It handles gaming like a champ thanks to the decently powerful RTX 40-Series GPU and AI processor.
1.Pricing & specs2.Design & build3.Software & lighting4.Display5.Performance6.Battery life7.Keyboard & touchpad8.Camera, mic, & audio9.Competition10.Scorecard11.Should you buy it?
So, how does this AMD model compare to the Intel model?
There is Slash lighting on the Zephyrus lid.
And is it worth buying?
Let’s dive in and discuss this laptop’s performance and features.
This review was made possible thanks to a review unit provided by ASUS.
The company did not see the contents of this review before publishing.
In terms of memory, there are three options: 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB.
Meanwhile, it’s possible for you to choose between going with either a 1TB or a 2TB SSD.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024) GA605 has a far more elegant design than many other gaming laptops.
This is a way in which the Zephyrus G16 stands out… by not standing out.
It has a more classy design that easily fits into a formal business setting.
It’s not the sleekest shell I’ve seen, but it’s sturdy and looks good overall.
There is an SD card reader, USB-A port, and USB-C port on the laptop’s left side.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
The lid is relatively thin, yet it has white diagonal lighting on top, known as Slash lighting.
All in all, the Zephyrus G16 offers a good amount of ports, with one notable exception.
You’ll notice that one important connection is missing: an RJ45.
A power port, HDMI port, USB-C port, USB-A port, and headphone jack are found on the laptop’s right side.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
I can also adjust effect speeds and color brightness.
Games look incredible on this display, with plenty of contrast, colorful variance, and defined details.
While I was at it, I used the colorimeter to run a brightness and contrast test.
Armoury Crate is focused on game settings and it offers a game launcher.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
This isn’t nearly as bright as we’d like to see it get.
OLED screens offer gorgeous color, but they have been known to experience screen burn-in.
On a similar note, there is also a slider for OLED Flicker-Free Dimming within Armoury Crate.
You can quickly adjust game performance modes within Armoury Crate.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
Just note that it isn’t effective when used at lower brightness levels.
It earned a solid multi-core score of 1,168 and a single-core score of 115.
The AMD version earned a multi-core score of 21,809 and a single-core score of 940.
MyASUS is more focused on overall system settings and makes it easy to contact customer support.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
Meanwhile, the Intel version earned a lower 18,399 multi-core score but a higher 1,862 single-core score.
Overall, this is a good performance.
All-in-all, it is in-line with where it should be.
There are plenty of battery-saving settings in MyASUS.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
This means the AMD model isn’t as fast when it comes to accessing stored data or saving files.
At these prefs, the laptops reached an average 65.85 FPS (frames per second).
These aren’t overly amazing, but they are respectable results.
The keys are set to white by default, but can be customized with RGB lighting.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
The laptop managed an average of 27.18 FPS.
Unlike some other laptops out there, the sides near the ports don’t get that warm at all.
I also found that the bottom of the laptop never got too hot for my lap.
The Slash bar on the lid can be set to different effects and brightnesses or it can be turned off.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
This isn’t super loud, but it is something that you will notice while using the Zephyrus G16.
However, battery life is even worse when running intensive video games in Performance mode.
Obviously, these shorter run times, though expected, aren’t great.
There are a few different keyboard RGB effects to choose from in Armoury Crate.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
The RGB colors come through well and provides a fun gaming vibe to the laptop.
Overall, the keys press down with little resistance and feel good to use.
This keyboard has a helpful layout that provides more than just the basic controls.
Pressing this quickly opens Windows' AI assistant.
It’s nice being able to reach these parameters and options so easily.
My voice also carries very clearly thanks to the AI noise-cancelling technology utilized with the built-in 3-microphone array.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024) GA605 produced 100% of sRGB, 96% of AdobeRGB, and 100% of P3 in a color gamut test.
This laptop utilizes Smart Amp Technology withDolby Atmos.
The 4-speakers with a dual force woofer face upward and are located on either side of the keyboard.
The speakers get plenty loud.
Geekbench 6 shows that the Zephyrus G16 GA605 offers solid CPU performance.(Image credit: Windows Central)
Mid-to-high sounds come through very clearly, and bass thumps through decently as well.
The fans can get decently loud, but the laptop offers great gaming performance and provides plenty of ports.
It has a starting price of$1,999.99 at Best Buy.
Overall system performance is also really good on the Zephyrus G16.(Image credit: Windows Central)
Altogether, this makes up a relatively powerful gaming laptop.
It has a relatively hefty starting price of$3,299.99 at Best Buy.
It sells for a whopping$4,199.99 at Best Buy.
Of the AI PCs we’ve tested so far, the Zephrus G16 GA605 earned the highest NPU score.(Image credit: Windows Central)
You should buy this if…
You should not buy this if…
The AMD AI CPU is very powerful, outperforming many of the other AI-boosted processors out there.
It would be nicer if this AMD model had more GPUs to choose from when configuring the laptop.
A 3DMark Time Spy graphics test shows that the Zephyrus G16’s RTX 4070 L earned a good score.(Image credit: Windows Central)
Additionally, the lack of an RJ45 port is a little odd.
However, the Zephyrus G16 provides plenty of other useful features and connections to keep up with your needs.
The 16-inch OLED panel shows off games beautifully and also supports G-Sync to eliminate screen tearing.
Cinebench R24 tests a CPU’s 3D rendering abilities, and the Zephyrus G16’s AMD processor earned a very good score.(Image credit: Windows Central)
(Image credit: Windows Central)
(Image credit: Windows Central)
More demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 run very smoothly on this gaming laptop.
The laptop did an average of 65.85 FPS when set to Low graphics settings.(Image credit: Windows Central)
The laptop did an average of 22.23 FPS when set to Ultra graphics settings.(Image credit: Windows Central)
The laptop did an average of 27.18 FPS when set to Overdrive graphics settings with Path Tracing and Ray Reconstruction.(Image credit: Windows Central)
Overall, the Zephyrus G16 does a good job of keeping itself cool.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
The center of the keyboard area reaches a peak of 103 degrees F.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
The area above the keyboard gets decently warm, measuring in at a peak of 122 degrees F.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
Unsurprisingly, the vents get decently warm, reaching a peak of 110 degrees F.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
Rather than coming with a USB-C charging cable, this laptop comes with a DCI charging cable.
The touchpad is relatively large and is easy to navigate with.
Volume up, volume down, mic mute, and an Armoury Crate button are found above the main keyboard.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
The power button is above the right side of the keyboard.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
The Zephyrus G16’s camera captures colors and details very well.
Razer Blade 16 (2024) is a powerful gaming laptop.
Overall, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024) GA605 is a decent gaming laptop, if you’re willing to pay for it.
