Review: Asus ROG Zephyrus M GM501

Conclusion

The original Zephyrus may have been an outlandish attempt at showcasing Asus's Active Aerodynamic System, but the innovative cooling mechanism has merit and makes far more sense in this 2018 refresh.

Now armed with a six-core Intel Core i7-8750H processor and full-fat GeForce GTX 1070 graphics, the Zephyrus M GM501 exhibits some of the best benchmark results we've seen from a 15.6in gaming laptop courtesy of AAS cooling that helps maintain higher frequencies than the competition.

Add to the mix a lower entry price, a more sensible keyboard and trackpad layout, as well as a 144Hz G-Sync display, and you have the makings of an excellent foundation for high-quality PC gaming. Those who can't abide throttling have good reason to put the Asus machine on their radar, yet there are a few remaining provisos to consider. Battery life is poor, the chunky display bezels aren't pretty, and the lack of an Ethernet port could be off-putting among online gamers.

Bottom line: there's no such thing as a perfect gaming laptop, but the ROG Zephyrus M GM501 has enough about it to be a genuine contender in the premium 15.6in arena.

Asus ROG Zephyrus M GM501

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The Asus ROG Zephyrus M GM501 laptop is available to purchase from Scan Computers.

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