Review Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 Review: AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS Tested

[uzzi38]

View attachment 19252

Probably, the most interesting thing.

That's relatively boring when compared to full testing at several different power draws (all in Cinebench R15):



10710U and 9750H below


These are all 4c/8t chips.


But also some extra important details. For example, FCLK is still a limiting factor, and LPDDR4-4266 likely won't provide much extra bandwidth over DDR4-3200, assuming your laptop ships with FCLK maxed out at around 1800-1900mhz (for power saving reasons the device he had locked it to 1333mhz, but BIOS let him change it).

The 4900U doesn't exist. It became the 4800U around CES and the 4600U came into existence around then too.

The type of memory used between SDP and DDP memory can have a huge effect on iGPU performance of around 20%, and this could very likely be an issue in budget laptops.

And quite a bit more. Just skip past the CPU-z screens.

 

[uzzi38]

More gushing about Renoir:

RIP Intel's gaming lead in mobile.

 

[inf64]

It's impressive, no doubt about that. Hopefully AMD can push 45W 4900H into premium gaming laptops.

 

[DrMrLordX]

It's impressive, no doubt about that. Hopefully AMD can push 45W 4900H into premium gaming laptops.

Given the bizarre power draw of Intel's latest 14nm -H CPUs and their inability to compete, unless 45W 8c Tiger Lake comes on strong well ahead of schedule, I think the OEMs will have no choice but to use Renoir for their top-performing products.

 

[ZGR]

I can't stop gushing at this CPU. What a big leap in laptop performance! I can't recommend a single Intel laptop at this point.

 

[uzzi38]

Given the bizarre power draw of Intel's latest 14nm -H CPUs and their inability to compete, unless 45W 8c Tiger Lake comes on strong well ahead of schedule, I think the OEMs will have no choice but to use Renoir for their top-performing products.

If only things were so simple...

I don't expect much adoption for Renoir over the next year because unfortunately, OEMs are extremely stuck in their ways and AMD have a bad rep in mobile that sadly isn't changing so quick. Especially not when the Intel platform provides them with just so many benefits.

 

[eek2121]

If only things were so simple...

I don't expect much adoption for Renoir over the next year because unfortunately, OEMs are extremely stuck in their ways and AMD have a bad rep in mobile that sadly isn't changing so quick. Especially not when the Intel platform provides them with just so many benefits.

By “ways” you mean contracts. There are certainly some OEMs stuck in their ways, but most I would wager are bound by contractual agreements.

 

[NeoLuxembourg]

If only things were so simple...

I don't expect much adoption for Renoir over the next year because unfortunately, OEMs are extremely stuck in their ways and AMD have a bad rep in mobile that sadly isn't changing so quick. Especially not when the Intel platform provides them with just so many benefits.

Yes, this seems plausible.

But, have you noticed that most 10then Gen previews mentioned Renoir? I don't think I watched a single Zephyrus Duo preview where there was no mention of how great a Renoir version would be. Not even talking about the new SUPER mobile GPUs where reviewers were asking when a Renoir version would launch ....

The pression certainly is growing.

 

[DrMrLordX]

If only things were so simple...

Asus is already using AMD. If anyone wants to compete with their product, they have to use an AMD chip. It's really that simple. I can see AMD being shut out of a lot of lower-end notebooks on a cost basis, but in the halo laptop sector, for now, it's AMD or bust. Even the DTRs are having problems beating the 4900HS.

 

[uzzi38]

By “ways” you mean contracts. There are certainly some OEMs stuck in their ways, but most I would wager are bound by contractual agreements.

I wish.

Yes, this seems plausible.

But, have you noticed that most 10then Gen previews mentioned Renoir? I don't think I watched a single Zephyrus Duo preview where there was no mention of how great a Renoir version would be. Not even talking about the new SUPER mobile GPUs where reviewers were asking when a Renoir version would launch ....

The pression certainly is growing.

Yes, I did. 3/3 in term of "Wish they had a Renoir version" complaints, and we haven't even seen any actual proper reviews yet. Pressure is growing, but we're going to be saying "Not Renoir, not interesting" all year.

Asus is already using AMD. If anyone wants to compete with their product, they have to use an AMD chip. It's really that simple. I can see AMD being shut out of a lot of lower-end notebooks on a cost basis, but in the halo laptop sector, for now, it's AMD or bust. Even the DTRs are having problems beating the 4900HS.

ASUS are using AMD's best chips as an exclusive, they've got AMD on board for design with AMD popping engineering manpower over to them and what do AMD get out of it?

This treatment.

Don't put your expectations of OEMs too high.

 

[DrMrLordX]

Don't put your expectations of OEMs too high.

It is a little weird that they're using the slower Intel chip in their top-end system. It'll wind up being faster due to the higher-end dGPU, but the AMD-powered system may wind up winning CPU benchmarks anyway.

 

[uzzi38]

It is a little weird that they're using the slower Intel chip in their top-end system. It'll wind up being faster due to the higher-end dGPU, but the AMD-powered system may wind up winning CPU benchmarks anyway.

It's a damned shame, that's what it is.

 

[coercitiv]

Intel is their biggest CPU supplier, and probably (still) has the better image for the average consumer too. What Asus did is normal in the context of 2020.

Look at AM4 and the way motherboard makers invested in the platform, it was only with Zen2 that they really went all in with comparable model numbers & variety to Intel. The same goes here, we will see gradual adoption in their premium tiers. A platform shift from Apple & Microsoft might help speed things up though.

Look at this the other way around: Intel is probably fuming that Asus made the exclusive Zephyrus G14 at all. They are probably pushing very hard behind the scenes to keep AMD away from their precious mobile market, and the G14 got dangerously high media attention and praise levels. I can only imagine the level of internal tension in other major OEMs, Dell comes first to mind.

 

[moinmoin]

But, have you noticed that most 10then Gen previews mentioned Renoir? I don't think I watched a single Zephyrus Duo preview where there was no mention of how great a Renoir version would be. Not even talking about the new SUPER mobile GPUs where reviewers were asking when a Renoir version would launch ....

The pression certainly is growing.

And that's exactly what AMD needs, pressure from and demand by the press and general public for more of their products. It's easy to say OEMs should switch faster, but as...

Intel is their biggest CPU supplier, and probably (still) has the better image for the average consumer too.

...that's the case existing OEMs will continue to feel like facing a balancing act not worth doing.

AMD is going in the right direction, but there is still a long way ahead to competitive parity in the market.

 

[TheGiant]

A Ryzen 4k line ultra book with 3:2 resolution?
Anyone?

 

[amrnuke]

AT's review battery life is remarkable from a device that does so well at so much. Overall, I don't even want to know what it would do to my XPS15 with 6700HQ, 16GB 2133 RAM. Probably very bad, dirty things. At least I have an SSD in it. I may "need" an upgrade soon.

 

[LikeLinus]

RIP Intel's gaming lead in mobile.

4900HS looks like an awesome mobile CPU. Although, it's a very flawed test. The biggest issue is he isn't testing the 8-core i9-9980HK. He was using a 6 core vs 8 core. Simply because he couldn't source one (but amazingly he has a referral link to buy them in his comments!!).

Would have much rather seen those two CPUs compared.

 

[teejee]

4900HS looks like an awesome mobile CPU. Although, it's a very flawed test. The biggest issue is he isn't testing the 8-core i9-9980HK. He was using a 6 core vs 8 core. Simply because he couldn't source one (but amazingly he has a referral link to buy them in his comments!!).

Would have much rather seen those two CPUs compared.

It is not flawed if you look at the pricing. All 10980/9980HK laptops are much more expensive than ASUS G14.
But of course, a comparison with 9980HK is still very interesting, for example hardware unboxed did that.

 

[LikeLinus]

It is not flawed if you look at the pricing. All 9980HK laptops are much more expensive than ASUS G14.
But of course, a comparison with 9980HK is still very interesting, for example hardware unboxed did that.

They don't even tell what laptops they are using to test for Intel. So we have no idea. But price isn't the objective here. It's CPU performance.

 

[ZGR]

4900HS looks like an awesome mobile CPU. Although, it's a very flawed test. The biggest issue is he isn't testing the 8-core i9-9980HK. He was using a 6 core vs 8 core. Simply because he couldn't source one (but amazingly he has a referral link to buy them in his comments!!).

Would have much rather seen those two CPUs compared.

I have no doubt the 8 core i9 would be a bit faster in a DTR enclosure. The power efficiency Ryzen has over Intel's offerings makes it far more appealing in a typical laptop form factor. It makes it an easy decision in my eyes. That isn't going to be changing any time soon either.

 

[LikeLinus]

I have no doubt the 8 core i9 would be a bit faster in a DTR enclosure. The power efficiency Ryzen has over Intel's offerings makes it far more appealing in a typical laptop form factor. It makes it an easy decision in my eyes. That isn't going to be changing any time soon either.

Moot point, the question isn't who has the best battery life. The video is specific to CPU usage in gaming. I realize everyone is going to come up with all these "but, but" and everything, but saying one is faster than the other, when they test a lower class CPU, doesn't make much sense. Either way, it was a very flawed test and silly to say one wins vs the other in this instance.

 

[coercitiv]

Moot point, the question isn't who has the best battery life.

Form factor, not battery life. And @ZGR already told you what you wanted to hear - as we take bigger laptops into consideration, especially desktop replacement units, the Intel CPUs will start winning.

The jump for 6 to 8 core for Coffee Lake in gaming is not that relevant. (the 8-core 9900K @ 95W TDP is barely faster than the 6-core 8700K). What matters the most is TDP configuration, since it will allow for higher sustained clocks.

 

[Gideon]

Form factor, not battery life. And @ZGR already told you what you wanted to hear - as we take bigger laptops into consideration, especially desktop replacement units, the Intel CPUs will start winning.

The jump for 6 to 8 core for Coffee Lake in gaming is not that relevant. (the 8-core 9900K @ 95W TDP is barely faster than the 6-core 8700K). What matters the most is TDP configuration, since it will allow for higher sustained clocks.

What I would personaly like to see is a 4900H with a chassis equal to those Intel monsters ( and in the future hopefully with a 2080 Super as well) that will help significantly in multithreaded games e.g. Assassins Creed, BF5, etc. Would be more apples-to-apples

 

[LikeLinus]

Form factor, not battery life. And @ZGR already told you what you wanted to hear - as we take bigger laptops into consideration, especially desktop replacement units, the Intel CPUs will start winning.

The jump for 6 to 8 core for Coffee Lake in gaming is not that relevant. (the 8-core 9900K @ 95W TDP is barely faster than the 6-core 8700K). What matters the most is TDP configuration, since it will allow for higher sustained clocks.

The CPU we are talking about is a Coffee Lake mobile CPU. Not talking, at all, about desktop CPUs in laptops. Chassis design has nothing to do with it. Again, the review was strictly on CPU performance.

Product Specifications

quick reference guide including specifications, features, pricing, compatibility, design documentation, ordering codes, spec codes and more.

ark.intel.com

 

[LikeLinus]

What I would personaly like to see is a 4900H with a chassis equal to those Intel monsters ( and in the future hopefully with a 2080 Super as well) that will help significantly in multithreaded games e.g. Assassins Creed, BF5, etc. Would be more apples-to-apples

That and with the better dGPU, would be an awesome machine. I do wish they would actually do battery test while gaming.