ROG Zephyrus G15 - GA503QS

Dec969 · 29 Jan 2021 at 21:47

Good evening all,

I was going to build a desktop due to the one I had dying but due to GPU shortages etc and needing a laptop anyway, I have decided to invest in a new laptop and build a new desktop later this year.

I have done a bit of looking around and the ROG Zephyrus G15 GA503QS, Nvida RTX 3080, 32GB, 15.6 QHD 165hz, Ryzen R9-5900HS gaming laptop has caught my eye, as it is 1440p and future proof to a good level.

The question is, is it worth the £2599.99 price tag or are there better laptops out there? I.e. either in build quality, specs or cooling?

My main use will be gaming but will also require use for work as well.

Dec969 · 30 Jan 2021 at 17:23

skaif said:
I'm in the same position right now as I need a new laptop and considering one of the new ROG lineups.

Regarding the combo of 5000 ryzen processors and 30xx series gpus I don't think there's much choice out there.

My toss up is with the G14 and G15 as there's around £800 difference for what appears to be screen, screen size, battery size and gpu. Other specs seem to marry up.

Like you I'm going for future proofing so both having the ryzen chip is important but gaming is not that much of a priority which is why the G14 appeals. But then the battery life on the G15...

Let's see which one materialises in terms of stock and then make a decision!

Completely agree, AMD certainly is the way to go at the moment but like anything that will change in time.

The G14 looks nice but like you said, smaller screen, lower battery life and only a RTX 360 ( which is still pretty awesome) pushes me to the G15.

Sadly I don't have the time to sit and wait forever so It will depend on what is available sadly.

Dec969 · 30 Jan 2021 at 18:48

N00bie said:
The Asus models are annoyingly running the lower TDP model GFX cards, which puts me off buying them. I'd advise you follow this spreadsheet for updates on the TDP draw of the other models:https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Hd8gyF3d7Y2p4d2_b5cQ2KJ2DQ2eXtVN8INcdXbeuT8/htmlview

I can't see the G15 model on there (unless I am going blind), so I have to wait and see but like you said, Asus does seem to be using the lower TDP Model GFX cards.

Also just for my understanding, how big a difference does it make that they are running the lower TDP model GFX cards? Is it only a couple of fps when gaming or is it a much bigger impact?

Thank you for the information though, greatly appreciated.

Dec969 · 30 Jan 2021 at 21:53

butter30 said:
The ROG G15 isn't on the list, I think best wait for proper reviews to find out the GPU power

Agreed, all this confusion over GPU power is making it so hard to choose a new laptop.

Dec969 · 31 Jan 2021 at 12:23

N00bie said:
Yes sorry the list will eventually have more, but it's one YouTuber waiting on review stock.

Take the Wattage to marry it against the list that'll give you an idea on performance. I don't think we're talking like 20+ FPS loss but it's enough to feel cheated in my opinion.

https://videocardz.com/newz/there-are-28-variants-of-geforce-rtx-30-laptop-gpus

No need to be sorry, I appreciate that you provided the information so I was aware. (As much as I try and do research, I do miss stuff)

Mmm problem is there aren't a lot of 1440p laptops with AMD processors and not the old intel chips.

I might just bite the bullet as other than the GPU wattage (Yet to be determine) it ticks all the boxes and as stated before, I need something sooner rather than later.

Dec969 · 31 Jan 2021 at 14:43

N00bie said:
This is a great video. This shows that the 95w 3070 in an ASUS vs MSI GE66 running 125w. Remember Asus has the Ryzen and MSI runs the Intel. It appaers the GPU won't needlessly boost or use full W if the frames are high, but I am no expert...but still a good watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQHaSzS1lhQ

Thank you for the link, just watched the video now. No expert myself but it clearly shows a big difference between the low and high wattage cards even if they are both an rtx 3070. Even the temps were the same.

Begs the question why companies would ruin perfectly decent laptops by putting a low wattage card in, can't see the benefits myself unless I am missing something.

Fingers crossed with the G15 they put a high wattage card in but won't hold my breath.

Dec969 · 4 Feb 2021 at 21:14

clockwork.satan said:
I've pre-ordered the RTX 3070 version of the Zephyrus G15; I hummed and hawed over getting the RTX 3080 one but couldn't justify spending £700 more for a slightly faster GPU, despite feeling somewhat loyal to Asus as I've had my current beast of a Asus ROG laptop for six years now and am only taking the plunge on a new one because it's starting to feel slow.

I am tempted to get the 3080 one but not sure yet. I know its got the lower GPU watt power etc but its lightweight, sleek, 1440p and fits my requirements perfectly. (I would have to get an NVME 2TB upgrade though for storage)

I don't like the look of the strix its looks very gimmicky/ disco (Personal opinion and I know some will like it) and has a bigger footprint.

The other laptops from what I can see use old intel chips or don't have 1440p which puts me off. I would have like to see what the Legion 5/7 would be like but with a release date of June 2021, I just cant wait that long.

Dec969 · 5 Feb 2021 at 17:56

clockwork.satan said:
I feel the same when it comes to the looks of the Strix; I'd prefer having a laptop that doesn't look like it's been designed by a teenager, thankyouverymuch!

I'm going to lament the loss of the 17.3" screen on my current machine a bit at first, but I'm hoping that the increased resolution of the very tasty looking 1440P screen is more than going to make up for that.

1440p on a laptop will certainly make up for it, though always connect to a larger monitor or tv when your at home to make up for it.

The Asus G15 RTX3080 version was suppose to be in stock today but has been pushed back to 12th Feb which was a shame

Dec969 · 19 Feb 2021 at 12:40

skaif said:
I ended up ordering from the States which worked out even cheaper considering the strong pound at the moment - worked out around £1625 inclusive of expedited shipping and any import taxes! Can't wait.
Spec below:

Not a bad deal as long as your covered if anything goes wrong, otherwise could end up costing more sending it back and forth. When are you due to get it?

I am still waiting for an update on my order from OCUK. They have now updated the G15 (RTX 3080) as Out of stock, so I am not sure if that means they got them in stock but shipped them all out for pre-orders or if the amount they are getting in have all been pre-ordered and therefore they are not allowing anymore pre-orders.

Dec969 · 10 Mar 2021 at 13:48

Nice review Skaif!

I have had my G15 (R9 5900HS / RTX 3080 / 32GB / 1TB/ White variant) for a couple of weeks now but upgraded it with another 4 TB NVME so got 5TB altogether.

I have to say it is amazing! No issues what so ever my end, the speakers sound amazing (No popping on mine) and the display is stunning! Temps have been good across the board, even after a few hours of playing.

Other than no Thunderbolt and HDMI 2.1, which personally I don't see what all the fuss is about, it has got to be one of the best laptops out there for multiuse, both professionally and gaming.