The MSI Cyborg 15 is a budget gaming laptop with a basic spec, but one that should still suffice for enjoyable 1080p gaming.
I was pleasantly surprised by the elegance of its design, at least when compared to others in this sector. It’s not too thick or too bulky across any of its dimensions, although its weight hampers portability somewhat.
While not the most premium, the materials are of sufficient quality. Personally, I found the translucent accents did enough to add some aesthetic interest, too. However, it isn’t as well-made as the best gaming laptop models, with the display enclosure being a particular concern on this front, given the amount of flex it has.
All the salient ports for gamers are present and correct on the Cyborg 15. There are two USB-A ports and one USB-C port, as well as Ethernet, HDMI, and headset jacks. The placement of these ports might prove impractical for some gamers, though, depending on their setup; all but two are placed on the right-hand side, while there is none on the back.
(Image credit: Future)
As you might expect from the RTX 3050, my Cyborg 15 review unit couldn’t handle the AAA titles with high settings applied very well. Cyberpunk 2077 rendered at 30-40fps on average with the game’s Ray Tracing: Low preset selected, no matter what I did with the upscaling. Turning off Ray Tracing altogether didn’t result in any noticeable gains either.
Thankfully, the Cyborg 15 isn’t distractingly loud under load. It also remains admirably cool, with only the rear exceeding lukewarm temperatures – and even then, it’s still not too hot to touch.
The display is also very good, being sharp and vibrant enough for enjoying all kinds of content. It also staves off reflections quite well.
Better still is the keyboard on the Cyborg 15. It’s full-size, so it includes a number pad, yet the keys don’t feel cramped, which makes for easy typing. They also feel great to press, striking the ideal balance between clicky and dampening, while also offering a pleasing amount of travel.
However, the battery life of the Cyborg 15 is less impressive. It didn’t manage to break six hours when playing back a movie on a continuous loop, nor did it break an hour in PCMark’s gaming scenario battery test. Both of these results are at the lower end of the gaming laptop spectrum.
The competition is becoming evermore fierce at the budget end of this market, but the Cyborg 15 certainly sets out its stall with its eye-catchingly low price. You’ll have to settle for mediocre performance, but the Cyborg 15 is a solid pick for those looking to spend relatively little on a gaming laptop and still have a good time.
MSI Cyborg 15 review: Price & Availability
(Image credit: Future)
Starting at $999 / £649 / AU$1799
Available now in the US, UK and Australia
The Cyborg 15 is available now in the US, UK, and Australia, starting at $999 / £649 / AU$1799. My review model, the Cyborg 15 A13U, comes equipped with an Intel i5-13420H, an RTX 3050, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. All these components can be upgraded with costlier configurations.
This is a decent budget price for a gaming laptop. However, if you’re willing to spend about £150 more you could get the base model of the Acer Nitro V 15, which features an RTX 4050 – a significant upgrade over the RTX 3050.
Another great budget pick is the MSI Katana 15, which again packs a 4050 into its base model. It’s similarly priced to the Nitro, but features an i7 CPU rather than the i5 in the base models of both the Nitro and the Cyborg 15. It’s a great performer, which is why we think it’s currently one of the best budget gaming laptop options around.
Value: 4.5 / 5
MSI Cyborg 15 review: Specs
MSI Cyborg 15 review configuration specs
Price
£649 / AU$1799 (about $870)
CPU
Intel Core i5-13420H (2.1GHz, 8 Cores)
GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, 6GB
RAM
8GB DDR5
Storage
512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
Display
15.6" FHD (1920x1080), 144Hz, IPS-Level
Ports and Connectivity
2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x RJ-45, 1x 3.5mm combo audio; Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2
Battery
53.5Wh
Dimensions
14 x 9.8 x 0.9in (359 x 250 x 23mm)
Weight
4.37lbs / 1.98kg
MSI Cyborg 15 review: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Surprisingly slender
Quite heavy
Flimsy display enclosure
The Cyborg 15 might not push the boat out in terms of looks, but it’s surprisingly sleek for a gaming laptop, avoiding unsightly bulges and maintaining a relatively thin profile. This helps to make it more portable, although its substantial weight means you wouldn’t want to carry it around for long.
The chassis material feels smooth to the touch and has a subtle speckled finish. I also liked the transparent edges around the lid chassis, which adds interest and helps to lighten up the dourness tones of the body. However, MSI definitely missed a trick by failing to install LEDs behind these parts, as they would’ve been the perfect place for RGB effects to shine through.
On the whole, the Cyborg 15 feels well put together, with a relatively sturdy construction. The lid hinge is also pleasingly solid, offering a stable hold while being easy to operate. However, the lid itself has a considerable amount of flex, which is somewhat concerning.
The body materials aren’t the most premium, either, but they suffice. Thankfully, the keys feel more upmarket, thanks to their smooth, subtly textured finish. Their backlighting is also bright enough to make them clearly visible in dark environments.
(Image credit: Future)
There are a variety of useful shortcuts, including some unique options bound to the arrow keys. For instance, you can instantly adjust the fan speed with Fn+Up, and turn off the main display with Fn+Right. Meanwhile, Fn+Down brings up a static red crosshair in the middle of the screen, which is something I haven’t seen before and can only assume is there for some sort of calibration purpose.
Underneath you’ll find four feet in each corner, which are smaller and offer less ground clearance than those installed on many other gaming laptops. However, their small profile does at least help to maintain the overall sleekness of the Cyborg 15.
The port selection of the Cyborg 15 is reasonable, catering to most gamers’ needs. There are two USB-A ports and one USB-C, ideal for connecting peripherals. HDMI, RJ-45, and headset ports round out the rest.
Some may take issue with the distribution of these interfaces. Most are loaded on the right-hand side, save for one USB-A port and the headset jack, which are on the left. Meanwhile, no ports are to be found on the rear, not even the power connector. Of course, the practicality of this arrangement will depend on your setup, but personally I would’ve preferred a more even spread.
To tweak various settings, the Cyborg 15 comes preinstalled with the MSI Center app. From here you can install further modules, including one for adjusting fan speed and performance presets. The software proved reasonably stable during my time with it, and while the interface is a little buggy, it responds swiftly and is easy to navigate.
Design: 4/ 5
MSI Cyborg 15 review: Performance
(Image credit: Future)
Lackluster AAA performance
Good display
Excellent keyboard
MSI Cyborg 15 benchmarks
Geekbench 6 (Single Core): 2,394; (Multi Core): 10,165 Cinebench R23 (Single Core): 1,692; (Multi Core): 10,471 Cinebench R24 (Single Core): 100 (Multi Core): 601 Crossmark Overall: 1,576 3DMark Fire Strike: 10,675; Steel Nomad: 924; Solar Bay: 21,226; Speed Way: 1,071; Port Royal: 2,685 BlackMagicDisk Read: 4,475MB/s; Write: 3,124MB/s Civilization VII (1080p, Medium): 203fps; (Max Resolution, High): 77fps; (Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, High): 86fps Shadow of the Tomb Raider (1080p, Medium): 74fps; (Max Resolution, Highest): 63fps; (Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, Highest): 82fps Total War: Warhammer III: Mirrors of Madness (1080p, Medium): 57fps; (Max Resolution, Ultra): 26fps Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Medium): 48fps; (Max Resolution, Ultra): 34fps; (Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, Ultra): 51fps F1 2024 (1080p, Medium): 113fps; (Max Resolution, Max Quality, No RT): 40fps; (Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, Max Quality with RT): 29fps
The performance of the Cyborg 15 isn’t anything spectacular. Given my review unit was equipped with an RTX 3050, this wasn’t exactly surprising, but it really is starting to feel its age at this point.
It didn’t handle Cyberpunk 2077 particularly well with the Ray Tracing: Low preset applied, with fps figures oscillating between the late 30s and early 40s. This was with DLSS upscaling enabled, and its various modes, from Auto to Balanced to Performance, seemed to make little difference.
My sessions were also blighted by frequent slowdowns when encountering busy scenes. Even dropping down to the Ultra preset, which disables Ray Tracing, failed to yield significantly better results.
As with virtually any gaming laptop, fan noise is certainly noticeable on the Cyborg 15. However, it's not loud enough to be distracting, and the best PC gaming headsets should provide sufficient isolation.
What’s more, the fans seemed to be doing a fine job, as temperatures never rose to uncomfortable levels during my time with the Cyborg 15. The keyboard became nothing more than lukewarm, while the rear, despite bearing the brunt of the highest temperatures, still remained touchable.
(Image credit: Future)
Another impressive aspect of the Cyborg 15 is its display. The 1080p resolution doesn’t feel stretched across its 15-inch real estate, rendering games and various interfaces sharply. Colors are vibrant, too, and reflections are kept at bay to a large extent.
The full-sized keyboard also feels great to use, thanks to the generous spacing of the keys, meaning it doesn’t feel cramped. This is all the more impressive given the fact that a number pad is included.
The keys are fit for gaming and typing equally, thanks to their tactile feel. They have more travel than you might expect from a gaming laptop keyboard, which yet remain light and easy to press. What’s more, they strike the perfect balance between being clicky and dampened, which makes them all the more satisfying to use. They even come close to rivaling the best gaming keyboard switches in this regard.
I also appreciated the wide Control key, as I usually struggle to hit this comfortably when gaming on other keyboards. It provided plenty of margin for error when trying to navigate towards it blindly with my little finger, which in turn made it much easier to hit consistently than I’m accustomed to, based on my experience with other keyboards.
The touchpad on the Cyborg 15 can get in the way when typing, though. It’s easy to accidentally click – let alone swipe – it with the palm of your thumb, thanks to how readily it actuates. Thankfully, it’s easily disabled with an Fn shortcut.
Performance: 3.5 / 5
MSI Cyborg 15 review: Battery Life
(Image credit: Future)
Poor battery life
Reasonably quick to charge
The battery life of the Cyborg 15 is subpar. It lasted about five and a half hours during our movie playback test, which is easily beaten by many of its rivals. The Nitro V 15 Intel that I tested lasted about an hour longer.
It didn’t fare much better in the PCMark Gaming battery test, either. It didn’t manage an hour before giving up the ghost, again placing it towards the back of the pack. At least the Cyborg 15 is quick to recharge, taking just over two hours to get from empty to full.
Battery Life: 3 / 5
Should I buy the MSI Cyborg 15?
MSI Cyborg 15 Scorecard
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Value
Not many offer such quality for so little, but you will have to sacrifice spec for the best deals.
4.5 / 5
Design
The Cyborg 15 is pleasingly sleek and well-made, although the flimsy display is somewhat concerning.
4 / 5
Performance
The Cyborg 15 struggles to keep pace with modern AAA titles at the highest settings, so you'll need to dial those back a bit. The keyboard and display are great, though.
3.5 / 5
Battery Life
Towards the lower end of the sector in this regard. At least it’s quick to charge.
3 / 5
Total
The low price of the MSI Cyborg 15 certainly makes it tantalizing, especially when you consider the quality of the display and keyboard. But those after peak AAA performance will be disappointed.
3.75 / 5
Buy the MSI Cyborg 15 if...
You want a great keyboard Whether you’re gaming or typing, the keyboard on the Cyborg 15 is always a joy to use.
You want to save money The Cyborg 15 is very well priced for a gaming laptop, and its design and quality belie its budget cost.
Don't buy it if...
You want top-tier performance My review unit, with its Intel i5 and RTX 3050, couldn’t handle demanding titles at the highest settings.
You want the best battery life Most gaming laptops are wanting in this area, but the Cyborg 15 is among the worst on this front.
MSI Cyborg 15 review: Also Consider
Acer Nitro V 15 Intel The NitroV 15 is another great budget machine that punches above its weight. The review unit I had featured a 5060, therefore it's significantly more powerful – and expensive – than the Cyborg 15. However, it still comes in under a thousand pounds, which represents good value in the gaming laptop world.
I tested the MSI Cyborg 15 for several days, during which time I used it for gaming, typing, and general browsing.
I played AAA titles such as Cyberpunk 2077, and ran our extensive series of benchmark tests, which covered all aspects of performance, from gaming and creative to AI and battery life.
I've reviewed plenty of gaming laptops in the past, ranging greatly in their spec, form factors, and pricing. I've also been PC gaming for over a decade, and have build my own machines in that time, so I'm well-positioned to know a great gaming laptop when I use one.
I'll start this review off by simply saying this: the Asus ROG NUC absolutely belongs on our list of the best mini PCs, and perhaps indeed the best computers overall - expect to see it make an appearance on those pages in the near future.
Asus has been hard at work on the NUC series, which was originally conceived by Intel as a new breed of compact desktop PCs before being sold off to Asus in 2023; amidst Intel's multitude of troubles at the time, it was deemed a necessary move to streamline the company and focus on chipmaking rather than PC production. The NUCs were historically pretty good devices, but it's clear that Asus has taken them to an entirely new level.
The new-for-2025 ROG NUC is a wonder; an ultra-compact desktop system packed with some of the most powerful cutting-edge gaming components, including a 2nd-gen Intel Core Ultra processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5000 GPU (the one in my review unit is an RTX 5080), plus 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD.
(Image credit: Future)
The whole system is essentially constructed around that graphics card, which is technically a laptop GPU - one can only assume that a full-scale desktop 5080 would be too chunky, even though Nvidia worked hard to scale down the comically gigantic cards of the RTX 3000 and 4000 eras. As you might expect, performance is excellent; expect high framerates and smooth gameplay at 1440p and even 4K, though the sorry state of modern PC game optimization means you'll probably need to turn on DLSS in some titles at 4K.
Those powerful components mean the ROG NUC is also a competent workstation system, which could prove to be a boon for professional creatives who need a powerful PC but have limited desk real estate to work with (and don't want to jump ship to macOS with the admittedly excellent M4 Mac mini).
(Image credit: Future)
Of course, a spec sheet like that does mean that the Asus ROG NUC is far from cheap. I'll get into the details in the pricing section below, but my review unit will set you back $3,199 / £2,599 (around AU$4,925) - no small sum for anybody, and a lot more than Apple's signature mini computer will cost you. Of course, any pre-built RTX 5080 desktop from a reputable manufacturer is going to cost you at least somewhere in the range of $2,800 / £2,000 / AU$5,000, so it's not an entirely ludicrous proposition even if it does place the ROG NUC beyond the budgets of many PC gamers.
Despite this, I loved using the new Asus ROG NUC, and having tested NUC devices in the past, I can comfortably say that it's one of the best iterations on the formula yet. If you've got the money to spend and want something that delivers a lot of power in a small package, this device is the way to go.
Asus ROG NUC (2025) review: Price & Availability
Starts from $2,599 / £2,129 (about AU$4,000)
Available now in the US and UK
Both RTX 5070 Ti and 5080 models available
Starting at $2,599 / £2,129 (about AU$4,000) for the base configuration, which sports an RTX 5070 Ti rather than the 5080 in my review unit, along with less storage and RAM as you can see in the spec table below, the new ROG NUC isn't exactly what I'd call affordable. Meanwhile, the 5080 model featured in this review - which is externally identical - will run you a hefty $3,199 / £2,599 (around $4,925).
Still, it's not absurdly priced for what it offers; considering the sheer lack of powerful compact PCs on the market, the best option for many potential users will be to build your own ITX system, and having spent plenty of time mucking about with compact PC cases in my years as a computer hardware journalist, I can say with certainty that it'll be a lot harder than simply buying a ROG NUC. Oh, and it most likely won't be as small, and will potentially end up being more expensive too!
(Image credit: Future)
So while the NUC is undeniably a pretty expensive piece of kit, I can't mark it down too much for that; if a powerful but ultra-compact PC for serious gaming or content creation work is what you want, this might be the single best option out there right now. Of course, a PS5 Pro will cost you a lot less... but it also doesn't fill the role of a fully capable desktop PC.
The Asus ROG NUC (2025) is already available to purchase direct from Asus and partner retailers in the US and UK, but it seems our Aussie friends will have to wait a little longer - though Asus did confirm that the new model will indeed be coming to Australia. Regional pricing for Australia is currently unconfirmed (the figures listed above are only conversions).
Making a compact PC chassis can take designers in a lot of different directions. Do you aim for a low, flat design like Apple's Mac mini, or build upwards with a small footprint like the fantastic Corsair One i500?
As you can no doubt tell from the pictures, Asus has gone for the latter approach, with a thin tower design that produces a footprint of less than eight-by-six inches (full dimensions in the spec sheet above). It can technically also be laid on its side with the stand removed - ideal for putting it in a TV stand as a console-style living room PC - but after disassembling it, I can say that I wouldn't particularly recommend that unless you're willing to prop it up on something to ensure that the exhaust fans have enough breathing room to vent properly.
Speaking of disassembly: I don't always dig around in the guts of pre-built systems, but this was one case where I felt obliged to. See, the NUC series (standing for 'Next Unit of Computing') was originally founded by Intel in 2013 with the goal of creating a small-form-factor barebones PC with customization and upgrade potential.
Asus has clearly moved away from this ethos somewhat, as the ROG NUC is not only a fully-fledged system, but also has relatively little upgradability.
(Image credit: Future)
Upgrade options here are effectively limited to the RAM and SSD, and you'll need to discard the old RAM if you want more, since there are only two DIMM slots and they're both already occupied. There is, however, a spare M.2 slot for fitting a second SSD, should you want to expand your storage.
Really, this level of upgradability might be a slight step down from the more classic barebones NUCs Intel used to make, but it's pretty par for the course as far as modern mini PCs go.
The case is also easy enough to open up for any upgrade work, which is nice to see; I've dealt with mini PC cases that seemed determined not to let me get at the goodies inside.
Thermal management is handled by multiple fans, with vents on both flat sides and the top. It's quite effective at keeping the whole unit cool (even at the peak of my benchmarking process, the ROG NUC didn't get particularly warm to the touch), although I would note that the fans can get rather loud when running resource-intensive games; if you're planning to play in 4K, I'd recommend a headset or one of the best computer speakers.
Overall, I like the design; it's a bit less visually busy than last year's model, while still managing to fit in a good range of physical ports for connecting your devices. In addition to two HDMI and DisplayPort video outputs for connecting multiple monitors, you also get two Thunderbolt USB-C ports, six USB-A ports, an RJ-45 Ethernet slot, and the good ol' 3.5mm headphone jack. As mini PCs go, this NUC has it all.
Design: 5/ 5
Asus ROG NUC (2025) review: Performance
(Image credit: Future)
Runs AAA games at high settings
Strong performance in creative and AI workloads
Fans do get rather noisy
Asus ROG NUC (2025) Benchmarks
Here's how the Asus ROG NUC (2025) performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
As you'd hope from a system with an Nvidia RTX 5080 - even the trimmed-down laptop version inside the ROG NUC - the gaming performance on offer here is undeniably strong.
Our standard benchmarking process uses games tested at 1080p (primarily without any upscaling tools, like Nvidia's DLSS) to provide a realistic comparison point between systems. Needless to say, the ROG NUC absolutely blasted through these, offering stellar performance with triple-digit framerates in literally every test I ran.
Bump things up to 1440p and you'll get similarly great performance, especially if you do turn on DLSS (no need for frame-generation here, honestly). At 4K, I found most games could still clear that prized 60fps mark, with only Cyberpunk 2077 and Metro Exodus requiring DLSS to maintain a stable framerate when turning on maximum ray-traced graphics. It's worth bearing in mind that upscaling has more of an impact at higher resolutions; at 1080p, DLSS in Balanced mode only gained me an extra nine frames per second in Cyberpunk at the Ultra graphical preset, while at 4K that differential increased to a whopping 38.
I'd also like to address some of the concerns many gamers clearly have about DLSS (yes, I spend too much time on Reddit, I see those posts too). It literally works great. That's all I have to say; the tech is four generations in at this point, and it's been refined enough that I noticed no discernible difference in gameplay at 4K.
Frame-generation is a different story, of course - 4x Multi Frame Generation from Nvidia is frankly still wonky even if it does boost your FPS - but at this stage, we should all be using upscaling for playing games at any resolution above 1080p.
(Image credit: Future)
Outside of raw gaming performance, the ROG NUC performed admirably in synthetic tests across graphical, AI, and creative workloads.
The 3DMark graphic benchmark suite brought back results that were broadly what I anticipated: strong, but not quite on par with the 'true' desktop RTX 5080, so don't buy this if you're expecting a fully-fledged 5080 desktop experience squeezed into a compact chassis. At a fundamental level, this is more like a 5080 laptop in a desktop form factor.
Still, the results were good; the Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU also delivered solid numbers, with great performance in the Geekbench and Crossmark benchmarks, placing it comfortably on par with laptops equipped with the same processor. AI performance was also good, since the presence of a discrete GPU easily outweighs anything the Intel chip's built-in NPU brings to the table.
Lastly, the SSD that comes with the ROG NUC is fast. With read and write speeds in excess of 4GB/s, the only thing that'll constrain you in terms of file transfers is your internet connection. Games load up fast, and Windows 11 boots up faster.
Performance: 4.5 / 5
Should I buy the Asus ROG NUC?
Asus ROG NUC (2025)Scorecard
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Value
Although it's far from cheap, the pricing doesn't place it ludicrously higher than similarly-specced systems, and the compact chassis is quite unique.
4 / 5
Design
A fantastically compact design that somehow manages to cram in a ton of physical ports, the ROG NUC is one of the best-crafted mini PCs I've ever seen.
5 / 5
Performance
Great gaming performance at any resolution, along with strong performance in creative and AI workloads - just bear in mind that this isn't a full-fat desktop GPU.
4.5 / 5
Total
The ROG NUC is, simply put, one of the best compact gaming PCs I've ever seen. I do wish it wasn't quite so expensive, but Asus has really made something special here.
4.5 / 5
Buy the Asus ROG NUC (2025) if...
You want something powerful but compact On a fundamental level, there are very few systems out there that can match the gaming capabilities of the ROG NUC while still offering such a tiny form factor.
You want to connect lots of peripherals If you're a power-user (or just a bit gadget-crazed), the ROG NUC has enough ports to support a whole bunch of monitors, mice, keyboards, webcams, speakers, stream decks... you get the idea.
Don't buy it if...
You're on a tight budget Yeah, this thing is pretty dang expensive. If you just want an RTX 5080 system and don't care about size, you'll be able to spend less for the same (or even better) performance.
You want a silent system Although the ROG NUC's cooling is surprisingly effective at keeping the system at a suitable temperature, those fans can get pretty noisy when running demanding software like games.
Asus ROG NUC (2025) review: Also Consider
NZXT Player PC One of the best desktop PCs we've reviewed this year, the 'Player PC' from NZXT might have an awful name, but it delivers strong gaming performance in a well-constructed case - plus, as a 5070 system, it'll cost you a bit less than the NUC too.
Mac mini (M4, 2024) If you’re looking for more of a creative workstation than specifically a gaming PC, but were drawn to the ROG NUC's powerful specs and compact design, then the M4 Mac mini is the device for you. We called it 'the best Mac ever' in our review, and it lives up to that epithet with stellar productivity and creativity performance in a truly tiny chassis.
Replaced my usual desktop for gaming in the evenings
I tested the Asus ROG NUC for a week, including the weekend, during which time it took the place of my usual home office desktop system - a far chunkier PC. I used it daily for work and assorted other online activities; I'm currently rewatching The X Files, and I also used it to host a virtual TTRPG session.
I also spent plenty of time in my off hours using the ROG NUC for gaming, which is a regular hobby of mine. I mostly tested triple-A titles (in addition to our regular suite of game benchmarks), including Avowed and Remnant II, plus a cheeky bit of Stardew Valley, which was unsurprisingly not very taxing on the system.
I've been reviewing PC hardware for more than seven years and have been a PC gamer for more than twice that time, with so many laptop and desktop reviews under my belt at various publications that I sincerely can't even count them. This was my first time reviewing a NUC unit since Intel sold the brand off to Asus, and needless to say, I'm very pleased with the work Asus has done.
When the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X (and its less powerful, slightly more affordable ROG Xbox Ally) handhelds were announced earlier this year, it came as a bit of a surprise.
For years, there had been rumors that Microsoft was working on an Xbox-focused handheld games console. The success of Nintendo’s handheld/home console hybrid Switch (and its follow-up, the Switch 2), plus the emergence of PC gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck, made those rumors seem even more likely.
However, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X was a surprise because, despite the name, this is not a handheld Xbox console. It’s, in fact, yet another PC gaming handheld with Xbox branding and a few choice upgrades. This is not a bespoke bit of hardware built from the ground up with a dedicated gaming operating system that finally brings the ease-of-use of games consoles to PC gaming handhelds. Instead, its hardware is very similar to the existing Asus ROG Ally X, a powerful gaming handheld I reviewed last year, but it still uses that awkward combination of Windows 11 (an operating system designed for traditional PCs and laptops) with a console-like interface placed over it to make launching games using the handheld's controls easier.
In fact, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X actually makes it a bit more awkward as it adds two interface overlays on top of Windows 11 – Asus’ Armoury Crate software, like its Ally and Ally X predecessors, which can be used to launch games, as well as the new Xbox Full Screen Experience, which adds a console-like interface to Windows 11. All of these extra layers, while essential for making Windows 11 usable on a handheld device, mean that the slick experience of using a console is again missing from the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X, especially when you start needing to update different bits of software at different times.
It almost seems like the Xbox brand could hinder the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X more than help it. Not just because of the negativity around the brand at the moment, but because, like other PC gaming handhelds, your enjoyment of this device will depend a lot on your expectations, and I worry that the Xbox connection could lead to people going in with the wrong expectations.
So, this isn’t a handheld console with games and software designed to maximise performance on a set hardware configuration, and sold at a loss to keep prices down and increase adoption.
Instead, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X is very much a premium PC gaming handheld, with all the pros and cons that brings.
For existing fans of PC gaming handhelds, like myself, that means a huge amount of flexibility, especially if you’re comfortable with leaving the console-like interface and digging into Windows 11 for some good old-fashioned tweaking. So, you can install other game launchers, games from various sources, and as the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X is running the full version of Windows 11, you can even install desktop applications such as Microsoft Office.
Hook it up to a USB-C dock, including Asus’ own ROG Bulwark Dock, and you’ll be able to attach any peripheral (including monitors and TVs) that works with Windows PCs, rather than having to rely on officially licensed (and therefore expensive) accessories. You can even uninstall Windows 11 and install a rival operating system, such as the Linux-based SteamOS. These are all things you’d never be able to do with the Switch 2, or (I’m fairly sure) any future official Xbox handheld console.
On the cons side of things, being a PC gaming handheld means dealing with an operating system that still isn’t fully designed to be used with a handheld device, and this can mean menus and dialogue boxes opening with text that’s too small to read on the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X’s 7-inch screen, and some parts of the interface that are tricky to navigate via touch or controller. Usual PC annoyances, like various update requests and the occasional crash, are also present, and while PC gamers will no doubt roll their eyes and boot the game back up, console-only gamers probably won’t be as forgiving.
(Image credit: Future)
For example, while playing Cyberpunk 2077 on the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X (which initially involved me going through the Xbox app to launch Steam in Big Picture Mode – another interface – to then launch the game), Windows 11’s command prompt window opened up and loads of text appeared on the screen, before disappearing. As someone used to PC gaming, I wasn’t too annoyed. Obviously, some app was updating in the background, but it did mean that I could no longer control the game until I had made Windows 11 focus back on the game’s window. During that time, I was killed by enemies (in-game, I should add).
For a PC gamer, this is a frustration, but nothing too out of the ordinary. For a console gamer used to how things work with Nintendo or Sony consoles, this could be a truly baffling ordeal that makes them not want to pick up the device again.
It also means that to get the best gaming performance from the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X, you’re going to have to do some tweaking to a game’s graphical settings. For seasoned PC gamers, this isn’t a problem – and for some, it’s even part of the fun. For people used to consoles, where games are made to a limited number of hardware specifications, developers can set these options so the game launches with the best combination of graphical settings and performance. If you buy the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X knowing that this is a handheld gaming PC, you might not be disappointed, but as I mentioned earlier, the use of the Xbox brand might mean people aren’t getting what they expected.
Graphically demanding open-world games like Cyberpunk 2077 proved to be too much for the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X, unless you seriously drop some of the graphical settings. However, games like Forza Horizon 5 run brilliantly without too many compromises made to graphics settings, and less graphically demanding (yet still great-looking) games such as Hades II and Hollow Knight really shine.
However, perhaps the biggest stumbling block for people expecting a handheld console, rather than a handheld gaming PC, is that the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X comes with an incredibly high price tag - $999.99 / £799.99 / AU$1,599. Even the more affordable ROG Xbox Ally still comes with a $599.99 / £499.99 / AU$999 price tag.
In comparison, the Nintendo Switch 2 starts at $449.99 / £395.99 / AU$699.95, while the Xbox Series X (a much more powerful device) launched at $499 / £449 / AU$749.
In the context of handheld gaming PCs (and PC gaming in general), however, the price isn’t quite as much of a shock (though that doesn’t make it any better value). The ROG Ally X launched at $799.99 / £799 / AU$1,599, while the MSI Claw 8 AI+ costs $999, and neither of these aren’t quite as powerful as the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X. You’d also be hard-pressed to find a gaming laptop or gaming PC for under $1,000 these days.
While it's probably the best premium handheld device on the market, because of the high price and the feeling that the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X still fails to offer a truly console-like experience, this is a niche product in an increasingly competitive space, and the Xbox tie-in won’t be quite enough to make it stand out.
Asus ROG Xbox Ally X: Price & availability
How much does it cost? Starts at $999.99 / £799.99 / AU$1,599
When is it available? Goes on sale October 15, 2025
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X goes on sale on October 15, 2025, for $999.99 / £799.99 / AU$1,599. This is an incredibly high price tag for a console, though it’s becoming increasingly common for handheld gaming PCs.
The Nintendo Switch 2, for example, starts at around half the price at $449.99 / £395.99 / AU$699.95. Even premium consoles like the PS5 Pro come in a lot cheaper at $699.99 / £699.99 / AU$1,199.
While the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X is more powerful than the Switch 2, offers portability that the PS5 Pro lacks, and features the versatility of a gaming PC (you’re not tied to a single storefront, can install full Windows 11 applications and even new operating systems) that consoles lack, it means for people expect console-like prices for a gaming device branded with the Xbox logo, the actual price will come as a shock.
To soften the blow somewhat, there’s also the lower-powered ROG Xbox Ally, which costs $599.99 / £499.99 / AU$999 and puts it closer to the Nintendo Switch.
In the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X’s favor, PC games are usually cheaper than console editions, and because you’re not tied to a single store, you can shop around for the best deals. Valve’s Steam, for example, often has huge sales, while the Epic Games Store gives away free games every week. Over the years, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X could end up costing you less than a Nintendo Switch.
(Image credit: Future)
Due to the Xbox branding, it’s no surprise that the Xbox app that acts as the main interface pushes Microsoft’s Xbox store, and makes a big deal of Game Pass, Microsoft’s game subscription service, which was once dubbed ‘the best deal in gaming.’
‘Once’ is the operative word here, as Microsoft’s recent price hikes of Game Pass couldn’t really have come at a worse time, as it no longer feels like the huge deal it once was. Game Pass for PC now costs $16.49 / £13.49 / AU$19.45 per month, and while there are cheaper Game Pass tiers that include PC games, it feels like this is a service that will continue to offer less value.
Meanwhile, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X seems a bit more competitively priced compared to PC gaming handhelds – though it’s still one of the most expensive you can buy. The ROG Ally X launched at $799.99 / £799 / AU$1,599, while the much lower-powered Steam Deck OLED costs $549 / £479 / AU$899.
As with other gaming PC handhelds, if you’ve already got a substantial library on Steam or Epic Games Store, for example, you’ll be able to install and play them on the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X without having to buy them again, which, again, could help lower the overall cost of the ROG Xbox Ally X over its lifespan. Xbox owners should also be able to play their games without having to rebuy them, and if you’re already subscribed to Game Pass, you can now use that subscription for both consoles and PC (even the cheapest ‘Essential’ tier).
Value: 2 / 5
Asus ROG Xbox Ally X Specs
There are two versions available: the high-end ROG Xbox Ally X and the more affordable ROG Xbox Ally.
Asus ROG Ally X specs
Component
Asus ROG Xbox Ally X
Asus ROG Xbox Ally
Display
7-inch FHD (1080p) IPS, 500 nits, 16:9
120Hz refresh rate
AMD FreeSync Premium (Variable Refresh Rate)
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus + DXC Anti-Reflection
7-inch FHD (1080p) IPS, 500 nits, 16:9
120Hz refresh rate
AMD FreeSync Premium (Variable Refresh Rate)
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus + DXC Anti-Reflection
CPU
Octa-core AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme Processor
Quad-core AMD Ryzen Z2 A Processor
Graphics
AMD Radeon Graphics
AMD Radeon Graphics
RAM
24GB LPDDR5X-8000
16GB LPDDR5-6400
Storage
1TB M.2 SSD
512GB M.2 SSD
Port selection
1x USB4 Type-C with DisplayPort 2.1 / Power Delivery 3.0, Thunderbolt 4 compatible, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C with DisplayPort 2.1 / Power Delivery 3.0, 1x UHS-II microSD card reader (supports SD, SDXC and SDHC; UHS-I with DDR200 mode), 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C with DisplayPort 1.4 / Power Delivery 3.0, 1x UHS-II microSD card reader (supports SD, SDXC and SDHC), 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
Weight
715g
670g
Dimensions
290.8 x 121.5 x 50.7mm (WxDxH)
290.8 x 121.5 x 50.7mm
Battery
80Wh
60Wh
Asus ROG Xbox Ally X: Design
Similar design to Asus ROG Ally X
Grips make a big difference to comfort
microSD slot makes adding more capacity easy
Despite the branding, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X is first and foremost clearly an ROG Ally device, and that means it share a lot of the design with the ROG Ally X. This includes the non-symmetrical analogue thumb sticks on either side of the screen (with LED rings around each one), left-hand D-pad, face buttons (X, Y, B and A, all in the same location, though not colored, unlike the ROG Ally X), front-facing speaker grilles, top USB-C ports, microSD port, volume controls and a power button that includes a fingerprint reader.
Triggers and bumpers are all in the same place, as are the Command Center, View, Library, and Menu buttons, so if you’re used to playing on a ROG Ally, you’ll find the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X very familiar. Asus’ ROG branding is still present on the body and on the bezel beneath the screen.
One of the biggest changes to the design is the addition of the Xbox button to the left of the Command Center and View buttons. While the Command Center button opens up Asus’ Armoury Crate interface to launch games, the Xbox button opens up Windows 11’s Xbox Game Bar, which lets you change settings and launch games from there. A long press of the button brings up the Task View, which lets you swap between open apps and games using the controls, which is handy.
(Image credit: Future)
Other than that, the Xbox button does a very similar job to the Command Center button – it just opens a different overlay.
The biggest difference in design, however, is with the two grips on either side of the ROG Xbox Ally X (and the non-X version), rather than the curved 90 degree angled corners of the Ally X. These make the ROG Xbox Ally X look and feel more like a game controller, and while I’m pretty used to the more boxy design of the standard ROG Ally X (which is similar to most PC gaming handhelds, including the Steam Deck), the grips make a big difference to how comfortable the ROG Xbox Ally X is.
Playing Sonic Generations (thanks to its mashup of classic 2D platforming and modern 3D, it’s a great game for playing on these powerful handhelds, especially for those of us who always dreamed of a follow-up to the Sega Game Gear handheld) felt comfortable and intuitive on the ROG Xbox Ally X, with the responsive-feeling buttons in easy-to-reach locations. I also found that the grips helped with overall comfort when playing, as it meant the corners of the device weren’t resting in my palms, as with the Ally X. The grips also meant it didn’t feel like my palms were taking the brunt of the weight of the ROG Xbox Ally X – instead the weight felt much better distributed, reducing fatigue during long play sessions.
(Image credit: Future)
When it comes to the 7-inch screen, it’s not the best you’re going to find on a handheld, but games look good.
The 1080p resolution hits the sweet spot between graphical fidelity without stressing out the hardware. Its 120Hz refresh rate and support for AMD FreeSync Premium Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) mean fast-paced games look and feel snappy and responsive, and during my time, I saw no sign of screen tearing in the games I played.
However, the IPS panel pales in comparison to the OLED panels found in the likes of the Steam Deck OLED. This means colors aren’t as vibrant, and contrast levels aren’t as striking. Viewing angles are also diminished, with the colors getting a bit more washed out when you’re not looking at the screen directly from the front. Of course, as this is a handheld device, that’s not much of an issue, as you’ll be holding and viewing the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X directly in front of yourself, but anyone hoping for a premium display to go alongside the other high-end components in the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X, as well as its very high price, may be disappointed.
Design: 4 / 5
Asus ROG Xbox Ally X: Performance
Better performance than ROG Ally X
Best suited to less graphically-intensive games
Xbox Fullscreen Experience doesn’t fix my main issues with Windows 11 on gaming handhelds
3DMark Port Royal: 2,006; Fire Strike: 9,141; Time Spy: 4,033 GeekBench 6.5: 2,788 (single-core); 12,883 (multi-core) F1 231080p (Ultra) 14fps Cyberpunk 2077: 1080p (Ultra) 8.49fps Web Surfing (Battery Informant): 7:53:15 hours PCMark 10 Battery Life (Gaming): 2:56 hours
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X is noteworthy for being one of the first handhelds (along with the MSI Claw A8), which features AMD’s latest Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip, which has been built from the ground up for handheld PCs (the Xbox Ally comes with the lower-powered AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor).
The Z2 Extreme aims to offer a tempting mix of high performance and high efficiency, so modern games should run well without the battery depleting too fast. The 24GB of LPDDR5X RAM is certainly very generous (it’s more than a lot of gaming laptops come with), which keeps Windows 11 and all the various different launchers and interfaces feeling reasonably spritely. It even means multiple games can be open at once, making it quick to switch between them, though this has big repercussions for the performance and battery life of the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X.
(Image credit: Future)
The Z2 Extreme isn’t just a processor; it also has an integrated graphics processor. As far as integrated GPUs go, the Z2 Extreme is impressive, powered by AMD’s RDNA 3.5 technology, which again has been designed for gaming handhelds.
While this has exciting implications for the gaming performance of the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X (and other handhelds powered by the Z2 Extreme chip), it’s also important to keep expectations in check. If you’re a PC gamer, you’ll know that an integrated GPU will not provide as much performance as a discrete (dedicated) graphics card, and while it’s obvious that Asus was never going to be able to fit a desktop-class GPU into a portable handheld, laptop GPUs have come a huge way in recent years, allowing the best gaming laptops to rival gaming PCs when it comes to game performance.
(Image credit: Future / Microsoft)
The reason I bring this up is again to set expectations correctly. With its integrated graphics, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X simply can’t offer the same kind of gaming performance that a gaming laptop around the same price (don’t forget, this thing retails for around $1,000) can achieve when playing demanding triple-A games.
For example, I loaded up Cyberpunk 2077, and on the default graphics settings, the game felt sluggish and unresponsive. Changing the graphical settings to the ‘Steam Deck’ preset, which was added to the game to make it run on a much less powerful handheld, got better results, with the game hitting an average of 30fps, which is playable, though not exceptional.
When compared to the Acer Nitro V 15, a budget gaming laptop that’s far from the most powerful laptop, and costs around the same price, you’re looking at around 230fps, with higher quality graphics settings.
Of course, it’s undeniably impressive that a game like Cyberpunk 2077 can run at all on a device that you can hold in your hands, but it’s also clear that if you want pure gaming performance for your money, you’re better off getting a gaming laptop.
A lot of the premium price tag is because of the handheld factor, and while it’s certainly a more portable and convenient way of playing PC games than a gaming laptop, you’ll have to weigh up if that’s enough to sacrifice gaming performance. When the Steam Deck launched in 2022, this sacrifice was much easier to make, as the handheld cost $399 / £349 for the model with the least amount of storage space, while the high-end model cost $649 / £569. The lesser performance was far easier to swallow as there simply was no competition – not just because PC gaming handhelds were in their infancy, but because there were no gaming PCs or laptops at that price point.
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X has a much harder job of justifying its price – there are more handhelds to choose from, for a start, with Asus’ main rivals such as Acer, Lenovo, and MSI all having their own handhelds on the market, not to mention the recent Nintendo Switch 2.
The $999.99 / £799.99 / AU$1,599 price tag also means that there are gaming laptops that are viable alternatives.
In our benchmark tests, running Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p at Ultra settings, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X managed a very spotty 8.49fps. The older ROG Ally X managed 4.94fps in the same test. Now, you could say that’s a near doubling of performance, but when the results are still that low, that’s not saying much. F1 2023 showed similar results, with the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X hitting 14fps at 1080p and the highest settings, while the Ally X scored 7fps.
While running these games at such high settings is done for stress testing the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X, in reality, you shouldn’t be trying to play these games with everything set to max, and with a bit of tweaking, these games can run much better, but at the cost of graphical quality. These benchmarks do show, however, that the Z2 Extreme chip offers a boost to performance over the Z1 Extreme in the ROG Ally X, at least. The performance difference isn’t enough, however, for ROG Ally X owners to feel like they need to upgrade.
The relatively disappointing AAA performance shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone keeping an eye on PC gaming handhelds, but for newcomers who see the Xbox branding, along with the very high price tag, might expect a level of game performance that will lead to disappointment.
Forza Horizon 5 was a much better experience, with the optimized settings of the game allowing for solid and fluid performance whilst also looking really good, and is a fine showcase for the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X.
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X excels, as with other gaming handhelds, with less graphically demanding games, especially from indie developers. Hades 2, for example, looks, plays, and sounds (thanks to the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X’s powerful speakers) utterly fantastic, as does Hollow Knight.
Games that focus on art direction rather than pushing the envelope when it comes to cutting-edge graphics, along with gameplay that suits the kind of pick up and play style that a lot of us use handhelds for, really do shine on the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X, and thanks to its support for a large range of stores, including Steam, Epic Games Store and GOG.com, you have access to thousands of great indie games, some of which you might have otherwise not played.
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X is also a great device for revisiting older games, and no other gaming platform has the back catalogue of PC. As I mentioned earlier, playing Sonic Generations on the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X was a brilliant experience with fast, fluid action and graphics that still look great on a 7-inch screen.
As with many other PC gaming handhelds, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X runs on Windows 11, and as I said in my ROG Ally X review, Microsoft’s operating system just isn’t suitable for gaming handhelds.
(Image credit: Future / Microsoft)
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X attempts to fix that with the ‘Xbox full screen experience’ – an interface similar to the one found on Xbox consoles, and therefore much better suited to gamepad controllers (rather than a mouse and keyboard). Because the usual Windows 11 experience is so poor on gaming handhelds, this was the most exciting part of the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X for me.
However, while it’s a move in the right direction, the Xbox full-screen experience doesn’t go far enough and ends up being a disappointment.
This is because, rather than a bespoke version of Windows 11 designed for handhelds, which many of us have been wanting, the Xbox full-screen experience still runs on the standard Windows 11 operating system, and the Xbox full-screen experience is simply a full-screen app that opens on startup. If you stay within the Xbox full-screen experience, using it to buy games and launch games you’ve bought from the Microsoft Store, the experience isn’t bad at all.
(Image credit: Future / Microsoft)
However, there are still times when Windows 11 makes its presence known, usually when there’s a new update or the operating system encounters a problem. You’re then left trying to work with an interface designed for larger screens, and a mouse and keyboard combo, by jabbing the touchscreen.
There are some nice features of the Xbox Full Screen Experience – I particularly liked the idea behind the Handheld Compatibility Program, which highlights games in the Xbox Store that are optimized for gaming handhelds, and by loading them up, their settings should be configured so you can get playing without having to tweak.
It’s similar to what Valve does with its SteamOS operating system, with Steam Deck Verified games, and it’s a great way to bring a console-like simplicity to running games. Meanwhile, ‘Windows Performance Fit’ is designed to give you an idea of how well a game will play on your device (in this case, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X) without having to look into specifications and minimum requirements (something us PC gamers are fine with).
(Image credit: Future / Microsoft)
The reason why I say I like the idea behind these features, rather than liking the features themselves, is that while reviewing the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X, most games I checked out in the Xbox Store didn’t have a rating for the Handheld Compatibility Program. This is something that will probably come later as the Xbox team works to validate games. To be fair, that’s the same thing that happened with Valve – it took quite a few months before enough games were given a Steam Deck Verified status for the feature to be useful.
Another issue is that this only seems to work with games on sale from the Xbox Store. Microsoft has, to its credit, allowed you to launch games that you’ve bought from rival stores, but it does feel like you’re not getting the full experience. None of the games from other stores appear to be part of the Handheld Compatibility Program, and icons are very basic; there’s no additional information about the games. For games bought from the Xbox Store, you get much nicer-looking icons, and the game pages that open when you launch the game are full of information.
Essentially, you feel like you’re being punished slightly for buying a game from anywhere other than the Xbox Store.
Buying from another store also means opening a new app, sometimes one that’s not designed for a handheld. Steam, at least, has its Big Picture Mode, but that means you have yet another, different interface running.
Asus’ own Armoury Crate SE interface, found in the regular ROG Ally handhelds, is also present and correct, and for some tasks, you need to use that. It can all get a bit confusing, and it is a far cry from the unified experience that consoles offer. Valve, with its custom SteamOS operating system, comes closest to this, but you’re limited to Steam games unless you start tweaking.
Because I’ve been playing on my ROG Ally X for quite a while, I’ve come to appreciate Armoury Crate SE. It’s not the best-looking interface, but it works with a controller and lets you run games from various sources, which means the Xbox Fullscreen Experience feels a bit superfluous, adding yet another interface on top of others.
It’s understandable that the Xbox interface pushes you to buy through the Xbox store, but be prepared to also get other Microsoft services forced onto you. Unsurprisingly, Game Pass is highlighted throughout the interface, and there’s a dedicated menu item for it. There’s also a Cloud gaming part of the interface, but this is exclusively for Xbox Cloud Gaming – which is a part of Game Pass. Adverts for games on the Xbox Store also appear on the home screen, and there’s a dedicated Xbox Store section of the interface as well.
This is all fine in principle – Valve does similar with SteamOS – and if you are already part of Microsoft’s Xbox ecosystem and signed up to the likes of Game Pass, then this interface will likely work really well.
But if you’ve got a big Steam library, are subscribed to a rival cloud gaming platform like GeForce Now, and have no interest in Game Pass, then you’ll again feel like you’re not getting the whole benefit of the Xbox Fullscreen Experience. You can run all of those, but you’d be better off using the Armoury Crate SE interface, which sort of undermines some of the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X’s selling points.
Overall, the performance of the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X when gaming is good but doesn’t blow away the competition (especially with demanding games), and outside of gaming, the problems with Windows 11 persist. The new Xbox Full Screen Experience is welcome (and is coming to other handhelds in the future), but it’s yet another overlay, rather than a brand-new operating system, and its usefulness will depend on how invested in the Xbox ecosystem you are.
Performance: 4 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Asus ROG Xbox Ally X: Battery life
Improved power efficiency
Lasts just under three hours of intensive gaming
The AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip inside the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X has been designed to offer a balance between performance and energy efficiency, which means performance when using the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X on battery is better than the Z1 Extreme of the Ally X.
As with the Ally X, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X features different ‘Operating Modes’ which change the amount of power the handheld uses depending on certain situations. For the most part, it uses the ‘Turbo’ setting, which runs the Z2 Extreme at 25W, giving more performance but at the cost of battery life (it automatically switches to this mode when plugged in, as obviously then battery life isn’t an issue). There’s also ‘Performance’ mode and ‘Windows’ mode, which both run at 17W, and ‘Silent’ mode, which offers the longest battery life, but at the cost of performance.
You can switch between these modes by pressing the Command Center button to bring up the Armory Crate interface and selecting the mode you want. This is a pretty easy process, but it does highlight the issue I have with the addition of the Xbox Fullscreen Experience – while you can use that interface for various tasks, you can’t use it to switch power modes, you need to use Armoury Crate, so rather than getting a unified and cohesive interface, you end up having a more disjointed experience as you switch between the various interfaces.
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X comes with an 80Wh battery (the ROG Xbox Ally has a smaller 60Wh battery), and along with Armory Crate’s power profiles, the Xbox full-screen experience has been designed to pause certain processes and tasks, making Windows 11 use less power when you’re playing games.
All of this work to make the battery of the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X last as long as possible is great to see, as short battery lives are a common complaint with PC gaming handhelds, and to keep these devices as portable as possible, manufacturers are limited by how big a battery they can include, so maximising power efficiency is key.
In our battery benchmarks, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X lasted just short of eight hours when browsing the web. This sounds pretty impressive, but this isn’t a device you’re going to be doing much web surfing on. In our gaming battery benchmarks, the battery depleted a lot faster, lasting just under three hours, which is about what we expect from a PC gaming handheld. With some tweaking, and depending on what game you play and how demanding they are, you may be able to eke out longer battery times.
If you play games via cloud streaming services like Xbox Cloud or GeForce Now, the battery life should be closer to the web browsing times.
However, it’s clear that while Asus, AMD, and Microsoft’s efforts to maximise efficiency are commendable, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X doesn’t buck the trend of handheld devices that can’t go too long when playing games on battery.
Battery Life: 3 / 5
Should you buy the Asus ROG Ally X?
Asus ROG Xbox Ally X scorecard
Value
This is an incredibly expensive gaming device, with a price tag that's hard to justify.
2 / 5
Design
A premium design, plenty of ports and the addition of grips means it's a good looking (and feeling) device.
4 / 5
Performance
AAA open-world games struggle, but with some tweaking you can get good results, and indie games run fantastically.
4 / 5
Battery Life
Battery life is around what you'd expect from a PC gaming handheld.
3 / 5
Total
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X is a capable gaming handheld, but it doesn't quite offer the console-like experience many of us were hoping for.
4 / 5
Buy the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X if...
You’re already in the Xbox ecosystem The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X really excels if you already have a games library bought through the Microsoft or Xbox stores, and if you’re signed up to Game Pass.
You want a powerful gaming handheld The Z2 Extreme is an impressive chip, which makes the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X one of the most powerful gaming handhelds on the market – and it’s certainly more powerful than the Nintendo Switch 2.
You want a secondary device to play your games when traveling Asus ROG Xbox Ally X’s performance might disappoint people who use it as their primary gaming device, but as a portable alternative that gives you access to your game library while you’re travelling, it’s a great (if expensive) choice.
Don't buy it if...
You’re on a budget The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X is incredibly expensive, making it hard to justify for most people. The less-powerful Asus ROG Xbox Ally is a more affordable option that, while still expensive, might be a better choice.
You want pure performance The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X is powerful by handheld standards, but it can’t compete with gaming laptops. If you want the best performance for your money, then this isn’t the device for you.
You want a console-like experience The new Xbox Fullscreen Experience is certainly a step in the right direction, especially if you stick with buying games from the Xbox Store, but Windows 11 remains an inelegant operating system for handhelds.
8.8-inch QHD+, 144Hz, 500 nits, 97% DCI-P3 color gamut
CPU
AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme Processor
AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme
AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme
Graphics
AMD Radeon Graphics
AMD Radeon Graphics
AMD Radeon Graphics
RAM
24GB LPDDR5X-8000
24GB LPDDR5X-7500
16GB LPDDR5X (7500Mhz)
Storage
1TB M.2 SSD
1TB M.2 2280 SSD
Up to 1TB M.2 2242 SSD
Port selection
1x USB4 Type-C with DisplayPort 2.1 / Power Delivery 3.0, Thunderbolt 4 compatible, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C with DisplayPort 2.1 / Power Delivery 3.0, 1x UHS-II microSD card reader (supports SD, SDXC and SDHC; UHS-I with DDR200 mode), 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
2x USB Type-C ports, 3.5mm headphone jack, microSD slot
Weight
715g
678g
854g
Dimensions
90.8 x 121.5 x 50.7mm (WxDxH)
280.2 x 114 x 36.9mm (WxDxH)
298.83 x 131 x 40.7mm (WxDxH)
Lenovo Legion Go The Lenovo Legion Go comes with the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip. and a larger, higher-resolution, and faster 8.8-inch screen, and costs quite a bit less. It doesn't offer the same amount of RAM or SSD storage space, however.
Asus ROG Ally X The original ROG Ally X remains on sale, and is cheaper than the Xbox model. It features the older AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip, which still offers good performance for indie games, and the Z2 Extreme doesn't offer a big enough upgrade to make this model feel outdated.
I played various games on the ROG Xbox Ally X every day before writing this review. The games ranged from lightweight indies like Hades 2 to more visually-intensive games like Forza Horizon 5, Sonic Generations, and AAA games like Cyberpunk 2077.
I also ran various benchmark tests to stress the hardware, including game benchmarks with the highest graphical settings and upscaling tech disabled. When gaming, I tweaked the graphics settings and enabled upscaling to get the best possible performance – this often meant dropping the graphics to their lowest settings.
We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, giving attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained, regardless of when a device was released – if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.
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The good news is that the new MSI Stealth A16 AI+ is once again a formidable gaming laptop, deftly balancing powerful performance with a sleek design, making it a candidate for our best thin and lightweight gaming laptops buying guide.
While its battery life leaves something to be desired and it can run hot under pressure, its vibrant OLED screen, robust build, and exceptional gaming capabilities make it a compelling choice for those looking for a portable powerhouse.
It's a strong contender in the competitive gaming laptop market, offering a premium experience for both work and play, but it comes at a (high) price: $2,899 / £2,199. While this is the average price for laptops featuring these specifications, that doesn’t take away from the dent it leaves in your wallet.
(Image credit: Future)
MSI Stealth A16 AI+: Price and availability
How much does it cost? $2,899 / £2,199
When is it available? Now
Where can you get it? US, UK, and some European regions
You can pick up the Stealth A16 AI+ for $2,899 / £2,199 which is an average price for laptops which feature the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti. You can customize the MSI Stealth A16 AI+ to come with the more powerful RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 GPUs, but this will increase the price by quite a bit - however, even then, the MSI Stealth A16 AI+ remains reasonably priced compared to the competition.
Currently, you can purchase the Stealth A16 AI+ in the US, UK, and select European countries.
While there’s currently no confirmation as to when the device will be coming to other markets, MSI does typically release its products in other regions later down the line.
Value: 3 / 5
MSI Stealth A16 AI+: Specs
The Stealth A16 AI+ impresses with its potent specs: an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 GPU, 64GB LPDDR5X memory, and a 2TB SSD, making it a future-proof powerhouse for demanding tasks and gaming.
The Stealth A16 AI+ features a sleek and understated design, perfect for both professional environments and gaming setups. Its chassis feels robust yet surprisingly lightweight, making it an excellent companion for those who need to work or play on the go.
The narrow bezels around the display add to its modern aesthetic and maximize screen real estate, drawing you deeper into your content.
MSI has been generous with port selection, ensuring you're well-connected without the constant need for adapters.
You'll find a versatile array of ports, including multiple USB-A and USB-C ports, an HDMI output for external displays, and an Ethernet port for reliable wired internet.
(Image credit: Future)
This comprehensive connectivity is a significant advantage, especially for gamers who need a load of peripherals or frequently switch between setups. However, if you’re hoping to run a streaming setup from this laptop you may need a USB adaptor so you can hook up a webcam and microphone too (though the included webcam and mic array do a fine job if you're not planning on doing professional-level streaming).
The OLED screen itself is a highlight, offering vibrant colors and sharp detail that enhance everything from those AAA story games to high-definition movies. Its ample size provides an immersive viewing experience, whether you're deep into a creative project or enjoying a casual browsing session. The more I use OLED screens, the more I wish they would become the industry standard.
(Image credit: Future)
Despite its large screen, the overall size and weight of the Stealth A16 AI+ remain impressively manageable for a gaming laptop at less than 2cm thick. It’s also relatively lightweight when compared to alternative gaming laptops on the market at 2.1kg - for example, the MSI Raider A18 HX comes in at 3.6kg.
Design score: 5 / 5
MSI Stealth A16 AI+: Performance
Excellent gaming performance
Good at multitasking
Can get hot
Benchmarks
These are the results of our benchmarking tests for the MSI Stealth A16 AI+:
3DMark: Night Raid: 38,762; Fire Strike: 30,723; Time Spy: 13,384 GeekBench 6: 2,930 (single-core); 15,398 (multi-core) CrossMark: Overall: 1,897 Productivity: 1,982 Creativity: 1,765 Responsiveness: 1,729 Total War: Warhammer III (1080p, Ultra): 176fps ; (1080p, Low): 380fps Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Ultra): 105fps ; (1080p, Low): 176fps Dirt 5 (1080p, Ultra): 206fps ; (1080p, Low): 287fps PCMark 10 Battery Life: 4 hours 57 mins TechRadar movie test: 4 hours 45 mins
During our testing, this laptop consistently delivered exceptional performance across a variety of demanding applications and, crucially, in the latest AAA gaming titles.
Whether it was playing Cyberpunk 2077 at ultra settings or engaging in fast-paced combat in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, the Stealth A16 AI+ maintained impressively high frame rates, ensuring a smooth and immersive experience.
This was with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti inside, so if you buy a model with the more powerful RTX 5080 or 5090 GPUs, then you're going to get even better gaming performance.
(Image credit: Future)
I was able to render breathtaking visuals without a hitch. Even with ray tracing enabled, the laptop held its own, providing a stunning level of graphical fidelity that truly elevates the gaming experience.
Beyond gaming, the processor handled intensive multitasking and content creation with ease, making it a truly versatile machine for power users.
One thing to note is that the laptop did get quite hot and loud when running games at ultra, opening a lot of intensive programmes at once, or when benchmarking. While it wasn’t too hot to use the keyboard - an issue I’m seeming to face more and more in the world of gaming laptops, it was certainly worth noting.
(Image credit: Future)
The speakers on the laptop are decent - they certainly get the job done - but you won’t be able to take advantage of directional audio within games.
Performance score: 4 / 5
MSI Stealth A16 AI+: Battery life
Not brilliant battery life
Very short when gaming
While MSI promised up to 13 hours of video playback, I found that the Stealth A16 AI+ just didn’t deliver anywhere near this.
During my time testing the MSI Stealth A16 AI+, I noticed that the battery life was closer to around six hours when using the laptop for general browsing or watching videos, which came down to about an hour when playing intensive games.
In our battery life benchmark, we got just shy of five hours in both the PCMark 10 edition and our own TechRadar movie test.
Battery life: 2 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the MSI Stealth A16 AI+?
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Price
The value of the laptop is pretty average when compared to alternatives on the market with the same specs.
3 / 5
Design
This laptop has an immaculate design featuring a decent array of ports and remaining light when compared to alternatives.
5 / 5
Performance
You get exceptional performance from this laptop but it does get quite hot and loud.
4 / 5
Battery life
The battery is significantly below the promised lifespan which is very disappointing.
2 / 5
Total Score
This is a well-priced thin and light laptop with some excellent components that means it offers fantastic gaming performance. However, it can get quite hot, and battery life isn't the best.
3.5 / 5
Buy it if...
You need a sleek gaming device You want a gaming laptop that's also highly portable and can be used for work on the go.
Screen quality is important to you If you want a vibrant OLED screen for an immersive visual experience, then this could be the laptop for you.
You want a powerful device This is a powerful machine that can handle demanding AAA gaming titles and intensive multitasking with high frame rates.
Don't buy it if...
You want to go all day without charging If you want a long battery life for extended use away from a power source then this isn’t the laptop for you.
You are on a tight budget While this laptop is priced fairly compared to alternatives, this doesn’t mean it won’t put a dent in your wallet.
You are sensitive to laptop heat and fan noise This laptop gets very hot and loud when you’re using intensive software or playing demanding games.
MSI Stealth A16 AI+ review: Also consider
MSI Stealth A16 AI+
Asus Zenbook A14
Apple Macbook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024)
Price:
$2,899 / £2,199
$1,399.99 / £1,099.99 / AU$2,899
$2,499 / £2,499 / AU$3,999
CPU:
AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
Snapdragon X X1 26 100 Processor with Qualcomm Hexagon NPU up to 45TOPS
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) (Dual band) 2*2 + Bluetooth 5.3
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3
Camera:
HD Webcam
FHD camera with IR function to support Windows Hello
12MP Center Stage camera with support for Desk View
Weight:
4.6 lbs (2.1kg)
2.16 lbs (0.98kg)
4.7 lbs (2.2kg)
Dimensions:
355.8 x 259.7 x 19.95 mm
31.07 x 21.39 x 1.34 ~ 1.59 cm (12.23 x 8.42 x 0.53in ~ 0.63in)
14.01 x 9.77 x 0.66 inches (356 x 248 x 17mm)
If you're in the market for a new laptop, here are some alternatives to the MSI Stealth A16 AI+...
Asus Zenbook A14 For those seeking a premium, ultra-lightweight, and highly portable laptop, the Asus Zenbook A14 is an excellent choice. It offers a powerful processor and a stunning OLED display, all within a design optimized for superior portability.
Apple Macbook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) For intensive tasks such as 3D animation or demanding video rendering, the Apple MacBook Pro, with its M4 Pro processor, offers superior performance. Read our Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) review.
How I tested the MSI Stealth A16 AI+
Tested for two weeks
Used in a variety of scenarios
Ran benchmarks and played games
For two weeks, the MSI Stealth A16 AI+ served as my primary laptop for both work and leisure.
I thoroughly integrated it into my daily routine, using it for typical workdays, evenings spent gaming and watching movies, and even general browsing. To assess its portability and performance outside my usual setup, I also brought it to various remote work locations.
Beyond everyday use, I conducted comprehensive benchmark tests using software like 3D Mark and in-game tools to evaluate its performance.
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) is a thin and lightweight gaming laptop with a small design but a large spec, allowing it to perform as well as its bigger rivals.
To look at, it seems more like an everyday machine than a gaming powerhouse. The only giveaway is the diagonal LED strip across the lid, which does little to add interest.
It has an impressively compact form, though, making it a contender for the best gaming laptop that’s practical to carry around. It lacks the bulk usually associated with such devices, being exceptionally thin and light by gaming laptop standards.
The lid is especially lightweight, and it opens easily yet remains stable once in place. Also, the bezel around the display is about as thin as it could possibly be, which helps to maximize screen space.
For such a compact device, the Zephyrus G14 (2025) has a generous selection of ports, even putting much larger gaming laptops to shame. There are two USB-C and two USB-A connections, as well as an HDMI port, a headset jack, and a microSD card reader.
More importantly, though, the performance of the Zephyrus G14 (2025) is also impressive. The 5070 Ti in my review unit provided very high frame rates, even with maximum graphics settings.
The 120Hz OLED display contributed to the smoothness, and also rendered scenes with plenty of vibrancy, brightness, and contrast. What’s more, the 3K resolution offered a super sharp image, which was great for gaming as well as other tasks.
(Image credit: Future)
However, you’ll have to contend with a fair amount of fan noise and blistering heat in the pursuit of this high-end performance. Temperatures around the keyboard are kept to reasonable levels, but the rear and underside of the unit can get uncomfortably hot, even at the slightest provocation.
The keyboard of the Zephyrus G14 (2025) is another highlight. The switches are deep and tactile, offering enough resistance to provide feedback without being onerous to use. The large size of the key caps and their comfortable spacing also makes them good for typing.
The touchpad is similarly excellent, thanks to its large area and smooth surface, although you probably won’t be using this while gaming. What’ll deter you even more is the fact that it can get in the way when using the WASD keys. Thankfully, there’s a shortcut to easily disable its functionality.
Battery life is poor, though. It only managed a little over two and a half hours in our movie playback test, which is short even by gaming laptop standards. The Razer Blade 14 (2025) and the Acer Nitro V 15 can both outlast it by a considerable margin.
At over $2,000, the Zephyrus G14 (2025) doesn’t come cheap. It’s close to more premium models, such as the Razer Blade 14, which is about the best compact gaming laptop we’ve tested. For some – or perhaps many – it may be worth spending that bit more for the Blade, but the Zephyrus G14 (2025) remains a fine pick if you're after a compact and capable gaming machine.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) review: Price & Availability
(Image credit: Future)
Starts from $2,099.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$3,899
Available now
Premium end of the market
The Zephyrus G14 (2025) starts from $2,099.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$3,899 and is available now. Various models are available with varying Ryzen 9 CPUs and RTX GPUs, from the 5060 to the 5080. RAM and storage capacities alternate between 16GB and 32GB, and 1TB and 2TB, respectively.
It’s cheaper than the Razer Blade 14 (2025), even though both base models get an RTX 5060. However, the price gap isn’t huge, and the Blade 14 is one of the best gaming laptops around right now, impressing us with its incredible performance, design, and display.
If you’re looking for the best budget gaming laptop, the Acer Nitro V 15 is a fine choice. You’ll have to settle for an RTX 5050, but it can still game with aplomb. In fact, when I reviewed the Nitro, I was impressed with its 1080p performance. Like the Zephyrus G14 (2025), it can get quite hot in certain areas, but not to the same degree.
Value: 3 / 5
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) review: Specs
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 Base Config
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 Review Config
Price
$2,099.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$3,899
$2,499.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$4,999
CPU
AMD Ryzen 9 270 (8 cores, 4.0GHz)
AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 (12 cores, 2.0GHz)
GPU
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060, 8GB
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 12GB
RAM
16GB LPDDR5X
32GB LPDDR5X
Storage
1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
Display
14-inch (2880 x 1800) OLED, 16:10, 120Hz, G-Sync / Adaptive-Sync
14-inch (2880 x 1800) OLED, 16:10, 120Hz, G-Sync / Adaptive-Sync
Ports and Connectivity
2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 2x USB-C (1x 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB 4), 1x HDMI 2.1 FRL, 1x microSD, 1x 3.5mm combo audio, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 2x USB-C (1x 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB 4), 1x HDMI 2.1 FRL, 1x microSD, 1x 3.5mm combo audio, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
Battery
73Wh
73Wh
Dimensions
12.24 x 8.66 x 0.63 ~ 0.64in (311 x 220 x 15.9 ~ 16.3mm)
12.24 x 8.66 x 0.63 ~ 0.72in (311 x 220 x 15.9 ~ 18.3mm)
Weight
3.31lbs / 1.50kg
3.46lbs / 1.57kg
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) review: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Non-gaming looks
Remarkably small and light
Surprising number of ports
One of the most impressive aspects of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) is that it looks like a normal laptop, lacking the bulk and brash aesthetic of those designed for gaming. This is also helped by the light silver colorway of my review unit, which I found to be an uplifting antidote to the dour shades of many of its rivals (although such a finish is available).
What marks the Zephyrus G14 (2025) out as a gaming device is the diagonal LED strip across the lid and the small shiny embossed logo in the corner. Both are relatively subtle, although the strip is quite incongruous.
Not only is the screen size small for a gaming laptop, but so are all of its dimensions. The lid is especially thin, even beating some of the best MacBooks in terms of how sleek it is. The bezel around the display itself is also about as thin as I’ve ever seen in this class of laptop.
However, the chassis is thicker than you’ll find on many other laptops, and there are a few juts and sharp angles, as well as the thick rubber bars underneath, that sully the smooth planes somewhat. But all things considered, the Zephyrus G14 (2025) remains impressively elegant for its class.
Build quality is also quite good. All the materials feel premium and solid, and there’s only a small amount of wobble to the lid. Crucially, it remains stable once set in position.
(Image credit: Future)
Despite its small size, the Zephyrus G14 (2025) has a generous keyboard layout. There are some useful shortcut keys, including those for disabling the touchpad and toggling performance modes, and even four customizable M buttons. However, some peripheral keys are truncated in size, with the arrow keys being the worst casualty in this regard from a gamer’s perspective.
The LED backlighting on the keyboard is a nice touch, although it can be hard to make out at times, especially when certain colors and RGB patterns are displayed. This appears to be caused by the narrow openings of the key markings and a lack of overall brightness.
The touchpad on the Zephyrus G14 (2025) stretches right from the back edge of the space bar to the very end of the chassis, offering a larger surface area than you’ll find on other laptops this size.
Another surprise is just how many ports there are on the Zephyrus G14 (2025), putting many gaming laptops much larger to shame. It features two USB-C ports, which both support Power Delivery and DisplayPort standards each, although only one supports G-Sync/ Adaptive Sync displays. There are also two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, a headset jack, and even a microSD reader.
F1 2024 (1080p, Medium): 256fps (Max Resolution, Max Quality, No RT): 127fps (Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, Max Quality with RT): 93fps
I found the performance of the Zephyrus G14 (2025) to be excellent. My review unit was equipped with an RTX 5070 Ti, and it handled the AAA titles I threw at it very well. When I played Cyberpunk 2077, I got between 200-230 frames per second on average. This was with the Ray Tracing: Ultra preset selected (which the game chose by default for the laptop) and DLSS Auto scaling and Frame Generation enabled.
This was also with the Zephyrus G14 (2025) running in Turbo mode. As you might expect, this causes the fans to produce a fair amount of noise, but it was nothing the best PC gaming headsets couldn’t drown out.
Dropping down to Performance mode didn’t seem to make much difference to frame rates, and only marginally decreased fan noise. Despite the raucous, though, the fans weren’t able to disperse heat as effectively as I would’ve liked.
During my sessions with the Zephyrus G14 (2025), it became very hot in places. The keyboard and front section of the chassis only remained tepid (thankfully, since this is where you’ll be making the most contact), but the area above the keyboard became too hot to handle.
(Image credit: Future)
The same was true of the underside of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025). Despite the aforementioned ground clearance created by the rubber bars, there’s still not enough for optimal cooling it seems; this is certainly a laptop I’d recommend using with one of the best laptop cooling pads if you can.
The OLED display is pleasingly sharp and vibrant, which makes it great for all kinds of tasks, not just gaming. That aforementioned ultra-thin bezel means the 14-inch display projects a bigger image than you might expect, too.
The keys are tactile, thanks to their surprising resistance and deep travel relative to those of other laptops, even ones designed for gaming. This makes them well suited to the task, while still being light and snappy enough for comfortable typing.
The touchpad is great as well. Its impressive size, along with its very smooth surface, makes navigation easier. However, this will likely be irrelevant for most gamers, since it’s still no match for the best gaming mouse.
What’s more, it gets in the way when you’re using the keyboard, even if you stick to the WASD position. This means you’ll likely want to disable it when gaming, but you’ll be more reluctant to do so while typing, given its usefulness for productivity purposes.
Performance: 4.5 / 5
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) review: Battery Life
(Image credit: Future)
Poor battery life
Quick to charge
The battery life of the Zephyrus G14 (2025) is quite poor. When we ran a movie on a continuous loop, its battery lasted just over two and a half hours. This is way down on its key rivals, such as the Blade 14 and the Nitro V 15, both of which manage over twice that duration.
Thankfully, the Zephyrus G14 (2025) is quick to charge, taking about 90 minutes to fully replenish via the included power adapter.
Battery Life: 2.5 / 5
Should I buy the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025)?
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) Scorecard
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Value
The Zephyrus G14 (2025) is at the higher end of the market, and there are slightly better rivals for not much more.
3 / 5
Design
The Zephyrus G14 (2025) is surprisingly compact and elegant for a gaming laptop. It also seems built to a high standard.
4.5 / 5
Performance
The RTX 5070 Ti in my review unit handled AAA titles brilliantly, and the display rendered them in their full glory. There’s a worrying amount of heat in places, though.
4.5 / 5
Battery Life
Poor even by gaming laptop standards; there are plenty of rivals that can outlast it. At least it’s quick to charge.
2.5 / 5
Total
The form factor, performance, and display are all excellent, but the heat, noise, and steep price mean you’ll have to assess your priorities before determining whether it’s the right gaming laptop for you.
4 / 5
Buy the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) if...
You want something truly portable Thanks to its small dimensions and light chassis, the Zephyrus G14 (2025) is easy to carry around, especially compared to other gaming laptops.
You want great performance Gaming is smooth even with maximum settings, while the 3K OLED display shows them off at their best.
Don't buy it if...
You want something cool and quiet The Zephyrus G14 (2025) makes a fair amount of noise, and it can get extremely hot in places.
You’re on a budget The Zephyrus G14 (2025) is expensive, rubbing shoulders with some true icons in the space.
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025) review: Also Consider
Razer Blade 14 (2025) For not much more than the Zephyrus G14 (2025), you could also have the Blade 14, which we think is one of the best gaming laptops around at the moment. There’s little to fault here, since its performance, design, and display are all exemplary. It can get quite hot and the keyboard isn’t anything special, but in every other regard it’s a brilliant gaming laptop that’s easy to carry around.
Acer Nitro V 15 Intel If you’re looking to spend a lot less on a gaming laptop, the Nitro V 15 is a great budget pick. You’ll have to settle for an RTX 5050, but I found this offered plenty of power for smooth 1080p gaming. It’s certainly not as portable as the Zephyrus G14 (2025), but that’s the sacrifice you make for the saving.
I tested the Zephyrus G14 (2025) for a week, using it for gaming, working, and general browsing. I also connected various peripherals to it.
I played AAA titles such as Cyberpunk 2077 with various graphics settings, and conducted our series benchmark tests designed to test multiple facets of gaming laptops. I also ran our battery test, playing a movie continuously until the battery depleted.
I've been PC gaming for over a decade, and have used numerous machines in that time, both desktop and laptop. I've also have plenty of experience reviewing gaming laptops, as well as those made for productivity and everyday use.
The Acer Nitro V 15 Intel is yet another gaming laptop from the esteemed brand that promises high-end performance for a relatively modest outlay.
It has a fairly muted design for the most part, although the variegated lines and Nitro symbol on the lid hint at its potential. It’s quite bulky and reasonably heavy, but still manages to be more portable than some of its rivals. This is also helped by the omission of a rear ventilation bulge common on many gaming laptops.
It’s not as well built as the best gaming laptops, though. It employs less-than premium materials in places, and the flex of the chassis doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. In the main, though, it’s perfectly acceptable, and the important aspects, such as the keys and the lid hinge, are of a higher standard.
Most of the usual ports are present and correct on the Nitro V 15 Intel, although they’re loaded on the left-hand side; all you get on the right is the headset jack and one USB-A port. I would’ve liked to have seen a few more here for versatility’s sake, but this is a minor gripe.
The performance of the Nitro V 15 Intel isn’t exactly off the charts, but it’s more than sufficient for solid 1080p gaming. You’ll get around 60fps or above with high – if not the highest – settings in many AAA titles.
(Image credit: Future)
The display impressed me with its vibrant color rendering colors and deep black tones. Reflections can get in the way somewhat, but its maximum brightness level is just about enough to mitigate the worst of them. It’s a small shame, however, that the lid doesn’t open all that wide.
There’s also a fair amount of fan noise, even when gaming with modest settings, although it’s still within tolerable bounds for the most part. Plenty of heat is also generated, which can be a little disruptive as it makes its way to the space bar and radiates from the right vent. It can also climb up to the display, which is less than ideal.
With its relatively low starting price, the Nitro V 15 Intel makes for a tempting proposition. However, there are some other great budget picks at this end of the market, including its bigger sibling, the Nitro 16. And if you don’t need the latest tech, the MSI Katana 15 (2023) is another admirable 1080p performer. But the Nitro V 15 Intel can stand proud alongside these as another reasonably priced gaming laptop worth the money.
Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Price & Availability
Starts from $899.99 / £849.99 (about AU$1370)
Available now
Budget end of the market
The Nitro V 15 Intel starts from $899.99 / £849.99 (about AU$1370) and is available now. It can be configured with an RTX 5050 or 5060, an Intel Core i5 or i7 of the 13th generation, and 512GB or 1TB of storage.
This is a good value for a gaming laptop with an RTX 5000 series GPU. It does face some stern competition at this price point, however – chiefly from its larger counterpart, the Nitro 16, which we think is the best budget gaming laptop around right now, and has the advantage of having a larger display (albeit only slightly).
If you don’t need the absolute latest components, then the MSI Katana 15 (2023) is another strong alternative with a reasonable price. It does have a few flaws, such as a poor trackpad and middling battery life, but there are worse areas to have made sacrifices.
Value: 4 / 5
Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Specs
Acer Nitro V 15 Intel Specs
Acer Nitro V 15 Intel Base Config
Acer Nitro V 15 Intel Review Config
Price
$899.99 / £849.99 (about AU$1370)
$1,199.99 / £999.99 (about AU$1830)
CPU
Intel Core i5-13420H (8 cores) 2.10GHz
Intel Core i7-13620H (10 cores) 2.40GHz
GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 8GB
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 8GB
RAM
16GB DDR4 SDRAM
16GB DDR4 SDRAM
Storage
512GB PCI Express NVMe 4.0 M.2 SSD
1TB PCI Express NVMe 4.0 M.2 SSD
Display
15.6-inch Active Matrix TFT LCD (1920 x 1080), 16:9, IPS, 165Hz
15.6-inch Active Matrix TFT LCD (1920 x 1080), 16:9, IPS, 165Hz
Ports and Connectivity
3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (Thunderbolt 4), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1x RJ-45, 1x 3,5mm Audio, WI
3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (Thunderbolt 4), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1x RJ-45, 1x 3,5mm Audio, WI
Battery
76Wh
76Wh
Dimensions
14.3 x 9.4 x 0.9in / 362 x 240 x 24mm
14.3 x 9.4 x 0.9in / 362 x 240 x 24mm
Weight
4.65lbs / 2.11kg
4.65lbs / 2.11kg
Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Minimal design
Reasonably thick and heavy
Well-made keyboard
The Nitro V 15 Intel adopts a fairly minimal aesthetic for a gaming laptop. About the only indication of its leanings is the multicolored linear pattern on the lid, which adds a small amount of interest to its appearance.
It’s a somewhat bulky, blocky unit and it weighs a considerable amount, although there are certainly thicker and heavier examples in this class. It also lacks the rear bulge for cooling purposes common on many gaming laptops, which improves its portability.
The materials employed throughout the unit don’t strike me as being among the most premium, feeling a little cheap compared to those of the competition. There’s also some flex to the enclosure for the keyboard and trackpad, but thankfully not to a disconcerting extent.
Thankfully, the lid hinge seems built to a higher standard, opening with ease and offering sufficient stability. It doesn’t open very wide, though, since the bottom of the lid hits the underlying surface if you take it even slightly past 90 degrees.
The keys are also a highlight in terms of build quality. They’re smooth to the touch and comfortably proportioned, as well as being generously spaced apart. And despite the inclusion of a number pad, the overall layout doesn’t feel cramped.
One strange omission, though, is the lack of an FN lock shortcut. Instead, you have to toggle this setting in the BIOS, which is very inconvenient – especially given there are no dedicated media control keys (they’re bound to the F row).
There are four rubber feet underneath the Nitro V 15 Intel that provide adequate grip and support, and raise the chassis from the surface by a small amount – but perhaps not enough for optimal airflow.
You’ll find most ports on the left-hand side of the Nitro V 15 Intel. The power port is furthest, followed by the ethernet and HDMI ports, and then two USB-A ports and one USB-C.
On the right there’s only a USB-A port and the headset jack. I would’ve preferred a better balance between the two sides – perhaps more USB-A ports on the right for connecting various peripherals, but this is a small gripe.
The power brick that comes with the Nitro V 15 Intel is pleasingly small, while the cable that runs from it to the laptop is relatively long, which makes it better suited to a wider variety of setups.
Design: 3.5/ 5
Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Performance
(Image credit: Future)
Runs AAA titles at very high settings
Maximum settings not attainable
Vivid and bright display
With the RTX 5060 equipped in my review unit, the Nitro V 15 Intel performed quite well, if not blisteringly so. When I played Cyberpunk 2077 on the Ray Tracing: Low preset (which the game chose by default), I was getting somewhere in the region of 60-70fps. I’m sure many gamers are happy to play at these rates (myself included), but those looking for figures in the hundreds will be disappointed.
The display does a commendable job of rendering colors vibrantly and providing plenty of contrast, with blacks being particularly impressive. It’s also devoid of the washed-out tones that can plague other LCD displays. It can be overly reflective at times, but thankfully there’s enough brightness to combat the worst offenders.
A fair amount of fan noise accompanied most of my playing time with the Nitro V 15 Intel, but this was nothing a good pair of headphones or the best PC gaming headsets couldn’t mask. As expected, heat was also generated, which can make its way to the keyboard, even after a short time playing. I found it particularly concentrated around the space bar, which can exceed temperatures I find totally comfortable handling.
(Image credit: Future)
Also, since there’s no protrusion behind the lid, vents are placed in front of the display. And since the display housing reaches all the way down, level with the bottom of the chassis, the expelled hot air radiates onto the display, which isn’t exactly the best place for it.
As for the keys, their lack of dampening and surprising resistance can make them somewhat uncomfortable to game with, as I would sometimes experience fatigue when using the WASD keys for long periods. However, their clicky feel and short actuation point makes them snappy and responsive, which in turn makes them ideal for typing as well as gaming (their aforementioned size and spacing also help in this regard).
The trackpad, however, frequently got in my way while typing, registering swipes accidentally even when I made marginal contact with the palm of my thumb.
Performance: 4 / 5
Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Battery Life
(Image credit: Future)
Middling longevity
Quick to charge
The Nitro V 15 Intel has a reasonable, if not spectacular, battery life. It managed to last six and a half hours during our movie playback test, and one hour and 37 minutes in the PCMark battery test for gaming scenarios, neither of which are class-leading scores.
Having said that, there are certainly gaming laptops with worse batteries, and thankfully the Nitro V 15 Intel is very quick to charge, taking about an hour and twenty minutes to totally replenish.
Battery Life: 3.5 / 5
Should I buy the Acer Nitro V 15 Intel?
Acer Nitro V 15 Intel Scorecard
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Value
It’s well-priced for an RTX 5000 series laptop, and it hasn’t skimped on the important aspects of a gaming laptop.
4 / 5
Design
It might not have the most premium construction, but it suffices, and quality is high in the areas that matter most.
3.5 / 5
Performance
You’ll get decent 1080p gaming at high settings, but maximum ones are beyond it. There’s a fair amount of heat generated, too.
4 / 5
Battery Life
Nothing special, but not the worst either. At least it’s quick to charge.
3.5 / 5
Total
The Nitro V 15 Intel does well in the most important areas considering its low price tag, and it can hold its own against other budget offerings in the gaming laptop space.
4 / 5
Buy the Acer Nitro V 15 Intel if...
You want solid 1080p gaming AAA titles run smoothly on the Nitro V 15 Intel, and you won’t have to dip that far below maximum settings. The display is also impressive.
You want to save money The Nitro V 15 Intel is very well-priced considering its spec and performance, and the compromises made are sensible – for the most part.
Don't buy it if...
You want the best battery life The 76Wh battery can’t endure to the extent of some of its rivals, so those without a power outlet nearby might be disappointed.
You want the best gaming keyboard Although the keys are great for typing, their short travel yet surprising resistance can make gaming a little fatiguing.
Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Also Consider
Acer Nitro 16 Our pick for the best gaming laptop for those on a budget, the bigger sibling to the Nitro V 15 Intel is an equally enticing proposition. It’s similarly capable and features the same 165Hz refresh rate, but you do have to sacrifice some portability for that larger screen.
MSI Katana 15 (2023) If you’re willing to go for an older model, the MSI Katana 15 (2023) is a fine choice. Again, the 1080p performance here is admirable, and its low cost makes it the ideal gateway model. Of course, you won’t get top-tier performance, and it’s hardly the most portable of units, but these are drawbacks to expect given the price.
I tested the Nitro V 15 Intel for a few days, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general browsing.
I played AAA titles and ran our series of benchmarks that test gaming and productivity performance, storage speeds, and battery life.
I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, and have experienced various machines and components during that time. I’ve also reviewed a number of laptops previously, including other Acer and gaming-oriented models.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is a gaming laptop that promises top-tier performance at an affordable price. It doesn’t exactly convey its power visually, looking rather muted compared to others in this class. However, it does exude a fair amount of elegance, which belies its budget price tag.
It’s surprisingly thin and free from bulk, although it’s still quite heavy. The lid hinges are pleasingly small, and the bezel around the screen is very minimal – in fact you’ll struggle to find a more slender frame on even the best gaming laptop models.
Build quality is also respectable, although the keyboard doesn’t look the most premium. Thankfully, the keys themselves feel great, offering sufficient dampening, travel, and feedback, which makes them a joy to use when gaming.
And, on that front, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) acquits itself very well. The RTX 5050 in my unit performed remarkably well, achieving very high frame rates with demanding graphics settings selected, although Cyberpunk 2077 labored considerably on the highest preset, with disruptive stutters, lag, and visual glitches. But dropping the settings down slightly improved the experience greatly, while maintaining plenty of visual fidelity.
(Image credit: Future)
More bothersome, however, was the noise the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) generated, which is distractingly loud and pretty much rules out playing without headphones. At least the unit stays relatively cool for the most part, with any heat steering clear from any touchable surface.
The large 16-inch, 1920 x 1200 display of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is certainly good enough to represent AAA games faithfully, but it’s not the best in class, guilty of looking a little washed out at times. It also lacks the high brightness levels of its rivals, and is a little too reflective.
As mentioned, the keys feel great to use when gaming, but the cramped layout – owing to the inclusion of a number pad – can make typing awkward, at least for someone as ham-fisted as me.
This isn’t too big a gripe, though, and if you’re willing to put up with the incessant noise and can settle for gaming at close-to maximum settings, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is a respectable performer that won’t break the bank – at least not to the extent other gaming laptops will.
ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Price & Availability
$1,449.99 / £1,399.99 / AU$2,499
Available now
Well-priced for the spec
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) starts from $1,449.99 / £1,399.99 / AU$2,499 and is available now. In the US, we couldn't find a model equipped with an RTX 5050; the base model here appears to start with a 5060 instead.
This is a decent price for a 16-inch laptop with an RTX 5000 series GPU. There are few compromises, too, with the 1920 x 1200 resolution being the main concession. But the overall design and build quality of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) aren’t what you’d call cheap.
However, the Acer Nitro 16 AMD is cheaper by a significant amount. This has a less impressive spec, though: the base Nitro 16 AMD gets an RTX 4050 GPU, an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, and only 512GB of storage. It’s also quite bulky and doesn’t exactly look premium. We were very pleased with its 1080p performance, though, and we also liked its keyboard.
Value: 4 / 5
ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Specs
ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) Base Config
ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) Maximum Config
Price
$1,449.99 / £1,399.99 / AU$2,499
$1,699.99 / £1,699.99
CPU
AMD Ryzen 7 260 Processor 3.8GHz (24MB Cache, up to 5.1 GHz, 8 cores, 16 Threads)
AMD Ryzen 9 270 Processor 4.0GHz (24MB Cache, up to 5.2GHz, 8 cores, 16 Threads)
1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack, 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x USB-A (1x USB 2.0 and 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2), 2x USB-C (1x USB 3.2 Gen2 and 1x USB 4), 1x RJ45, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack, 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x USB-A (1x USB 2.0 and 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2), 2x USB-C (1x USB 3.2 Gen2 and 1x USB 4), 1x RJ45, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Battery
90WHrs
90WHrs
Dimensions
13.94 x 10.59 x 0.70 inches (354 x 269 x 17.9mm)
13.94 x 10.59 x 0.70 inches (354 x 269 x 17.9mm)
Weight
4.85lbs (2.20kg)
4.85lbs (2.20kg)
ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Surprisingly thin
Very thin screen bezel
Good-feeling keyboard
To my personal delight, ASUS hasn’t done much to gamify the appearance of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025). It has a minimal aesthetic and the whole unit looks surprisingly elegant for a gaming machine.
It isn’t saddled with the typical gaming laptop bulk, either. The chassis is pleasingly thin and the rear protrusion is comparatively small. While it's still quite weighty, again it’s not as heavy as some of its rivals.
The lid hinges look rather smart, and are easy to operate yet provide plenty of stability, while the bezel around the display is very small, allowing almost all of the allotted space to be used.
There are a few missteps in the design, though: the corners of the base are a little too sharp, and the keyboard looks a little cheap. A number pad is also included, which unfortunately makes the whole layout a little more cramped than it otherwise would be. Still, I did appreciate the translucent WASD keys, which distinguishes them from the others.
Underneath the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) are four rubber feet and plastic strips that raise the unit from the surface by a fair amount, which helps to improve airflow.
You’ll find the usual selection of ports on the TUF Gaming A16 (2025), with most of them located on the left side. They’re sensibly ordered, too; I particularly appreciated the headset jack being at the front and the power port at the back.
Along with an ethernet port and an HDMI port, you’ll also find two USB-C ports on the left – one is 3.2 Gen 2 and the other 4, but both support external display connections. On the right are two USB-A ports, which are again logically located, since it makes them amenable to connecting peripherals such as mice.
Design: 4/ 5
ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Performance
(Image credit: Future)
Impressive AAA performance
Quite loud
Display not the most vibrant
I was impressed by the overall performance of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025). When I played Cyberpunk 2077 on the Ray Tracing: Low preset – which the game selected by default – I was getting roughly between 175-200fps, depending on the in-game environment.
Turning the preset to Ray Tracing: Ultra naturally resulted in a decrease, but I was still in the respectable region of 115-150fps. Ray Tracing: Overdrive caused a further dip, down to 70-100fps, but with the added bane of significant stuttering and input lag, as well as some strange visual artefacts and pop-in effects. Suffice to say this isn’t a setting I can recommend playing on.
Nonetheless, the above demonstrates a laudable effort on the part of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025). However, the price is paid in noise – a loud one. Under load it’s a veritable cacophony, as the fans whir away with considerable force. Needless to say this can be quite disruptive, requiring one of the best PC gaming headsets with strong noise cancellation to drown it out.
At least the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) stays relatively cool. Any heat generated is confined to reasonable temperatures, and concentrated mainly at the very back of the unit – although this can spread to the underside, so if you are using the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) on your lap, your legs might get a little toasty. Mercifully, though, the heat doesn’t encroach on the keyboard or the sides of the chassis, so there’s no chance of scorching your fingers.
The 1920 x 1200 display on my unit provided sufficient sharpness, even at 16 inches, and proved to be very bit as smooth and responsive as you’d expect from its 165Hz refresh rate. Colors appear vibrant enough, but they can look a little washed out at times. What’s more, the maximum brightness level isn’t that high, and reflections can rear their ugly heads under certain lighting conditions.
(Image credit: Future)
The keys are tactile and well damped, and have more travel and resistance than those on your typical laptop, which makes them easy and satisfying to use when gaming. I also appreciated the prominent nub on the W key, making it easy to locate.
While the keys also feel good to type on, the aforementioned cramped layout can hamper the A16's productivity credentials. I never fully got used to it, and what’s more the large trackpad does encroach on your hand placement, so you need to take care in not pressing down too hard.
The trackpad is smooth and makes for effortless swipes and gestures, but it can be inconsistent in registering taps, sometimes requiring a harder hit than normal. This might be a moot point for many gamers, though, since they’ll likely be pairing the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) with one of the best gaming mice.
Typical of many Asus products, there are a few annoying pop-ups from Armory Crate, as well as some bizarre notifications from Nvidia about display mode changes, which usually appear when booting up a game; for some unknown reason the system frequently thought two displays were connected.
Thankfully, this didn’t seem to affect performance in any way, and Windows at least makes it easy to change projection settings with the Win+P shortcut. Aside from these niggles, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) provides a pretty seamless experience overall, as you might expect given the power on tap.
Performance: 4 / 5
ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Battery Life
(Image credit: Future)
The battery life of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is pretty impressive. It managed to last two hours and ten minutes in the PCMark gaming battery test, which is close to the time achieved by the Acer Nitro 16 AMD.
In our movie playback test, where we ran a short film on a continuous loop, it lasted an impressive 12 hours and 18 minutes. What’s more, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is also quick to charge, taking just under two hours to fully replenish.
Battery Life: 4 / 5
Should I buy the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025)?
ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) Scorecard
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Value
The TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is priced very competitively considering the spec. The relatively low resolution is about the only sacrifice.
4 / 5
Design
It’s surprisingly thin and elegant for a gaming laptop, and it also appears built to a high standard
4 / 5
Performance
The TUF Gaming A16 (2025) delivers high frame rates in AAA titles with demanding settings, although it won’t handle max presets all that well, and the noise is bothersome.
4 / 5
Battery Life
It performed well in our series of battery benchmarks, and it's fast to charge, too.
4 / 5
Total
The TUF Gaming A16 (2025) seems to have achieved its aim of delivering high performance at a relatively low price point, which makes it a tempting proposition for those on a budget – if they can put up with the noise.
4 / 5
Buy the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) if...
You want a sleek design For a large powerhouse, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) does remarkably well to keep the bulk to a minimum, and the build quality seems reasonably solid, too.
You’re on a budget The TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is very well priced, especially considering its powerful spec. The 1920 x 1200 resolution is about the only major cutback.
Don't buy it if...
You want the best display While it’s perfectly good enough for gaming, the colors can look a little washed out, and it’s prone to irksome reflections, too.
You want peace and quiet The sound of the fans when gaming, even at moderate settings, is persistent and distracting, so a good pair of headphones are a must.
ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Also Consider
Acer Nitro 16 AMD Our current pick as the best affordable gaming laptop, the Nitro 16 AMD does most of the important things right. The 1080p performance impressed us, while the 165Hz refresh rate is very welcome at this price point, especially since it’s cheaper than the TUF Gaming A16 (2025). Read our full Acer Nitro 16 AMD review.
MSI Katana 15 (2023) If you’re willing to go with a model a few years old, the MSI Katana 15 (2023) is another capable gaming laptop at a relatively low cost. This again has solid 1080p performance and a fast refresh rate, although it’s let down somewhat by the middling battery life and poor trackpad. Thankfully, these areas are where compromises are some of the least egregious. Read our full MSI Katana 15 (2023) review.
How I tested the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025)
Tested for a few days
Used for gaming and everyday tasks
Plentiful PC gaming hardware experience
I tested the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) for a couple of days, during which time I used it for gaming and everyday tasks such as typing and browsing.
I played various games, including Cyberpunk 2077, which is a demanding test for systems and remains a cutting-edge AAA experience. I also ran our series of benchmark tests, designed to assess the gaming, creative, and productivity credentials of PCs, as well as storage speeds and battery life.
I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, and during that time I’ve experienced plenty of systems and hardware. I’ve also reviewed a number of laptops, from gaming machines to those designed for productivity and general use.
The MSI Claw A8 Z2 Extreme is yet another gaming PC handheld to hit the market. Taking all of the positives of the previous iteration of the MSI Claw, the MSI Claw A8 Z2 Extreme seems promising on paper, being the first gaming handheld to pack the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip, potentially giving gamers a whole new level of performance right in the palm of their hands.
In terms of availability, the MSI Claw A8 Z2 Extreme has been slowly released over the past few months as different regions start to stock the device. The UK is still waiting for its opportunity to purchase, as well as the US, and with the new Asus ROG Xbox Ally hitting the shelves soon, it may be a race to the finish line in terms of the first device featuring AMD’s new chip to be on the shelf.
However, using the device at Gamescom 2025 actually proved to be a rather mediocre experience, and this wasn’t the fault of the handheld but rather the processor itself. While the device looked snazzy and was comfortable to use, it didn’t quite deliver the performance boost I was expecting from AMD’s latest chip, and instead felt practically identical to the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme.
Not only are my expectations for the device tainted, but I’m worried about the progression of handhelds in general if this level of performance is meant to be seen as an upgrade. Oh dear.
(Image credit: Future)
MSI Claw A8 Z2 Extreme hands-on: Price and availability
The price of the MSI Claw A8 Z2 Extreme varies from region to region and with no stock available in the US or UK just yet, we don’t have a confirmed price.
However, with sales already underway in Germany starting at €999, we can therefore assume it will be at a similar price point in both dollars and pounds, though exchange rates, local taxes and tariffs will likely have an impact.
This is particularly expensive when compared to alternative handheld gaming devices on the market. However, this is currently the only gaming handheld to feature the brand new AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip, which makes direct price comparison difficult. The previous MSI Claw was £899 / $899 on release, and other alternatives like the Asus ROG Ally X come in at around £799 / $799 with frequent sales and price cuts.
Right now, there's no confirmed release date for the MSI Claw A8 Z2 Extreme for most of the world, but with it being on shelves in some areas of Europe, we shouldn’t be waiting too long.
(Image credit: Future)
MSI Claw A8 Z2 Extreme hands-on: Design
In terms of design, the MSI Claw A8 Z2 Extreme comes in a fancy new colorway, Neon Green.
Being honest, I found this new color absolutely repugnant, but this is more of a personal taste issue rather than it being a major problem. Despite not being a fan, I can be the bigger person and admit that this new color definitely sets the device apart from the monochrome sea of gaming handhelds which are on the market right now.
You get an 8-inch screen which is just slightly higher in resolution than your standard 1080p at 1920x1200. Pair this with the variable 120Hz refresh rate, and this screen is one of the best options on the gaming handheld market.
The only thing that would improve this display would be if it was OLED. It was gorgeous to look at and would make a great option for both casual and competitive gamers alike - if competitive gamers would ever dare to play ranked on a gaming handheld.
(Image credit: Future)
The chassis definitely feels more ‘gamery’ in style when compared to its predecessor, with a more aggressive shape and clear cut edges rather than that smooth and sleek finish which we’re familiar with. Despite this, it was still comfortable to hold.
Coming in at 765g, it's one of the heavier devices on the market; the Asus ROG Ally X, for example, weighs less than 700g. This is to be expected given the difference in screens, but doesn’t detract from the fact that the handheld feels like it's slightly weighing you down while you’re playing it, but it didn’t cause any major issues.
MSI Claw A8 Z2 Extreme hands-on: Specs
In terms of specifications, the MSI Claw A8 Z2 Extreme looks fantastic on paper, however the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme does majorly let it down. While using the device, I found that I wasn’t really getting any better performance when compared to the Z1 Extreme chip found in other (cheaper) gaming handhelds.
It managed good quality graphics in the games I played on the handheld, with solid frame rates which didn’t look or feel choppy. However, since this was just a brief hands-on session I wasn’t able to actually monitor the frame rates while playing, and it really didn’t feel like the device was delivering any significant boost in performance on a surface level.
MSI Claw A8 Z2 Extreme specs
CPU
AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme
Display
8-inch FHD+ (1920x1200), 120Hz, VRR, Touchscreen
Memory
24GB LPDDR5x-8000
Wireless
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Ports
2x Type-C, 1x Micro SD Card Reader
Battery
80Wh
Dimensions
299.5 x 126.2 x 24.0mm
Weight
765g
Aside from this, you also get 24GB of RAM, a major upgrade from some of the previous generation gaming handhelds. Lower RAM in previous handhelds has posed issues in the past, so it's nice to see MSI learning from the mistakes of their competitors.
You also get a chunky 80Wh battery, the same as the previous iteration of the MSI Claw. While it would have been nice for this to have been improved upon, it seems like this is slowly becoming industry standard.
I wasn’t able to actually monitor the battery level during my hands-on time with the device, but the AMD Ryzen Z2 series of chips come with a promise of better efficiency so we’ll have to wait for a full review to see if this proves to be true.
MSI Claw A8 Z2 Extreme hands-on: Early verdict
All in all, I feel like I was somewhat underwhelmed with the MSI Claw A8 Z2 Extreme, but that wasn’t down to the device itself but rather the processor from AMD.
The device was comfortable to hold, looked stunning (apart from the new neon green colorway, sorry) and has a promising battery capacity.
However, with a high price point and a processor which wasn’t delivering that boost in performance that I was expecting over its predecessor, it’s hard to recommend picking up the MSI Claw A8 Z2 Extreme based on first impressions alone. Our full review, where we'll put the MSI Claw A8 Z2 Extreme through our suite of benchmark and real-world tests, should determine if it deserves a place amongst the best gaming handhelds.
NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition): Two-minute review
The NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) is an ideal PC for the kind of gamer interested in building a gaming desktop, but finds picking parts and the process of assembly overwhelming. The price does reflect that, as you could conceivably save a few bucks doing everything yourself.
That said, the NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) is a well-built and organized machine that’s easy to get into for future upgrades, while offering the convenience that the best gaming PCs provide. And with the powerful internals, it can do just about whatever one could want.
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
You’ll find that some of the best desktops with higher spec’ed CPUs and GPUs have more oomph, but that’s more important if you’re rendering video or 3D projects. For gaming, what this desktop has to offer is more than enough.
As long as you’re willing to cover the price tag, there’s little to fault here. My only nitpick is that there isn’t a clear way to expand internally as opposed to swapping and upgrading parts. This might be minor for many people, but for those who haven’t built a PC, this might be a sticking point.
After all, this kind of desktop is going to be more appealing to those who don’t want to go with the usual pre-built machines and their proprietary parts, but aren’t yet ready to build their own.
NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition): Price & availability
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
How much does it cost? $2,033 (about £1539 / AU$3,162) When is it available? Available now Where can you get it? Available in the US
The NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition), along with the other models on offer, is only available in the US. And since this model only has one configuration, it has one price: $2,033 (about £1539 / AU$3,162). NZXT does have a controversial PC rental option called NZXT Flex that is essentially like leasing a gaming PC available to consumers, but that doesn’t seem to be available for this model.
The price tag of this model is not cheap, but it’s not surprising either. If you want to build your own, getting an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 will set you back at least $549 / £549 / AU$1,109 if not more (especially if you live in the US with impending tariffs). That’s a quarter of the cost of this computer just in the GPU.
Consider that the RTX 5070 is not quite the upgrade over the previous generation’s 4070 Super one would expect, you can get most of the way there performance-wise with something like the Alienware Aurora R16, which ran for $1,749 / £1,349 / around AU$2,670 at launch and is still available at certain retailers at a discount. It is a little older, but it’s also a little more compact.
However, if you compare the NZXT model reviewed here to the current version of the Maingear MG-1 (our review is from last year so the components are older), which costs $2,049 for a similar model, specifically with a Intel Core Ultra 5 245K, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, 16GB RGB DDR5 6000MT/s, and 1TB SSD, you can see that the NZXT Player PC is not overpriced. It does come with more RAM than the Maingear MG-1, though the MG-1 comes with more customization options, including a completely personalized front panel.
Value: 4 / 5
NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition): Specs
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
The NZXT lineup is interesting insofar that there are a number of models in the company’s prebuilt lineup totaling twelve unique listings, but they all revolve around three models – the Player: One, Player: Two, and, of course, Player: Three – differentiated by the case.
Of course, they’re all slightly different with a range of CPUs, GPUs, and so forth. The NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) uses the H5 Flow case that the Player: One and Player: One Prime uses. This model reviewed here is the most powerful NZXT model with this case with a 20-core Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF CPU, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, and 32GB of RAM, not to mention 2TB SSD storage. There’s not really any customizations here, so you have to choose the model that fits your budget and performance needs.
NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) specs
Price:
$1,999.99
CPU:
Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF
Graphics:
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070
RAM:
32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5 5200MHz
Storage:
2TB NVMe M.2 SSD
Ports:
Front I/O: 1x USB 3.2 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Type-C, 1x Headset Audio Jack
Back I/O: 6x USB 3.2 Type-A, 2x USB 3.2 Type-C, DisplayPort, Mic In / Line In / Line Out
Wireless:
Wi-Fi 7 / BlueTooth
On the bright side, there’s plenty of after-the-fact customization available with the NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) since the parts are standardized, such as a Z890 motherboard. And getting inside the desktop is very simple, which I’ll get into in the next section.
NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition): Design
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Lots of venting
Tool-less tempered glass side panel
No clear expansion slots inside
The NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) uses the black version of the company’s H5 Flow case (the case itself is also available in white), which is a compact mid-tower ATX form, measuring 18.31 x 8.86 x 16.93 inches (465 x 225 x 430 mm). The “Flow” in its name refers to all of the venting covering the front, top, back, and bottom of the case to keep things cool.
Most of the case is a very durable galvanized steel (SGCC), but the side panel is made of tempered glass so you can easily see what’s inside. And the internals are arranged very cleanly in a way that’s fairly aesthetically pleasing. Most of the wiring is hidden or fed into a compartment at the bottom that’s separated by a steel plate so that you can only see it through the venting near the bottom of the case.
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
It’s worth noting that the top fans do have some backlighting but the NZXT Player PC does not come with RGB lighting despite the fact that this case is available with RGB. At least, the side panel is also a nice touch because it allows tool less entry, allowing for easy upgrades and swaps without having to grab a screwdriver.
As far as ports go, there’s quite the selection. There’s a USB-C, USB-A, and headphone jack on top of the case next to the power button. And on the back, there’s an additional six USB-A along with two USB-C ports, three audio jacks, and, a bit more unusually, it has attachments for an included Wi-Fi Antenna that helps boost its Wi-Fi 7 support.
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
All in all, it’s a pretty impressive-looking PC. Being very nitpicky, it’s not apparent where any expansion slots are for upgrades. I didn’t see any additional places for an SSD either on the motherboard or anywhere else inside the case even though there’s plenty of space.
Design: 4.5 / 5
NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition): Performance
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Powerful internal components
Easily runs performance-heavy games
Stays fairly cool under duress
NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) CPU benchmarks
Benchmark
Score
Geekbench 6.4 Single-core
3,081
Geekbench 6.4 Multi-core
18,984
Crossmark Overall
2,298
Crossmark Productivity
2,159
Crossmark Creativity
2,495
Crossmark Responsiveness
2,166
Unless there’s some poorly planned layout or issues with a case that cause overheating, you can usually tell how a gaming PC will perform almost completely based on the internal components.
Considering, then, that the NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) has an Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF with 20 cores and 20 threads as well as 25 TOPS, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, and 32GB of DDR5 5200Hz RAM, it’s no surprise that it’s able to run all the latest games at or near the highest settings.
NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) GPU benchmarks
Benchmarks
Score
3DMark Fire Strike
45,049
3DMark Time Spy
21,414
3DMark Fire Strike Ultra
14,727
3DMark Time Spy Extreme
10,943
3DMark Speed Way
5,855
3DMark Steel Nomad
4,967
3DMark Port Royal
14,139
I’ve had no issues not only playing games like South of Midnight, Monster Hunter Wilds, Baldur’s Gate 3, and Cyberpunk 2077 but running them at High or Ultra settings on an ultrawide 5K monitor with HDR on, which requires quite a bit of power in and of itself. I didn’t have any issues with screen tearing, stuttering, or any other performance-related issues. And all the games stayed at the 165Hz refresh rate the monitor supports.
NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) gaming benchmarks
Game
Average FPS
Black Myth: Wukong (Cinematic, 1080p)
60
Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra, 1080p)
70
Monster Hunter Wilds (Max, 1080p)
83
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Very high, 1080p)
201
Total War: Warhammer III (Ultra, 1080p)
182
It’s also worth mentioning that I’ve never had Cyberpunk 2077 boot up as quickly as it did on this PC. Speaking of that game, it’s still a very demanding title with all its updates for newer tech like DLSS 4.
Yet, running the game only pushed the system a little, and the overall affair stayed fairly cool, thanks to the various fans placed around inside the case.
Performance: 5 / 5
Should I buy the NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition)?
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Value
The price tag is high, but it’s what one would expect for a computer sporting an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 GPU.
4 / 5
Design
Tool-less entry, lots of venting, and a durable, clean build are all part of the package. Too bad, expansion slots aren’t well marked and you can’t upgrade to RGB.
4.5 / 5
Performance
There’s little to fault when it comes to performance as the desktop can do it all gaming-wise.
4.5 / 5
Average rating
It’s a little pricey, but the convenience, durability, and performance are all worth it.
4.5 / 5
Buy it if...
You want a powerful gaming PC The NZXT Player PC reviewed here has enough power to handle any gaming situation. Whether you want something capable of supporting a 5K ultrawide monitor, high ray tracing, DLSS 4, and any other performance-heavy technologies, this PC can do it.
You want easy upgradability Sure, there’s only one configuration out of the gate. But, once you have the PC in hand, its tool-less entry and use of standardized parts make upgrading the CPU, GPU, RAM, or anything else pretty straightforward.
You want an attractive-looking PC With all the ventilation, tempered glass side panel, and clean, organized internal setup, this is an attractive, if straightforward-looking desktop.
Don't buy it if...
You want lots of options While you can certainly upgrade quite easily after the fact, you can’t do so or customize when purchasing. If that’s important to you out of the gate, then you should probably look elsewhere.
You’re on a budget As good as the NZXT Player PC is, it’s not cheap. There are other options, including within the company’s own product line, that are more affordable. You just have to be willing to go with less powerful components.
Also Consider
If our NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) review has you considering other options, here are two desktops to consider...
Alienware Aurora R16 The Alienware Aurora R16 is compact with great port selection, more than adequate ventilation, and, most importantly, excellent performance. It does have an aesthetic that can’t decide if it’s for professional settings or gamers, but that’s a small complaint. Though the R16 has been discontinued by Dell, it’s available through some online retailers and at a discount.
Maingear MG-1 The Maingear MG-1 is powerful if pricey, and comes with a lot of customization options – many more than NZXT including the ability to get a personalized front panel. Of course, depending on the upgrades, it can get very expensive, but, as they say, you get what you pay for.
How I tested the NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition)
Tested for a couple of weeks
Used it for heavy gaming
Spent some time looking at the build
I used the NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) for a couple of weeks, mainly using it for heavy gaming. I poked around inside the desktop to get an idea of the quality of the parts, as well as explored the software to see what tricks this desktop had up its sleeves.
The NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) is a gaming PC that’s ideal for the kind of person who wants all the benefits of building one’s own desktop, but doesn’t want to for the headaches that come with doing so. It has the kind of quality control and clean build that one doesn’t always see in prebuilts, while making it convenient to get inside and swap out parts.
I’ve spent the last few years reviewing tech gear for gaming and otherwise, where I’ve gotten a feel for what to look for and how to put a piece of kit through its paces to see whether it’s worth the recommendation.
The Acer Predator Helios 18 AI is a top-tier gaming laptop with a phenomenal spec that’s sure to whet the appetites of even casual gamers. Despite what lurks inside, its exterior is remarkably restrained. At 18 inches, it's obviously very large, but the black finish and lack of branding keep its profile reasonably low. However, that large rear protrusion and ostentatious RGB lighting give away its intentions.
I think Acer has done well to keep the Predator Helios 18 AI as slender as possible. Of course, this is all relative given the size of laptop we’re dealing with here, but it’s impressively thin for the most part, although it thickens at the rear.
Build quality is also excellent, equaling the best gaming laptops in this regard. Premium materials are employed everywhere, and the hinge for the lid is smooth and easy to operate, while offering plenty of stability once set.
The keyboard is tactile and snappy, and the generous spacing of the keys makes it easy to type and game on the Predator Helios 18 AI. The number pad somewhat compromises the layout, though, with the space bar paying the highest price; it’s a little too short for my liking.
On the other hand, the large trackpad does a fine job of not interfering while using the keyboard, with accidental contact failing to register in my experience. It’s also very smooth and accurate, should you wish to use it over one of the best gaming mice.
Considering its mighty spec, the Predator Helios 18 AI performs as well as you might expect. Cyberpunk 2077 and Doom: The Dark Ages ran with aplomb, each delivering fps figures in the hundreds with maximum graphics settings, including those for ray tracing.
(Image credit: Future)
You will have to endure constant fan noise when gaming, but thankfully this isn’t egregious when the default Balanced mode is selected in the Predator Sense app. The Predator Helios 18 AI also generates a fair amount of heat, which can spread to the sides and the keyboard after a while. Again, though, this isn’t bad enough to cause an issue.
The biggest price you’ll have to pay for all this performance is… well, the price. Starting at $3,000, the Predator Helios 18 AI is incredibly expensive. I struggle to think who’ll need such a large and powerful laptop, and be willing to pay this much for one.
Of course, the entire gaming laptop market is a premium one, but there are better value alternatives out there if you don’t need an 18-inch display and triple-digit frame rates, such as the excellent Razer Blade 16 (2025) or the MSI Katana 15 (2023), the latter of which we think is currently the best budget gaming laptop around.
Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Price & Availability
Starts from $2,999.99 / £3,499.99 / AU$7,299
Hugely expensive
Better value alternatives
The Predator Helios 18 AI starts from $2,999.99 / £3,499.99 / AU$7,299 and is available now. It comes with spare WASD and arrow keys, as well as a thermal pad upgrade kit for the RAM.
You don’t need me to tell you what an eye-watering sum this is. It’s understandable considering the spec, and my review unit was even more outlandish, equipped with a 3840 x 2400 display and 192GB of RAM(!).
Prices are similar to the Razer Blade, which performs similarly too. If you want something that’s even better value, the MSI Katana 15 (2023) is, in our view, one of the best budget gaming laptops around, if you’re happy to game at 1080p.
Value: 2.5 / 5
Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Specs
Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Specs
Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Base Config
Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Review Config
Price
$2,999.99 / £3,499.99 / AU$7299
TBC
CPU
Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (24 Cores), 2.70 GHz
Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (24 Cores), 2.70 GHz
GPU
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 (16GB)
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 (24GB)
RAM
64GB DDR5
192GB DDR5
Storage
2TB PCIe NVMe SED SSD
2TB PCIe NVMe SED SSD
Display
18-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600), 16:10 ComfyView (Matte), 250Hz, IPS
18-inch WQUXGA (3840 x 2400), 16:10 ComfyView (Matte), 250Hz, IPS
Ports and Connectivity
3 x USB-A, 2 x USB-C, 1 x RJ-45, 1 x SD card, 1 x HDMI, 1 x 3.5mm audio in/out; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
3 x USB-A, 2 x USB-C, 1 x RJ-45, 1 x SD card, 1 x HDMI, 1 x 3.5mm audio in/out; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Battery
99Wh
99Wh
Dimensions
401 x 308 x 29.6mm
401 x 308 x 29.6mm
Weight
3.5kg / 7.7lbs
3.5kg / 7.7lbs
Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Large but surprisingly thin
Relatively understated
Excellent build quality
Given its large display size, the Predator Helios 18 AI is a reasonably understated gaming laptop. The rear bulge that extends beyond the lid hinge gives it some distinction, and the RGB lighting can light up the whole unit like a Christmas tree if you want it to (the bar that runs along the front edge and wraps around the side is especially striking). But switch this off and you’ll struggle to tell it apart from the best business laptops.
It’s quite bulky, although I think the Predator Helios 18 AI does an admirable job of keeping its dimensions contained considering the beastly components that lay within. The front end is reasonably thin, but thickens as it moves towards the back. This increased size does allow for larger vent openings, though, so it’s a worthy sacrifice to improve cooling performance.
The overall build quality is hard to fault. All the materials that are used look and feel premium and durable. The lid is also impressively smooth to operate yet remains sufficiently stable when set in position.
Underneath you’ll find three feet that run across the width of the Predator Helios 18 AI, and they provide plenty of grip on desktop surfaces. They also raise the chassis from the surface by a significant degree, again allowing for improved ventilation.
There are plenty of ports on the Predator Helios 18 AI. On the left, you’ll find an ethernet and a USB-A port, as well as an SD card slot and a 3.5mm audio in/ out jack. On the right are two more USB-A ports, which is a sensible location considering this is where you’ll likely be connecting external peripherals.
On the rear are two USB-C ports, an HDMI port, and a large power cable port. As you would imagine, the power supply is large, but unfortunately the cable running from the brick to the jack end is quite short. Owing to my setup, this meant I had to keep the brick on my desk rather than placing it on the floor, which was quite the inconvenience.
Design: 4/ 5
Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Performance
(Image credit: Future)
Fantastic AAA performance
Vibrant and sharp display
Some fan noise and heat
Gaming with the Predator Helios 18 AI didn’t get off to a particularly auspicious start. When I ran Cyberpunk 2077 for the first time, the game’s benchmark function recorded a disappointing 42fps, with the maximum 3840 x 2400 resolution and Ray Tracing: Ultra preset selected.
Some tinkering with the graphics settings resulted in modest improvements to performance, but it wasn’t until after restarting the game a couple of times that things suddenly improved: I started getting about 100fps, even in busy in-game environments, without lowering the resolution or any other graphical settings.
Similar figures were achieved when I played Doom: The Dark Ages, although I did have to change the DLSS mode from Auto to Ultra Performance to get there. Thankfully, this made no discernible difference to the image quality.
And on that front, both games looked fantastic on the WQUXGA display. Colors were accurate and vibrant, if very slightly washed-out. This is a common issue on many IPS displays, but here the effect did little to detract from the awesomeness of the visuals.
The ultra-high 3840 x 2400 resolution in my review unit offered incredible levels of sharpness, while the high response times resulted in super-smooth gameplay. It’s also capable of very high brightness levels, which helps to keep pesky reflections at bay.
(Image credit: Future)
Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Benchmarks
Here's how the Acer Predator Helios 18 AI performed in our series of benchmark tests:
Geekbench 6.2: Single - 2,803 Multi - 16,720 Cinebench R24: Single - 125 13.89x Multi - 1,728 3DMark: Fire Strike - 36,158 Time Spy - 17,341 Port Royal - 12,994 Night Raid - 60,951 PCMark10: 8,885 Cyberpunk 2077: 1080p Low - 469fps 1080p Ultra - 361fps 1080p Ray Tracing: Overdrive - 128fps Battery test: Movie playback - 3 hours and 2 minutes PCMark10 (Gaming) - 1 hour 27 minutes
Fan noise is constant when gaming on the Predator Helios 18 AI, but I didn’t find it distractingly loud. The volume increases considerably if you set the Predator Sense profile to Performance mode, though – then you’ll really need one of the best PC gaming headsets to drown out the noise.
The Predator Helios 18 AI does a good job of keeping temperatures down. Its underside doesn’t get too hot, although over time heat leaks out of both sides, which can be a little distracting for your mouse hand. After a couple of hours of gaming, I noticed the bottom of the keyboard became quite hot, too, especially around the space bar.
It wasn’t hot enough to make using the keyboard a problem, though. And what’s more, the keyboard on the Predator Helios 18 AI is great to game with. The keys are clicky but damped enough to make them tactile.
They’re a little on the small side (although they’re generously spaced apart), owing to the inclusion of the aforementioned number pad. This compromises the layout somewhat – especially the space bar, which isn’t as long as I would’ve liked, and therefore somewhat awkward to hit with my left thumb.
The trackpad on the Predator Helios 18 AI is large and very smooth, making it easy to use. Mercifully, it also appears unaffected by contact with the sides of your palms, meaning it won’t accidentally register movements while your hands lean over it to use the keyboard.
Performance: 5 / 5
Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Battery Life
(Image credit: Future)
Large 99Wh capacity
Underwhelming longevity
Quick to charge
The battery life of the Predator Helios 18 AI isn't particularly impressive. Despite its 99Wh capacity, it lasted just under 90 minutes PCMark10's battery test for gaming scenarios.
This makes it considerably worse than the Razer Blade 16 (2025), which managed about an hour more, but much better than the MSI Katana 15 (2023), which didn’t even last one hour.
Charging the Predator Helios 18 AI back up to full is a surprisingly quick process, though – and given the size of the power brick, you would hope it would be.
Battery Life: 3.5 / 5
Should I buy the Predator Helios 18 AI?
Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Scorecard
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Value
The Predator Helios 18 AI is incredibly expensive, and only worth it if you need the absolute best gaming performance in laptop form.
2.5 / 5
Design
The Predator Helios 18 AI is very large, but is admirably thin considering what’s inside. It’s brilliantly made, too, and the RGB lighting is tastefully vibrant.
4 / 5
Performance
My review unit had an RTX 5090 and an Intel Core Ultra 9, so naturally its performance is out of this world. The display is excellent, too.
5 / 5
Battery Life
The Predator Helios 18 AI can't last an especially long time, but at least it's capable of replenishing quickly.
3.5 / 5
Total
There’s no denying this is a ferocious gaming machine; you can’t really ask for more from a gaming laptop. But the astronomical price puts it beyond the reach of many gamers, and there are many better value propositions out there.
3.5 / 5
Buy it if...
You want the best portable performance With Nvidia RTX 5000 series GPUs available, the Predator Helios 18 AI can achieve astonishing fps figures, while the CPU and configurable RAM are equally capable components.
You want a large display At 18 inches, the screen is more than big enough for laptop gaming, and renders AAA titles in all their glory.
Don't buy it if...
You want to save money You’ll need plenty of cash to buy even the base model, and there are better value options out there.
You want a truly portable device You’ll want something much smaller and lighter than the Acer Predator Helios 18 AI if you’re constantly on the go.
Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Also Consider
Razer Blade 16 (2025) We were already big fans of the Razer Blade 14 from 2024, but the Blade 16 (2025) surpasses it in many ways. Like the Predator Helios 18 AI, it too can be equipped with an RTX 5090, and is built to a similarly high standard. It’s a shame there’s no 4K option this time round, though, and it’s still about as expensive as the Predator Helios 18 AI. Read our full Razer Blade 16 (2025) review.
MSI Katana 15 (2023) Our current pick as the best gaming laptop for those on a budget, the MSI Katana 15 (2023) gets the balance right between price and performance, impressing us with its 1080p gaming. The trackpad and battery life might be weak points, but these are areas in gaming laptops where we’re willing to forgive shortcomings. As your first foray into the sector, it’s a great place to start. Read our full MSI Katana 15 (2023) review.
How I tested the Predator Helios 18 AI
Tested for a few days
Played AAA games
Extensive PC gaming experience
I tested the Predator Helios 18 AI for a few days, during which time I played games such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Doom: The Dark Ages, both AAA titles that provide stern tests for rigs owing to their demanding, cutting-edge graphics.
I also ran TechRadar’s series of benchmarking tests, including a battery test where I played a movie on a continuous loop until the Predator Helios 18 AI shut down.
I have been PC gaming for over a decade, and during that time I have experienced a number of systems and components. I have also reviewed laptops previously, as well as copious amounts of gaming hardware.
