On the heels of today’s Tiger Lake-H and RTX 3050 and 3050 Ti announcements from Intel and Nvidia, respectively, Asus has unveiled a fresh line of gaming laptops with the new components.
The Asus Zephyrus M16 and Zephyrus S17 are the highlights of the group, and we checked them out prior to their announcement in a private meeting with Asus. In the two videos below, you can get a closer first look at each of the laptops and hear our questions answered. These systems will be available some time in Q2, and pricing will be announced closer to their launch dates.
ROG Zephyrus M16: A Rare 16-Inch Gaming Machine
The M16 is appealing for its form factor first and foremost, since it fits a 16-inch diagonal display in a 15.6-inch chassis. The overall footprint, though, is similar to many leading 15-inch laptops at 0.78 by 13.9 by 9.5 inches (HWD) and 4.2 pounds. Take a look at its design in our first video, below. The chassis includes a very neat prismatic flourish on the lid.
Sixteen inches is an uncommon screen size for a gaming system, and really not all that common in any type of laptop. It’s also got a 16:10 aspect ratio rather than 16:9 for even more digital space. Common or not, added screen real estate compared with a standard 15-inch size is nice upside, especially since it doesn’t require a larger footprint.
One complaint about laptop gaming is the screen size compared to that of a typical desktop monitor, and this helps bridge the gap without being as large as 17-inch laptop alternatives. The display itself is also advanced and fit for enthusiast gaming, featuring a QHD resolution (2,650 by 1,600 pixels, given the 16:10 ratio) and a 165Hz refresh rate.
The design also features an ErgoLift hinge, which we’ve seen in other Asus laptops. This design lifts the bottom of the laptop off the desk or other surface by wedging the bottom of the lid against the desk to improve cooling. This model goes a step further, allowing you to rotate the screen flat 180 degrees should you desire, which is useful for laptop stands and group settings.
Of course, it wouldn’t be an exciting gaming laptop without alluring components. Inside, the M16 features Intel’s latest Tiger Lake-H processors (an H45 eight-core chip, specifically) and can pack up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 GPU.
The base model will make use of Nvidia’s new budget-friendly RTX 3050 Ti, still potent and capable of ray tracing, but less pricey than the RTX 3070 option. These parts should push the high-refresh screen nicely, but we’ll have to test it ourselves when review units become available. With the updated processor platform, it also includes Thunderbolt 4 support.
These are far from the only features, though, so check out the video for even more details.
ROG Zephyrus S17: Meet the 17-Inch Gamer With an Angled Keyboard
Next up is the S17, which takes some inspiration from Asus’ Duo line of laptops. On those machines, a pair of hinges raises a second screen off the deck and angles it toward the user. That same mechanism is used here, but instead of a screen, part of the keyboard is on this raised panel.
That makes for a desktop-like keyboard, angled slightly at the user for a more comfortable typing experience. The design moves the keys away from the front edge of the laptop, where it had been on some previous ROG Zephyrus builds. It also allows for enhanced cooling beneath the raised panel, important on a gaming laptop.
The internals are also vital for a gaming machine, and the S17 can be equipped with Tiger Lake-H processors and up to a GeForce RTX 3080 GPU. The display can either be QHD and 165Hz with G-Sync and Advanced Optimus, or 4K 120Hz with Adaptive Sync. For more details and a closer look at the design, watch the video above.
As mentioned, these aren’t the only laptops Asus announced today. It will also be launching a new version of the ROG Flow X13, an update to the ROG Zephyrus G14, a new ROG Zephyrus G15, and several new Asus TUF laptops at both 15 and 17 inches.
We didn’t get previews of those systems, but rest assured they’ll bring Nvidia’s new GPUs and Intel’s latest processor platform to bear, as well. Check back for full reviews of each system as they’re made available.
