Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 2023 review: You have to pay to play

When it comes to top of the line PC gaming laptops, there are a few options to choose from, especially if you’re considering models with the latest Nvidia RTX 40 series. Last month, Asus ROG introduced its new collection of high-end gaming laptops with the latest Intel and AMD processors and Nvidia RTX 40 series GPUs, namely ROG Zephyrus M16, ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 and ROG Strix Scar 16/17/ 18. We had opportunity to review the ROG Zephyrus M16, and over the last month of testing we’ve found it to be a promising gaming laptop with some seriously impressive hardware. However, the question remains: is it worth the whopping Rs 3,64,990? Find out in this review.

Design and Display: High-end and portable

Gaming laptops are infamous for being big and huge, but with the ROG Zephyrus M16, Asus has found a good balance between build quality and power. The laptop weighs about 2.3 kg and is about 2 cm thick, so it is easy to carry around, which is the only purpose of a gaming computer. The fit and finish have improved this year, and the machine feels great when put together. This was evident from the excellent keyboard feedback and also from the quality of the keystrokes. I’m not a fan of the keyboard font, but it’s a compromise I’m willing to make.

Speaking of the display, the ROG Zephyrus M16 uses a QHD mini-LED panel with a 240Hz refresh rate, and let me tell you, it’s one of the best panels I’ve used in a gaming laptop. Not only is it buttery smooth, but thanks to the mini-LED technology, the blacks are deep and black.

Yes, it’s not as good as OLED, but it’s significantly better than most gaming laptops. Also, I’m quite particular about blooming and backlight bleeding, and I’m happy to report that the Zephyrus M16 doesn’t experience any blooming or backlight bleeding – which can become a problem when viewing dark scenes. The bezels surrounding the panel are also minimal thanks to the 92% screen-to-body ratio.

In addition, using the AniMe Matrix outdoor screen is a delightful experience. Armory Crate allows users to customize the content of the outer panel, including text, symbols and other graphics. This feature adds a playful element that sets the laptop apart from the rest.

Performance: You get Bleeding Edge, but at a price

My own review unit has a 13th Gen Intel Core i9-13900H processor clocked at 2.6GHz with a boost clock of up to 5.4GHz and 14 cores, 6 performance cores and 8 efficiency cores. The top-class Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 with a maximum TDP of 150 W is available for the graphics processor.

This means excellent real-world performance. I was able to max out most of the games I played on it, including story-driven single-player games like Returnal, racing games like Forza Horizon 5, and competitive shooters like Apex Legends. When the laptop was plugged in, it didn’t sweat. It was able to max out Apex Legends and I was consistently getting upwards of 250fps. In Returnal, a very CPU heavy title, I was able to push max settings with DLSS enabled and get around 100-120 fps at QHD resolution.

These numbers were unheard of before RTX 40 mobile GPUs came out.

But since all things have a price, warmth is the price here, not literally. Despite being in an air-conditioned room, the laptop got warm and loud at maximum power. I only realized this when I took the headphones off after the Returnal episode.

With 32GB of DDR5 memory clocked at 4800MHz and 2TB of NVMe M.2 storage, the laptop flies and is sublime to use with the 240Hz display. It stays buttery smooth throughout.

Battery life: Achilles’ heel

Over the years, if any gaming laptop has had an Achilles heel, it’s battery life. And the same goes for the Zephyrus M16. With a fully charged 90 Wh battery, it lasts about an hour and a half with moderate to heavy load, and with light use it can be extended by an hour.

So yes, in my testing the battery life isn’t great, but when you consider that you have to stay plugged in anyway to get decent performance out of the machine, the battery life angle crumbles – and you have to carry it thick. power brick everywhere you go.

Speakers: Underwhelmed at best

Speakers are usually the most underrated part of any gaming laptop, apart from the screen, and good speakers – with good stereo separation and fullness – are paramount. And this is where the Zephyrus M16 excels. The speakers sound muffled at full volume, lack bass, and are thin considering the laptop’s body size.

I would say that the speakers are the weakest part of the Zephyrus M16. In games like Returnal, the stereo separation was also hard to notice. But as a consolation, I would say that the Zephyrus M16’s headphone jack sounds great and could power my high-end gaming headset.

Verdict: A solid high-end gaming laptop with a price tag

Priced at Rs 3,64,990, the Zephyrus M16 is one of the most expensive Windows laptops out there right now – thanks to its high-end hardware, excellent mini-LED panel and customizable AniMe Matrix external display. In terms of performance, the laptop leaves nothing to be desired; it’s that good and so is the build quality.

Yes, it gets warm and loud, and the speakers aren’t the best compared to its immediate competition, but overall the Zephyrus M16 is a beautifully made gaming laptop that deserves a place in your gaming portfolio. You have to pay to play, simple as that.

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