The Asus ROG Zephyrus line has had me in a chokehold since I first tested a G14 a few years ago. This weekend, though, it's the G16's turn to shine, with two gaming laptop deals at Best Buy that push well ahead of the slimline competition. Whether you're after the blazing glory of that newer OLED display or a value-packed RTX 4070 configuration, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 is on top right now.
The first offer drops the $1,599.99 RTX 4070 configuration of the 2023 G16 down to $1,099.99 at Best Buy. That's a full $500 off the MSRP and an extra $50 off compared to previous discounts I've seen in the past. This model has been dancing between full price and $1,149.99 for a few months now, but this is the first time I've seen it drop below that threshold. It's a fantastic price for an RTX 4070 rig in itself - I'm normally used to seeing these kinds of configurations hovering around the $1,300 mark when on sale. But throw in that subtle slimline chassis, and a super streamlined design, and anyone wanting to pair portability with performance should be taking note. That's the kind of value that can temporarily see a rig become one of the best gaming laptops to buy during a sale.
There was another discount that caught my eye while I was busy rounding up all this week's best cheap gaming laptop deals and - you guessed it - it's another ROG Zephyrus G16 at another record-low price. This time it's the 2024 model, with its full OLED display, complete chassis redesign, and an even newer AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor at the helm. Best Buy has this $2,099.99 RTX 4060 configuration down to $1,799.99 this weekend, thanks to a full $300 discount. It's only the second time I've seen this price hitting the shelves in this machine's lifetime - usually even the heaviest discounts halt at the $1,900 mark.
Which Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 should you buy?
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 is often overlooked in the lineup of the best Asus gaming laptops on the market, but if you're looking to combine portability with a larger display (and more breathing room for your components) it's a fantastic middle-ground. Each of this weekend's deals offers something slightly different, though.
The older 2023 model drops the impressive OLED display of the newer device, but does add some considerable value in that boosted RTX 4070 processor and lower price tag. This is one for users looking for a portable gaming laptop first and foremost, but who don't want to sacrifice too much power to get there. You're always going to drop a few frames when moving to a skinnier chassis, but upping the GPU class will mean you're better protected against those performance hits. I'd recommend the 2023 version to anyone with a library of slightly more demanding games.
There's a lot to be said for form, though, and the newer 2024 version easily wins out in the chassis battle. This is a super slick design with more of an ultrabook feel. It keeps the same level of portability while adding a much improved OLED screen into the mix and keeping things zippy on the move with that impressive AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor.
This is the same CPU that kept the Asus TUF A14 out-performing larger models in my testing just a few weeks ago - it's a force to be reckoned with. You are dropping down to an RTX 4060 GPU in this more expensive configuration, though, despite that boosted processor and 32GB RAM. That's why I'd recommend it to anyone with a library of lighter games who also wants to use their new machine for everyday work and more complex content creation tasks.
Of course, there are plenty of other brands competing for your interest as well. We're rounding up all the best Alienware laptops and the best Razer laptops on the market. Or, for something even more portable, check out the best gaming handhelds available now.
