Using a high-end Asus laptop has really improved my gaming habits

At the end of last year, I wrote about my experience of using the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) gaming laptop. As someone who has primarily gamed on consoles his whole life, I thought it made for a pretty interesting piece that was a bit different from a typical review.

In that spirit, I wanted to revisit the laptop now that I’ve had a few more months with it and highlight the larger lifestyle changes it’s made. Above all else, I’ve particularly been appreciating the laptop for two main reasons.

The thin ROG line

First and foremost — its form factor. With a 0.64-inch chassis weighing only 3.46 lbs (1.57kg), it’s so lovingly thin. And because of that, it actually encourages me to take it to different places. It’s honestly something that I took for granted the first time I used it. Convenience and ease-of-use is a huge thing for me, which is why I’ve historically not bothered with the PC space. And even as I’ve used handhelds like the Steam Deck and Asus’ own ROG Xbox Ally X, they feel pretty bulky and take up a lot of space. But having something even more powerful that also sports a satisfyingly ultra-thin and lightweight form factor? That’s a huge sell.

Admittedly, I’m still wary of having something so expensive on flights with me, even though I travel often. (Of course, that’s not a knock against the G14 in particular, merely part of my own cautious tendencies). If nothing else, I appreciate being able to transport it easily on local excursions or even within the house. What’s more, I’m planning a few long train rides across the province in the coming months, and I’m eager to bring it with me on those.

More games, more options

My second big reason goes hand-in-hand with the form factor: the games catalogue. Having the ability to play graphically complex games and indies alike across Steam, EGS and other stores is genuinely meaningful. That’s especially true for games from smaller teams that prioritize PC since they don’t have the resources for multiplatform releases. In those cases, I’ve historically been out of luck as a non-PC gamer, even when it comes to the Steam Deck, since not every title is compatible with the handheld. And in a more job-specific use case, it lets me play and review more games, especially since PC codes are sometimes all that’s offered.

What’s more, I’m finding that having the PC is encouraging me to go back to older games. Admittedly, being in this job gives you this pressure to play every new thing to stay in the loop, and that can feel draining. In cases where I have to do that, having the G14 is helpful. But in other instances, it’s letting me step away from the ever-present call of new releases to revisit the classics.

Of course, emulation is a key part of that, especially as game preservation overall continues to be abysmal. But this is even true in otherwise readily available games. For example, I’ve been revisiting many of the Resident Evil games for the series’ 30th anniversary, and having the flexibility to try them out on PC with the combination of beefier specs and mods availability absolutely gives me more incentive. In the case of something like RE5, I can even play the co-op with my friends there, since I don’t know anyone who’d join me right now on consoles. And in the case of games that aren’t so readily available, like the PS2 spin-off Outbreak (which was bizarrely connected to this year’s mainline Requiem), I can turn to emulation.

I admittedly took all of this for granted as a predominantly console gamer. The combination of Steam’s regular solid sales and emulation in general helps offset the higher cost of the rig. And for someone like me who still doesn’t care for the hassle of building and troubleshooting a PC, having all of that sorted for me right out of the box with a laptop is honestly wonderful.

For those who dare to invest

As in my earlier piece, my two gripes are still present. First, the fans are loud as hell. Of course, that’s really only an issue with the more intensive games, so thankfully, I haven’t experienced it too often. But it is mildly distracting when it happens. (And because my ears get incredibly hot when I game, I don’t generally wear headphones.)

That’s not too a big deal, though, and the more significant hurdle is price. That’s because the G14 is an expensive boi with four options that start at $2,699 and end at $3,699, the last of which is the one I’m using. At the time of writing, the entry-level model is actually $500 off, though, which is pretty solid. For a little over $2,000, a solid laptop that you can use both for high-end gaming and regular work and entertainment is honestly something I’d definitely consider if I was just a regular consumer.

I plan to keep using the G14 and write more about my console-to-PC journey, but in the meantime, you can buy the laptop from the Asus Store.