Bigger gaming laptops tend to be more powerful, but if the laptops share the same namesake, are they really all that different? That's why we're comparing the Asus Zephyrus G16 vs. Zephyrus G14.
I happen to love the Zephyrus G-serious, but I'm not a forgiving lover. I've had my fair share of disappointments with the Zephyrus G14 over the years. That, however, didn't stop it from re-earning my respect this year. But does the new Zephyrus G16 have what it takes to topple the G14?
Let's see what an Asus Zephyrus G16 vs. Zephyrus G14 match-up looks like, and answer the question: does size really matter?
Asus Zephyrus G16 vs. Zephyrus G14: Specs compared
Asus Zephyrus G16 vs. Zephyrus G14: Price
Gaming laptops are getting more expensive as the years pass, and unfortunately, while the Zephyrus G-series had been closer to the $1K mark, it's now closer to $2K and some models going further than that. So which is more valuable and more affordable between the Asus Zephyrus G16 vs. Zephyrus G14?
For $2,299, the Asus Zephyrus G16 comes with an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 8GB GPU, 32GB of RAM, a 2TB SSD, and a 16-inch, 2560 x 1600, 240Hz, OLED display.
For $1,599, the Asus Zephyrus G14 features an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 8GB GPU, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 14-inch, 2880 x 1800, 120Hz OLED display.
You can get the Zephyrus G14 with an RTX 4070 for $1,999, while the lowest that the Zephyrus G16 goes is $1,899 and drops to an RTX 4060, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD.
Both gaming laptops are a bit pricier than I'd like, so I'd recommend waiting for a sale regardless of the one you choose, but overall the Asus Zephyrus G14 is more reasonable.
Winner: Asus Zephyrus G14
Asus Zephyrus G16 vs. Zephyrus G14: Design
The Asus Zephyrus G16 and Zephyrus G14 comes from the same series and share a strikingly similar design, so the key differences are in their size.
You can find both gaming laptops in white and black suits, but if you're buying from Best Buy, the Asus Zephyrus G14 comes in a platinum white and the Zephyrus G14 fashions a gunmetal gray. Both look the part of a premium gaming laptop.
At 4.08 pounds and 13.94 x 9.69 x 0.59~0.65 inches, the Zephyrus G16 is remarkably slim for a 16-inch gaming laptop, but it's not as compact as the Zephyrus G14, which weighs 3.3 pounds and measures 12.3 x 8.7 x 0.6 inches.
If you're looking for portability, it's an easy win for the smaller laptop.
Winner: Asus Zephyrus G14
Asus Zephyrus G16 vs. Zephyrus G14: Display
I've said it before and I'll say it again; the display is arguably the most important part of a gaming laptop. Lucky for you, the Asus Zephyrus G16 and Zephyrus G14 keep it tight. The former sports a 16-inch, 2560 x 1600, 240Hz OLED display and the latter will keep you warm with a 14-inch, 2880 x 1800, 120Hz OLED panel.
Okay, what about benchmarks?
While the Zephyrus G16 covered 82.1% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and hit 388 nits of brightness, the Zephyrus G14 covered 85.2% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and averaged 387 nits of brightness.
Honestly, these displays are pretty comparable in regards to benchmarks. One does offer more real estate and a higher refresh rate, but the other features a higher resolution in a smaller panel, which will make the image that much more sharper. (And you don't need a high refresh rate if the GPU isn't powerful enough.)
You can go with either.
Winner: Draw
Asus Zephyrus G16 vs. Zephyrus G14: Graphics
This is an unfair fight; the Zephyrus G16 sports an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 8GB GPU while the Zephyrus G14 is packed with an RTX 4060 8GB GPU. But this'll give you an idea of how wide that gap is, and if you should bring for different GPUs in either model.
On the Far Cry 6 benchmark (Ultra, 1080p), the Zephyrus G16 managed 81 frames per second, and Zephyrus G14 hit 69 fps. At their native resolutions, the G16 averaged 65 fps and the G14 got 46 fps.
The Zephyrus G16 scored 88 fps on the Borderlands 3 benchmark (Badass, 1080p), which speeds past the Zephyrus G14's 67 fps. At native resolutions, the G16 and G14 scored 57 fps and 37 fps, respectively.
On the Red Dead Redemption 2 benchmark (Medium, 1080p), the the G16 clocked in 68 fps and the G14 averaged 53 fps. Natively, the G16 managed 40 fps while the G14 hit only 27 fps — which is unplayable (under 30 fps).
Robbing banks on the Grand Theft Auto V benchmark (High, 1080p) proved easy enough, with the Zephyrus G16 scoring 91 fps and the Zephyrus G14 hitting 84 fps. At their native resolutions, the G16 got 53 fps and the G14 averaged 38 fps.
The Zephyrus G16 was quite a few frames ahead of the Zephyrus G14, so if you have the extra cash, we recommend jumping for an RTX 4070 model.
Winner: Asus Zephyrus G16
Asus Zephyrus G16 vs. Zephyrus G14: Performance
While both the Asus Zephyrus G16 and Zephyrus G14 support AMD CPUs, they are vastly different from one another. The Zephyrus G16 embraces the world of AI with its AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, while the Zephyrus G14 comes with the more standard AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS CPU. Both strong, but the G16 also boasts 32GB of RAM versus the G14's 16GB.
On the Geekbench 6.3 overall performance test, the Asus Zephyrus G16 scored 15,408, which is more than a few breaths faster than the Zephyrus G14's 12,246.
In a real-world test, the machines transcoded a 4K video to 1080p on our HandBrake benchmark; the Zephyrus G16 finished in 3 minutes and 12 seconds while the G14 completed it in 4 minutes and 21 seconds.
Unfortunately, both gaming laptops feature slower-than-average 1TB SSDs, with the G16's scoring 1,233 megabytes per second and the Zephyrus G14’s clocking a transfer rate of 1,289 megabytes per second.
Their SSDs are kind of slow, but there's no questioning that the Asus Zephyrus G16 is a champ in power.
Winner: Asus Zephyrus G16
Asus Zephyrus G16 vs. Zephyrus G14: Battery life
Don't let these gaming laptops fool you, they have more than enough battery life to spare. In fact they can get you through a whole workday. But if you're clocking in that overtime, which will last longer?
On the Laptop Mag battery test, which requires the laptop to surf the web continuously over Wi-Fi at 150 nits of brightness, the Asus Zephyrus G16 lasted 9 hours and 14 minutes. Meanwhile, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 got through 8 hours and 16 minutes. Both impressive, but the G16 lasted nearly an hour longer.
When gaming on battery power (which I wouldn't recommend), the Zephyrus G16 survived 2:17. That is quite remarkable considering most last around an hour, like the Zephyrus G14 (1:03).
Winner: Asus Zephyrus G16
Overall winner: Asus Zephyrus G16
Considering that the only thing keeping their scores apart was an Editor's Choice award, I'm not surprised that it was such a tight race between the Asus Zephyrus G16 and Zephyrus G14. But overall the Asus Zephyrus G16 came out on top.
There's no denying that the Asus Zephyrus G16 had a severe advantage in terms of performance, which could be felt through its overall performance, graphics, and battery life. Meanwhile, its display kept up with the competition.
Despite that, the Asus Zephyrus G14 still makes an excellent choice for a gaming laptop. It's still pricey for what it is, but a good sale makes it all the more valuable when compared to the G16. Not to mention that it offers a compact chassis, making it all the more portable.
However, if you can afford it, the Asus Zephyrus G16 is likely the better choice. Or, you know, get the G14 with an RTX 4070 GPU.
Winner: Asus Zephyrus G16
