Asus has announced an upgrade to its ROG Zephyrus G14 gaming laptop at CES 2022, as well as unveiling the larger G15 machine and the Zephyrus Duo 16, the latest addition to Asus’ lineup of dual-screen laptops.
The laptops come equipped with the latest components and improved display technology, with the Zephyrus G14 in particular being the first to feature the new AMD Radeon RX 6800S mobile GPU.
ROG Zephyrus G14
The Zephyrus G14 was originally released in 2020, followed by an updated variant that launched in 2021. ROG is once again upgrading the gaming laptop with the 2022 model.
The new G14 is powered by an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS processor, accompanied by an AMD Radeon RX 6800S mobile graphics that comes with an MUX Switch that further optimizes performance. The laptop, which has Windows 11 installed out of the box, also provides up to 32GB of DDR5 4800MHz RAM and up to a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD for storage.
There’s also a range of ports for those looking for a range of connectivity options. The laptop includes a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, DisplayPort 1.4, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, a pair of USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, one HDMI 2.0b port, a MicroSD card reader, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack.
ROG incorporated a custom vapor chamber into the Zephyrus G14, covering 48.2% of the mainboard that houses the CPU, GPU, and VRM. Arc Flow Fans is another feature that comes with the laptop that ensures airflow remains at a high level while reducing turbulence and excess noise. Further cooling the system is the Thermal Grizzly liquid metal that has been placed on both the CPU and GPU, subsequently improving its GPU power to 105W with AMD SmartShift. Furthermore, a Silent operating mode that can be enabled during low power tasks utilizes 0db ambient cooling technology. As a result, the onboard fans are automatically disabled.
As for the G14’s screen, the machine is one of the first ROG laptops to feature its Nebula Display, delivering a 120Hz refresh rate at QHD (2560×1600) with a 3ms response time and an IPS-level panel with Adaptive-Sync. The 14-inch display also supports Dolby Vision HDR with 500 nits of peak brightness and 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut. A 16:10 aspect ratio is complemented by small bezels, ensuring a 91% screen-to-body ratio. A standard, full HD 144Hz panel can be chosen when ordering the G14 as well.
A feature that was introduced via the original Zephyrus G14 in 2020 was the AniMe Matrix, a network of LEDs embedded in the lid, which delivered custom animations and messages. The 2022 G14 model offers more LEDs than the 2020 variant, resulting in the lid being covered with 14,969 precision CNC milled holes and 1,449 mini LEDs. The Zephyrus G14 will be available in either Eclipse Grey or Moonlight White color schemes.
ROG Zephyrus G15
Moving on to the Zephyrus G15, the laptop sports up to an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS processor and up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti (GDDR6 4GB) laptop graphics card. Other specifications include a 15-inch 165Hz/3ms QHD 240Hz panel that features 100% DCI-P3 coverage, Adaptive-Sync support, up to 32GB of DDR5 4800MHz memory, and up to a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD. Similarly to the G14, a dedicated MUX Switch provides increased graphics performance.
Ports-wise, the G15 comes equipped with a pair of USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports, DisplayPort 1.4, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, a MicroSD card reader, a HDMI 2.0b port, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack. The onboard operating system is Windows 11 Pro.
The ROG Zephyrus G14 and G15 laptops will be available during the mid to late period of the second quarter of 2022. Pricing for both machines will be announced closer to launch.
ROG Zephyrus Duo 16
Elsewhere, ROG announced what it claims to be the world’s most powerful dual-screen laptop, the Zephyrus Duo 16. The machine’s standout feature is its up to 4K, 14.1-inch secondary screen that “reinvents what’s possible on a laptop.” Users will be able to integrate apps on the ROG ScreenPad Plus, allowing you to switch between apps or rearrange the screens when required. The IPS-level touchscreen comes with stylus support, too.
When the primary lid is raised when opening the laptop, the ROG ScreenPad Plus also automatically rises at a 13-degree angle. At full height, these two screens offer close to a bezel-free viewing experience. Additionally, ROG’s AAS Plus 2.0 system utilizes the 28.5mm free space situated between the screen and chassis to take in 30% more air than standard gaming laptop designs.
As for the Zephyrus Duo 16’s main 16-inch, 165Hz/3ms QHD display (2560 x 1600), the screen has been upgraded to a 16:10 aspect ratio that ensures a 91% screen-to-body ratio. The Duo 16 will come with two panel options, with both featuring ROG’s Nebula Display technology. Nebula displays offer 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space, at least 500 nits of peak brightness, and a response time of 3 milliseconds or less. Furthermore, the panels will have a minimum refresh rate of 120Hz for 4K, 120Hz for QHD, and 240Hz for full HD resolution.
The first display option is a QHD, 16:10, 165Hz Nebula HDR panel that makes use of Mini LEDs to deliver 1100 nits of peak brightness. Nebula HDR is also VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certified, which provides 512 dimming zones “for a truly out of this world HDR experience.” Powered by AUO’s AmLED technology and ROG’s Nebula HDR Engine, Nebula HDR utilizes precise backlights for local dimming to ensure optimum contrast.
The second panel, which has been co-developed with BOE, is an ROG exclusive that the company has named the Dual Spec Panel. This display offers users the choice between two modes: 4K at 120Hz (perfect for “high-fidelity immersive experiences”) and 1080p at 240Hz, which is more suitable for those seeking fast reaction times when gaming.
ROG stresses that gamers don’t have to choose between a high refresh rate display or a screen with higher resolution, with the Dual Spec panel delivering “the best of both worlds in a single display.”
In regard to performance-related components for the Zephyrus Duo 16, the laptop comes equipped with up to an AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX Series processor and up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti laptop GPU (GDDR6 16GB). Other specifications include up to 32GB of DDR5 memory clocked at 4800MHz and up to 2TB of PCIe Gen 4×4 storage in a RAID 0 array. These components have been implemented into a smaller chassis when compared to last year’s Zephyrus Duo model.
Previous generations of the Zephyrus Duo relied on a liquid metal thermal compound for high-efficiency thermal transfer. The ROG Zephyrus Duo 16, however, sports Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut Extreme liquid metal instead. This material has 17 times higher thermal conductivity than traditional thermal pastes, ultimately allowing the Zephyrus Duo 16 to run 15°C cooler. Due to the high performance liquid metal, the max TGP of the Zephyrus Duo 16 has been increased to 150W. ROG also pointed out that the indium and galium based compound will not dry out or lose thermal efficiency over time, “giving gamers reliability and peace of mind for years to come.”
As is the case with both the Zephyrus G14 and G15, the 2022 Zephyrus Duo 16 features an MUX Switch. The majority of modern laptops route the GPU’s frames via the CPU’s integrated graphics in order to supply better battery life. An MUX switch, meanwhile, allows you to enable a direct GPU mode that reduces latency and boosts performance by an average of 9%.
Rounding out the features is support for WIFI 6E (802.11ax) and Bluetooth v5.2. As for ports, the Zephyrus Duo 16 includes two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C with DisplayPort 1.4 ports, a pair of USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, a HDMI 2.1 port, a MicroSD card reader, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack. Finally, the laptop comes with Windows 11 Pro.
The ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 will be available during the first quarter of 2022, with pricing set to be announced closer to launch.
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