I go through the same turmoil every year. I spot a fantastic deal, a record-low price, on an equally impressive piece of kit... but it's the week before Prime Day. That's not to say everything will be cheaper when Amazon's official summer sale rolls into town next week - but it's a niggling fear when placing an order. This gaming laptop is an exception, though.
I would have no qualms about taking Best Buy up on this offer of an RTX 4060 2024 Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (now $1,299.99, was $1,599.99). It's the best gaming laptop the year has produced so far, and this is only the third time it's been on sale. What's more, this is only the second time I've seen it drop the full $300 - the first tentative discount only brought us down to $1,399.99 when it dropped a few months ago.
Yes, you can get RTX 4060 models for less than this - and you can also spend a little more and get better performance out of your components. However, considering the luxury design, high-end OLED panel, and compact form factor this is a fantastic machine for anyone who balances work and play and needs a laptop to match. The value here is terrific - all a week before official Prime Day laptop deals kick off.
So, why not wait until then? Because I don't know if this offer will stick around. Every time this discount has appeared in previous sales it's been gone within around four days, with a wait of around a month before it pops back onto the shelves again. It's not the first time I've seen machines going for less in the week before Prime Day gaming laptop deals than they do in the main event.
Should you buy the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14?
This year's Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is a real beauty. It's got a Macbook-style aesthetic that will please any ultrabook enthusiasts but also the raw horsepower to see you through a good supply of your favorite games. During my testing, it sat just as well on a coffee shop table as it did amongst a full PC-style setup, and that's a rarity.
It's not going to be for everyone, though. If you're planning on docking your laptop, keeping it in place, and squeezing as much power as you can out of it then I'd recommend something a little larger instead - the Alienware M18, for instance. This is a jack-of-all-trades style device, so performance isn't the top priority here. Yes, you'll be able to sail through fairly demanding titles with a few tweaks for more commanding games (I averaged 105fps in High QHD+ settings in Hitman 3 and 87fps in High FHD+ settings across Returnal) but its performance isn't going to match that of a larger machine.
I, for one, don't want a giant 18-inch rig strapped to my back wherever I go, though. I'm happy to mess around with some settings to get power-hogging games back on track if it means I get to stare at that gorgeous OLED display and premium chassis. If that sounds like you, and you have the budget, I certainly wouldn't waste this opportunity.
Of course, if you're looking for something more permanent, take a look at all the Prime Day PC deals we expect to see. Or, for more portable play take a look at the best Prime Day Nintendo Switch deals and Prime Day Steam Deck deals on the market.
