Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 Review : A Laptop For Gamers & Creators Alike
Asus ROG Zephyrus G16: Performance
If you’re into the classic gaming laptop look, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 might catch your eye. It features an RGB-backlit keyboard and a diode strip on the screen. While the strip only glows white, it can be customized to display light shows or sync with your computer’s audio.
This laptop delivers excellent gaming features through a combination of powerful hardware and smart software. Its performance stands out, thanks to an efficient cooling system housed in its larger chassis. While the cooling system can get a bit noisy, it ensures stable and high frame rates, even when running demanding games.
For those looking to push graphics to the limit, the ROG Zephyrus G16 is available with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 or 4090 GPUs. These configurations are ideal if you plan to use dual monitors or plug in a 4K display. That said, the RTX 4070 model is more than capable for the laptop’s built-in display. For most gamers, achieving 60 fps on this machine will feel smooth and satisfying.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G16: Display
The ROG Zephyrus G16 boasts a vibrant 16-inch OLED display with a 2560×1600 resolution. While it’s not a touchscreen—a standard omission for gaming laptops—it makes up for it with its impressive specs. The screen offers a 240Hz refresh rate, ultra-fast response times, and NVIDIA G-Sync support for buttery-smooth gameplay. This display is a testament to the Republic of Gamers’ reputation for delivering quality visuals.
Beyond gaming, the display shines in productivity and creative tasks. Its wide color gamut and preset color profiles for sRGB, DCI-P3, and Display P3 ensure accurate color reproduction. Certified for VESA Display HDR 500 True Black, it handles light and dark areas with precision, making it a solid choice for photo and video editing. With a Delta E value of less than one, the color accuracy is professional-grade.
When it comes to entertainment, the display’s HDR capabilities enhance the experience. If you’re streaming movies or browsing the web between gaming sessions, you might appreciate switching to “Silent” mode. This setting lowers the fan speed, reducing noise. You can enable Silent mode through the Armoury Crate software or a convenient hotkey on the keyboard.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G16: Audio and Webcam
The audio setup on the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 is impressive. It supports Dolby Audio and delivers rich sound with noticeable bass. However, the treble might lack the sharpness needed for certain media types. The large upward-facing speaker grilles on either side of the keyboard mean the numeric keypad has been omitted, likely to accommodate these speakers.
Port options are abundant. You’ll find two USB-C ports, one of which supports Thunderbolt 4 for high-speed data transfer and display connections. The other USB-C port supports DisplayPort. Additionally, there are two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, an analog headset jack, and an SD card reader, ensuring plenty of connectivity options.
The 1080p webcam is a bit of a letdown in an otherwise premium laptop. Its image quality is mediocre, with low contrast and a noticeable 30Hz lag. While it’s sufficient for casual video calls, it’s not suitable for professional streaming. On the bright side, the webcam supports AI-powered Windows Studio effects, which include automatic framing, background blurring, and eye contact correction. The microphones, however, are top-notch, with customizable noise reduction and audio pickup settings available in the Armoury Crate app. If the G16 didn’t catch your eye check out our Top 3 16-inch gaming laptops list.
