Gaming
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 review: A content-creating machine
A gaming laptop that will do more & more things for you
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.
Accessories
Ultimate tag-team: Razer-2XKO Collection arrives
Featuring Ahri on the Kitsune, BlackShark V3 Pro
Razer has officially announced the new Razer | 2XKO Collection. The exclusive lineup of high-performance gear was created in collaboration with Riot Games.
2XKO, of course, is Riot’s new fighting game featuring champions from both League of Legends and Arcane.
The collection launches alongside the game’s Early Access, now open to all players on Windows PC.
The Razer | 2XKO Collection introduces the first licensed gaming peripherals for the title, designed to meet the demands of competitive gaming and casual fans alike.
Each product features champion-inspired artwork, blending high performance engineering with iconic character design.
Under the collection are three pro-grade esports gaming peripherals with the following prices:
- Razer Kitsune 2XKO Edition: US$ 329.99 / EUR 349.99 / PhP 21,390
- Razer BlackShark V3 Pro 2XKO Edition: US$ 269.99 / EUR 289.99 / PhP 19,990
- Razer Iskur V2 X 2XKO Edition: US$ 399.99 / EUR 479.99 / PH pricing TBC
The collection features Ahri from the title, complete with her red top, cat ears, at whisker face print, and indigo hair.
Razer’s pro-grade leverless arcade controller comes emblazoned with her. Meanwhile, the wireless esports headset also comes in dominant white with the character on the outer housing of the earpad.
Lastly, the gaming chair has a more manga-inspired back with with close-ups of the character’s black and white faces at the back.
There’s a huge 2XKO icon at the back, and both the Razer’s triad snake logo and the game’s logo on the backseat.
Halloween could not come any sooner with all the ghouls and fears of people highlighted heavily during this month. You’ll see it come to life in some establishments, you’lill see parties thrown at the end of the year, and people will come in costumes. However, the true spirit of the celebration lies beyond just the costumes and the spooky music – the true source of all our fears.
Every fear starts from somewhere and is constantly repeated in your mind in many ways. BANDAI NAMCO saw this, and put together an entire series dedicated to navigating through one of those ways: nightmares. Since 2017, the Little Nightmares series sheds light on the horrors of the world, and how young protagonists have desperately tried to escape or navigate through them.
To further build the series, the next installment in Little Nightmares III supposedly goes down the rabbit hole further. New sets of characters, challenges, and ways to play are the name of the game now. Whether it’s just another riveting horror puzzle or something that explores a deeper plunge in the nightmare, that’s what we’re here for.
The same premise of terror in Nowhere
Much like the previous installments in the series, Little Nightmares III puts players in unique yet dastardly horrifying backdrops meant to instill fear. This time around, the whole game features an entirely different story from the first two games, with two new protagonists in Low and Alone to guide you through.
Gameplay mechanics didn’t stray away too far from the classics despite being handled by an entirely different team. The core of it still revolves around moving through open spaces, scaling through treacherous obstacles, and evading danger as much as possible. It still felt challenging on a lot of fronts, and I genuinely second-guessed a lot of my actions through each different stage.
What helps out immensely is that every stage is built for exploration given how wide every space is. Additionally, the game gives you just the right amount of playtime to just take in the whole environment as you progress through them, uncovering information and secrets about the nightmares you’re under. While there were areas that were pretty cramped, these mostly just served as pathways or transitions into the next part of the stages so you don’t miss out on much.
Continuously mind-bending
The hallmark of the Little Nightmares series is solving multiple puzzles to progress through every nightmare-inducing area, and Little Nightmares III has no shortage of it. Earlier on, getting through most of them was straightforward in terms of interactions and approach. As you progress through deeper and more dangerous obstacles, the game gives you some hints on what actions to take to find the answers for yourself. I’ll admit that some of them were headscratchers initially, but it really helps to just explore the environment with trial and error.
Stealth also plays an incredible role in getting through some of the stages, especially when faced with the larger than life dangers. As with the previous games, your main protagonists are children who could barely fight – as such, hiding is logical and crucial. The game doesn’t make it too difficult to find hiding spots, but maneuvering around the larger dangers can be nerve-wracking.
I am telling you right now that you will fail multiple times trying to get through all of these puzzles, especially when you’re doing this on your own. Luckily, there is a way for you to finally play this game with someone else if you don’t prefer to take on horror games by yourself.
Truly never alone
For the first time in the series, players can engage in the whole story progression through online co-op! This is a huge step-up directly from Little Nightmares II, in which you could actually play with someone else instead of just calling on an NPC whenever needed. Also, this was by design considering that both Low and Alone specialize in particular actions that will help you navigate through the stages better.
However, there are caveats to playing the whole game through online co-op. First is basically, you’re stuck playing in co-op mode for the whole duration of the playthrough and ONLY one friend at a time. If you want to play with a different friend, you’ll need a separate save file for it. The same applies if at any point you just wanted to deal with the game on your own.
Second is you could only play as the character you chose with no chance of swapping later on. This effectively means that if you want to try your hand on both Low and Alone, you’ll need separate save files for it with your friend. Honestly, this does feel like a ton of loops to jump through, but it would make the experience memorable in more ways than one!
Is this a match made in horror?
In essence, Little Nightmares III is the kind of puzzle-solving horror game that doesn’t stray too far from its franchise’s greatest hits. It blends together elements that made the first two games truly memorable, while expanding the world even further to maximize the mechanics better. Even with a different team working on it, BANDAI NAMCO pieced together the game quite nicely while giving it, ironically, new life.
Playing this game in co-op served more as a quality of life upgrade for the franchise coming from how the first two games played out. You can get through the game on your own, but nothing beats a good co-op horror game to test friendships the right way. The only thing though is that it’s a literal ride or die situation when you partner up with someone.
Overall, the game truly shines in its faithfulness to what made it great to play: the mind-bending puzzles and equally horrific backdrops. It’s simple, straight to the point, and best enjoyed at the wee hours of the day.
Gaming
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is getting more content soon
It’s to celebrate five million copies sold worldwide.
It’s fair to assume that one of the easiest shoo-ins for a Game of the Year contender is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Despite being developed by a smaller team, the game took the world by storm because of its heart-rending story and dynamic gameplay. Now, Sandfall Interactive has confirmed that more content is on its way.
Today, Expedition 33 is celebrating five million copies sold worldwide. To celebrate the occasion, Sandfall Interactive has announced that a new update will introduce new ways to play the game.
It’s not just a small update either. According to the studio’s announcement, the update will include “a new, playable environment” with new enemies and surprises. A new area does not seem like a small thing.
Additionally, there will be “challenging, new boss battles” and “new costumes.” Besides the gameplay, costumes are one of the best things about the game. Players can customize how their characters can look with a variety of outfits, including swimsuits and the now-iconic French costumes.
There is some precedent with releasing more content for the game. Previously, there was talk that the game’s final act was supposed to be longer but was unfortunately cut because of the development time needed. If true, post-release content updates should bring the game closer to what the developers intended.
But, please, we hope it’s not another version of Simon.
SEE ALSO: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review: Beautifully haunting
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