Overview of the newly launched ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and S17 2021
Asus ROG has just launched not one but two brand new Zephyrus 2021 series gaming laptops that houses the powerful 11th Gen Core H-series generation (codenamed “Tiger Lake-H”).
To further add to its processing power, these laptops will be paired with Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3000 GPUs. Lastly, it is crucial that we mention these laptops come complete with built-in 2MP webcam with AI-noise cancelling mic!
ROG Zephyrus M16
Asus has taken laptop screen bezels to a whole new level by introducing the world’s first with 4-sided super-narrow bezels display with a 94% screen-to-body ratio.
The display also boasts a rare 16’10 aspect ratio that is typically only in productivity laptops. High-FPS gameplay is richer with a balance of high-resolution detail and a 165Hz refresh rate.
The device has the best speakers in a gaming laptop, 6 speakers with twin tweeters face forward for higher volume, while dual force-canceling woofers under the palm rest balance acoustics and minimise resonance. 3D Mics array that optimise recording quality and two-way AI keeps communication clear.
Zephyrus M16 also achieves a perfect balance in speed, power and portability. Its ultra-slim frame houses a powerful 11th Gen CPU with up to 48GB of DDR4-3200 RAM and up to 2TB of ultrafast 2TB PCIe® 4.0 storage that allows users to multitask and run all the most demanding game titles and software.
Even with all of the processing power the device possesses, it only weighs in at 1.90kg, making it a highly portable powerhouse of a device.
Gaming aside, Zephyrus M16 is also great for editors and visual designers who have a higher requirement for colour accuracy and visuals thanks to the two of the following features.
1. Dolby Vision technology
The most significant advantage of Dolby Vision HDR versus HDR10 is the addition of dynamic metadata to the core HDR image data. This technology is capable of dynamically adjusting visuals to make every image more vivid, richer and brighter.
2. Pantone® Validated
Each IPS-level panel is factory calibrated to ensure every colour you see meets rigorous and globally recognised Pantone® Validated requirements.
Excellent colour accuracy allows creative creators to do serious professional work and enjoy richer gaming visuals all on the same machine.
ROG Zephyrus S17
The ROG Zephyrus S17 2021 delivers a more ideal experience for the gamers as it gives the user an immersive 88% screen-to-body ratio and angles up the keyboard for superior comfort and cooling.
Similar to the M16, the S17 model is configurable up to an 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9 CPU cooled with liquid metal and a GeForce RTX™ 3080 GPU.
To complement its high performance, the S17 can be upgraded up to 3NVMe SSDs in a HyperDrive Ultimate RAID array that pushes storage speeds up to an amazing 10.5GB/s. This essentially gives users sufficient storage space to accommodate the heaviest creative workloads.
Other Highlights
1. 5° LIFT
When the display is flipped open, the keyboard is elevated to a 5° lift. This not only enhances wrist and hand typing comfort but also helps provide more airflow to improve the overall coolness of the GPU and processor.
2. Mechanical Keyboard
Gamers can rejoice knowing that the S17 2021 offers a responsive mechanical keyboard. Aside from an RGB keyboard, all gamers would know how vital a mechanical keyboard is to the gaming experience. Having it built-in to the laptop is simply amazing!
3. Expanded Touch Pad
Proving once again that ASUS is a brand that truly values the feedback of its customer, the ROG Zephyrus S17 features a touchpad that is 125% bigger than the previous generation. It also has a matte finish to give it that smooth and silky texture as you run your fingers through the touchpad
Full Specs
| Processor | *Up to Intel® Core™ i9-11900H Processor 2.5 GHz (24M Cache, up to 4.9 GHz, 8 Cores) |
| Graphics | *Up to NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3070 Laptop GPU With ROG Boost up to 1390MHz at 80W (100W with Dynamic Boost) 8GB GDDR6 |
| Display | 16-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) 16:10 anti-glare display DCI-P3:100% Refresh Rate:165Hz Response Time:3ms IPS-level Pantone Validated: Yes |
| Memory | 16GB DDR4 on board Max Capacity : 48GB |
| Storage | *Up to 2TB M.2 NVMe™ PCIe® 4.0 SSD |
| Ports | 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack 1x HDMI 2.0b 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C support DisplayPort / power delivery 1x RJ45 LAN port 1x card reader (microSD) 1x Thunderbolt™ 4 support DisplayPort™ / power delivery |
| Network | Wi-Fi 6(802.11ax)+Bluetooth 5.2 (Dual band) 2*2;(*BT version may change with OS upgrades.) |
| Battery | 90WHrs, 4S1P, 4-cell Li-ion |
| Weight & Dimension | 1.90 Kg (4.19 lbs) 35.5 x 24.3 x 1.99 ~ 2.23 cm (13.98″ x 9.57″ x 0.78″ ~ 0.88″) |
| Price | RM8,999 – RM11,499 |
| Processor | *Up to Intel® Core™ i9-11900H Processor 2.5 GHz (24M Cache, up to 4.9 GHz, 8 Cores) |
| Graphics | *Up to NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3080 Laptop GPU With ROG Boost up to 1645MHz at 125W (140W with Dynamic Boost) 16GB GDDR6 |
| Display | 17.3-inch 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) 16:9 anti-glare display DCI-P3:100% Refresh Rate:120Hz Response Time:3ms IPS-level Pantone Validated:Yes |
| Memory | 16GB DDR4 on board Max Capacity : 48GB |
| Storage | 1TB + 1TB + 1TB M.2 NVMe™ PCIe® 4.0 RAID0 SSD |
| Ports | 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack 1x HDMI 2.0b 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 T1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack 1x HDMI 2.0b 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C support DisplayPort / power delivery 1x RJ45 LAN port 1x Thunderbolt™ 4 support DisplayPort™ / power delivery card reader (SD) (UHS-II, 312MB/s) |
| Network | Wi-Fi 6(802.11ax)+Bluetooth 5.2 (Dual band) 2*2;(*BT version may change with OS upgrades.) |
| Battery | 90WHrs, 4S1P, 4-cell Li-ion |
| Weight & Dimension | 2.60 Kg (5.73 lbs) 39.4 x 26.4 x 1.99 ~ 1.99 cm (15.51″ x 10.39″ x 0.78″ ~ 0.78″) |
| Price | RM13,999 – RM16,999 |
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, ROG Zephyrus S17 and ROG Zephyrus M16 each have their own merits. The Zephyrus S17 is a power gaming-centric device while the M16 is more of a hybrid between a gaming and productivity device.
Overall, the M16 does stand out a little more to us thanks to its unique 16:10 display with up to 94% screen-to-body ratio. In addition, it is also more portable compared to the S17.
At the time of writing, ASUS has yet to announce its official retail pricing. ASUS Malaysia has also yet to announce an official launch and its available retail configurations.
We’ll be sure to update once we have more info!
