I've been running the 2026 Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 for two weeks, here's why I'd buy last year's model

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 with lid slightly closed — (Image credit: Future)

I've just finished up testing the 2026 Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, but it's not quite made its way to my roundup of the best gaming laptops so far. That's because not only is it still waiting for a release date, but we don't even know the price point. With RAM shortages looming over the entire industry, and Asus itself pointing to a 50% increase in its MSRPs as a result, those final numbers could be problematic.

I've been saying it for some time now, but it's never been more true; last year's gaming laptops are going to give us far better value for money in 2026. The previous generation G14, for example, is available for just $1,399.99 at Best Buy today - that's a fraction of what the new release will likely cost.

Now I'm not saying those ready to invest in a high-end system should throw it all away on this deal just because it's there. As a matter of fact, there are plenty of players who would benefit from the boosted brightness of the new model's OLED and the tangible performance increase provided by the higher wattage.

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Not everyone is going to be able to fork out the likely $3,000+ price point of the RTX 5070 Ti version I tested, though, and if you're just looking to run your games on a work / play hybrid machine that still packs a punch in the looks department this is absolutely where I'd be looking.

The 2025 Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is still a fantastic machine, and that RTX 5060 can handle pretty much anything you throw at it with a few resolution and texture tweaks. Anyone upgrading from an RTX 3050, 3060, or 3070 is going to notice a boost here.

The core G14 proposition is still alive and well on the previous generation as well. Framerates are great, but if you need your laptop to function for both work and play during regular travel sessions you only have a few options open to you. With the Razer Blade 14 still running much higher up the price tag and the Acer Predator Triton 14 AI coming up short in performance, the 2025 G14 lives on to fight another day.

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I'm hunting down plenty more of the best Asus gaming laptops as well as the best Razer laptops and best Alienware laptops on the market.

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