Video Summary - ASUS Zephyrus G14 (2024) Review

Product reviewed

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) — a smaller, lighter gaming laptop focused on portability, now with an OLED display and a CNC aluminum chassis.

Tested configuration (top config):

CPU: Ryzen 9 8945HS
GPU: RTX 4070
Display: 14” OLED (G-Sync)

Key upgrades / main features

OLED display (first for the G14)

Excellent colors
HDR/brightness: >400 nits (SDR) (not as bright as Mini-LED)
No backlight bleed (pixel-off blacks)
Very fast response: average <1 ms transitions
- OLED vs ~4 ms on non-OLED panels
Glossy surface, but with less reflection than previous OLED laptops
New G-Sync support for the 2024 OLED G14 panels

Smaller & lighter chassis (more portable)

CNC aluminum chassis feels more solid/metallic
Reduced dimensions vs the 2023 model
Weight: <1.5 kg / 3.3 lb
- ~2 kg / 4.5 lb when including the 180W charger
Charger downgrade: 180W (vs last year’s 240W)

Better battery life

4-cell 73Wh battery
Battery care mode via MyASUS caps charging at 80%
Panel power saver: lowers to 60Hz unplugged, returns to 120Hz plugged
Battery life results:
- ~11 hours (YouTube playback test)
- >2 hours (gaming test)
- Reviewer notes this is better than most laptops tested, including the previous G14

Audio

6 speakers (front + underneath)
Sounds really good, with plenty of bass and clarity at higher volume
Boot sound can be disabled via Armory Crate or BIOS

Controls & display switching

MUX switch via Armory Crate (requires reboot)
Advanced Optimus: switching via NVIDIA Control Panel without reboot

Camera / login

1080p camera
IR + Windows Hello face unlock
Microphone quality improved vs last year
- Also notes some screen wobble during typing

Ports (improved placement)

Left side (back-positioned):

Custom power input connector
HDMI 2.1
USB4 Type-C
USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
3.5mm

Right side:

UHS-II microSD
USB-A + USB-C (both USB 3.2 Gen 2)

Notable port limitations:

Only the left USB-C supports USB4 and up to 100W charging
Both Type-C ports support DisplayPort 1.4
HDMI uses the dedicated GPU
- Tested: 4K 120Hz 12-bit with G-Sync on an LG B9 TV

User experience / build quality observations

Pros

Excellent build quality
Keyboard typing: 1.7mm travel, “subtle clicky feel,” and accurate glass touchpad
Hinges feel smooth even with fast opening
Cooling behavior: keyboard area stays cool, especially vs last year

Cons / problems called out

Lid wobble/regression: minor keyboard flex, but the lid wobbles more and can “flop” if you bump the table or move the screen
Touchpad click requires too much force at higher press (feels harder than expected)
No fingerprint scanner in the power button (missing since the 2021 model)
Patchy keyboard backlighting, especially on the platinum white model (e.g., some keys harder to see)
Screen hinge range: doesn’t go fully back; still acceptable at 135°
Disassembly/install difficulty:
- Requires removing 11 TR6 screws (multiple lengths)
- Some screws are covered by rubber bits
Much worse upgradeability:
- Since 2020, G14s had one memory slot, but it’s removed this year in favor of soldered RAM
- Only 16GB or 32GB available
- Reviewer recommends 32GB since 16GB may be difficult to justify long-term
USB-C limitations:
- You can’t charge over Type-C (100W cap) and use USB4 speeds simultaneously
- Reason: only the left Type-C is both USB4-capable and charging-capable

Performance & thermals (observed)

Thermals / noise

2024 model has 3 fans (up from 2); one fan is in the former memory-slot area
Worst-case stress test results:
- Temps generally below 80°C
- Lid-closed docking use doesn’t meaningfully worsen temps
Cooling pad test:
- Didn’t improve temps much, but reduced fan noise by about ~4 dB
Fan behavior:
- Gets louder in higher modes
- Manual mode can be very loud, with limited thermal benefit

Power limits (important “problem” area)

Under GPU load, CPU appears capped around ~12W TDP
GPU power target is about ~90W RTX 4070 (not full power)
Compared to last year’s thicker G14 (which could run 100–125W), the 2024 design sacrifices some GPU headroom
Claimed performance impact:
- 10-game average: 100W vs 90W RTX 4070 yields only ~1.5% more FPS
- Not catastrophic, but still measurable

CPU naming caveat

Ryzen 9 8945HS is essentially a renamed 7940HS (Zen 4) with similar specs
Reviewer caution:
- Don’t assume “bigger number = better performance”
- 8945HS can finish behind other Zen 4 laptops due to platform/power differences and the smaller design

Battery vs performance behavior

On battery power, CPU performance drops (still ahead of last year overall, but reviewer can’t isolate whether it’s battery tech, platform design, or silicon variance)

Gaming / benchmark comparisons (high level)

Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p):
- Among the lower RTX 4070 laptop results
- Roughly matches MSI’s Stealth 14 (last year)
- Razer Blade 14 is about ~12% ahead
Red Dead Redemption 2:
- 1080p: closer to the bottom of 4070 laptops
- 1440p: unexpectedly beaten by RTX 4060 laptops
Control:
- Similar trend—lower RTX 4070 performance at both 1080p and 1440p
3DMark / creator apps:
- Premiere/Resolve: “one of the lower 4070 results,” close to 4060 laptops
- Photoshop: somewhat better (more sensitive to single-core)
- Blender: only slightly ahead of 4060, largely regardless of laptop size

Core takeaway: the RTX 4070 version doesn’t scale as expected, and the reviewer suggests you may not get enough uplift over 4060 models for the price.

Software / firmware / OS support

Armoury Crate performance modes: silent / performance / turbo / manual
- Manual mode: adjust CPU/GPU power limits, temps, and fan curves
- Reviewer often used maxed sliders, but temps were already cool—so gains were limited
BIOS: looks nice but barebones, with almost no customization compared to MSI/Dell/Lenovo
Linux (Ubuntu 23.10 live CD):
- Keyboard, touchpad, camera, and Wi‑Fi worked by default
- Speakers “kind of worked,” but were extremely quiet and couldn’t be changed in sound settings
- Brightness/volume shortcuts worked, but keyboard brightness/effects controls did not

Ratings / numerical scores mentioned

No single formal star rating / overall score
Key figures mentioned:
- Weight: <1.5 kg / 3.3 lb (up to ~2 kg / 4.5 lb with 180W charger)
- Charger: 180W (vs last year 240W)
- Battery: 73Wh
- Screen angle: 135°
- Screen brightness: >400 nits (SDR)
- Response time: average <1 ms
- Battery life: ~11 hours video, >2 hours gaming
- CPU limit under load: ~12W
- GPU behavior: ~90W RTX 4070
- Thermals: stress tests below 80°C
- Noise reduction with cooling pad: ~4 dB
- FPS difference (100W vs 90W RTX 4070): ~1.5%

Pricing / value verdict (as stated)

Tested high configuration: about $2200 USD
- Seen at $2000 on Best Buy at the time of checking
Compared to last year’s 4070 model (with half the RAM), the newer model can be $150–350 more depending on sales
RTX 4060 + 16GB: about $1600, while last year’s equivalent was ~$550 less on sale
Reviewer’s value conclusion:
- Good option only if you specifically want OLED + portability and accept the higher cost
- For most people, not worth paying more for the 2024 model
- If buying anyway: choose 32GB RAM

Unique points mentioned (consolidated)

OLED is a major positive: excellent colors, fast response, G-Sync, plus burn-in care tools
Smaller/lighter redesign with CNC aluminum and stronger rigidity (but lid wobble remains)
Standout battery life: near 11 hours video playback
Charger reduced to 180W (vs 240W) for better portability
Lid wobble/flop issue and reduced screen recline to ~135°
Patchy keyboard backlight visibility (platinum white worse)
Touchpad click requires too much force
Missing fingerprint scanner (since 2021)
Strong speaker performance; boot sound can be disabled
Improved port placement; left USB-C is the only port with USB4 + 100W charging
HDMI supports 4K 120Hz 12-bit + G-Sync (tested TV)
Disassembly uses TR6 screws and is more involved than prior quirks
SSD is decent; microSD read speeds are strong (tops V90)
Wi‑Fi performance is excellent; antenna placement likely improved
RAM upgradeability removed (only 16GB or 32GB, soldered)
Recommendation: 32GB for longevity; otherwise 16GB may be short-lived
Cooling is generally good, with loudness varying by mode
Big power-limit issue: CPU often capped around 12W under GPU load; GPU runs around 90W instead of full 100W+
Gaming performance is lower than expected for RTX 4070, sometimes overlapping with/losing to RTX 4060 at certain resolutions
OLED helps responsiveness/latency (fast screen contributes), though overall latency is similar in broader tests
BIOS lacks customization
Linux works mostly, but speakers are too quiet and effects controls don’t function

Speakers / different viewpoints

The summary indicates one main reviewer voice; no clearly separated multi-speaker viewpoints.

Overall concise verdict / recommendation

Recommendation: Buy the 2024 Zephyrus G14 if you specifically want an OLED G14, faster display responsiveness (OLED + G-Sync), and top-tier portability/battery life—and you’re okay with reduced performance headroom and limited upgradeability.

Avoid / consider alternatives if: You want the best RTX 4070 performance per dollar or you care strongly about RAM upgradeability. The reviewer argues performance is constrained by CPU/GPU power limits and value vs last year (or RTX 4060 alternatives) is often weak unless discounted heavily.

ASUS Zephyrus G14 (2024) Review - Problems You Must Know!

Key takeaways