The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 continues to shine as one of the top gaming laptops available. In my review, I described it as “almost flawless.” At CES 2025, Asus is enhancing its slim portable gaming line by introducing a slightly larger model that can now accommodate an RTX 5080 graphics card.
Measuring only 0.63 inches in thickness and weighing 3.46 pounds, this 14-inch laptop can house both the RTX 5080 and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370. Last year’s version maxed out with an RTX 4070 to maintain its ultra-slim profile, which was even thinner than a MacBook Pro. With this year’s model, Asus has managed to increase the size by just 2mm while accommodating the more powerful RTX 5080, a minimal change indeed.
Maintaining the strengths of its predecessor, the upgraded Zephyrus G14 includes the potent RTX 5080, which can consume up to 110 watts, alongside options for up to 2TB of PCIe 4.0 storage, 32GB of LPDDR5X-7500 RAM, and the same impressive 2,880 x 1,800 resolution ROG Nebula OLED display, known for its speedy 240Hz refresh rate. Additionally, it features the latest in wireless technology, including Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.
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Even with the slight increase in dimensions, the 2025 ROG Zephyrus G14 appears nearly identical to its predecessor. It retains its all-aluminum chassis and customizable Slash Lighting light strip. However, some drawbacks from the prior model remain, such as soldered memory, which prevents upgrades or replacements, and the potential for heat issues due to its slim design. I’ll reserve final judgment until I’ve had the chance to thoroughly test the device.
In addition, the 16-inch Zephyrus G16 is set to receive an upgrade, now featuring next-gen Nvidia components and the option to include an RTX 5090 capable of up to 130 watts. Asus mentions that you can configure it with up to 64GB of memory along with an Intel Core Ultra 9 285H. However, any enhancements made to the 16-inch model are limited to internal upgrades, with the external design remaining unchanged except for a repositioning of one USB-C port.
Asus has yet to announce the release dates and pricing for these new laptops. This is a significant factor, as last year, the company raised prices slightly to reflect the premium materials like the aluminum chassis and OLED display. Here’s hoping there won’t be another price increase this time around.
