Asus ROG Zephyrus M GU502GU review

Powerful and portable

(Image: © Future)

TechRadar Verdict

For people who are looking for a laptop that also doubles up as a gaming machine, the Zephyrus M GU502 is it. While it has its own set of caveats, it doesn't compromise on the essentials.

Pros

  • +

    Lightweight design

  • +

    Great performer

  • +

    Ultra-smooth display

  • +

    Pantone Validated screen

  • +

    SSD RAID 0 configuration support

  • +

    USB Type C power delivery

Cons

  • -

    Average battery life

  • -

    Bottom-placed speakers

  • -

    Runs hot

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Asus ROG Zephyrus M GU502 is now available in India. The Zephyrus series aims to provide an ultra-portable laptop that doesn’t come with performance trade-offs. Zephyrus M is the middle-ground. A lightweight gaming laptop that is supremely powerful to run major AAA titles as well as power-hungry software which comes in pretty handy for creators.

Zephyrus M offers a compelling set of hardware and revamped design that lets you maintain the balance between work and gaming. Priced at Rs 1,49,990, the laptop is available to purchase from Asus exclusive stores, Flipkart and with offline retailers across India.

Design and Display

(Image credit: Future)

Asus claims that the ROG Zephyrus M GU502 is 45% lighter and 25% thinner than traditional 15-inch laptops and it shows. It measures 18.9mm at the thickest point and weighs 1.9kg. The reinforced magnesium alloy chassis lends a sturdy hand and has a brushed finish on the lid, while the area around keyboard and trackpad have a matte finish. The trackpad features a honeycomb design underneath that helps prevent the additional flex and is covered in a coat of soft-to-touch paint. It feels every bit premium for the asking price and RGB lighting amplify’s gaming aesthetics. 

(Image credit: Future)

The laptop features an intelligent cooling system that is supported by 83-blade fans with 0.1mm thin fins. A total of five heatsinks comprise the cooling system that works towards dissipating heat away from the CPU and the GPU. It also features an anti-dust tunnel which restricts dust and debris to enter the heat pipes, thereby preventing the dust from settling inside the cooling system.

(Image credit: Future)

You can also tune the fan speed from Armoury Crate utility with preset options-- Silent when browsing the web or watching videos, Balanced mode while you work on the go or to reduce fan speeds and Turbo mode with maxed out power and fan speed for your gaming sessions.

(Image credit: Future)

Asus Zephyrus M has a 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) IPS panel with 144Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time. The display is surrounded by 6.2mm thin bezels which translate into over 81% screen-to-body ratio and has a layer of matte coating which prevents reflection. The bottom bezel is the thickest one with the words “ROG Zephyrus” etched into the frame.

(Image credit: Future)

The display on the Zephyrus M is excellent to play games on as well as binge-watch the latest season of Stranger Things. With its ultra-smooth refresh rate and minimal bezel look on three sides, the viewing experience remains immersive, and you get to witness all fast-paced action while playing an FPS game.

For creators, the screen of the Zephyrus M is Pantone color validated and produces the entirety of the sRGB color spectrum. So, while you will enjoy more vibrant colors while playing games, the benefits of the same can be reaped by designers, illustrators, and video editors to create appealing and true to life visuals.

Siddharth Chauhan
  • Siddharth Chauhan is the Consumer Technology Reporter at Digit India. He used to work as an Assistant Editor at TechRadar India
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