ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 review: A gaming laptop with impressive visuals and power in one
Article content
After a couple weeks of use, I was a bit concerned with the battery. It's got 90Wh capacity, but I would charge it up, watch an hour or so of Netflix before bed, close the lid, and I'd wake up to the battery below 10%. I was a little worried. After a bit of digging, I realized that I had kept the laptop in 'Ultimate' GPU mode in Armoury Crate, and I'd changed the Performance Mode from 'Windows' to 'Performance' or other options depending on my use via the fan button (FN+F5). Without knowing, I'd bypassed the Windows power and sleep settings, and was now idling my GPU far higher than it needed to for just watching movies or other casual tasks.
Article content
Once I'd sorted that out I was seeing completely reasonable battery usage, and the laptop would lose maybe a percent or two while asleep overnight. While gaming though, with full CPU, GPU and cooling engaged and game settings cranked, that 90Wh capacity gets chewed up in 2-3 hours depending on the game.
Article content
The A/C adapter is a beefy 240W brick with a proprietary connection. Both of these I grew to live with since they grant 50% charge in 30 mins with fast charging. It turns out Thunderbolt 4 can handle up to 100w, so there's actually an option for you if you've got another charging brick and quality USB C cable. I repurposed another 60w laptop charger I had with a USB C connection, a cable I got off Amazon, and I was able to get pretty solid charging out of it. Probably about half speed, and no fast charging obviously. I don't know what effect that may have on the battery long term, but I'd assume it's minimal given it's charging slower than with the stock charger.
Article content
Armoury crate
Article content
With powerful hardware comes a desire for control, and that's where Armoury Crate (AC) comes in. It's not just a way to monitor performance and make little tweaks, it's like performance tuning software for a race car. There's honestly too much to get into, but this is where you can manage everything from Aura lighting to cooling and GPU performance via discrete modes. 'Ultimate' mode even engages the MUX switch which bypasses the CPU for graphics processing to push frames right from the dedicated GPU directly to the display to boost frame rates and reduce latency.
Article content
AC also lets you remap the 4 customizable hotkeys above the keyboard, though frustratingly, there isn't an option to map any to enable/disable the Slash Lighting on the lid. A gripe shared by a number of folks online who eventually turned to GHelper, a popular 3rd party alternative billing itself as a lighter weight option; though there's sure to be some tweaking to manage both hardware and windows compatibility.
Article content
There's a lot to be discovered and tinkered with in AC, and that's part of its value, but it's also part of its downfall. The user experience is not ideal, and it took me hours to actually find the GPU modes and slash lighting settings because they were buried in sub menus or only revealed after clicking a 'System Settings' button which is a totally different UX than the rest of the menus on the left of the screen.
Article content
I tested a few AAA games with the ROG Zephyrus G16, as well as an old favourite just to see how it might change solely based on hardware, and each time I was blown away.
Article content
Black Myth: Wukong
Article content
This was the first game I tried, and right out of the gate in the first battle where you're introduced to Wukong and face-off against some towering gods up in the clouds, the particle physics and the lighting actually made me pause the game and restart just to play the intro again. The lighting and effects were staggering.
Article content
Article content
Cyberpunk has the benefit of being one of the ~700 titles that can take full advantage of all the new features in the NVIDIA RTX 50 series GPUs. There's full support for frame generation, and other DLSS features I've been talking about earlier. It was clear even in the games' internal graphics benchmark that they were able to shine.
Article content
Both the light and dark scenes popped and looked super realistic. Reflections too were stunning and mirrored the landscape nicely as you moved through a scene. The contrast and textures on offer in the gritty dystopian setting of this game were particularly striking on the OLED display.
Article content
Article content
Perhaps because I am such a fan of the game, but also since I've been playing it since launch day in 2016 on PS4, PS5, and then PS5 Pro, I was particularly floored with the look and feel of No Man's Sky when I tried it on the Zephyrus G16. I was surprised to see that the game supported DLSS, frame generation, up to 240 fps in certain situations like the galactic map, and just generally looked drop dead gorgeous. Details I never knew existed were suddenly rendered before my eyes, and it's brought new life to the game.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
‘Too Soon to Celebrate,' Says Investor About Tesla Stock
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) bulls have had the June 12th Robotaxi date circled on their calendar for months by now, and the excitement is growing as the day approaches. Confident Investing Starts Here: Though the company has been teasing the idea of self-driving cars for over a decade, its track record has not totally matched the hyperbole of CEO Elon Musk. Indeed, Musk stated way back in 2013 that Tesla was aiming to have the technology to drive 90% of all miles by 2016. Flash forward to the present day, and what was once revolutionary has now become a battlefield full of fierce competition, and Tesla has now clearly fallen behind Google's Waymo for primacy in the self-driving market. Waymo is now operating some 250,000 weekly trips, and has staked out 27% of the local rideshare market in San Francisco. Can the Robotaxi event succeed in flipping the narrative back to Tesla? One investor, known by the pseudonym, Stone Fox Capital advises investors not to pop the champagne bottles just yet. 'Tesla already appears valued based on initial robotaxi success, and this doesn't appear guaranteed,' states the 5-star investor. Stone Fox notes that TSLA is so far behind Waymo that the term 'taking a Waymo' might soon become part of everyday language. Launching a small 10-car pilot program in Austin, the investor argues, isn't exactly the game-changer some investors are hoping for. 'The big risk is that a robotaxi delay continues to allow Waymo to control the market while the robotaxi service launch appears already priced into the stock,' adds Stone Fox. Moreover, some of Musk's recent comments – such as the fact that the 'same strengths and weaknesses' of human drivers will be present with Tesla's FSD technology – are not exactly inspiring confidence. While Stone Fox isn't discounting Tesla's potential to eventually rake in the dollars, the investor doesn't see that happening anytime soon. 'Investors can likely buy Tesla at a lower price once the far-flung excitement disappears, even if the company is on the path to a successful robotaxi business,' concludes Stone Fox Capital, but for now the investor's advice is to steer clear of this one and Sell. (To watch Stone Fox Capital's track record, click here) Meanwhile, Wall Street is firmly divided on this one. With 16 Buy, 10 Hold, and 11 Sell recommendations, TSLA has a consensus Hold (i.e. Neutral) rating. The average price target of $282.70 suggests about 18% downside from current levels – an outlook Stone Fox would likely endorse. (See TSLA stock forecast) To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks' Best Stocks to Buy, a tool that unites all of TipRanks' equity insights. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured investor. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.
Globe and Mail
2 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
From Overwhelm to Passive Income: Velomax Automation Helps Amazon Sellers Succeed Without Lifting a Finger
Miami, Florida - For years, ecommerce hopefuls struggled with product research, Amazon's algorithms, and supplier headaches. Velomax Automation solved those problems—delivering passive income without the learning curve. Their Done-For-You Amazon System handles everything: sourcing, listings, returns, and adapting to Amazon's policies. 'We know clients don't want to become Amazon experts,' says Alex Carter. 'They just want a store that works.' With 8 years of experience, 400+ stores managed, and strict Amazon compliance, Velomax helps clients scale from zero to $50K+ in monthly sales—with many surpassing six figures. For updates, follow Alex Carter on Instagram @ About Velomax Automation Velomax Automation has been operating in the Amazon marketplace since 2017. What began as a quiet entry into e-commerce quickly grew as the team launched their first stores and started attracting interest from friends and family seeking similar support. The demand escalated through word of mouth, and within a few years, Velomax Automation was managing over 100 Amazon stores. In response to this growth, the company shifted its focus to full-scale automation—investing in warehouses, expanding operational teams, and bringing on experienced growth specialists. Today, Velomax Automation supports over 200 clients, helping them generate passive income through Amazon. While Amazon offers strong potential for investors, it also presents significant challenges. Velomax Automation provides a proven alternative to trial-and-error by offering expert guidance and infrastructure, enabling clients to build successful e-commerce businesses from day one. Learn more about Velomax Automation at or email contact@ Media Contact Company Name: Velomax Automation Contact Person: Alex Carter Email: Send Email City: Miami State: Florida Country: United States Website:
Globe and Mail
2 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
Billionaire Stanley Druckenmiller Sold Palantir and Amazon and Is Piling Into This Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Instead
Back in 2022, billionaire Stanley Druckenmiller made a sizable bet on chipmaker Nvidia. The company has gone on to become one of the biggest winners of advancements in generative AI, for which its graphics processing units (GPUs) are well suited. Druckenmiller has also been an investor in Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR), which has used AI to improve its software and expand its market. Druckenmiller has also made a lot of money by investing in Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) throughout his career, taking advantage of the cloud computing leader's growth. But Druckenmiller is shifting his attention and his money away from these AI giants. He sold out of Nvidia about a year ago (although he says he regrets that decision). In the first quarter, he got rid of his remaining shares of Palantir and trimmed his Amazon investment by more than half. In their place, he's buying a different company that stands to benefit from continued spending on AI development but whose stock looks undervalued. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » Why Druckenmiller is selling Palantir and Amazon Both Amazon and Palantir are producing strong results as enterprise customers spend heavily on AI software and development. Palantir has seen its U.S. commercial business take off thanks to its Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP). Businesses are expanding their use cases for AIP, and the service is reducing the need for clients to hire new workers. That has helped Palantir grow revenue extremely quickly without much overhead, resulting in strong earnings growth. Amazon remains the largest public cloud platform in the world with Amazon Web Services (AWS). The company is seeing strong demand for AI services on AWS, and it's spending as quickly as it can to meet that demand, including plans to pour over $100 billion into capital expenditures (mostly for AWS) in 2025. The operating margin for AWS has soared to nearly 40%, pushing Amazon's operating profits considerably higher. But Druckenmiller's decision to reduce his stake in these companies seems to be based purely on valuation. Indeed, Palantir is one of the most expensive stocks on the market trading at over 75 times management's 2025 revenue outlook. Druckenmiller has also traded in and out of Amazon stock based on price, and shares reached an all-time high of more than $240 per share last quarter. With all that in mind, it appears Druckenmiller has found a suitable replacement in the AI space that offers exceptional value at its current price. Here's the AI stock Druckenmiller is piling into With hyperscalers like Amazon committing to investing billions of dollars per year in AI data centers, the growth in AI spending seems to be far from over. One company stands behind practically all of the silicon chips you'll find in those data centers: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM), or TSMC. TSMC is the leading chip manufacturer in the world, commanding a dominant share of the market. Its lead is cemented by the best-in-class technology required for making the most cutting-edge chips. That's why companies like Nvidia choose TSMC to print and package its chips. Using another manufacturer would likely result in a higher cost with an inferior product. TSMC benefits from a virtuous cycle. It's the largest chip manufacturer in the world, which means it brings in a ton of revenue. It can, therefore, invest more in research and development and capital expenditures to maintain its technological lead and ensure enough capacity to meet growing demand. That, in turn, brings in more revenue. That said, chip fabrication is a capital-intensive, cyclical business. If demand falls, TSMC is still responsible for maintaining its expensive equipment, even if it's not producing as many chips. The good news for investors is that TSMC also expects strong growth in AI spending through the end of the decade. Management believes AI-related revenue will double this year, and the company could produce a compound annual growth rate of close to 40% for AI chips through 2029. Overall, management is guiding for 20% compound annual growth for the entire business. Revenue is up over 43% year over year through the first four months of 2025. Despite the potential for strong revenue growth over the next five years with excellent gross and operating margin profiles, the stock trades for less than 21 times forward earnings estimates. There's a reason to discount the stock somewhat, given the ongoing global trade war launched by the Trump Administration and the geopolitical risk surrounding Taiwan. But the current valuation still looks extremely attractive for investors, and Druckenmiller seems to agree. Druckenmiller tiptoed into the stock in the second half of last year, investing about $20 million, but he more than quintupled his investment in the first quarter, making it one of his biggest holdings. With TSMC's share price sitting around where it started the year, there is still an opportunity to join Druckenmiller with an investment in TSMC. Should you invest $1,000 in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing right now? Before you buy stock in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $656,825!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $865,550!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor 's total average return is994% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to172%for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 2, 2025 John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Adam Levy has positions in Amazon and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Nvidia, Palantir Technologies, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
