ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 (2021)

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 (2021)

Manufacturer	ASUS
Product family	ROG Zephyrus
Release date	January 2021 (2021-01)
Introductory price	USD 1500 to 2500
Discontinued	No
Operating system	Windows 10 Home (Can be configured with Windows 10 Pro)
CPU	AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS
Memory	16 GB or 32 GB DDR4-3200 MHz (supports up to 48 GB)
Memory slots	1 user accessible (supports up to 32 GB)
Storage	512 GB or 1 TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD
Storage slots	2 user accessible
Removable storage	MicroSD card reader
Display	Screen size: 15.6 inch Panel type: IPS Coating: Matte (anti-glare) Resolution: 2560 x 1440 PPI: 188 Aspect ratio: 16:9 Refresh rate: 165 Hz Brightness: 261 to 346 Nits Contrast Ratio
Graphics	Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop 6 GB GDDR6 95 W Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop 8 GB GDDR6 100 W
Sound	6 speakers tuned with Dolby Atmos
Camera	None
Touchpad	Glass, 5.1 inches (13 cm) x 3.3 inches (8.4 cm)
Connectivity	MediaTek Wi-Fi 6 MT7921 Bluetooth 5.1 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-A) 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-C, DP 1.4, PD) 1 x HDMI 2.0b 1 x 3.5mm headphone/microphone jack 1 x Gigabit Ethernet
Dimensions	W: 14 inches (36 cm) D: 9.6 inches (24 cm) H: 0.78 inches (2.0 cm)
Mass	4.4 pounds (2.0 kg)
Power brick	200W slim 3-pin proprietary AC adapter (US)
Battery	4 cell Li-Polymer 90 Wh
Keyboard	Single-zone RGB backlit, white (US) Standard full size layout
Chassis	Color: Eclipse Gray or Moonlight White Materials: Magnesium-aluminum alloy lid; Plastic bottom cover Cooling: Dual fan cooling system with heat pipes and Liquid Metal for improved thermal performance
Number pad	No
Fingerprint reader	Yes, integrated into power button
Facial recognition	No
Website	ASUS

All statements attributed to reviews are the reviewer's own opinion. Note that these claims were accurate at the time of publication and may be dated when you are reading this article. Read more.

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The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 (2021) is a high-performance gaming laptop designed for portability and practicality. It features AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS processors and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3000 series GPUs. Available configurations vary by store and location. The Zephyrus G15 is positioned as a premium gaming laptop with a focus on a thin-and-light design.

Primary Hardware

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Processor

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 (2021) can come with the following processor:

• AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS with 8 cores and 16 threads, 16 MB L3 cache, a base clock speed of 3.0 GHz, and a boost clock up to 4.6 GHz.

The Ryzen 9 5900HS is built on a 7 nm process and is designed to offer high performance while maintaining power efficiency. It is particularly strong in multi-threaded applications, making it suitable for gaming and content creation.

Reviewers have noted that the Ryzen 9 5900HS outperforms many Intel counterparts in both single-core and multi-core tasks. It achieves high scores in various benchmarks and is particularly strong in multi-threaded applications. The processor stabilizes at 65+W of sustained power on the Turbo setting, translating to frequencies of 3.9+ GHz, temperatures in the 86-90 °C range, and fans spinning at about 48-49 dB at head-level.

Benchmarks:

• Cinebench R15: ~2000 points (multi-core)
• Cinebench R20: 5136 cb (multi-core), 572 cb (single-core)
• Cinebench R23: 13088 cb (multi-core), 1462 cb (single-core)
• Geekbench 5.5: 1410 points (single-core), 7910 points (multi-core)

Graphics

In addition to the integrated AMD Radeon Vega graphics, the Zephyrus G15 (2021) ships with the following discrete GPUs:

• Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU with 6 GB GDDR6 memory, 1425 MHz boost clock, and 95 W Total Graphics Power (TGP).
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU with 8 GB GDDR6 memory, 80 W TGP (100 W with Dynamic Boost).

The RTX 3060 struggles with 1440p gaming but performs well at 1080p. Frame rates vary between 80-100 fps in _Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II_ and 120-130 fps in _Star Wars Squadrons_, with smooth gameplay overall. The RTX 3080 provides solid gaming performance but its lower TDP limits its capabilities compared to desktop versions. It performs well in modern games at high settings, but users should be aware of the performance limitations due to thermal constraints.

Benchmarks:

• 3DMark Fire Strike: 20784 points (RTX 3080)
• 3DMark Time Spy: 9391 points (RTX 3080)
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider: 68 fps at Highest detail preset (RTX 3060)
• Grand Theft Auto V: 82 fps average (RTX 3060)
• Far Cry: New Dawn: 83 fps (RTX 3060)
• Borderlands 3: 64 fps (RTX 3060)
• Metro Exodus: 52 fps after 15 loops (RTX 3060)

Memory

The Zephyrus G15 (2021) can be configured with either 16 GB or 32 GB DDR4-3200 MHz memory. The laptop has one user-accessible SO-DIMM slot, allowing for a maximum of 48 GB of RAM when combined with the soldered memory.

The memory configuration allows for smooth multitasking and gaming performance, with sufficient capacity for demanding applications and games. However, the single DDR4-3200 SODIMM slot limits upgradeability, as 8 GB of the RAM is soldered in some configurations.

Benchmarks:

• File transfer test: 25GB of files copied at 990.57 MBps

Storage

The Zephyrus G15 can ship with either a 512 GB or 1 TB PCIe Gen 3 NVMe SSD. The laptop has two M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 3 storage drive slots available for upgrades.

The storage drive offers high read and write speeds, competing well with other brands, and provides ample storage for games and applications. The SSD supports PCIe 4.0 for faster data transfer rates.

Benchmarks:

• CrystalDiskMark Read Seq: 2151 MB/s
• CrystalDiskMark Write Seq: 2318 MB/s
• AS SSD Read Seq: 2950 MB/s
• AS SSD Write Seq: 1600 MB/s

Co-processors

The Zephyrus G15 does not include any dedicated co-processors.

Input Devices

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Keyboard

The Zephyrus G15 comes with a chiclet keyboard featuring customizable RGB backlighting. The keyboard offers a light but fast keystroke, ample travel, and dedicated Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down keys as secondary functions within the arrow keys.

The typing experience is average, with some keys hard to read in low light. The layout may not be ideal for all users, and the lack of dedicated keys for Insert and Print Screen is a drawback.

Touchpad

The Zephyrus G15 features a generously sized glass touchpad measuring 5.1 inches (13 cm) x 3.3 inches (8.4 cm). The touchpad has an intuitive anti-glare surface and precise tactile clicking action.

The touchpad is spacious and accurate with swipes, gestures, and taps. It also doesn’t rattle with taps, unlike other large clickpads, and the physical clicks are quiet and smooth.

Webcam

The Zephyrus G15 does not include a webcam, which is a significant downside, especially in the current era where video calls are common.

Microphone

The Zephyrus G15 comes with dual microphones for voice chats.

Output Devices

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Display

The Zephyrus G15 features a 15.6-inch WQHD (2560 x 1440) IPS-level display with a 165 Hz refresh rate and 188 PPI. The display is non-glossy and features FreeSync technology.

The display has wide color coverage but could be brighter. It performed well in gaming with smooth and lag-free experiences, and the anti-glare surface helped in bright environments. The display offers excellent color coverage and response times, suitable for gaming and professional use. The display is bright and vibrant, making it suitable for creative work as well as gaming.

Benchmarks:

• Brightness: Maximum 327 cd/m², Average 308.7 cd/m²
• Color Space: 99% sRGB, 86% AdobeRGB
• Response Time: Under 10 ms gray-to-gray

Audio

The Zephyrus G15 comes with six speakers tuned with Dolby Atmos, with four straddling the keyboard and two firing downward under the palm rest.

The audio is some of the better quality encountered on any laptop so far. The speakers provide clear sound with decent bass, making it suitable for media consumption.

Connectivity

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WiFi

The Zephyrus G15 is equipped with a MediaTek Wi-Fi 6 MT7921 module and Bluetooth 5.1.

The Wi-Fi module supports Wi-Fi 6 and provides adequate bandwidth for gaming and streaming. The wireless performance is good, with high speeds suitable for online gaming and streaming.

Bluetooth

The Zephyrus G15 comes with a Bluetooth 5.1 module.

SD Card Reader

The Zephyrus G15 includes a microSD card reader.

USB

The Zephyrus G15 is equipped with the following USB ports:

• 2 x USB-A (USB 3.2 Gen 2, 10 Gbps)
• 2 x USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2, 10 Gbps) with DisplayPort 1.4 and Power Delivery

The port placement is somewhat awkward, with most ports located on the left side, which may be inconvenient for some users.

Display Outputs

The Zephyrus G15 comes with the following display outputs:

• 1 x HDMI 2.0b

Case

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The Zephyrus G15 (2021) is available in two colors: Eclipse Gray and Moonlight White. The chassis is made of a magnesium-aluminum alloy lid and a plastic bottom cover. The design features a unique aesthetic with a high-end look, but surfaces may creak under pressure. The lid is aluminum and covered in matte white paint, which can dent fairly easily. The overall build quality is decent, but there are some creaky noises in the chassis.

Maintenance

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The bottom panel is held on by 13 Philips-head screws, which are not uniform in length. The three screws in the middle of the laptop are hidden behind rubber caps.

Upgradeable components:

• 90 WHr battery.
• Two M.2 2280 PCIe3 x4 SSDs (most configurations only have one slot filled from the factory).
• One DDR4-3200 SODIMM slot (most configurations only have one slot filled from the factory).

Cooling System

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The Zephyrus G15 is equipped with a dual fan cooling system with heat pipes and Liquid Metal for improved thermal performance. The cooling module handles the GPU side well, but the CPU peaks at high temperatures in some activities and games.

Heat

Surface temperatures vary depending on the configuration.

The laptop remains cool enough to touch, with maximum temperatures on the bottom reaching 51.67 °C. The keyboard area reaches a maximum of 41.67 °C, and the touchpad center reaches 29.39 °C.

Noise

The fans are reasonably quiet during operation, tolerable in a living room setting. The laptop emits noise above 50 dB(A) during intensive tasks, which may require the use of headphones during gaming sessions.

Benchmarks:

• Turbo mode: ~48+ dB(A)
• Performance mode: ~44+ dB(A)
• Silent mode: sub-40 dB(A)

Energy Management

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Power Consumption

The Zephyrus G15 ships with a 200 W AC adapter and supports USB-C charging up to 100 W. The battery fills up in about 2 hours, with fast-charging for the first half an hour. The system automatically switches the screen to 60Hz while on battery and on the iGPU, and the AMD platform proves highly efficient with lightweight loads.

Battery Life

All Zephyrus G15 SKUs come with a 90 WHr Li-Polymer battery.The battery life is impressive for a gaming laptop, lasting up to 12 hours in idle and 9.5 hours of web browsing. This makes the Zephyrus G15 one of the better options in the gaming laptop category for users who need extended battery life.

Benchmarks:

• Idle: up to 12 hours
• Web browsing: up to 9.5 hours
• 1080p video playback: up to 10 hours
• Gaming (Witcher 3, Performance Mode): ~1+ hour

Biometrics

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The Zephyrus G15 features a fingerprint reader integrated into the power button. This provides a functional and secure login method, adding a layer of security. However, there are no IR cameras for facial recognition.

Software

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All SKUs ship with Windows 10 Home, but the laptop can be upgraded to Windows 10 Pro, either manually or when buying directly from ASUS.

Preinstalled Software

Armoury Crate

The Armoury Crate program acts as the primary control center in the Zephyrus G15. It handles keyboard backlighting, power profiles, system updates, and other settings.

MyAsus

The MyAsus app is used for system updates and hardware troubleshooting.

Dolby Access

Dolby Access is used for audio tuning, providing users with various audio profiles and settings.

Other Preinstalled Software

The Zephyrus G15 also comes with some unwanted software like a 30-day McAfee security trial.

Linux Support

Linux support is not specified for the Zephyrus G15.

Accessories & Warranty

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The Zephyrus G15 comes with a 200 W AC adapter and paperwork.

There is a one-year limited manufacturer warranty if purchased in the US.

Reviews Summary

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Overall Sentiment

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 (2021) is considered one of the best gaming laptops in its price range, offering high CPU and GPU performance in a thin-and-light chassis. It is suitable for users looking for a portable gaming laptop with impressive battery life. The laptop also features a vibrant display and good audio quality. However, the absence of a webcam, suboptimal keyboard layout, and limited upgradeability are notable drawbacks.

Problems Summary

• No webcam.
• Suboptimal keyboard layout with some keys hard to read in low light.
• Limited upgradeability due to soldered RAM.
• Awkward port placement.
• High surface temperatures during intensive tasks.
• Fan noise can be loud under load.
• Plastic bottom cover may creak under pressure.

Links

Ryzen 9 5900HS, RTX 3060, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD: TomsHardware

Ryzen 9 5900HS, RTX 3080, 32 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD: NoteBookCheck

Ryzen 9 5900HS, RTX 3080, 32 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD: UltrabookReview

Community Reception

Overall Sentiment

Very resistant to coffee spills. Open up the laptop and dry it with hairdryer and you will be back in business in 1-2 hours.