I’ve long been a fan of the ASUS Zephyrus line, and after seeing the latest ROG Zephyrus G14 at CES 2025, I was eager to put it through its paces. The ROG Zephyrus G14 has consistently stood out in the compact gaming laptop market, serving as a strong alternative to the MacBook Pro for Windows users. The 2025 iteration continues that tradition, pushing the envelope in both performance and design. While not a complete reinvention, this model marks a meaningful evolution in portable gaming, delivering desktop-class performance in a remarkably compact 14-inch form factor, challenging expectations of what a gaming laptop can be.
Out of the box, it’s clear ASUS put real attention into the design and feel of the Zephyrus range, delivering a premium experience from the moment you lift the lid. The 2025 ROG Zephyrus G14 maintains the series’ signature aesthetic while introducing subtle refinements that elevate both form and function. Built with an aluminum alloy chassis, the laptop looks fantastic and feels solid, weighing in at just around 1.5 kilograms, making it one of the most portable gaming machines on the market. The overall design strikes a thoughtful balance between durability and portability, with clean lines and a professional finish that wouldn’t look out of place in a boardroom or lecture hall.
The iconic Slash Lighting array on the lid returns, preserving the ROG Zephyrus G14’s distinctive look. It comes pre-loaded with 15 animations and allows for further customization through ASUS’ Armoury Crate software, giving users the flexibility to personalize their device to match their style. This feature remains a conversation starter, enabling the display of custom animations, system stats, or simple graphics. While some may still view it as a gimmick, the implementation feels more polished this generation, with improved integration that aligns better with the laptop’s sleek design language.
“The 2025 ROG Zephyrus G14 maintains the series’ signature aesthetic while introducing subtle refinements that elevate both form and function.”
Opening the lid reveals one of the best keyboards I’ve used on a gaming laptop—full stop. ASUS has optimized the layout for both gaming and productivity, striking an effective balance between form and function. The keys deliver satisfying tactile feedback with solid 1.7mm of travel, though they don’t quite match the mechanical precision found in some desktop replacements. The trackpad is generously sized and highly responsive, with full support for Windows precision drivers, ensuring smooth navigation and accurate gesture recognition. It’s one of the most satisfying input experiences I’ve had on a gaming laptop, and I have to commend ASUS—this setup comes remarkably close to the typing feel of the Lenovo ThinkBooks I use regularly.
While the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 already stands out with its striking design, it’s the hardware inside that makes it truly exceptional—and a consistent Editor’s Choice winner over the years. At its core is the powerful AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, which delivers outstanding performance across both single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads. It handles modern games with ease while maintaining impressive power efficiency. Architecture improvements in this generation also translate to notable gains in gaming and productivity tasks compared to previous models. The processor includes integrated Radeon 890M graphics, ideal for conserving battery during non-gaming use without sacrificing visual fidelity.
What truly elevates this laptop is the inclusion of the NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti, which hits a sweet spot for 1440p gaming. It delivers smooth frame rates in most modern titles at high settings, with ray tracing performance that holds up well, though some adjustments may be needed in the most demanding games. The GPU’s efficiency gains also support improved battery life during lighter tasks. While configurations with the RTX 5080 are available for those seeking top-tier power, the RTX 4070 Ti in this unit proved more than capable. In testing, it handled creative workloads with ease and maintained solid frame rates in every AAA title we threw at it.
On the memory front, ASUS has outfitted all configurations with 32GB of DDR5 RAM, offering generous headroom for multitasking and memory-intensive applications. Paired with fast SSD storage, the system delivers quick boot times and rapid game loading. However, users with large game libraries may need to monitor their available storage capacity. In testing, even when using the laptop for creative workloads alongside gaming, the 32GB of RAM proved more than sufficient. It handled demanding software such as Adobe’s Creative Suite with ease, allowing for smooth multitasking without noticeable slowdowns.
Given the power packed into the ROG Zephyrus G14, I initially had concerns about thermal management, especially during gaming or demanding creative workloads. Thankfully, in testing, the laptop impressed with how well it maintained cool temperatures, even under sustained pressure. The redesigned cooling system efficiently dissipates heat despite the compact chassis, aided by intelligent fan curves that strike a solid balance between performance and noise. While the fans do ramp up during intensive gaming sessions, the system stays relatively quiet overall and maintains consistent performance without noticeable throttling.
While the look and performance of the G14 are impressive, its true standout feature may be the display. The 14-inch OLED panel delivers exceptional visual quality, with deep blacks, vibrant colours, and striking contrast ratios that enhance both gaming and content creation. With a 3K resolution, the screen offers sharp detail without overly taxing system resources, while the 120Hz refresh rate ensures smooth, responsive gameplay. It also includes G-SYNC support, allowing the display to synchronize with the GPU for a clearer, tear-free gaming experience.
Colour accuracy is particularly impressive, with the display covering nearly 100 per cent of the DCI-P3 colour space. This makes the ROG Zephyrus G14 an excellent choice for content creators who need dependable colour reproduction for photo editing or video work. The OLED technology also enables true HDR support, allowing compatible games and media to shine with enhanced dynamic range and more realistic lighting effects. Throughout testing, I was consistently impressed by how vibrant everything looked — from games to streaming content, the display delivered one of the best visual experiences available on a Windows laptop.
Jumping to the gaming side of things, the ROG Zephyrus G14’s performance consistently impresses across a wide range of titles and benchmarks. Looking at 3D Mark TimeSpy, the ROG Zephyrus G14 managed an impressive 12,287 total score, with a 12,928 graphics score. Modern AAA games run smoothly at 1440p with high settings, delivering the kind of visual fidelity that makes gaming on this laptop genuinely enjoyable.
Frame rates typically range between 60 and 90 fps in more demanding titles, while lighter games easily exceed 100 fps. Equipped with a Blackwell-based GPU, the system supports DLSS 4, allowing frame rates to be pushed further than on previous NVIDIA GPUs. In testing, the RTX 5070 Ti delivered a strong overall gaming experience, with Cyberpunk 2077 producing excellent results ( 146.61 FPS) and even non-DLSS 4 titles running smoothly at 1440p.
“Jumping to the gaming side of things, the ROG Zephyrus G14’s performance consistently impresses across a wide range of titles and benchmarks.”
If you’re planning to use the ROG Zephyrus G14 for esports titles, rest assured — there’s more than enough power under the hood to deliver smooth, responsive gameplay that keeps you competitive. The laptop handles esports games exceptionally well, with frame rates often surpassing the display’s 120Hz refresh rate in titles like Counter-Strike 2 and Valorant. This performance headroom ensures consistent frame delivery, even during high-intensity moments, making it a reliable choice for serious players.
Since the ROG Zephyrus G14 is equipped with an RTX 4070 Ti, users can enable ray tracing to boost visual fidelity in supported games, though it does come at a performance cost. Thankfully, DLSS 4 helps offset that impact by maintaining smooth, playable frame rates even with ray tracing enabled. In testing, 1440p resolution paired with DLSS 4 consistently delivered strong performance, making ray-traced gameplay both visually impressive and enjoyable. However, pushing to 4K introduced noticeable frame rate drops and input latency, making it less practical for most titles and a frustrating experience overall.
Striking a solid balance between a thin-and-light design and high-end performance, the ROG Zephyrus G14 doesn’t compromise on connectivity. ASUS has equipped the laptop with a versatile range of ports suited for both gamers and content creators. You’ll find USB-C ports with Thunderbolt support, standard USB-A ports, an HDMI output, and a dedicated charging port. The USB-C ports also support data transfer and display output, offering flexibility for multi-monitor setups or docking stations.
On the wireless front, the ROG Zephyrus G14 supports Wi-Fi 7, ensuring fast and reliable internet connectivity. Bluetooth functions seamlessly with gaming peripherals and audio devices, offering a hassle-free wireless experience. While the number of built-in ports may be limited for users with extensive setups, the inclusion of USB-C makes expansion easy. During testing on a work trip, I had no issues connecting to the hotel Wi-Fi, and the existing port selection covered most of my needs. For those requiring more connectivity, USB-C hubs work flawlessly and offer a plug-and-play solution for extending functionality.
Battery performance represents a significant improvement over previous generations, with the laptop capable of delivering six to eight hours of productivity work on a single charge. Its 72-watt-hour battery handles even heavy workloads with ease. Gaming naturally reduces battery life, but improved efficiency allows for two to three hours of less demanding play when away from an outlet. I found the battery-saver modes made a noticeable difference, extending usage time further, provided you’re willing to sacrifice some of the RTX 5070 Ti’s performance.
The charging system supports fast charging, restoring up to 50% of the capacity in approximately 30 minutes. This proves invaluable for topping up between meetings or classes. Power management features intelligently adjust performance based on usage and power source, maximizing battery life for day-to-day tasks while delivering full power when plugged in.
The speaker system delivers surprisingly strong audio quality for a laptop of this size. Its six-speaker setup provides clear dialogue and respectable bass response, though serious gaming or media consumption still benefits from headphones or external speakers. With dual wide woofers, there’s enough low-end punch to feel the impact of your games and media. While it’s naturally limited by the compact form factor, the G14’s audio output is more than capable for casual viewing or play at home.
Audio processing includes several enhancement modes tailored to different content types, with Dolby Atmos support adding noticeable depth to compatible games and films. Despite its compact chassis, the ROG Zephyrus G14 delivers surprisingly rich and spatial audio that exceeds expectations for a laptop this size. The built-in AI noise cancellation also performs well during streaming and video calls, reducing background distractions for clearer communication.
Microphone quality is adequate for virtual meetings and casual streaming, but, as is often the case with laptops, content creators will likely want to invest in a dedicated external microphone for professional-grade audio capture.
As with any premium device, the 2025 ROG Zephyrus G14 occupies a distinct position in the gaming laptop market, offering high-end performance in a compact form factor, with a starting price of $2,099.99 USD. While it represents a significant investment, my time with the laptop has only increased my appreciation for its thoughtful feature set and overall design. It has quickly become my go-to machine for both quick work sessions and portable productivity. Though it’s not the most budget-friendly option, the combination of build quality, performance, and portability makes a compelling case for users who value premium design and reliable power on the go.
ASUS has outdone itself with this year’s ROG Zephyrus G14, and despite the premium price, it stands as one of the best laptops I’ve used—gaming or otherwise—in quite some time. Whether you’re a professional who games, a student in need of serious power, or simply someone seeking a single device that can handle diverse workloads without compromising portability, the ROG Zephyrus G14 2025 is among the top options available.
It proves that gaming laptops don’t need to be bulky desktop replacements to deliver exceptional performance. By setting a new benchmark for compact gaming devices, ASUS has created a laptop that excels in power, portability, and polish—ideal for users who demand both performance and mobility.
