brewing in your vocal cords, I’ll have you recognize that it’s not the rainbow colored Skittle fest you may anticipate contemplating Asus’ long-standing obsession with multi-coloured lights. Dubbed the AniMe Matrix (AniMe, not anime, though you’ll be able to definitely see it getting used to painting the latter nearly solely), this 1215-strong LED matrix will solely ever emit a easy white mild from the various dozens of pin prick-sized holes protecting simply over half of its white or black lid, making it fairly probably probably the most restrained use of LED lighting I’ve ever seen on any sort of Asus product.
It is, in a phrase, a baffling sort of characteristic to incorporate on any variety laptop computer gaming or in any other case, and I have to admit I used to be actually fairly flummoxed by it once I first noticed it within the flesh. It appears to be one more traditional case of ‘we did it because we can’, however over the course of my demo session with it I did change into more and more keen on it. While I can’t see myself making a lot use of it, it does make a refreshing change from the same old ROG eye emblem you usually get hogging the again of Asus gaming laptops. Plus, when the LED matrix is turned off the Zephyrus G14 may very well be mistaken for an peculiar on a regular basis laptop computer, which, once more, is a blessed reduction from the same old faculty of try-hard gamer design.
When the AniMe matrix is turned off, the Zephyrus G14 seems like a daily laptop computer, albeit with a nifty dot sample protecting half the lid.
As nicely as static pictures, the LED matrix may even be capable to show imported GIFs or different graphics of your personal concoction, and also you’ll additionally be capable to construct your personal frame-by-frame animations or have it react to no matter music you’re at present enjoying, giving fellow espresso store goers their very own silent disco to stare at. If all that sounds a bit too fanciful, although, you too can use it to show extra wise issues equivalent to electronic mail notifications, the date, time and battery degree. Those, I can see being vaguely helpful, particularly in the event that they work when the laptop computer’s shut and doesn’t drain an excessive amount of of its 10-hour battery life through the day.
Still, despite the fact that there’s a big a part of me that is still sceptical about its general usefulness, I used to be nonetheless impressed by what it will possibly do. For starters, there’s completely no mild bleed throughout all of the totally different pin holes you see on the lid (a feat that apparently took 15 iterations to good, based on Asus), and there’s sufficient differentiation between its 256 brightness ranges to create legible pictures with a lot of element in them.
For probably the most half, although, the lid is probably going going to be a take it or go away it characteristic. Instead, it’s the tiddly footprint of the Zephyrus G14 that has me most excited, because it falls precisely into the sort of dimension vs efficiency candy spot I’ve been in search of ever since my beloved XPS 13 bit the mud on the finish of 2018. That laptop computer was small and slim and ideal for travelling with, however its gaming chops have been non-existent. Alas, Dell nonetheless hasn’t made an XPS 14 but, so when it was time to lastly get a brand new laptop computer I opted for his or her bigger XPS 15. It’s much more highly effective than my outdated XPS 13, boasting its personal devoted graphics chip for a teensy little bit of gaming on the transfer, and it doesn’t really feel fairly so cramped once I’m typing. Over the course of a 12 months, nonetheless, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s actually a bit too large and hulking to be lugging spherical occasions and commerce reveals for work on a regular basis, and it’s an absolute killer on my outdated shoulders.
Here’s what the Zephyrus G14 seems like beneath the hood. To assist hold it cool, Asus have designed a particular dynamic cooling characteristic that adjusts how a lot energy’s out there to the CPU based mostly on how scorching the GPU will get, serving to to make sure optimum efficiency always.
The Zephyrus G14, then again, feels prefer it may very well be the right antidote to my XPS woes. While its chassis is roughly the identical thickness because the 17mm XPS 15, its magnesium aluminium alloy chassis is noticeably lighter within the palms, making it simpler to pop in a bag and carry round all day. The honeycomb construction inside its chassis makes it really feel strong, too. I couldn’t detect any flex in the principle physique once I was lifting it up and down, for instance, and even the lid felt noticeably firmer than different gaming laptops I’ve examined previously because of the added presence of the LED matrix. Plus, it has a fingerprint resistant end so it doesn’t get grubby the second you are taking it out of the field.
It’s additionally received the gaming prowess to match a lot of its bigger 15in rivals, too, together with Asus’s personal Zephyrus G15. Inside, you’ll not solely discover one in every of AMD’s brand-new 4th Gen Ryzen 7 4800HS CPUs and as much as 32GB of RAM clocked at a nippy 3200MHz, however you additionally get an Nvidia RTX 2060 Max-Q graphics chip to energy its 120Hz 1920×1080 show. That needs to be greater than sufficient to play most of at the moment’s games at 60fps on max settings at this decision (or Medium-High if you wish to hit the total 120fps supplied by its excessive refresh fee), though will probably be out there with a 60Hz 1920×1080 and a 60Hz 2560×1440 show as nicely for those who want. Either approach, it’s undoubtedly much more succesful than my GTX 1050 Ti-powered XPS 15.
Regardless of which decision or refresh fee you go for, although, each mannequin comes with an IPS panel that’s been validated by the color boffins over at Pantone to make sure prime notch color accuracy, with Asus claiming it ought to be capable to cowl a full 100% of the sRGB color gamut. I’ll have to attend till evaluate samples can be found earlier than I can see if that determine holds up in apply or not, however based mostly by myself transient eyeballing of it, I can verify it seems each bit like a high-end gaming laptop computer.
Unlike nearly each different high-end gaming laptop computer on the market, although, the G14 received’t drive you to lug round a giant fats energy adapter all day if don’t need to. You’ll nonetheless must make use of its 180W energy brick if you wish to play some games, however for the events once you’re simply doing the odd bit of labor out and about, the G14 additionally comes with a USB-C charger, permitting you to chop down on much more bulk once you’re on the transfer. That’s so rattling beneficiant and thoughtful for individuals like myself who commonly need to lug their laptop computer about with them for work, and I want extra laptops supplied this type of flexibility.
As nicely as USB-C, the Zephyrus G14 additionally comes with a good choice of different ports and connections, together with an HDMI 2.0b enter for connecting it as much as an exterior show, two common USB 3.2 ports, a mixed headphone and microphone jack and Wi-Fi 6 assist (also referred to as the 802.11ax customary) for wi-fi speeds of as much as 2.4Gbps when it’s related to a appropriate router. Its energy button additionally doubles up as a fingerprint reader, and its beautiful, tactile keyboard has N-key rollover assist, too.
All in all, a really promising wanting gaming laptop computer certainly. The solely potential stumbling block, after all, is how a lot it’s going to price. Asus haven’t given any indication on how a lot of a dent it’s going to make on our financial institution accounts simply but, however given their GTX 1660 Ti-powered Zephyrus G GA502 price simply over a grand when it got here out final 12 months, I wouldn’t be shocked if we have been wanting someplace nearer to the £1500-2000 / $1500-2000 mark for the entry-level 60Hz 1920×1080 mannequin. Still, with a launch window set for someday in late March, we hopefully received’t have to attend lengthy to search out out.
Either approach, even when the Zephyrus G14 finally ends up being ludicrously costly, I do hope this new sort of understated design makes its approach onto different Asus gaming laptops in 2020, as I a lot want its plain black and silver (or simply plain black) seems to the go-faster stripes and rainbow-coloured whizzbangs you get on a number of different laptops lately. I simply desire a laptop computer that appears like a laptop computer. None of this cyberpunk stealthmobile nonsense that makes it appear like it’s fallen out of the identical hellish future the place the Acer Thronos reigns supreme. I simply need one thing easy that can let me stick with it enjoying Outer Wilds whereas I’m away for work and received’t immediately make me really feel embarrassed as quickly as I take it out of my bag – and proper now, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 seems prefer it may very well be simply the ticket – offered its LED matrix doesn’t come pre-loaded with a winking anime ROG eye on it, after all. Because that would be bizarre.
For extra information from this 12 months’s CES, try our CES 2020 tag.
