Gaming

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 review: A content-creating machine

A gaming laptop that will do more & more things for you

Published

June 8, 2020

Gab Orlina

I’m a believer in using a gaming laptop for something other than just getting dubs and raging at the L’s. It’s a huge investment that you’re just going to use strictly for one thing, when there are so many things you can do with it. Plus, it is a laptop, after all so it’s a device you can bring anywhere and show off to anyone.

But the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 looks to offer not just that, but so much more. It wants to offer you the all-around package everybody deserves to experience. It wants to give you a product you will gladly bring around, do anything with, and play to your heart’s content.

Well, here’s what you’re getting with it:

It has a 14-inch FHD IPS display with a 120Hz refresh rate

It comes with an NVIDIA RTX 2060 Max-Q inside

It comes in Midnight White, with the AniMe Matrix

It even comes with the ASUS ROG GC21 Webcam inside

Gaming performance is already a given

Just to get the formalities out of the way: the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is one game-ready device. Majority of the games I threw at it returned decent to excellent frame rates, even for competitive gamers. I honestly couldn’t think of a better way to summarize just how powerful the machine is, given the hardware inside it.

My unit came with an NVIDIA RTX 2060 Max-Q inside, prioritizing a more balanced performance setup. Most competitive shooter games like Fortnite, Apex Legends, and even GTA V produced high frame rates at their best possible settings. Even while on battery & turning off NVIDIA’s Game Ready optimization, these games still performed really well.

*Game/Title*	*Frame Rate (on Best Settings)*
Fortnite: Battle Royale	110 FPS
Apex Legends	98 FPS
Grand Theft Auto V	63 FPS
Call of Duty: Warzone	32 FPS
Valorant	126 FPS

Battery management is also superb when gaming full-time because of the Max-Q design. When gaming full-time, I managed to sneak in six and a half hours before reaching for the charger. To me, that’s honestly good enough since most gaming laptops don’t last particularly long.

Your ideal workhorse machine

Unlike what was unveiled back in CES 2020, my unit came with the new AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS processor inside. Performance-wise, it ideally matches (or to some degree trumps) most high-end Intel chips while consuming less power. This, along with 16GB of RAM makes this a powerful laptop for work situations.

When you’re not gaming full time, this laptop is great for almost anything you throw at it. Normal tasks like browsing the web or having a Netflix party is made absolutely easy with the ROG Zephyrus G14. Even powerful and heavy data analytics works really well with this machine.

Hitting the nail for content creators

But where I feel this device truly shines is how it caters to its other popular use: content creation. Photo and video editing on this device was a blast thanks to its display and hardware inside. The 14-inch IPS, Pantone Validated display produced vibrant and accurate colors, which is great for achieving the best details as possible.

Video editing and rendering times were pretty solid for the device. I know that most people appreciate the 120Hz refresh rate for gaming purposes, but I’m sure video editors will give this a lot of love, too. The high refresh rate allows you to edit more accurately, leaving no detail behind. Rendering and exporting 1080p clips at 60 FPS, using Premiere Pro and Davinci Resolve , was a breeze. On average, I got about 10-12 minutes rendering a 15-minute compilation of gameplay with a ton of animations, sound bites, and facecam on.

As for streaming content, it’s not just the laptop that makes it ideal; it’s the entire package. My unit also came with the ROG GC21 Webcam, which honestly has great image quality as long as you’re in a well-lit room. Streaming gameplay at 720p, 60 FPS turned out pretty great and the device didn’t lag even for a second.

Interestingly strong battery life for a gaming laptop

I touched on this earlier but overall, the device’s battery life is pretty solid. On regular use, I got about 10 hours worth of juice out of this thing. Most gaming laptops, when used normally, don’t reach that far without going for the charger. I guess that AMD chip and Max-Q GPU proved to be the best of both worlds.

The thing is: the battery doesn’t discharge as fast as I’ve experienced with other gaming laptops. While it’s thermal setup leaves much to be desired with cooling the machine, I noticed that I was still at 50% after an hour of intense gameplay. I even checked NVIDIA’s Game Ready if I turned it to optimize performance while on battery, and I still had enough juice.

Charging the laptop didn’t take too long either, as I achieved a full charge in under two and a half hours. It even went from 0% to 60% in about 40 minutes, so that can already get you going, if you like. The device also comes with support for USB-C Power Delivery, which charges it a little longer.

My take on the inclusion of the AniMe Matrix

One of ASUS ROG’s most talked about additions to the Zephyrus G14 is the AniMe Matrix on the lid — and, rightfully so. The 1,215 mini-LED lights on the lid allow for more creativity on your end since you can display your own logo on it. And, in the dark, it’s actually pretty dope.

It’s even easy to set up since you can do it on ASUS’ Armoury Crate software. You can choose whether you want an image or scrolling text. Also, you can reposition it however you want for extra visibility. Although, you might want to use logos without a transparent background if you’re going for that.

My only real criticism for it is what potential reason people will consistently use it. I say that because ASUS’ Armoury Crate was pretty explicit about how it significantly drains your battery. It’s good that you get to show off your fancy gaming machine, but think about your battery situation first.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

Starting at PhP 74,995, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is, simply put, the content-creating machine it was meant to be. ASUS was not afraid to go beyond the confines of a gaming laptop, and turned this into something more. It’s an excellent gaming laptop, and an even greater machine for everything else.

The unit I received costs PhP 109,995, and honestly it’s an investment worth having. The entire package itself was well thought of, all the way to the peripherals. Although, you only get all of them when you purchase this unit or the PhP 99,995 one that has an NVIDIA GTX 1660Ti inside.

Nonetheless, this is a machine that just gave me more & more reasons to believe that you can do anything with a gaming laptop. If you have more & more money to spend while still in quarantine, I highly recommend getting this as your go-to machine.

Gaming

Switch 2 now lets you play old games in 1080p

It tricks old games into thinking that the console is docked.

Published

March 18, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

The Switch 2’s popularity is astonishing, to say the least. Just recently, a single game, Pokémon Pokopia, was responsible for taking the free times of over two million players on the Switch 2. Now, Nintendo has released a new feature which should make the console much more playable, especially for those who already had the original Switch.

Today, the Switch 2 received the 22.0.0 system update. Though the update is mostly a variety of smaller updates, one feature, called the Handheld Mode Boost, stands out among the rest. As per the patch notes, “Handheld Mode Boost will cause compatible Nintendo Switch software to run as if the console is being played in TV mode.” Put simply, the feature will unlock 1080p resolution for older games.

For gamers who had the original Switch, game resolution was a huge problem. The first console lived on a 720p screen, so the early games supported only lower resolutions. The only exception is when the console was docked, which allows 1080p resolution.

Now, the Switch 2 supports backwards compatibility. Players can access their older Switch games on the new console. The catch, however, is that these games are still stuck in 720p. Some titles, at least, have released an update to increase resolution on the new console.

Handheld Mode Boost tricks the console into thinking that it’s hooked up to the dock. In effect, the game will play in 1080p. The catch, however, is that it also thinks that the Joy-Cons are a single Pro controller, so players might lose some game features. It’s still a decent price to pay, though.

In other news, the update has also updated the naming of the “Hong Kong/Taiwan/South Korea” to “Hong Kong/Taiwan/South Korea/Southeast Asia,” potentially hinting that Southeast Asia might finally get an online store.

Gaming

NVIDIA’s DLSS 5 can turn your favorite AAA game into AI slop

DLSS 5 will launch on select games.

Published

March 17, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Have you ever wondered why RAM prices are going up this year? Everyone is rightfully saying that AI is the reason for the price hike, but it’s hard to palpably see why. Today, NVIDIA is showing off where its hard-earned profits are going by revealing DLSS 5.

For gamers who don’t have a particularly strong machine, NVIDIA’s DLSS technology upscales a game’s graphics quality and frame rate to artificially keep up with newer hardware. A few months ago, the company unveiled DLSS 4.5, which marks the latest step to help games sparkle. Today, with DLSS 5, the technology is going all-in on AI.

In a tech demo, NVIDIA showcased the latest version of the technology. This time, the feature will use photoreal lighting and materials to alter graphics. It can allegedly analyze a scene’s elements — including hair, fabric, and translucent skin — based simply on a single frame.

The demo’s most prominent example is Resident Evil Requiem. Grace Ashcroft, the gamer’s protagonist, evolves from her doll-like appearance into… well, something you might see on an AI-generated mobile game ad.

NVIDIA claims that the new version will make games look closer to real life. The jury is still out, especially with such a low sample size. However, in this writer’s humble opinion, it’s gonna be a no for me, dawg. I’d rather play with what the developer originally intended for their game than with yet another generic AI filter.

The new feature is rolling out to some of the biggest games today including Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Hogwarts Legacy, Resident Evil Requiem, and Where Winds Meet.

Gaming

Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.1: Dark secrets within the Phantasmoon Games

Ashveil becomes playable character

Published

March 16, 2026

GadgetMatch

The Version 4.1 update for Honkai: Star Rail will be available on March 25. Called “Unraveled for Daybreak”, the update will continue to revolve around the story of Planarcadia.

Here, the Astral Express Crew is invited to attend the grand Star Rail FEST, a fan festival inspired by their past interstellar journeys.

In the process, they will join a new 5-Star Character, Ashveil, as they uncover the dark secrets lurking during the Phantasmoon Games.

Star Rail FEST

This festival features three major open zones: the Belobog Zone, Xianzhou Luofu Zone, and Penacony Zone.

The festival is set-up after the Trailblazer has successfully obtained the mask of the supplicant to participate in the Phantasmoon Games. Pearl, the CEO of Planarcadia, then collaborates with the Astral Experss Crew to hold a grand exposition.

Citizens of Planarcadia can board a special Pom-Pom front shuttle express through Interplanar Jump to enjoy the highlights of their trailblaze journey.

Trailblazers can witness giant balloon figures, immerse themselves in a duel against the Lord Ravager Phantylia, and charge headlong at The Great Septimus.

Meanwhile, the festival’s organizer, Pearluxe Corp, will also have an area unlocked: Pearluxe Tower. Inside is a newly ultra-poseable model, “Alloy King Pom-Pom” and a variety of mechatron-themed interactive activities.

However, beneath the revelry, conspiracies are abound, and various crises will soon follow.

Ashveil joins the list of playable characters

This marks the start of a new adventure for the Trailblazers, to be joined by famous detective, Ashveil.

This 5-star Lightning-Type (Path of The Hunt) “detective unreliable” will showcase his serious and dependable side as a playable character.

Ashveil uses his Technique to inflict a Stunned state on enemies within a certain range. After entering combat, he can increase the CRIT DMG of all allies and selects one enemy to be the Bait.

As long as the Bait is on the field, the DEF of all enemies will be reduced. And when Ashveil uses his Skill on the Bait again, he will deal extra DMG and recover Skill Points for the entire team.

Moreover, when a teammate attacks the same Bait, Ashveil unleashes a Follow-Up ATK and gradually accumulates Gluttony in combat. Consuming this can further enhance the unit’s Follow-Up capabilities.

At the end of the last story stage, he will enter the Phantasmoon Games and begin investigating the murder case that occurred in the Dovebrook District.

He will work alongside the Astral Express Crew to uncover the conspiracy hidden beneath the surface of the elation feast to deliver justice for the fallen.

More features

In addition, Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.1 will launch with the Wispae War Saga. The Trailblazer can lead various types of wispae soldiers to battle in the Graphia Academy.

Here, they can defeat powerful champions by employing different strategies, upgrading wispae, and using spell cards and capsules with different effects.

Players can acquire both rewards and engage in even more challenging matches against outsider adversaries.