If you need something light to play amid the bushel of bigger games released this year, you might be sleeping on Netflix’s growing library of games. After packing a significant amount of indie classics on the platform, Netflix is now adding more mainstream hits starting next month. Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition will arrive on the platform in December.

While it’s no Grand Theft Auto V, the trilogy collection three of the most iconic titles in the series: Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City, and San Andreas. The three games represent an era when Rockstar Games had unparalleled dominance in the open-world genre. Released in 2021, the collection releases the trilogy for modern systems, complete with upgraded (albeit controversial) graphics.

The trilogy is a big get for Netflix. Though the platform’s games catalog already has certified hits (such as Spiritfarer and Into the Breach), Netflix’s new feature hasn’t taken off as much as the company would want. Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy might be its most iconic addition yet, potentially boosting its value for subscribers (especially those who don’t want to pay full price for old games).

For Rockstar Games, the addition couldn’t have come at a better time. The studio has already confirmed that it will release the first trailer for the much-awaited Grand Theft Auto VI next month. The series is about to get a big boost.

If you want to play Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, the three games will drop on Netflix starting December 14. As with all of Netflix’s other games, the trilogy is available for free for all subscribers through a mobile device.

SEE ALSO: Rockstar is reportedly announcing ‘Grand Theft Auto VI’ this week

There’s still some time to grab some savory deals from Cyber Monday. Now, if you’re looking for the hottest deals coming from the holidays, nothing can beat anything free. For a little more than a week, Ubisoft is offering Assassin’s Creed Syndicate for absolutely free.

As with every holiday season, a lot of games are on sale, especially on Steam for their annual Autumn Sale. Ubisoft is joining the fun by adding most of its catalog in the list of must-gets this weekend. If you check Steam, the Assassin’s Creed series is heavily discounted.

However, if you check Ubisoft Connect, you’re in for a delightful surprise. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, the franchise’s London-based historical romper, is available for free from now until December 6.

Except for the new Mirage, the franchise is currently known for the RPG trilogy, spanning from Origins to Odyssey to Valhalla. Prior to the current era, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate represents the last of the old guard. For the first time, the franchise featured the ability to freely switch between two characters: Jacob and Evie Frye. Players took control of the twins during 19^th-century London.

While the title eventually got decent ratings on launch, it was ultimately overshadowed by Ubisoft’s shift to a more RPG-centric experience starting with Origins. Now, the 2015 title is reclaiming some of the spotlight, thanks to Ubisoft’s ongoing giveaway.

SEE ALSO: Assassin’s Creed Mirage review

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