I’ve long been a fan of the Zephyrus G14, so I was hyped when the 2024 OLED model dropped at the start of the year. That hype hasn’t gone away since my review time with the Macbook-esque PC came to an end - I’ve been eagerly waiting for a price drop. And it’s finally happened.
Best Buy has just cut the $1,599.99 MSRP of an RTX 4060 configuration down to $1,349.99, for a full saving of $250. That’s the first discount I’ve ever seen on the 2024 Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, impressive considering it’s generally the more premium builds that take the first discounts. Cheaper configurations like this tend to stick to their launch prices much longer - after all, there’s a smaller margin in a lower cost. If you’re on the hunt for one of the best gaming laptops, but still want a device that looks and feels sleek and portable I have nothing better to offer this week.
Yes, you’ll find RTX 4060 gaming laptop deals on last year’s rigs cheaper than this - but I rarely see 2024 machines taking this kind of discount. While some budget brands can squeeze their prices down to three figures, you’re almost always sacrificing screen quality, build materials, and overall power output to get there. The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is a premium piece of kit usually found much further up the price range.
Should you buy the 2024 Asus ROG Zephyrus G14?
I’ll get one thing out of the way here. The 2024 Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 isn’t built for those chasing framerates. In fact, configurations only extend up to an RTX 4070 spec sheet - unlike last year’s 2023 G14 which packed a massive RTX 4090 GPU. If you’re just after top-tier performance (and you have a budget to push you a little further) you shouldn’t buy this 14-incher. The 2023 Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 is the most powerful gaming laptop I’ve tested, but it comes in at a massive MSRP and takes up considerable space on the desk.
However, if you’re looking to play the latest games at high settings and take advantage of a gorgeous OLED panel, incredible build quality, and lightweight form factor there really is no better option on the market. I tested an RTX 4070 version, which did see a bit of an uplift over the RTX 4060 model featured in today’s gaming laptop deals. However, you’re still going to be seeing well over 60fps in high settings on even demanding games with Turbo Mode engaged - easily sailing through the latest releases.
There’s a snake in the corner of the room that needs to be addressed here as well. The Razer Blade 14 is another excellent 14-inch gaming laptop with a similar subtle design, luxury build quality, and emphasis on its display. It’s also got a price tag with bite. An RTX 4060 configuration of the 2024 Razer Blade 14. Starting at $2,499.99, a model is currently on sale at Razer’s site for $1,799.99.
That kills your OLED display (though does bump you up to 240Hz) and drops the generation of your processor. I did manage to squeeze some boosted Time Spy and Fire Strike scores out of the Blade 14 when I tested it, though - beating the similarly specced G14 by around 6%. That’s not worth the extra $450, though, especially when that OLED display is also part of the bargain. I said in my G14 review “I can’t remember the last time I told someone looking for a 14-inch gaming laptop not to buy an Asus ROG Zephyrus G14,” and this is truer today than ever.
We’re rounding up plenty more of this week’s biggest gaming laptop deals, or take a look at the best Asus gaming laptops on the market right now. If you’re holding out for more discounts, be sure to check out upcoming Memorial Day gaming laptop deals and Amazon Prime Day gaming laptop deals for even more savings.
