Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
Over the last few years , 14 - inchgaming laptopshave only grow in popularity , and the two at the top of the plurality are theAsus ROG Zephyrus G14andRazer Blade 14 . The two laptops are usually relegate to different classes , with Asus focalise on a reasonable Mary Leontyne Price while Razer shoots forrader with all of the premium bells and whistles . That ’s changing in 2024 .
A basal redesign of the Zephyrus G14 puts it in unmediated competition of the Blade 14 , with both laptop computer now volunteer a premium atomic number 13 frame and some of the most muscular fluid computer hardware money can buy . Both are first-class laptop computer , but Asus has a particularly strong advantage this yr .
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
Specs
At a high level , the Zephyrus G14 and Blade 14 have very similar specs . Both laptops are based around AMD ’s eight - core group Ryzen 9 8945HS and the low - final stage of Nvidia ’s RTX 40 - serial graphics cards . Both laptop top out at an RTX 4070 . The Blade 14 goes down to an RTX 4060 , while the Zephyrus G14 has configurations featuring the RTX 4060 and RTX 4050 as well .
Both laptops also come with 1 TB of PCIe 4.0 NVMe entrepot and either 16 GB or 32 GB of DDR5 memory . The exact specification is a bit different , with Razer using DDR5 - 5600 memory and Asus using LPDDR5X-6400 — and both companies using a dual - distribution channel constellation . The specs are very similar , but the devil ’s in the detail here .
Razer uses slotted memory on the 2024 Blade 14 , allow you upgrade the RAM down the line . Asus habituate soldered memory , so you do n’t have any alternative to upgrade or fix the laptop later on . That ’s not a big deal if you go with a 32 GB configuration , but the 16 GB configuration of the Zephyrus G14 could submit problem a few years down the line .
In addition , Asus does n’t utilise the full wattage available to its GPU choice . All three GPU configurations top out at 90 watts , while the GPU alternative in the Blade 14 can go up to 140W. If you know anything aboutTotal Graphics Power ( TGP)in laptops , that ’s a sizable col , and it translate into a performance divergence .
Razer takes a back seat in other area , however . Namely , the Blade 14 is thick and heavier than the Zephyrus G14 . Both laptops are thin , with the Blade coming in at 0.7 in and the Zephyrus at 0.63 inches , but Asus takes a big lead story in system of weights . The Zephyrus G14 is 3.3 pound , while the Razer Blade 14 is 4.05 lb . Asus has made a play laptop wanton than a MacBook Pro . In addition , Razer utilise a 68.1 W - 60 minutes shelling while Asus uses a slightly large 73 WHr battery .
Asus unquestionably sacrifices some hardware , but it ’s able-bodied to attain a slightly thinner and much lighter laptop in the process , all with a larger battery . gratefully , there are some decisive feature article that stay the same across the laptops , including an MUX shift and a USB - C port open of 100 Isaac Watts of power delivery .
Design
It ’s problematical to say which innovation is better between the Zephyrus G14 and Blade 14 . Both front fantastic , with silklike atomic number 13 frames and minimum branding . For my money , though , Asus has a slight edge with its stamped badge , slash ignition , and good color option .
The vividness choice are interesting . Both Asus and Razer put up their laptop computer in either inglorious or silver , but you need to spend more to get the atomic number 47 option ( called Mercury ) with Razer . The Mercury finish is only useable with an RTX 4070 ( a $ 500 upcharge over the fundament model ) , while Asus pop the question both ash gray and black finishes for each shape of the Zephyrus G14 .
As for the outside of the laptop computer , the Zephyrus G14 features a stamped ROG badge , along with a diagonal line of LEDs , while Razer feature a large Razer logotype that can clear in dark-green when the laptop computer is on . The Zephyrus emphatically has a more unequalled design , and it manages to balance a Lord - focused aesthetic with just a suggestion of gaming flair .
Ports
The Zephyrus G14 and Blade 14 come with a nearly identical larboard selection . Both laptop boast a full - size HDMI 2.1 output signal , two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type - A ports , two USB - C ports , and a 3.5 mm headphone diddly . Razer , however , utilise USB 4 for both of the USB - C ports , yield you 100W of power delivery with either . Only one of the USB - atomic number 6 port on the Zephyrus G14 supports USB 4 and 100W of tycoon delivery .
Asus has a feathering in its chapiter with the inclusion of a micro Mount Rushmore State notice slot , but it ’s really splitting hairs between the two .
Keyboard and trackpad
Both the Zephyrus G14 and Blade 14 come with a goodly trackpad and first-class keyboard , but there are a couple of key difference . The Blade 14 ’s keyboard has shorter change of location , so it feel snappier to typecast on . The Zephyrus G14 has longer trip . If you have a heavy hand with typing , the Zephyrus G14 is slimly better , but both keyboards are comfortable .
There ’s a large difference of opinion between the trackpads . Both are gravid , but the Blade 14 ’s is bigger . It ’s comically magnanimous , taking up around a third of the space below the keyboard . It makes using the laptop a bit more commodious , but the Zephyrus G14 is n’t far behind .
The only clear sharpness here is the inclusion of dedicated medium buttons on the Zephyrus G14 . The Blade 14 relies on purpose Florida key for things like loudness adjustment , so the Zephyrus G14 is a moment easier to use on that front .
Performance
The Razer Blade 14 is faster than the Zephyrus G14 , but that should n’t come as a surprise give the TGP gap . What ’s shocking is how shut the Zephyrus G14 is when it comes to gambling .
With 3DMark , we get a good baseline to liken performance , and it shows the Blade 14 in the lead by downcast single digits . The Blade 14 has a performance reward , but it ’s not as big as its TGP advantage would suggest . A quite a little of that has to do with the efficiency of RTX 40 - serial GPUs , which allows the Zephyrus G14 to offer most of the performance of the Blade 14 with a much lower index budget .
There ’s a similar disruption in actual games . The Blade 14 is ahead , but in most games , it ’s only by a few frames . The only exception isCyberpunk 2077,where the Blade 14 demonstrate a vast jump over the Zephyrus G14 . The Zephyrus G14 have most of the way of life there across games , but frame pursuer are still unspoiled off with the Blade 14 .
For overall execution , the Blade 14 once again is slightly ahead in PCMark 10 by about 5 % . The larger design allow for more power to the GPU , and likely better cooling on the CPU , but both laptop computer detain relatively quiet under loading .
Display
Across all former categories , the Zephyrus G14 and Blade 14 have switch blows , but there ’s a monumental departure when we calculate at the displays . begin with the Blade 14 , it includes a 1600p IPS video display with a 240Hz refresh rate . It ’s one of the good IPS panels I ’ve get word on a laptop , peaking at over 500 nit of light and with a gloss computer error of less than one .
It ’s still no match for the OLED control panel on the Zephyrus G14 . Asus packs in an 1800p OLED display with a 120Hz refresh charge per unit . This go like a large drop , but it ’s of import to remember the fast reception time of OLED . The Blade 14 has a high refresh pace , but the laptop find astonishingly similar in condition of reactivity .
The Zephyrus G14 ’s screen gets brighter — over 650 nits in HDR — but it ’s really the direct contrast that matters . The Blade 14 supervise a contrast ratio of just 1,200:1 , which is typical of an IPS display . Meanwhile , the Zephyrus G14 ’s OLED panel has a theoretically infinite contrast proportion . When watching HDR motion-picture show and playing secret plan , Asus is massively ahead thanks to the mental image quality organic light-emitting diode go .
Razer offers an OLED panel on theBlade 15 , so I ’m not sure why the 14 - inch example is get on an IPS panel still . Regardless , Asus has a dominating lead here .
Pricing
Another expanse where Asus shoots ahead is pricing , and that ’s the biggest ground the Zephyrus G14 stands out so much . With the RTX 4060 , 1 TB of repositing , and 16 GB of memory , the Blade 14 issue forth in at $ 2,200 . The Zephyrus G14 with the same conformation , including the OLED show , comes in at $ 1,600 . That ’s a $ 600 damage jump for a heavier laptop that ’s only slenderly faster .
The monetary value delta is even large if you go for an RTX 4070 and 32 GB of memory . The Zephyrus G14 is $ 2,000 with that shape , while the Blade 14 is $ 2,700 . The G14 has soldered computer storage , and it ’s a touch slower , but it ’s toilsome to justify a $ 700 premium on the Blade 14 , and that ’s before you even factor in in the OLED display .
Which should you buy?
For the immense absolute majority of multitude , the Zephyrus G14 is the clean-cut succeeder in this matchup . It comes in with a similarly premium body , lighter weight , nicer screen , and much crushed cost , all while delivering similar performance . It does n’t feel like you ’re trading much aside with the Zephyrus G14 , and you ’re capture an OLED display in the process .
That does n’t mean the Blade 14 is automatically out of the running . It ’s still a wondrous laptop , but it caters to a slightly different grocery store . It tries to get as sparse as possible without trading any performance , while the Zephyrus G14 make more concession on performance to reach its course constituent . The Blade 14 is n’t deserving a $ 600 or $ 700 premium , depend on your configuration , but it ’s still a groovy selection if you’re able to feel one on sale .
