For years, Intel has always been the go-to processor if you wanted to purchase a high-end, powerful laptop. If you look at Apple’s Macbook, Dell’s XPS, ASUS’s Zenbook and other brands’ equivalent, they will always run Intel Series processors.
If you wanted AMD, tough luck, you will have to look at their low to mid-range models. But now, with the release of the ASUS Zephyrus G14, that’s all about to change.
What’s Unique About The ASUS Zephyrus G14?
The Processor
The architecture on the AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS is similar to what you will see on the next generation of consoles (Xbox Series X and PS5) since it is running on the Zen 2 architecture. ASUS has mentioned that this processor is capable of overclocking up to 3.7Ghz even on sustained 100% loads.
And as of writing, it beats every other single Intel Core i9 laptop in the market today according to NotebookCheck’s benchmarks, with a few exceptions. The biggest exception was when the Ryzen 9 4900HS (laptop CPU) was paired up against the Intel i9 9900K (desktop CPU) with a 10-15% difference. In AMD’s defence, it was their 7nm 35 W CPU vs Intel’s 14nm 95 + W CPU.
The AniMe Matrix Display
This is one of the unique selling points behind the Zephyrus G14. According to ASUS’s website, the display has 1,215 individual mini-LEDs that can be used to display custom images and animations that express your creativity and audio visualizations that match music playback.
You can even use this to visualize soundwaves when you’re playing music. There are also planned future updates to send you notifications such as the laptop’s battery life. Pretty neat, huh?
Portability & Design
The ASUS Zephyrus G14 is very lightweight, only at 1.6kg thanks to its machined magnesium alloy chassis, which is much more lightweight than traditional aluminium.
As a professional worker and a gamer, it can be a struggle to find a laptop powerful enough to handle the latest AAA titles yet have the design muted enough that you can bring into the professional environment without drawing too much attention.
The design on the Zephyrus G14 is, to my opinion, one that ASUS has executed perfectly. You will stand out a bit thanks to the AniMe Matrix display, but you won’t distract people in a conference call or board meeting.
The drawback, however, is that there is no webcam attached. You will have to purchase a third-party accessory for the laptop if you wanna use a webcam.
The 76wh battery will give you some good life when you don’t have access to a charger. According to Dave2D, you can expect around 8-9 hours of battery life for regular use.
The laptop also supports USB-C power delivery. Meaning if you’re going to work and don’t want to carry the traditional heavy 180W AC adapter for charging, you can purchase a third-party smaller form factor charger for the office.
However, don’t expect to be able to game while charging on USB-C, as the wattage will not be as high compared to the traditional AC adapter.
Performance and Pricing
Performance is what you’ll expect from a gaming machine. The top-tier model is equipped with an RTX 2060, 16GB of RAM, 1080p 14″ 120Hz panel, 2 fans and 7 heat pipes (for all that cooling).
The price for the model listed above is US$1449.99.
For more information on what models and pricing are available, check out Notebookcheck’s website here.