Thin and Mighty.
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A few months ago Nvidia announced a new technology for gaming laptops it was championing called Max-Q. According to Nvidia, this "holistic approach" to design would allow a gaming laptop with a GTX 1080 or 1070 inside of it to be as thin as a business notebook, or about 18mm. Naturally we were intrigued, so we decided to take a closer look at a machine that features the Max-Q design - the ASUS Republic of Gamers Zephyrus with a GTX 1070 (See it on Amazon).
Sure enough its 17.7mm thick with the lid closed, and weighs a lithe 5lbs, which is about half the weight of something like the Asus Predator 17 we recently examined. We were curious to see if it such a thin chassis and hot GPU could still provide a satisfactory gaming experience without excessive fan noise or crazy heat. Let's jump in and see how it performed:
Here are the specifications of the specific ASUS ROG Zephyrus we're examining:
- Model: GX501VS-XS71
- Display: 15.6-inch Full-HD 120Hz
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB with Max-Q
- Processor: Intel Core i7-7700HQ 2.8GHz
- Memory: 16GB DDR4
- OS: Windows 10
- OS Drive: 256GB SSD
- Storage Drive: N/A Ports: 1x USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 combo, 4x USB 3.0, 1x HDMI, 1x 3.5mm Combo audio
- Battery: 4-cell Li-ion (50Wh)
- Wireless: 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.1
- Dimensions: 15.6 x 10.3 x 0.7 inches
- Weight: 4.9 pounds
- Price: $2,299
I should point out there are two models of this particular laptop; the one I reviewed with the GTX 1070, and another one that costs $400 more and has a GeForce GTX 1080 and double the SSD capacity.
Design and Features
The ROG Zephyrus has one of the most unique designs we've ever seen. After opening the lid, you’re immediately met with a touchpad on the far-right side where a number pad would typically be, with a full-sized keyboard to its left. Above the keyboard is a fairly large, open area designed for cooling that is perforated and extends all the way to the display.
This "empty" area is part of the Active Aerodynamic System (AAS) ASUS designed for the Zephyrus. When the lid opens, the bottom of the laptop separates to allow air to flow into the perforated area on top and out the bottom. This approach allows the Zephryus to remain thin while being transported, but slightly thicker when in operation. Lights around the airflow openings on the bottom add a nice touch to the overall look and experience when using the Zephyrus.
With the Zephyrus, the bigger is better mentality when it comes to gaming laptops was thrown out the window. It weighs in at just 4.9-pounds and is a remarkable 0.7-inches thin, and despite its size it features nearly identical specifications as the 9lb. (and twice as thick) Acer Predator 17. That is impressive, and seems to back up Nvidia's claim that its Max-Q design really can usher in a new era of gaming laptops that look more like thin-and-lights than massive slabs of plastic like in the past.
I’m rather fond of the keyboard and touchpad setup. It’s a bit awkward at first, as I had to get accustomed to not having a spot to place my wrists while typing (a pad is included in the box for this exact reason). After a few days, I had no issue typing or using the touchpad. Furthermore, I found having the touchpad to the right of the keyboard felt more natural than having it below like in most laptops. Since I normally use a desktop I'm used to having a mouse on the right-side of the keyboard, so muscle memory kicked in right away and eliminated any potential adjustment period for the touchpad placement.
On the left side of the Zephyrus is the audio combo port, two USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI port, and the charging port. The ports on the left are even with the keyboard, and not further back on the housing due to an air vent. The opposite side is where you’ll find the a Thunderbolt 3 port with s USB-C connector port along with two more USB 3.0 ports.
Internally, the Intel Core i7-7700HQ and GTX 1070 are a potent combo, and about as powerful as parts get these days in the mobile world. Rounding out the spec sheet is 16GB of DDR4 memory, and an LED backlit 15.6-inch full HD display (1920x1080) with a rather pleasant display refresh rate of 120Hz. Truth be told, I have no issue opting for a 1080p display with 120Hz refresh rate over a 4K display, especially when playing with a 1070. Not only does it potentially save some cash, but the 1070 mobile part is perfect paired with a 1080p 120HZ pane.
Software
ASUS’s ROG Gaming Center app is used to show system stats, such as temperature and CPU/GPU load. Also included are tools for clearing memory, setting color schemes for the keyboard, and creating gaming profiles. A profile will toggle settings automatically, based on your preference. For example, you can create a profile for PUBG that, when selected, will disable the ROG and Windows keys, clear all available memory, as well as change the visual mode to FPS — among other settings.
Using profiles will surely help you customize the performance and functionality, however, I would love for profiles to auto-enable whenever the proper app is opened. As it is now, you have to open the Gaming Center software and then launch the profile. Why can’t I open the lid, launch PUBG, and the Gaming Center switches to that profile? The same can be said when closing a program, you still need to go back into the Gaming Center and disable a profile.
Outside of the lack of profile automation, the Gaming Center offers valuable information at a glance without having to dig through hidden menus or complicated settings trees. As far as I can tell, there’s not a built-in method for overclocking the Zephyrus, which is probably a good thing, given how thin it is and the typically insignificant payoff of a minor speed boost.
Benchmarks
For comparison, we recently test a similarly configured Predator 17 from Acer. As I wrote above, the Predator weighs twice as much as the ROG Zephyrus but costs about $1600 since it is a last-gen model with a Skylake CPU. Since the CPU isn't as important as the GPU for most gaming scenarios, and they both have GTX 1070 video cards, it's the closest system we have recently tested for comparison. IGN has also tested several GTX 1060-powered laptops, so those numbers are included as well. They obviously don't put up numbers that are quite as impressive, but they may win on a pure "price per performance" calculation.
Overall the Zephyrus traded blows with the Predator, as the two went back-and-forth from test-to-test, with neither scoring a complete shutout. Overall the Zephyr was able to top the Predator 17 in a few tests though, including GTA V, 3DMark Skydiver and PCMark 8. Keep in mind, the Predator 17 is about $700 cheaper than the Zephyrus depending on where you purchase it and current promotions, but the price difference is due to its bulkier design and older CPU. Weight and size aren't considered in a pure performance test, but matter in the real world.
That said, the Zephyrus doesn’t suffer from any sort of performance issues. I spent most of my time testing the laptop while playing PlayerUnknown Battlegrounds. Occasionally there was some stuttering when trying to load scenery off in the distance, or as each session began, but I’ve chalked it up to the game still being in development. The rest of the games I tested, including Rocket League, were free of any performance issues. And, of course, there were no issues with normal computing tasks using Chrome or tinkering in Microsoft Office applications.
As I’ve already covered, the fan setup on the Zephyrus is unique in that it pulls air from above the keyboard and pushes it through the bottom of the system. ASUS claims this design is more efficient and reduces fan noise. I’m not sure it does either one. After extensive gameplay, not only were the fans loud enough I couldn’t hear the game itself — even at 100-percent volume — the laptop itself was very hot. I wouldn’t have felt comfortable with it sitting on my lap. If you're someone that does keep your notebook computer on your lap, the warm air being vented through the bottom is something to consider.
Battery Life
In order to slim down the Zephyrus, it seems like ASUS had to sacrifice a larger battery since the one that's included is a small four-cell unit. Not surprisingly, it didn't fare well in our tests. Our battery benchmark involves looping a 4K video at 50-percent brightness with all unnecessary connectivity disabled, and it resulted in a run-time of just 86 minutes before the Zephyrus ran out of juice. It’s not the worst battery life we’ve seen in our testing, with the MSI GE62VR Camo Squad claiming that dubious titled at 81 minutes, but it’s still one of the lowest, and disappointing for a notebook designed for mobility.
I was able to eek out 41 minutes of continuous play on battery power before the low battery warning popped up, after which performance was so severely throttled I couldn’t continue to play. Like any other gaming laptop, it's not designed to actually game on the road because everything downclocks too much to make it enjoyable, not to mention heat and noise concerns.
Purchasing Guide
The Asus ROG Zephyrus has an MSRP of $2,299 and it has never deviated more than $50 from that price on Amazon since in launched in July:
• See the Asus ROG Zephyrus on Amazon
The Verdict
The ROG Zephyrus is a bit like the Razer Blade - extremely portable and powerful, but also loud and expensive. That's not to say the Zephyrus is a bad laptop, as it is easily the most powerful notebook IGN has tested for its size, which is impressive. But that size comes at a steep price. If your number one priority is to have a portable gaming laptop that doesn't skimp on horsepower, the Zephyrus is your jam. Otherwise, save yourself some money and get a bigger, bulkier laptop for significantly less money.
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