ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is a gaming laptop that’s simply spectacular! It’s a quick-charge laptop that packs the latest technology to deliver the ultimate gaming experience. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is a gaming laptop that packs the latest technology to deliver the ultimate gaming experience. I’ve been using the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 for the last couple of weeks, and, well, I have to say that this is one of the best gaming laptops I’ve ever used.
Having known ASUS’s ROG series, the manufacturer has put a new spin on its performance notebooks with their brand new Zephyrus GX501. With an Intel 8th Gen Core i7-8850H CPU and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti graphics card, the notebook offers a top-notch performance to its users. However, to deliver the best gaming experience with it, users must have a powerful GPU.
This week I received the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14, a gaming notebook that caught my attention with its extremely thin profile of 18.6 mm and at first glance, the powerful specifications. In this article, I will give you my opinion on this gaming notebook and compare it with the competition.
Our review of the 2024 Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 was delayed because to all of the other laptops released this year, so I opted to wait a few more months to test the completed and mature versions of this laptop, along with the appropriate software, BIOS, and drivers.
So here we are, more than 6 months after the introduction of the 2024 G14, with a thorough look at two distinct G14 versions, an essay comparing the popular CPU/GPU choices, the two screen variants, and the two color schemes that Asus offers on this series. Furthermore, the following ideas and impressions are based on many weeks of use with each of these two G14 models, not just a brief encounter.
The G14 in 2024 is mostly a hardware refresh of the popular design introduced in 2024, with improved CPU, GPU, and screen choices, as well as a slightly modified thermal module, but otherwise identical to the previous version in every aspect. However, the updated specs make the 2024 Zephyrus G14s more compelling options in their class and an evolution from previous models, which this series needed to stay competitive against other 14-inch performance laptops released in the interim, such as the Acer Triton 300 SE and, in particular, the Razer Blade 14.
So, given its strong features and eccentricities, here’s what to anticipate from the 2024 ROG Zephyrus G14 at this time.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 GA401 2024 specifications as reviewed
| ASUS GA401QM ROG Zephyrus G14 and GA401QE GA401QM and GA401QE GA401QM and GA401QE GA401QM and GA401QE GA401 | |
| Display | TL140BDXP01-0 screen, 14-inch, 16:9, non-touch, matte, QHD 2560 x 1440 px IPS, 120 Hz, 100% DCI-P3, TL140BDXP01-0 panel, with AdaptiveSync TL140BDXP01-0 panel, FHD 1920 x 1080 px IPS, 144 Hz, 100 percent sRGB, with AdaptiveSync |
| Processor | AMD Cezanne, 8C/16T, Ryzen 7 5800HS or Ryzen 9 5900HS |
| Video | On the 401QM model, AMD Radeon Vega + Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop 6GB (60W, up to 80W with Dyn Boost) On the 401QE model, AMD Radeon Vega + Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050Ti Laptop 4GB (60W, up to 75W with Dyn Boost) |
| Memory | 16 GB DDR4-3200 (8 GB onboard, 1x DIMM, up to 40 GB) on 401QM model 32 GB DDR4-3200 (16 GB onboard, 1x DIMM, up to 48 GB) on 401QM model 32 GB DDR4-3200 (16 GB onboard, 1x DIMM, up to 48 GB) on 401QM model |
| Storage | NVMe SSD with 1 TB capacity (1x M.2 PCI x4 slot) |
| Connectivity | 22 with WiFi 6 (Mediatek MT7921) and Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Ports | HDMI 2.0b, headphone/mic, Kensington Lock, 2x USB-A 3.2, 1x USB-C gen 2 with DP1.4 and charging (left), 1x USB-C gen 2 data-only (right), HDMI 2.0b, headphone/mic |
| Battery | USB-C charging up to 100W, 76 Wh, 180 W power adapter |
| Size | 324 mm (12.75”) w x 222 mm (8.74”) d x 19.9 mm (.78”) (h) |
| Weight | 1.7 kilograms (3.75 pounds) with Anime Matrix display, 1.64 kg (3.65 pounds) without Anime Matrix display,.59 kg (1.3 pounds) power brick and wires, EU version |
| Extras | Finger sensor in the power button, white backlit keyboard, 4x speakers, no camera |
Construction and design
Asus provides two color options for the 2024 Zephryrus G14: a dark gray model with a black keyboard and a white lid with a silver interior and keyboard.
I like them both, and I like that they’re both simple with minimal branding aspects, but I prefer the darker version since I’m not a fan of white-lit silver keyboards with poor contrast and readability.
To be honest, this dark-gray model shows smudges and fingerprints more easily than the other, making it more difficult to keep clean. You can see the smudges after using the laptop for a few days in the image below, so you’ll know what to anticipate.
Both casings are made of magnesium aluminum alloys, with the lid having a smoother surface and the inside having a rougher finish. Based on what we know about the 2024 G14 generation, they feel good to the touch and should age nicely.
The G14 has an optional Anime Matrix secondary display on the lid, which is a matrix of tiny LEDs that can show pictures, words, and animations in a geeky manner. This distinguishes the G14 from other laptops, but I consider it to be more or less a gimmick that wears off after the initial wow effect, so I can live without it, especially since base-lid models without the Anime Matrix are slightly less expensive, thinner, and lighter than configurations with this feature. You may have a different opinion, so it’s all up to you.
This aside, this 2024 Zephyrus G14 series feels very well made and doesn’t bend or squeak in any way when grabbed and used. There’s also no obvious flex in the keyboard deck, so I have no complaints about the construction or craftsmanship. Somehow Asus managed to make this 14-inch series sturdier than their 15/16 inch Zephyrus G15 and M16 models.
I’m still not a fan of Asus’s Zephyrus G models’ general design, which has an Ergolift hinge that lifts the laptop’s main chassis on small feet at the bottom of the screen. I don’t mind; in fact, I think it’s a good idea to enable better airflow under the laptop and provide a slightly slanted typing posture, but this design means that the hot-air exhausts are located directly under the screen, rather than behind it. The heated air is forced into the screen rather than away from the user, and the perceived loudness from the fans is higher than in a more traditional design since it is magnified and rebounded into the user’s ears.
In all honesty, this whole design isn’t a deal-breaker for me; it’s simply something I don’t like for.
Nothing has changed from the preceding model in terms of practicality for the 2024 G14 series. The laptop still rests securely on the desk, the screen can be changed with one hand, and Asus made sure the edges and corners were rounded and dulled so they didn’t dig into your wrists. The whole laptop is also small and lightweight for what it is, making it a good choice for traveling and commuting to school and work. Despite this, it has appropriately sized inputs and a competent set of speakers, two of which fire through the arm-rest slits.
However, the screen only extends back to approximately 150 degrees, which may be restricted while using the computer on one’s lap or in confined spaces. I’m also not a fan of the status LEDs beneath the screen; they may be distracting at night while using the laptop, but at least they’re dim.
As for the IO, that’s lined around the sides, with most of the important ports and the PSU placed on the left side, and some USBs on the right. There’s nothing at the back and there’s still no card reader, and the HDMI port is still 2.0b and connected to the iGPU, so if you need a direct dGPU connection for an external monitor, you’ll have to use the USB-C port on the left side.
Even when compared to the subsequent 14-inch versions launched in 2024, the 2024 Zephyrus G14 is still a competitive design. It’s well-made and functional in most respects, but I’d like a screen that rotates 180 degrees, and it’s up to you whether you prefer the ErgoLift design to a more conventional construction that hides the hot-air exhausts behind the screen and away from the user.
Trackpad and keyboard
Asus nailed the inputs on the 2024 G14, and my feelings regarding the 2024 generation haven’t altered. This laptop is still one of my favorites, with a nice mix of feedback, key feel, and subtle clicks.
The layout is mostly identical to that of the 2024 model, with a full-size main deck of keys and an additional line of multimedia keys on the top-left. Asus did, however, add Home/End and PgUp/PgDn as secondaries to the arrow keys as an update, something they didn’t do out-of-the-box previously, and I’m happy they listened to the community and made this little but significant change.
Only white-lit LEDs are available on this keyboard, which lacks RGB illumination. They become bright at the highest level, and on the units I’ve tried, they’re pretty uniform. Some light still shines through the keycaps, but it’s not distracting, and I like that there’s a tactile Caps Lock indication and that the lighting can be turned on and off with a fast swipe over the clickpad, rather than requiring a key press.
Because this is a 14-inch laptop with plenty of room for the keyboard, the clickpad is made of glass and is very tiny. During our time with these computers, it was still fully functional and handled gestures, swipes, and taps well. Physical clicks are also very good, being smooth and just slightly clumsy.
When it comes to biometrics, the power button has a finger-sensor built into it that records and saves your fingerprint when you touch it to open the laptop. However, there is no infrared camera.
Screen
For the 2024 Zephyrus G14, Asus provides three screen options: an FHD panel with 60 Hz refresh for the basic configurations, a mid-range FHD panel with 144 Hz refresh for the mid-tier configurations, and a QHD 120 Hz panel for the higher-tier models. I’d skip the standard FHD panel with 60 Hz refresh rate since it’s washed-out and sluggish.
The other two panel choices, on the other hand, are also intriguing, and we’ve tried them out on our review units. Both have excellent blacks, brightness, and contrast levels, but the QHD panel has richer colors and 100 percent DCI-P3 gamut coverage, while the FHD panel only has 100 percent sRGB and 70 percent DCI-P3 coverage. Although the FHD screen has a little more consistent brightness and color, the QHD screen appears better overall and is the clear option for color-accurate work.
The FHD 144 Hz, with its natural resolution of 1080p, is probably more suited for gaming, while the QHD resolution will be more challenging to maintain with the technology available in this 14-inch laptop. However, since both of these panels are sluggish, ghosting will be apparent in fast-paced action games. You’d be better off with a 15-inch laptop if you want to play those kinds of games, particularly competitively. With their 120/144 Hz refresh rates and AdaptiveSync, both of these panels should be fine for regular gaming.
With an X-Rite i1 Display Pro sensor, here’s what we got in our tests:
| ROG Zephyrus G14 GA401QM | GA401QE ROG Zephyrus G14 | |
| Panel | TL140BDXP01-0 panel, 14 inch, IPS, matte, QHD 2560 x 1440 px IPS, 120 Hz | LM140LF-1F02 panel, 14 inch, IPS, matte, FHD 1920 x 1080 px IPS, 144 Hz |
| Readings |
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For the QHD panel, here are some pictures and logs.
The FHD panel may be found here.
On our device, the FHD panel was somewhat better calibrated, although this varies from sample to sample. In all instances, a calibration would adjust the Gamma and White Point and is suggested for color-sensitive tasks.
I should also mention that none of our samples had any significant uniformity problems or light-bleeding, but this may vary across units, so it’s something you should check for once you receive yours.
Performance and hardware
In this room, we have two Zephryus G14 review units:
- AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS 8C/16T CPU, 32 GB of DDR4-3200 memory in dual channel, 1 TB of SATA SSD storage, and Nvidia RTX 3060 Laptop dGPU with 6 GB of vRAM; Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 GA401QM
- Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 GA401QE — AMD Ryzen 7 5700HS 8C/16T CPU, 16 GB dual-channel DDR4-3200 memory, 512 GB SSD storage, and Nvidia RTX 3050Ti Laptop dGPU with 4 GB vRAM.
Both are retail units that operate on the most up-to-date software as of mid-August 2024. (BIOS 408 on GA401QM and BIOS 406 on GA401QE, Armoury Crate 3.3.7.0, GeForce 471.76 drivers).
As of mid-2021, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 series is based on the newest AMD Ryzen HS and Nvidia RTX 3000 technology. The Ryzen Cezanne CPUs are more power-efficient on the HS platform, and both the Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 9 are 8C/16T, with the Ryzen 9 clocking slightly quicker. The power parameters are equal across the Ryzen 7 and 9 models on the same profiles in this implementation, narrowing the performance difference even further.
The RAM is partly soldered, with 16 GB onboard on the 3060 variant and 8 GB onboard on the other models. So, if you require 32 GB of dual-channel RAM on your laptop, you’ll only be able to get it with the top G14 configuration with the 3060 dGPU.
Asus uses mid-range PCIe x4 SK Hynix SSDs for storage, and there’s just one M.2 slot inside, so you’ll have to replace the drive that comes installed by default if you need more. This isn’t ideal.
As for the GPUs, the G14 series is built on Max-Q variants of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 and 3050Ti graphics chips (as well as some lower-end 3050 and 1650 configurations), with a base TGP of 60W and up to 80/75W with Dynamic Boost 2.0 in supported titles and applications.
To access the components, just pop off the rear panel, which is held in place by a pair of Philips screws. It’s important to keep in mind that they’re all various sizes. The SSD and RAM slots, the thermal module, the 76W, and the audio system are all found within. Everything is crammed in as tightly as possible to make the most of the limited space.
With Silent, Performance, Turbo, and Manual modes, the software is typical for an Asus laptop. The fans in this case stay idle as long as the CPU/GPU does not exceed 50 degrees C, which is perfect for casual everyday usage.
Turbo is indicated for gaming and performance loads, allowing extra CPU power and overclocking the GPU (+100 MHz Core/+120 MHz Memory). Performance is the jack of all trades for multitasking, and Turbo is indicated for gaming and performance loads, allowing extra CPU power and overclocking the GPU (+100 MHz Core/+120 MHz Memory).
Benchmarks and performance tests
Let’s speak about performance now. We begin by performing the Cinebench R15 test for 15+ times in a loop, with a 1-2 second wait between each run, to evaluate the CPU.
On the Turbo option on both laptops, the Ryzen CPUs stable at 65+W of continuous power, with somewhat higher speeds and temperatures on the Ryzen 9. In addition, the Ryzen 9 outperforms the Ryzen 7 by 5%. In both instances, the fans spin at approximately 46-47 dB at head level. Excellent outcomes!
When you switch to the Performance mode, the processors will operate at 65W for a few loops before eventually stabilizing at 45W. In this instance, the fans are spinning at 42+ dB, yet the temperatures and scores are still excellent.
On Silent, the processors both run at ~25W with barely audible fans (<35 dB) and low temperatures. The scores are roughly 75% of what the systems do on Turbo, despite the limited power.
Finally, on batteries, the CPUs operate at 35 W on the Performance setting, with the fans varying between 30 and 42 dB every few minutes. On battery, the CPU performance is outstanding, with 85+ percent of the Turbo ratings.
In the logs below, you’ll find additional information on all of these profiles and situations.
To put these results in context, consider how these Ryzen HS CPUs compare to comparable 8C/16T choices seen in other portable laptops of this generation. They’re extremely competitive, coming in within 5% of the top mobile CPUs now on the market, but keep in mind that they operate at greater power and in considerably beefier devices. The Razer Blade 14 is an outlier, capable of delivering excellent performance while using less power.
The more demanding Cinebench R23 loop test and the grueling Prime 95 on the Turbo setting were used to confirm our results.
On both setups, we conducted our combined CPU+GPU stress tests. 3DMark stress repeats the same test 20 times in a loop to check for performance variations over time, and these devices passed, indicating that they perform consistently. The 3060 model, on the other hand, narrowly passed the test, which indicates you can anticipate some minor performance reductions as the temperature rises.
These stress tests demonstrate the Zephyrus G14 lineup’s outstanding engineering, with good sustained performance under CPU and CPU+GPU loads, despite the form factor. However, interior temperatures may reach dangerously high levels, which we’ll discuss in more depth later.
Following that, we performed the full battery of tests and benchmarks on both laptops using the standard Turbo profiles in Armoury Crate and FHD (full high definition)s (for consistency, because the resolution affects some of these benchmarks results).
| FHD resolution | ROG Zephyrus G14 GA401QM R9-5900HS + 3060 ROG Zephyrus G14 GA401QM R9-5900HS + 3060 ROG Zephyrus G14 | ROG Zephyrus G14 GA401QE R7-5700HS + 3050Ti ROG Zephyrus G14 GA401QE R7-5700HS + 3050Ti ROG Zephyrus G14 |
| Fire Strike is the thirteenth test in the 3DMark series. | 17003 (Graphics 18517, Physics 25357, and Combination 8069) | 13154 (Graphics 14350, Physics 23937, and Combined 5718). |
| Port Royal in 3DMark 13 | 4341 | 554 |
| Time Spy – 3DMark 13 | (Graphics – 7298, CPU – 9279) 7539 (Graphics – 7298, CPU – 9279) | (Graphics 5805, CPU 8741) 6112 |
| 1080p Medium Uniengine Superposition | 13231 | 10558 |
| 1080p Extreme Uniengine Superposition | 4305 | 3405 |
| Handbrake 1.3.1 (encodes 4K to 1080p): | The average frame rate is 46.74 frames per second. | The average frame rate is 39.48 frames per second. |
| PCMark 10 | (E – 10649, P – 8184, DCC – 8759) 6552 (E – 10649, P – 8184, DCC – 8759) | (E – 10204, P – 9211, DCC – 7940) 6503 (E – 10204, P – 9211, DCC – 7940) |
| 64-bit GeekBench 5.3.1 | 1513 single-core, 8284 multi-core | 1436 single-core, 7207 multi-core |
| R15 CineBench (best run) | CPU Single Core 240 cb, CPU 2173 cb | CPU Single Core 231 cb, CPU 2138 cb |
| R20 CineBench (best run) | 5101 cb CPU, 573 cb CPU Single Core | CPU Single Core 555 cb, CPU 4936 cb |
| R23 CineBench (best run) | 12865 cb CPU, 1459 cb CPU Single Core | 12720 cb CPU, 1420 cb CPU Single Core |
| 64-bit x265 HD Benchmark | 28.55 fps | 29.77 fps |
On the same profiles and settings, we performed various Workstation-related loads.
| ROG Zephyrus G14 R9-5900HS + 3060 ROG Zephyrus G14 R9-5900HS + 3060 ROG Zephyrus G14 | ROG Zephyrus G14 R7-5800HS + 3050Ti ROG Zephyrus G14 R7-5800HS + 3050Ti ROG Zephyrus G14 | |
| Blender 2.90 – CPU Compute BMW Car Scene | 3m 18s | 3m 32s |
| Blender 2.90 – CPU Compute – Classroom Scene | 9m 51s | 10m 18s |
| Blender 2.90 – GPU, CUDA/Optix BMW Car Scene | 59s / 26s | 1 minute 14 seconds / 36 seconds |
| Blender 2.90 – GPU, CUDA/Optix – Classroom scene | 1m 40s/2m 49s | 2m 1s / 3m 28s |
| 3DSMax SPECviewerf 2024 | 66.12 | 52.78 |
| Catia SPECviewerf 2024 | 43.62 | 37.39 |
| Creo SPECviewerf 2024 | 76.67 | 65.11 |
| 2020 SPECviewerf – Energy | 15.82 | 12.74 |
| Maya SPECviewerf 2024 | 201.35 | 173.84 |
| Medical SPECviewerf 2024 | 23.64 | 19.62 |
| 2020 SPECviewerf – SNX | 15.58 | 12.76 |
| SW SPECviewerf 2024 | 130.98 | 112.5 |
Of course, the R9 + 3060 is the faster option here, but I wanted to see how much quicker it is and if the extra Asus charges is worth it.
In most tests, the Ryzen 7 and 9 choices are within 5% of one another, and both are great performers, so choosing a Ryzen 7 configuration over a Ryzen 9 configuration won’t make much of a difference.
On the other hand, the 3060 outperforms the 3050Ti by 25-30% in rasterization tests and completely destroys it in RT. Ray Tracing isn’t even an option on the 3050Ti, thus don’t even think about it while choosing between the two.
The additional RAM on the 3060 variant, 32 GB vs. 16 GB in dual-channel, helps with demanding tasks or just future-proofing your purchase.
G14 GA401QM with RTX 3060 gaming performance
Let’s have a look at several games, starting with the Ryzen 9 + 32 GB + RTX 3060 setup, and then moving on to the 3050Ti variant further down.
To document the performance toll of Optimus, we played a handful of DX11, DX12, and Vulkan games on the stock Turbo, Performance, and Silent settings, on both FHD and QHD resolutions, on both the laptop’s internal screen and an external monitor connected through DP. In GeForce Experience’s Silent mode, Whisper Mode is activated.
Here’s what we came up with:
| Laptop 60+W AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS + RTX 3060 AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS + RTX 3060 AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS + RTX | FHD Turbo | External FHD Turbo | Performance in Full HD | Silent FHD (WM On) | QHD Turbo | External QHD Turbo |
| Battlefield V is a first-person shooter that was (DX 12, Ultra Preset, RTX OFF) | 84 frames per second (60 frames per second – 1% low) | 90 frames per second (64 frames per second – 1% low) | 74 frames per second (58 frames per second – 1% low) | 60 frames per second (58 frames per second – 1% low) | 62 frames per second (48 frames per second – 1% low) | 70 frames per second (56 frames per second – 1% low) |
| The year is 2077, and the setting is Cyberpunk (DX 12, Ultra Preset, RTX OFF) | 44 frames per second (33 frames per second – 1% low) | 43 frames per second (33 frames per second – 1% low) | 40 frames per second (32 frames per second – 1% low) | – | 26 frames per second (22 frames per second – 1% low) | 26 frames per second (23 frames per second – 1% low) |
| Dota 2 is a game developed by Valve Corporation (DX 11, Best Looking Preset) | – | – | – | – | 99 frames per second (52 frames per second – 1% low) | – |
| Far Cry 5 is the fifth installment in the Far Cry series (DX 11, Ultra Preset, SMAA) | 91 frames per second (58 frames per second – 1% low) | 96 frames per second (66 frames per second – 1% low) | 83 frames per second (68 frames per second – 1% low) | 60 frames per second (59 frames per second – 1% low) | 66 frames per second (57 frames per second – 1% low) | 72 frames per second (63 frames per second – 1% low) |
| Exodus from the Metro (DX 12, Ultra Preset, RTX OFF) | 46 frames per second (28 frames per second – 1% low) | – | 44 frames per second (28 frames per second – 1% low) | 34 frames per second (18 frames per second – 1% low) | 39 frames per second (24 frames per second – 1% low) | – |
| Shadow of Mordor is a film set in Middle Earth (DX 11, Ultra Preset) | 130 frames per second (93 frames per second – 1% low) | 141 frames per second (97 frames per second – 1% low) | 115 frames per second (82 frames per second – 1% low) | 60 frames per second (60 frames per second – 1% low) | 90 frames per second (68 frames per second – 1% low) | 97 frames per second (74 frames per second – 1% low) |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 is a sequel to Red Dead Redemption (DX 12, Ultra Optimized, TAA) | 73 frames per second (57 frames per second – 1% low) | – | – | – | 56 frames per second (46 frames per second – 1% low) | – |
| Tomb Raider: Shadow of the Tomb Raider (DX 12, Highest Preset, TAA) | 74 frames per second (55 frames per second – 1% low) | 78 frames per second (56 frames per second – 1% low) | 68 frames per second (54 frames per second – 1% low) | 59 frames per second (42 frames per second – 1% low) | 50 frames per second (23 frames per second – 1% low) | 53 frames per second (24 frames per second – 1% low) |
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the third installment in The Witcher franchise (DX 11, Ultra Preset, Hairworks On 4) | 82 frames per second (63 frames per second – 1% low) | 85 frames per second (67 frames per second – 1% low) | 75 frames per second (59 frames per second – 1% low) | 60 frames per second (60 frames per second – 1% low) | 63 frames per second (52 frames per second – 1% low) | 62 frames per second (50 frames per second – 1% low) |
- In campaign mode, Battlefield V and The Witcher 3 were recorded using Fraps/in-game FPS counter.
- Games like Far Cry 5, Middle Earth, Strange Brigade, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Tomb Raider were recorded using the Benchmark tools that came with the game.
- Based on these parameters, a Red Dead Redemption 2 optimized profile was created.
The tests mentioned above are rasterization-only tests, and here are some RTX findings.
| Laptop 60+W Ryzen 9 5900HS + RTX 3060 Ryzen 9 5900HS + RTX 3060 Ryzen 9 5900HS + RTX 30 | FHD Turbo | External FHD Turbo | QHD Turbo | External QHD Turbo |
| Battlefield V is a first-person shooter that was (DX 12, Ultra Preset, RTX ON, DLSS OFF) | 58 frames per second (46 frames per second – 1% low) | 64 frames per second (52 frames per second – 1% low) | 44 frames per second (34 frames per second – 1% low) | 36 frames per second (23 frames per second – 1% low) |
| Cyberpunk 2077 (DLSS Auto, DX 12, Ultra Preset + RTX) | 40 frames per second (29 frames per second – 1% low) | 30 frames per second (30 frames per second – 1% low) | 30 frames per second (24 frames per second – 1% low) | 31 frames per second (25 frames per second – 1% low) |
| Tomb Raider: Shadow of the Tomb Raider (DX 12, Highest Preset, TAA, RTX Ultra) | 46 frames per second (36 frames per second – 1% low) | 51 frames per second (36 frames per second – 1% low) | 33 frames per second (17 frames per second – 1% low) | 38 frames per second (19 frames per second – 1% low) |
Let’s put this in perspective since there are a lot of statistics here.
First and foremost, with the exception of Cyberpunk 2077 and Metro Exodus, this Ryzen 9 + 3060 G14 combination offers excellent FHD gaming performance, with 60+ fps in most games. In older games, QHD gaming is also a possibility, but in newer titles, you’ll have to reduce the graphical settings to High or even Medium. At QHD resolution, the 60-80W 3060 can only do so much. In our testing, framerates were 40-60 at FHD and 30-45 at QHD, which isn’t ideal for RT gaming.
To gain a small speed increase, connect the laptop to an external screen via USB-C, skipping Optimus and connecting the display directly to the Nvidia GPU. You’ll gain some in fast-paced action games that already operate at high frame rates, but not much in AAA games with the highest fidelity settings. Even still, using an extra monitor will improve the QHD gaming experience, as the 5-15 percent boost in framerates may make a significant impact.
Turbo, Performance, and Silent Gaming
Let’s have a look at the performance logs for Farcry 5, Red Dead Redemption 2, Cyberpunk 2077, Battlefield V, and Witcher 3 on different profiles, which reveal the CPU and GPU speeds and temperatures.
There is still a difference between the tested games in terms of how well they handle Dynamic Boost 2.0 and how they transfer power from the CPU to the GPU. In the case of Cyberpunk or The Witcher 3, we’re looking at lower CPU power and lower CPU temps in the low 80s, but up to 80W of GPU power and down to mid-80s GPU temperatures.
However, in games like Battlefield V and Far Cry 5, the CPU consumes more power and heats up, average temperatures in the mid-90s, while the GPU consumes less power, averaging temperatures in the mid-80s and even reaching the 87C throttling threshold in certain titles. These games’ performance is hampered by their high thermals.
Here are several Turbo logs in FHD resolution.
Also on Turbo, several logs in QHD quality. At this resolution, the GPU tends to operate at greater power and speeds, but still at high temperatures.
Lifting the laptop off the desk to increase airflow into the fans has a small performance and temperature effect, but it’s not significant. Instead, a cooling pad will almost certainly be more beneficial in this situation.
For the G14 laptop, Asus now provides a Performance option that reduces fan noise and CPU/GPU power. This is barely useful in this situation, since both the CPU and GPU are overheating.
Instead, the Silent profile, when combined with Whisper Mode and a 60 fps limit, makes sense. This Silent mode severely limits the CPU and GPU, resulting in lower internal temperatures while also lowering fan noise to 37-38 dB and enabling 60 fps framerates in most games. Of course, AAA games with high demands, such as Cyberpunk 2077 or Red Dead Redemption 2, are exceptions and will not perform well on this Silent profile.
However, this Silent profile is more useful than the Performance profile in this instance.
RTX 3060 – Boost is disabled
So, what comes next? Because AMD Master doesn’t support the Ryzen Mobile platform, deactivating the CPU’s Boost (as described here) provides a workaround for the Turbo mode temperature issue. Without Boost, the CPU only runs at 3.3 GHz, and here’s how that affects performance in the games we tried:
| Laptop 60+W Ryzen 9 5900HS + RTX 3060 Ryzen 9 5900HS + RTX 3060 Ryzen 9 5900HS + RTX 30 | Aggressive Boost, QHD Turbo | Disabled Boost, QHD Turbo | Aggressive Boost, Performance in Full HD | Disabled Boost, FHD Performance |
| The year is 2077, and the setting is Cyberpunk (DX 12, Ultra Preset, RTX OFF) | 26 frames per second (22 frames per second – 1% low) | 33 frames per second (28 frames per second – 1% low) | 44 frames per second (33 frames per second – 1% low) | 49 frames per second (38 frames per second – 1% low) |
| Shadow of Mordor is a film set in Middle Earth (DX 11, Ultra Preset) | 90 frames per second (68 frames per second – 1% low) | 100 frames per second (76 frames per second – 1% low) | 130 frames per second (93 frames per second – 1% low) | 134 frames per second (94 frames per second – 1% low) |
| Far Cry 5 is the fifth installment in the Far Cry series (DX 11, Ultra Preset, SMAA) | 66 frames per second (57 frames per second – 1% low) | 75 frames per second (66 frames per second – 1% low) | 83 frames per second (68 frames per second – 1% low) | 96 frames per second (74 frames per second – 1% low) |
| Tomb Raider: Shadow of the Tomb Raider (DX 12, Highest Preset, TAA) | 50 frames per second (23 frames per second – 1% low) | 62 frames per second (33 frames per second – 1% low) | 68 frames per second (54 frames per second – 1% low) | 82 frames per second (37 frames per second – 1% low) |
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the third installment in The Witcher franchise (DX 11, Ultra Preset, Hairworks On 4) | 63 frames per second (52 frames per second – 1% low) | 65 frames per second (51 frames per second – 1% low) | 75 frames per second (59 frames per second – 1% low) | 81 frames per second (56 frames per second – 1% low) |
Most games perform better without CPU Boost since this profile gives the GPU more thermal headroom, allowing it to operate at higher clocks than with the normal Turbo profile in certain games. The fans are still averaging 47+ dB on Turbo and 42+ dB on Performance, but with improved temps in all games this time around. The differences, as well as the fps results, varied across the games that were evaluated.
At QHD resolution, here are some logs for the Turbo profile with Disabled Boost.
Disabling Boost isn’t the only option here, nor is it the one I’d suggest; you may either use Manual mode to restrict the CPU’s power to a certain range (15-20W) or utilize the “Efficient Aggressive” Boost preset instead. There’s also a third-party software that enables you to restrict the CPU power on AMD laptops, but I’m not sure what it’s called.
All of them would enable the CPU to boost to maximum frequencies, but less often, resulting in lower overall temps during gaming. I haven’t put these settings to the test here, but I did perform some tests on the AMD Zephyrus G15 model that you may find helpful.
Using an extra display for gaming
As previously stated, connecting the laptop to an external display through the USB-C connector allows for a direct link between the screen and the Nvidia GPU, which results in better frame rates in most games. However, the effect differs depending on the title.
In this instance, the components also seem to run somewhat cooler. Here are some logs taken from a laptop on a desk.
And there are a few logs with the lid closed and the laptop on a vertical stand.
G14 GA401QE with RTX 3050Ti gaming performance
Here’s how the R7 + 16 GB RAM + 3050 Ti combination performs in games. We only looked at FHD results since that is the native resolution of the screen.
| Laptop 60+W AMD Ryzen 7 5800HS + RTX 3050Ti AMD Ryzen 7 5800HS + RTX 3050Ti AMD Ryzen 7 5800HS + RTX | FHD Turbo | FHD Performance | External FHD Turbo |
| Far Cry 5 is the fifth installment in the Far Cry series (DX 11, Ultra Preset, SMAA) | 84 frames per second (72 frames per second – 1% low) | 81 frames per second (64 frames per second – 1% low) | 88 frames per second (71 frames per second – 1% low) |
| Shadow of Mordor is a film set in Middle Earth (DX 11, Ultra Preset) | 113 frames per second (82 frames per second – 1% low) | 108 frames per second (78 frames per second – 1% low) | 115 frames per second (81 frames per second – 1% low) |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 is a sequel to Red Dead Redemption (DX 12, Ultra Optimized, TAA) | 44 frames per second (32 frames per second – 1% low) | – | 48 frames per second (34 frames per second – 1% low) |
| Tomb Raider: Shadow of the Tomb Raider (DX 12, Highest Preset, TAA) | 69 frames per second (52 frames per second – 1% low) | 65 frames per second (50 frames per second – 1% low) | 73 frames per second (54 frames per second – 1% low) |
| Tomb Raider: Shadow of the Tomb Raider (DX 12, Highest Preset, TAA, RTX Ultra) | 26 frames per second (14 frames per second – 1% low) | – | – |
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the third installment in The Witcher franchise (DX 11, Ultra Preset, Hairworks On 4) | 70 frames per second (54 frames per second – 1% low) | 68 frames per second (54 frames per second – 1% low) | 72 frames per second (54 frames per second – 1% low) |
- In campaign mode, Battlefield V and The Witcher 3 were recorded using Fraps/in-game FPS counter.
- Games like Far Cry 5, Middle Earth, Strange Brigade, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Tomb Raider were recorded using the Benchmark tools that came with the game.
- Based on these parameters, a Red Dead Redemption 2 optimized profile was created.
Across all of the games tested, this 3050Ti setup is just 12-18% of the normal 3060 model, with Red Dead 2 being the notable exception. Of course, we’re just talking about rasterization gaming here, not RTX; as previously stated, Ray Tracing on a 3050Ti is simply useless compared to any of the higher-tier Nvidia processors. I’m also comparing stock Turbo vs. stock Turbo on both laptops, since, as previously said, the gaming experience on the 3060 model may be further adjusted by restricting the CPU’s power, resulting in a larger difference between the two models.
Overall, we’re looking at good results, with most games delivering 60+ frames per second at FHD resolution and Maximum graphical details. Even while you’ll have to sacrifice some of those features in some of the more demanding 2024 games, this setup is still competitive for FHD gaming.
In addition, despite Optimus, the performance difference between playing games on the internal screen vs an external display is minor on this laptop, just as it is on the 3060 configuration.
Turbo, Performance, and Silent Gaming
Our results on this R7 + 3050Ti combination are mostly consistent with those on the higher-tier R9 + 3060 model, but there are still substantial variations between games that use Dyn Boost correctly and those that don’t. Despite this, the CPU and GPU in this 3050Ti combination operate a few degrees cooler on average than the 3060 model on Turbo, owing to the fact that the 3050Ti GPU only scales up to 75W in this instance, rather as the 3060’s 80W.
Here are several Turbo logs in FHD resolution.
And this is what occurs when you raise the laptop’s back to increase airflow to the fans. Again, it’s not much, but it reduces the temperature of the components by 1-3 degrees C.
I haven’t tried deactivating Boost on this setup, but I’m guessing the benefits will be lower than on the 3060 model. FPS should rise and temps should decrease in Far Cry 5 and Battlefield 5. However, deactivating Boost may not be the best option, and you might instead use Armoury Crate’s Manual mode to restrict the CPU’s power to about 15-20W.
On this setup, the Performance profile is still a difficult decision, particularly in games that need more CPU power, such as Far Cry 5. It makes sense if you want to reduce fan noise (42+ dB vs. 47+ dB on Turb0), but it usually comes at the expense of performance and an increase in internal temperatures.
The Silent profile, on the other hand, limits the CPU and GPU, as well as framerates, to 60 fps, and is suitable for older games, but not for current AAA titles, which the 3050Ti struggles with due to the lower power in this mode.
Finally, you may play games on an external display to increase framerates somewhat, particularly in fast-paced games that already run at a high framerate. In this setting, the temps are OK; they are still high in Far Cry 5, but they are fine in the other games we tried. You may either leave the laptop on your desk or shut the lid and dock it vertically.
Noise, heat, connectivity, speakers, and other factors are all factors to consider.
The ROG Zephyrus G14 comes with a sophisticated thermal module that includes two fans (one with dust exhaust channels) and a number of heatpipes. The 3050Ti and 3060 versions use the same solution, although it has been significantly modified from the 2024 G14s.
Air is sucked in from the top, through the keyboard, and from the bottom, and pushed out through the cuts on the back edge and sides, as explained in a previous section. That means most of the hot air blows into the screen, even if Asus implemented a design tweak meant to channel the airflow towards the sides, and not up, into the panel. As shown by the thermal readings, this tweak is not helping much.
In complicated loads and games, the components on this G14 become heated, particularly on the somewhat higher-power 3060 versions. These values, however, vary depending on how effectively the workloads and games scale with Dynamic Boost 2.0. When the system directs power away from the CPU and toward the GPU, the thermal profile between the two components is more balanced. When the CPU is permitted to operate at 25+ W under mixed loads, however, it heats up and also distributes the heat to the GPU, resulting in high temperatures and thermally restricting performance.
The fans run averagely loud with demanding loads on the available profiles, at 47+ dB on Turbo, 42+ dB on Performance, and 37-38 dB on Silent. At the same time, these 2024 Zephyrus G14s run quietly with daily multitasking and light use, on the Silent profile, with the fans keeping idle with basic use and ramping to barely audible levels of <35 dB with multitasking, while the laptop is plugged in.
With everyday usage, the exterior casing temps are OK. Temperatures around the keyboard and in the warmest areas of the back of the 3050Ti model are in the low to mid-30s. Given that the laptop is passively cooled during normal usage, this isn’t terrible. The 3060 model, on the other hand, ran hotter in our testing, with temperatures ranging from the low to mid-40s.
Daily Use – 30 minutes of Netflix in EDGE, silent profile, fans at 0 dB (up to 33 dB with daily multitasking)
When playing games, you’ll notice that the regions directly next to the fan are kept cool by the system, which draws air from both the top and bottom. On all accessible power profiles, this results in nice temps around the WASD and arrows areas, ranging from the mid 30s to low 40s. The center of the laptop, where the CPU and GPU are located, does achieve greater temperatures, which are acceptable for a 14-inch performance laptop.
The 3060 configuration runs 5 degrees C hotter than the 3050Ti model.
This design, as previously said, blows hot air into the bottom of the screen. As a result, the bottom bezel near the radiators may reach temperatures in the high 40s to mid 50s, but the panel itself can only reach the high 40s since the majority of the heat is absorbed by the thicker bottom bezel. I’m still not a fan of this design, but it should be OK as long as the screen doesn’t overheat, which doesn’t seem to be the case. However, bear in mind that we tested these laptops in a controlled setting at 24°C, and temperatures in a warmer environment would be greater.
*Gaming – Silent, on a desk – 30 minutes of Far Cry 5, Silent profile + Whisper Mode, fans at 37-38 dB *Gaming – Turbo, on a desk – 30 minutes of Far Cry 5, fans at 47+ dB
These laptops include Wireless 6 and Bluetooth 5 connection thanks to Mediatek processors. Our samples worked fine on WiFi near the router and at distances of 30+ feet with obstructions in the way, however the MediaTek processors aren’t as fast as some of the Intel modules on the market, so if you have any problems with your setup, you should consider updating the wifi.
All 2024 G14 versions have four speakers, with two woofers on the bottom and two tweeters shooting through the grills on the left and right of the armrest. There are no concerns about the volume or quality here, despite the little size. There are no concerns regarding the audio output from the 3.5mm jack.
Finally, there’s the camera… There aren’t any here, at least not yet.
Life of the battery
The 2024 ROG Zephyrus G14 versions include a 76Wh battery, which is very large for a 14-inch chassis.
In terms of battery life, here’s what we got on our R7 + 3050Ti + FHD screen review unit, with the screen brightness set at about 120 nits (60 brightness).
- 12 W (almost 6 hours of usage) — text writing in Google Drive, Silent Mode, 60% screen, Wi-Fi turned on;
- 8.5 W (about 7-8 hours of usage) — 1080p fullscreen movie in Edge, Silent Mode, screen at 60%, Wi-Fi ON;
- 7.5 W (about 9-10 hours of usage) — Netflix fullscreen in Edge, Silent Mode, 60% screen, Wi-Fi ON;
- 13.5 W (over 5 hours of usage) – Edge, Balanced Mode, screen at 60%, Wi-Fi on.
These are fantastic runtimes, particularly on a laptop with a QHD display.
Here’s how to set up a QHD display:
- 11 W (almost 6 hours of usage) — text writing in Google Drive, Silent Mode, 60% screen, Wi-Fi turned on;
- 10 W (almost 7 hours of usage) — 1080p fullscreen movie on Youtube in Edge, Silent Mode, 60% screen, Wi-Fi ON;
- 8.5 W (almost 8 hours of usage) — Netflix fullscreen in Edge, Silent Mode, 60 percent screen, Wi-Fi ON;
- 13.5 W (over 5 hours of usage) – Edge, Balanced Mode, screen at 60%, Wi-Fi on.
In low-power applications like video streaming, the QHD screen has a small negative impact on battery life, but the differences between the two are negligible when it comes to regular multitasking and browsing. The FHD screen versions, on the other hand, will often have somewhat longer runtimes. On both models, the system changes the screen to 60Hz when on batteries and on the iGPU, and the AMD platform proves to be extremely efficient with modest loads.
Both ROG Zephyrus G14 variants come with 180W power bricks that are small and light. The battery charges in approximately 2 hours, with rapid charging for the first half hour, and USB-C charging up to 100W is also supported. There is no USB-C charger supplied.
the cost and the availability
At the time of writing, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 2024 was available in most parts of the globe, although configurations varied by location.
Asus primarily sells the Zephyrus G14 GA401QM configuration in the United States and Canada, which has a Ryzen 9 CPU, RTX 3060 dGPU, FHD 144 Hz monitor, 16 GB of RAM (8 GB soldered + 8 GB DIMM), and 1 TB of SSD memory for $1500-1600 USD. However, QHD screen choices and configurations with 32 GB of RAM, as well as 3050Ti machines, are now unavailable.
However, in Europe, the G14 GA401QE model reviewed here is available for 1300 EUR in Germany/France and 1250 GBP in the UK, as well as different variants of the GA401QM model, with the QHD screen and 32 GB of RAM, which is priced at approximately 1700 GBP in the UK and 2000 EUR in Germany.
For the most up-to-date configurations and pricing in your area at the moment you’re reading this post, go to this site.
Jumping from the R7 + 3050Ti to the R9 + 3060, both with 16 GB of RAM and an FHD 144 screen, will cost you about 200-250 EUR/GBP, while the QHD screen choices with 32 GB of RAM and the AnimeMatrix array would set you back a few hundred more. So, depending on your needs, the FHD versions with either of the two GPUs provide greater value for money. While the Ryzen 9 performs similarly to the Ryzen 7, the 3060 processor may outperform the 3050Ti in certain tasks and games, thus it could be worth the extra money for some of you.
In certain areas, lower-tier G14 setups with Ryzen 5 5600HS + 1650/3050 GPUs are also available, although performance is significantly reduced, as is the screen quality with the FHD 60hz panel option. If you’re looking for a deal, I’d recommend getting a cheap (or even refurbished/open-box) 2024 G14 with an RTX 2060 dGPU, as long as they’re still available.
Finally, some ideas
While the Zephyrus G14 was formerly the only small laptop on the market capable of handling heavy loads and games, that is no longer the case as of mid-2021, with devices like the Razer Blade 14, Acer Predator Triton 300 SE, and even the ROG Flow X13 on the market.
The Flow X13 is the most portable alternative, the Triton is the greatest bang for your money, with a 3060 configuration starting at $1300 USD, and the Blade 14 is the most powerful option, with a full-power Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU and up to a 3080 100W dGPU, as well as a fantastic thermal module. It is, however, pricey, with the Blade 14 beginning at $1799.
These put the 2024 Zephyrus G14 in the center, as the niche’s possibly best-balanced laptop, and I believe this is true for both the 3050Ti and 3060 variants. The 3050Ti GA401QE is less expensive, whereas the 3060 GA401QM costs a few hundred dollars more but is more powerful in GPU-intensive tasks. Still, thermals should be considered, which is why I prefer the 3050Ti model, which runs significantly cooler in our testing and doesn’t overheat while playing games that don’t scale well with Dynamic Boost 2.0.
However, if you’re mainly looking for a gaming laptop and can live with a 15-inch chassis, you’d be better off spending your money on something like the Zephyrus G15 or one of the other options available.
That’s partly due to the sluggish response-time panels available with today’s 14-inch laptops, which aren’t up to par with what you can buy in the 15-inch class, but it’s also because 15-inch notebooks provide more powerful hardware and overall better performance for your money. However, the size and weight difference isn’t easy to overlook, and we’ll be back with a more thorough G14 versus G15 comparison in the near future.
2024 Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 (left) and G14 (right) (gray and white, respectively)
For now, however, our review of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 series for 2024 is complete, and I’d love to hear your views, criticism, and questions in the comments area below, so don’t be shy.
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Editor-in-Chief of Ultrabookreview.com, Andrei Girbea. I’ve been writing about mobile computers since the early 2000s, and you’ll mainly find my reviews and comprehensive instructions on this site.
The ROG Zephyrus G14 is a fantastic gaming laptop for those on a budget, providing plenty of power under the hood. Last year’s model boasted a super powerful Pascal-powered Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q graphics card, which proved to be a good choice for the gaming market.
The Zephyrus G14 is a bit more affordable this year and sports a GTX 1070, which doesn’t have quite the punch, but it still serves its purpose.. Read more about asus rog zephyrus g14 3060 and let us know what you think.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Zephyrus G14 overheat?
Zephyrus G14 has a fan that is always on, so it does not overheat.
How long does the Asus Zephyrus G14 last?
The Asus Zephyrus G14 has a battery life of about 4 hours.
Is Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 good for game development?
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is a good laptop for game development. It has a powerful processor and a lot of RAM, which makes it perfect for running the latest games.
