ASUS ROG Zephyrus G GA502GU-PB73 Review

Gaming laptops have taken over the marketplace, but there remain several naysayers who believe they can never rival the strength of full-purpose desktops. Challenging this belief is the latest 15.6” ASUS ROG Zephyrus G GA502GU-PB73 laptop that smartly offers immense gaming muscle along with the kind of mobility that one can only expect from an ASUS laptop. It is no longer true that incredible power can only come with a substantial loss to portability.

Fuelled by an AMD Ryzen 7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics, this lean laptop (thickness of 0.8”) is well-suited for high-power gaming as well as other everyday tasks, including multimedia pursuits and content creation. Even though it has a 15-inch form factor, it weighs only about 4.85lbs which makes it incredibly convenient for travel. The ROG Zephyrus line-up has, for some time, established itself as a series that balances performance and portability, and the most recent launch seems to follow these footsteps well.

The newest ASUS ROG Zephyrus G is priced at $1,099.99. In this comprehensive review, we analyze the offerings of this gaming laptop and adjudge if it does justice to its claims.

The Processing Muscle

This is an AMD laptop driven by an AMD Ryzen 7 3750H processor that can run up to 4GHz. It is infused with the innovative SenseMI technology to optimize either the performance or the power consumption, depending upon your requirement. So, for instance, the laptop can offer greater battery life when you are streaming videos online or are on the run. But it can focus on performance when you are in your armchair, gaming to your heart’s content. This flexible technology understands how present-day users need their laptops to be versatile.

The RAM support is for 8GB while the storage space offered is 512GB (SSD). Note that the operating system is Windows 10 which is a good fit for multitasking pursuits and greater productivity for day to day activities.

A notable highlight of this laptop is its intelligent cooling system. Powerful gaming machines need an efficient heat dissipation mechanism, and this device understands this. It is fitted with anti-dust tunnels, 83-blade fans, and dedicated heat pipes to ensure swift heat management and keep the computer optimally operational for long hours. As the fan blades are a good deal thinner than in earlier models (33%), you can experience the advantages of improved airflow. This is a huge win for sustainability too, especially after umpteen gaming sessions.

Display & Graphics

This laptop has an FHD screen with an IPS panel (In-Panel Switching) to facilitate comfortable viewing even during the most intense games with dazzling colors. The monitor supports a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080—optimal for multiple content formats and gaming titles. The NVIDIA GPU has 6GB of dedicated memory to render your A/V content without stutter or lag.

We especially love the thin-bezel design; the borders measure only 2.4 inches (or 6.2mm) which makes external interference minimal. Also, this realizes a screen-to-body ratio of as much as 81%. That is a lot of real estate to dive into your favorite virtual worlds. In fact, ASUS claims that this laptop manages to fit a 15” screen into the chassis of a 14” laptop—now we know the source of the astonishing compactness!

On the flip side, the refresh rate is somewhat low at 120Hz. While this should serve you well for many popular games, especially ones involving strategy and lacking too many swift movements, you are likely to miss the dazzle of a 144Hz-display while playing shooter games.

Note: This laptop is fitted with two front-firing speakers that employ the SMART-AMP technology. The greatest triumph of this technology is increased bass and volume—to the tune of 3.5 times more bass, twice as loud! We found the audio experience to be really satisfactory, even more so when you consider that ASUS also has its eye on keeping things portable.

Mobile, Durable Build

For a 15-inch gaming laptop, this ASUS ROG Zephyrus is surprisingly nimble. Not only is it reasonably lightweight and sleek, but it is also sturdy enough to be transported without the risk of damage. The overall dimensions are 14.2 x 9.9 x 0.8 inches.

In the looks department, the vibe is strong and powerful, even though the color scheme is a basic black. Perhaps, what stands out most is the thin profile—still a rarity in high-end gaming laptops that intend to rival the brute force of their desktop counterparts.

Gaming-Friendly Features to Boot

Interestingly, this laptop is equipped with some handy features to make the lives of gamers more scintillating. The desktop-style keyboard, for instance, is backlit and highly precise to ensure that nothing—not even lowly lit surroundings—impact your game. (The backlight color is white; you will have to forgo the thrill of per-key backlighting or extensive customization.) The overstroke technology guarantees that multiple, consecutive moves are registered accurately.

The machine has a plethora of USB ports too—a total of four USB 3.0 ports—to permit you to connect to devices and peripherals. The HDMI 2.0 lets you plug into external displays for situations when a larger than life canvas is warranted (read gaming marathons and movie sessions). Plus, the laptop is compatible with 802.11b/n/ac Wi-Fi for internet connectivity. It also supports Bluetooth.

Aye or Nay?

All things considered, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G GA502GU-PB73 laptop does justice to its promise of delivering enriching gaming experiences without bogging you down with bulk. It is a lightweight and slim laptop that you can lug along to outdoor gaming marathons or competitive events.

Intelligently equipped with an effective cooling system, ample connectivity ports, and a backlit keyboard, it travels well and doesn’t mope when you are on the go. But here is the best part: all this mobility does not come at the cost of performance or visual brilliance.