I’ve had the privilege of getting to try out the Zephyrus G for a couple of weeks. It is the Ryzen 7 3750H powered member of the Zephyrus lineup that has a GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q within the chassis and it is a pretty powerful combination.
The ROG Zephyrus G GA502D that came into the studio has 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD storage and theis particular SKU is priced at Php 84,995 and, considering the package you’d be getting, it’s pretty convincing. It can be configured to carry up to 32GB of RAM and a version with a 60Hz panel is also available for a little less cash though it’s uncertain whether this variant will be released here.
To put things into perspective, this is the first Zephyrus device to be reviewed on here and there is a fundamental difference between this lineup and that of the Strix Scar and Hero series. The Zephyrus line is sleeker, less ostentatious, and very much lighter too and a lot of the cost difference goes into that… in fact, you wont think that the Zephyrus G was a gaming laptop if not for the ROG eye that is pretty prominent on the cover. Asus still manages to keep it toned down even when it’s lit up though and I particularly like the implementation they used on here.
The keyboard layout and feel is pretty familiar, it’s very similar to the ones they use on the Strix line with all the media and armoury buttons up top differentiated most clearly by the power button which is a sort of chamfered off trapezoid flushed to the surface of the deck.
The balance is markedly better because the number pad is not present on this 15-inch configuration and the keyboard is not shifted towards the left because of it. Only white keyboard lighting is available in three intensities and it works great alongside the svelte lines of the Zephyrus G.
Because of the way the cooling is set up for the Zephyrus line, all the ports on the sides of the device are shifted forward, up to almost halfway of the body. To the left you have the power, LAN, HDMI, USB, USB Type-C, and combo jack and opposite that there are two more USB ports apart from the Kensington lock and the vents.
Heat dissipates through the here (right) and those at the back and you’ll actually feel the exhaust when mousing a little higher than usual, it’s a strange sensation that might be a welcome one when you’re using it at fully air conditioned environs.
With a GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, the Zephyrus G isn’t the most powerful configuration out there and you’ll feel this somewhat having games recommend low settings to you prior to gameplay. This doesn’t mean that games unplayable, far from it; it just means you’ll be playing at a less than the full experience that the developers wanted you to have but still with ideal framerates. Winning is most definitely still on the table… it’s the skill of the user that would determine the outcome of any battle – online or no.
Outside of games, the Zephyrus G is undoubtedly snappy, the benchmarks finished without incident and general desktop tasks are accomplished practically the same time the clicks are registered which seem all that much faster because of the 120Hz screen.
The package comes with its very own ROG Strix Impact mouse and ROG backpack for instant gaming deployment. What you might be missing from the set is the webcam which Asus has made separate in the form of the ROG GC21, it is meant to attach to the top of your ROG notebook and deliver a better than usual camera with improved hardware than their previous integrated inclusions. What they did here is a little unfortunate due to the fact that you’d have to carry another device in order to do any sort of video chat function and you never really can tell when you’d need it.
The ROG Zephyrus G GA502D is a definite contender around its market value. Even though it is the cheapest variant of the Zephyrus line, apart from the Active Aerodynamic System (AAS) that it had been known for which is not a feature of the Zephyrus G, there is very little practical difference between this and its brethren. It is a fantastic introduction into the lineup carrying most everything important that cues bystanders and co-gamers into understanding that you’re carrying a different, more refined, potentially and more than likely BETTER machine.
The ROG Zephyrus G and all its brothers are available at the ROG Mall of Asia and ROG Concept Stores nationwide.
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