Gaming

The ROG Zephyrus G14 (2023) is my top choice

If I HAD TO switch to Windows

Published

November 24, 2023

Where do I even begin? ASUS ROG’s Zephyrus G14 has been one of my personal favorite gaming laptops ever since it first came out. And a few years later, it just keeps on getting better.

If I absolutely had to switch to a Windows laptop, the ROG Zephyrus G14 is easily my top choice. It’s an all-eggs-in-one-basket machine that can keep up with you in play, work, and everything else in between.

In a nutshell, here are the top specs and features you’re getting, taken straight from ASUS ROG’s product page:

Up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU with 125W max TGP, NVIDIA Advanced Optimus, and DLSS 3.
ROG Nebula HDR. Up to 16:10 Mini LED QHD 165Hz Display, Pantone® Validation, 100% DCI-P3, & Dolby Vision.
ROG Intelligent Cooling. A custom vapor chamber and liquid metal support 0dB Ambient Cooling.
Fast charging up to 50% in 30 minutes, 100W USB Type-C charging, and Wi-Fi 6E support.
Windows 11 Home. Up to an AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU.
AniMe Matrix, 14,969 CNC milled holes, 1,449 LEDs, and custom animations.

Signature Zephyrus G look

Looks-wise, the ROG Zephyrus G14 hasn’t changed much. That’s great because you don’t touch perfection. The Moonlight White variant that we reviewed looks as immaculate as ever. If you’re not feeling it, it also comes in Eclipse Gray.

The Zephyrus name looks bad-ass on the back side.

The left side is home to the power adapter port, HDMI port, a UBS-C port, and the 3.5mm audio jack.

Meanwhile, the ride has the microUSB slot, another UBS-C port, and a pair of USB-A ports.

The ErgoLift Hinge, which has largely been an afterthought, is present and is still as sleek as ever.

And you can personalize it with the AniMe Matrix feature which we didn’t really bother with during our time with the laptop.

Beyond console-level graphics for gaming

Perhaps the biggest draw of the ROG Zephyrus G14 (2023), in combination with its looks, is the beyond console-level gaming visuals.

We ran Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart PC on this thing and the visual fidelity nearly looks better than the one on the PS5. Let’s face it, graphics is definitely one of the things a lot of gamers consider when choosing what to play.

We tried many other titles just to see how they would look on the laptop and everything looked absolutely divine. Starfield was immersive, Lies of P looked fantastic, and even NBA 2K22 looked amazing.

In terms of the overall gaming experience, it’s also console-level and even beyond depending on what you’re playing. Going back to Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart PC, this game was made specifically for the PS5. And one of its flexes is the loading speed going from one rift to another. While the PS5 still feels faster, the ROG Zephyrus G14 wasn’t too far behind.

Peak performance

In other games that weren’t specifically optimized for console, the difference in performance is negligible. Third party titles like Lies of P, NBA 2K22, and even the recently released Like A Dragon: The Man Who Erased His Name played absolutely amazing.

Take note, this is without much tweaking done on our part. One of the advantages of PC gaming is how you can have specific configurations for whatever game you’re playing. But as primarily a busy console player, tweaking settings isn’t exactly something I personally enjoy. Despite that, I absolutely enjoyed playing using my GameSir T4 Cyclone Pro controller seamlessly paired with the quick launch capabilities and steady high performance of the ROG Zephyrus G14 (2023).

Audio woes

Most of my gameplay sessions were with the laptop hooked up via HDMI to my LG C2 TV. When I took it out and gamed outside of my place, that’s where the laptop showed its one weak link. The speakers just aren’t loud enough for what I’m used to with laptops (I daily drive a MacBook Pro 13” M1). It’s best used with headphones or a speaker whether connected via bluetooth or the 3.5mm audio jack.

Workhorse even for your multimedia needs

I wasn’t able to push the ROG Zephyrus G14 to the limit work-wise. I mostly did the usual stuff here like answering emails, writing parts of this review among other articles, and just casual social media browsing.

Thankfully, my colleague MJ served as photographer in one of the races he usually participates in. He used the laptop to process the hundreds of photos he took (some of which you can view here).

All of the post-processing of the photos he took, he did on the ROG Zephyrus G14. The laptop handled all of it with ease. If I’m not mistaken, I believe he used the Adobe Suite in touching up the images.

So, if you work as a creative and a AAA gamer outside of it, this laptop is built to handle your needs.

Everything else in between

Naturally, you can do more than just play and work on this machine. The display is so damn good I used it a lot to get my steady dose of K-Pop content. Everything from TWICE Ready To Be Tour fancams, MISAMO showcase videos, and LE SSERAFIM Perfect Night videos. If you’re a K-Pop enjoyer, the bursts of color is something you will definitely enjoy.

I also had fun catching up on a handful of shows using this laptop. Naturally, I did so using my Sony Headphones to get better audio.

Not perfect

Clearly, I enjoyed my time with the ROG Zephyrus G14. And while this will get a glowing recommendation from me, the laptop isn’t exactly perfect.

I’ve already mentioned the audio as a clear weak link. The laptop is best enjoyed with headphones on or paired with nice external speakers.

Another gripe I have with it, and this is true for most gaming laptops, is the HUGE power brick. It really does feel like a BRICK and adds to the already hefty weight you have to take on. The laptop is light for what you’re getting but it is by no means an easy carry.

But these are good things still. That means this laptop line still has room to grow. For instance, its first iteration didn’t even have its own webcam. But this 2023 version is now equipped with one. I’m fairly confident that over the years, we will see improvements in these areas ℅ ASUS ROG.

Is the ROG Zephyrus G14 (2023) your GadgetMatch?

I have already said this at the start of the article, but it bears repeating. The ROG Zephyrus G14 is an all-eggs-in-one-basket machine that can keep up with you in play, work, and everything else in between.

What I mean by that is if you absolutely had to invest in a single machine to handle your work, gaming, and general entertainment needs, this is a great value pick-up. I say that considering that some of its top-specced variants retail for PhP 122,000 (around US$ 2,195). That’s fantastic value considering some of the truly top-of-the-line laptops now cost north of PhP 200,000 (around US$ 3,600).

That’s a significant difference price-wise while still offering a more than competitive gaming graphics and performance, ease-of-use for work things, and considerably good entertainment presentation.

If I, a long-time Mac user, absolutely HAD TO switch to Windows, this is the laptop that I will go for.

More info and where to buy links here: https://ph.rog.gg/ZephyrusG14xGadgetMatch

Gaming

Steam Machine was supposed to be much, much cheaper

Was the price increase justified?

Published

June 23, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

The Steam Machine is the most anticipated gaming device this year. Valve’s upcoming machine aims to deliver a PC gaming experience in a convenient package. Today, the price of the Steam Machine was finally unveiled, and it’s a doozy. But did you know that it was supposed to be much, much cheaper?

Now, we already know that the Steam Machine was cheaper before, but we didn’t really know how much cheaper. Speaking to IGN, Valve essentially confirmed the Machine followed the same price hikes as the Steam Deck, which experienced an increase of over US$ 200.

After doing a bit of algebra, it can be assumed that the Steam Machine was supposed to start at around US$ 750. That’s a huge jump, considering that the more expensive variant currently costs almost US$ 1,500, almost double the price of the original.

Unfortunately, that’s just how the industry works these days. Because of the ongoing RAM crisis, several manufacturers have already confirmed price hikes happening throughout the year. Apple, most recently, announced that price increases might come soon because of the untenability of shouldering the costs themselves.

It gets worse for the Machine, though. Despite being expensive, the price tag doesn’t really reflect the specs you’re getting. You can certainly grab a gaming laptop with better specs for around the same (or even a smaller) price tag, especially considering that Valve’s console-but-not-really-a-console doesn’t come with peripherals yet.

Gaming

Epic Games Launcher is getting a huge update to make it faster

The update will also add customizable profiles and user reviews.

Published

June 23, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Admit it; you probably have a hoard of free games languishing on the Epic Games Store. Though it’s nice that Epic gives away games every week, the overall inconvenience of using the platform sadly outweighs the freebies. Now, the company is finally redesigning the app from the ground up with a distinct focus on making it much faster.

Earlier this year, Epic admitted that “the launcher sucks.” Though the company cited a number of reasons, the number one culprit is certainly speed. Compared to its contemporaries (especially Steam), the Epic Games Launcher leaves much to be desired. The platform just doesn’t let users into their games as quickly as Steam does.

During the recent Unreal Fest, Epic, via @LuKaOnIndeed on X, confirmed that the entire launcher will be rebuilt to be “5x to 6.5x faster.”

The performance improvements will come with other new features including player profiles and user written reviews. Epic’s vision of the future looks completely different from how the launcher is today.

Though the company doesn’t have a definite timeline right now, Epic promises that the updates will come later this summer.

It does remain to be seen whether these updates will change anything about how users perceive the platform. For the longest time, gamers consider Steam as the platform of choice. Some users even repurchase their Epic games (sometimes obtained for free) on Steam just to have it on the platform they prefer.

Gaming

Steam Machine price, reservation system revealed

Reservations open now

Published

June 23, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

Valve has officially revealed pricing and availability details for the Steam Machine, its living room-focused gaming PC running SteamOS.

The company is launching the device in four configurations. Reservations open immediately through a randomized queue system designed to reduce scalping and bot purchases.

Steam Machine price

The base Steam Machine with 512GB of storage costs USD1,049. A bundle that includes the Steam Controller is priced at USD 1,128.

Meanwhile, the 2TB model costs USD 1,349, while the 2TB bundle with a Steam Controller retails for USD 1,428.

Buyers who opt for either 2TB variant will also receive two additional faceplates: a red fabric finish and a solid walnut option.

Valve says all listed prices already include VAT where applicable.

Why Steam Machine costs more than expected

The pricing announcement comes months after Valve delayed the Steam Machine’s launch.

According to the company, rising component costs and supply chain issues forced it to revisit its original pricing targets.

Valve explained that when development began in 2023, it expected hardware costs to gradually decline over time. Instead, the company encountered significant increases in RAM and storage pricing, alongside periods where some components became difficult to source altogether.

The company added that component shortages also limited the number of units it could manufacture for launch.

Steam Machine was first announced as a compact PC gaming device designed for living room setups. It runs SteamOS and is positioned as an alternative to traditional game consoles while maintaining access to the broader PC gaming ecosystem.

Reservations use randomized queue

Rather than opening direct sales, Valve is implementing a reservation system.

Interested buyers can sign up for their preferred Steam Machine model until June 25 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. After the registration window closes, Valve will randomize all entries and assign customers either a reservation slot or a waitlist position.

Customers selected for the reservation queue will receive an email confirming that a Steam Machine has been reserved in their name. Purchase invitations will begin rolling out starting June 29 as inventory becomes available.

To qualify, users must have a Steam account in good standing and must have made a Steam purchase before April 27, 2026. Valve is also limiting registrations to one entry per household.

Users may sign up for multiple models. If selected for more than one queue, Valve will automatically assign the highest-end model available and remove the user from other reservation lists.

Not a console, says Valve

Despite its console-like form factor, Valve says it does not view Steam Machine as a traditional console.

The company describes the device as an extension of PC gaming rather than a closed ecosystem. Unlike conventional consoles that often subsidize hardware through software sales and subscriptions, Valve says Steam Machine is built around the openness that has long defined PC gaming.

Valve also reiterated plans to expand SteamOS support beyond its own hardware. With the recently released SteamOS 3.8, users can already install the operating system on compatible living room PCs, although support is currently limited to AMD graphics cards.

For users in Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, orders will be handled through regional distributor Komodo. Steam Machine will not be available in South Korea.