Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 (2026) review

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 2026 is a fantastic 16-inch gaming laptop. There you go, review over, we can all go home. But wait, because it's got a serious flaw that should make you hold your fire before pressing the order button. And that flaw, as those familiar with the ongoing memory crisis may have already guessed, is the price.

Asus has sent me a 64 GB DDR5, RTX 5080-equipped machine for testing, and the same-specced model is currently listed for an astonishing $4,800 . Cheaper models with more reasonable amounts of RAM are available—but even the 32 GB, 1 TB version is currently listed at Best Buy for $4,400 .

I'm sorry, but that's simply too much to pay for an RTX 5080 gaming laptop. Even one as lovely as this. Particularly as the phenomenal Razer Blade 16 (2026) in RTX 5080 trim is $400 cheaper , with the same Intel Panther Lake-based chip.

If you can find the new G16 for the same money as the Razer Blade 16 during the sales, the choice becomes a lot more difficult. The Asus machine is a worthy competitor, what with its excellent chassis design, stunning 240 Hz OLED display, and superb portability. It's a gaming laptop I've enjoyed testing, particularly as it's capable of knocking the MSI Stealth 16 AI+ for six in certain gaming benchmarks.

Better still, it's got excellent battery life. This is a machine I would happily take on the road with me, gaming in bliss as I go. But when it's this expensive, I can't give it the wholehearted recommendation my heart desires.

Money matters, and when the G16 is listed for such teeth-chattering prices, I have to dock some precious points off the score.

The memory crisis has affected gaming laptops particularly badly in recent months—and by the looks of things, it's not going to get better any time soon. My hope for the G16 is that the sales periods will bring it down to more reasonable figures, in which case you'll find me shouting its virtues from the nearest rooftop. But as things currently stand? It's simply too pricey to gain a top spot.

Buy if...

✅ You've got the cash to splash: If money is no object, then the new Asus G16 is a fantastic gaming laptop well worth considering. The Razer Blade 16, however, is the better of the two. ✅ You want something truly portable: As 16-inch gaming laptops go, they don't come much more backpack-friendly than this.

Don't buy if...

❌ You're on a budget: I hate to keep hammering the same point home, but the price is truly eye-watering. ❌ You want ultimate frame rates: Concessions need to be made in a slim and light gaming laptop—and while the G16 is a great performer in its class, bulkier models will likely outpace it in the gaming benchmarks.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 (2026) features

(Image credit: Future)

Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 tested specs Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 (2026)

Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025)

CPU

Intel Core Ultra 9 386H

Intel Core Ultra 9 285H

GPU

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 (160 W Max TGP)

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 (120 W Max TGP)

Memory

64 GB LPDDR5X-8533

32 GB LPDDR5X-7467

Storage

1 TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD

2 TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD

Expansion slots

2x M.2 NVMe (one used)

2x M.2 NVMe (one used)

Display

16-inch 2560 x 1600 OLED, 240 Hz

16-inch 2560 x 1600 OLED, 240 Hz

Dimensions

35.4 x 24.6 x 1.49 ~ 1.79 cm | 13.94 x 9.69 x 0.59 ~ 0.70-inches

35.4 x 24.6 x 1.49 ~ 1.79 cm | 13.94 x 9.69 x 0.59 ~ 0.70-inches

Battery

90 Whr

90 Whr

Weight

1.95 kg (4.3 lbs)

1.95 kg (4.3 lbs)

Price

$4,800

$3,600 (64 GB model) / £3,400

The new Zephyrus G16 looks much the same as the old model, but under the hood it's had some significant tweaks. The largest of which is the addition of a Panther Lake-based Intel Core Ultra 9 386H processor, the same as you'll find in the new Razer Blade 16.

It's a 16-core chip, breaking down into four Performance cores, eight Efficient, and four Low Power Efficient beasties. As with the new Blade, that core loadout might seem a little underpowered at first, but the Core Ultra 9 386H makes a compelling case for itself as a powerful gaming CPU tucked inside a slim laptop frame.

My particular review sample comes with a ludicrous 64 GB of LPDDR5X-8533, paired with a… 1 TB SSD. I'm not sure who'd spec out a G16 this way, as I'd much rather have half the RAM and double the storage space, which is more traditional for a high-powered gaming lappy. Still, that's what Asus sent me, so that's what I'll be testing.

Future

Future

Future

Future

The 2026 G16 comes in many flavours, with up to an RTX 5090 crammed within its aluminium chassis. This one's got an RTX 5080 mobile, with a raised TGP of 135 W compared to the older model's 120 W limit. It can be pushed all the way up to 160 W in Manual mode within the Asus Armory Crate software—but I've mostly tested it at 135 W in Turbo mode, as your average user isn't likely to dive too far into the manual settings.

That being said, on paper, it's an impressive max power limit for such a slim and sleek machine.

It's still one of the best-looking (and feeling) super-portable 16-inch gaming laptops you can buy

Asus has made a few tweaks to the keyboard, too. The deck has been reinforced to prevent flex, and the keycaps now have an anti-fingerprint coating, which feels rather grippy underneath my fingertips.

The hinge also uses two torsion springs to make it easier to lift, which is a nice touch. It's full of little bits of refinement, sprinkled on top of what was already an excellent design.

(Image credit: Future)

The 240 Hz OLED panel has also received some attention, as it now features a peak brightness rating of 1100 nits and VESA TrueBlack 1000 HDR certification. It's a sumptuous 1600p display, and a rival to the Blade 16's similarly-specced screen.

Overall, the G16 looks and feels near-identical to the old model when you pass it around in your hands. It's still got a large slash of tasteful LED lights on the lid, it's still one of the best-looking (and feeling) super-portable 16-inch gaming laptops you can buy,...

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