• ASUS has announced that the Zephyrus G16 gaming laptop is now available in South Africa.
• Together with AI-acceleration via its Intel processor, and a top-of-the-range graphics card, the G16 packs formidable power into its smaller frame.
• The Zephyrus G16 is now available at local retailers, with pricing starting at R42 999.

Revealed to the world at CES 2024 in Las Vegas earlier this year, the ASUS Zephyrus G16 gaming laptop has landed locally. Now in South Africa, the machine represents a new version of ASUS gaming laptop, thinner, smaller and more subtle than the usual crop of devices from its Republic of Gamers (ROG) brand.

ASUS calls the updated Zephyrus G16 the “pinnacle of gaming innovation” – a redesign from the original G16. The first and most notable change is the new chassis. No longer a clunky and heavy device, the new CNC-machined aluminium provides a more subtle finish. ASUS promises the new slim profile won’t damage performance but will make portability easier.

The G16, together with the G14, is the first-ever OLED display on an ROG laptop – a 16-inch 2.5K OLED panel with a 240 Hz refresh rate. Despite its sleeker look, gamers in South Africa need fear not, as this gaming laptop still have their RGB through a new customisable Slash Lighting array.

Other specifications include:

• Intel Core Ultra 9 Processor 185H (AI-Powered),
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 GPU specifically tailored for laptops,
• Pre-installed AI software like Omniverse and Stable Diffusion,
• Hyper-efficient cooling via tri-fan technology, liquid metal, and vapour chamber cooling.

ASUS said that the new “AI acceleration” included with the Ultra 9 Intel processor can render 3D and video “more than twice as fast all while consuming less power for longer battery life.”

Other hardware specifications such as the amount of RAM and storage configuration depend on the pricing.

In terms of more upgrades to this generation, the G16 has larger speakers – about 25 percent larger – than the previous iteration. This allows for 47 percent louder volume, the company detailed in January. The keyboard is also larger.

The Zephyrus G16 is now available from the ASUS eshop, Incredible and Evetech starting from R42 999.

[Image – Provided]