The best ROG gaming laptops for college students in 2024
High school is over, and it's time to gear up for college next fall. You’re a proud PC gamer, and you need to make sure that your next laptop has the horsepower to make your friends envious while also handling the boring stuff, like getting a degree. ROG has a wide range of high-powered machines to suit a wide variety of gamers, no matter your taste or choice of major. Let’s dive in and explore which of these gaming laptops is the right fit for you or your graduate.
For the commuter: Go lightweight and stealthy with the Zephyrus G14
Not everyone lives on campus. If you’re frequently walking, riding a bike, or using public transit to get to class, you want something light and ultra-portable that you'll barely feel in your backpack. The all-new 2024 ROG Zephyrus G14 is a great choice for the discerning gamer who wants to avoid herniated discs. Weighing in at just 3.31lbs, this 14-inch gaming laptop can easily be slipped into a medium sized backpack, while leaving both room and weight capacity for the rest of your textbooks and daily essentials.
The curb appeal of the machine is another critically important consideration. In the coffee shop, library, or packed lecture hall, flashy RGB lighting and bold styling might draw more attention than you’d like, so we carefully designed the chassis of the G14 to fit in anywhere. Whether you prefer the classic styling of Eclipse Gray or the bold purity of the all new Platinum White colorway, the G14 radiates a premium and refined feeling. The 2024 Zephyrus G14 also features our new Slash Lighting array on the lid, allowing for the perfect blend of gamer sensibilities and upmarket sophistication. When you need to fly under the radar, this can be completely disabled for a stealthy look.
The centerpiece of the Zephyrus G14 is absolutely its display. For the first time on an ROG laptop, enjoy the ultra-fast response times and incredible contrast ratios that are only possible on a Nebula Display with OLED technology. This is also the first gaming laptop in the world with an OLED panel to feature NVIDIA G-SYNC, giving the G14 motion clarity in games that you’ve come to expect from ROG. And with a VESA HDR True Black 500 certification, HDR movies and games will look absolutely brilliant.
Despite its svelte size, the Zephyrus G14 is more than capable, thanks to the powerful AMD CPU and GPU. Paired with a jaw droppingly gorgeous chassis, display, and impressive cooling solution the G14 is the ultimate companion for a college student on the go.
If you like the idea of a compact 14-inch machine but want even more performance, the 2023 Zephyrus G14 deserves an honorable mention, thanks to the combination of its classic AniMe Matrix array and its raw gaming horsepower. Featuring up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 GPU, the 2023 Zephyrus G14 packs an incredible amount of power for your creative projects or gaming sessions, in an impossibly compact chassis.
| ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) | |
|---|---|
| CPU | Up to AMD Ryzen 9 8940HS |
| GPU |
Up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU |
| Display | 16:10 3K 120Hz/0.2ms Nebula Display with OLED panel |
| Memory | Up to 32GB LPDDR5X-6400 onboard memory |
| Storage | Up to 1TB M.2 PCIe Gen4 SSD |
| Connectivity |
WiFi 6E |
| I/O | 1 x Type-C USB4 with DP + PD 1 x Type-C USB 3.2 Gen 2 with DP 2 x Type-A USB 3.2 Gen 2 1 x HDMI 2.1 1 x Micro SD Card Reader (UHS II) 1 x 3.5mm Audio Jack |
| Battery |
73Wh |
| Size | 31.15 x 22 x 1.59 ~ 1.63 cm 1.5 kg |
| Availability (US) | ASUS Best Buy ExcaliberPC |
| Availability (CA) | ASUS |
For the creator: Take advantage of a large display and rendering horsepower with the Zephyrus G16
Not that long ago, a creator’s best friend was a powerful desktop system. But things have changed. For aspiring digital artists, photographers and videographers, the ROG Zephyrus G16 is the ideal portable creation machine. Featuring a gorgeous 16-inch OLED display and an extra tall 16:10 aspect ratio, the G16 has all of the real estate and contrast ratios required to make your projects come to life. With a similar chassis design and the same color options as the smaller G14, the Zephyrus G16 brings desktop caliber rendering horsepower to an incredible slim and portable 16-inch chassis.
Just like the G14, the standout feature of the 2024 Zephyrus G16 is undoubtedly the brand new Nebula Display with an OLED panel featuring NVIDIA G-SYNC support. This dazzling 2.5K resolution and 240Hz panel offers incredible pixel density and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, making each and every one of your creations pop right off the screen. And with a VESA HDR 500 True Black certification and a delta E value of less than 1, you can create all of your color accurate right on your gaming laptop, no professional monitors required.
Today’s professional production software shines when paired with powerful components, and long render times can sometimes make the difference between hitting your deadline or not. You’ll never need to apologize to your professor for a late assignment when using the G16, thanks to the flagship performance on tap from the Intel Core Ultra 9 H and NVIDIA RTX 4090 Laptop GPU. This hardware also shines on the weekend, helping to drive plenty of frames to the 1440p 240Hz display. No matter what AAA or esports game your friends are all playing this weekend, the G16 is more than up to the task.
| ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024) | |
|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H Processor |
| GPU |
Up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU |
| Display | 16:10 2.5K 240Hz/0.2ms Nebula Display with OLED panel |
| Memory | Up to 32GB LPDDR5X-7467 onboard memory |
| Storage | Up to 4TB M.2 PCIe Gen4 SSD |
| Connectivity |
WiFi 6E |
| I/O | 1 x Thunderbolt 4 with DP + PD 1 x Type-C USB 3.2 Gen 2 with DP + PD 2 x Type A USB 3.2 Gen 2 1 x HDMI 2.1 1 x SD Card Reader (UHS-II) 1 x 3.5mm Audio Jack |
| Battery | 90Wh |
| Size | 35.4 x 24.6 x 1.49 ~ 1.74 cm 1.85 kg |
| Availability (US) | ASUS Best Buy |
| Availability (CA) | ASUS |
For the hardcore gamer: Push performance and refresh rates to the max with the Strix SCAR 16
Picture this: you have free time on the weekend, and all of your homework is done (or being put off another week). If your first thought on how to spend your break is to boot up Discord, connect with your friends, and spend the evening curbstomping noobs in Call of Duty: Warzone, the ROG Strix SCAR 16 is the laptop for you.
This machine features bold ROG styling, including a Customizable Armor Cap and RGB lighting on all four sides of the machine. If you need to be more stealthy when in the lecture hall or cafe, you can easily black out the laptop with the touch of a button. While the SCAR 16 is a competent notetaker with a long key travel and an extra large trackpad, this machine really comes into its own when you’re done for the day and need to unwind with a bit of AAA gaming or esports action.
For gamers who demand the absolute best motion and image clarity, the Strix SCAR 16 offers an incredible Nebula HDR Display with a 240Hz refresh rate, 100% DCI-P3 coverage, and a staggering 1100 nits of peak brightness for stunning HDR gameplay. This 2.5K display takes full advantage of Mini LED technology, featuring 2000 discrete dimming zones for incredibly deep blacks and pure white highlights, offering an incredible contrast ratio in standard or HDR games. Seeing your opponents before they see you certainly helps, and the Intel Core i9-14900HX CPU and up to an NVIDIA RTX 4090 Laptop GPU ensure that the SCAR 16 is always drawing enough frames to give you a leg up on the competition. With up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM and dual M.2 slots, both of which are accessible and upgradeable, the SCAR 16 has specifications that would make even the most diehard desktop PC gamer envious, all in a portable form factor. Just because you can take the SCAR wherever you go doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice any of the performance you would expect from a full desktop battlestation.
If you’re a more budget conscious gamer, consider the ROG Strix G16 instead. The SCAR's stylish sibling tends to be slightly less powerful and customizable, but not by much. Depending on the model you choose, the price point can be much more attractive, saving you money to spend on peripherals like a high quality mouse, keyboard, or external monitor.
| ROG Strix SCAR 16 (2024) | ROG Strix G16 (2024) | |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i9 processor 14900HX | Intel Core i9 processor 14900HX |
| GPU | Up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU | Up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU |
| Display | 16" ROG Nebula HDR Display 2.5K 240Hz/3ms | 16" ROG Nebula Display 2.5K 240Hz/3ms |
| Memory | Up to 64GB DDR5-5600* | Up to 32GB DDR5-5600* |
| Storage | Up to 4TB PCIe Gen4 SSD | Up to 2TB PCIe Gen4 SSD |
| Connectivity | WiFi 6E Bluetooth 5.3 |
WiFi 6E Bluetooth 5.3 |
| I/O | 1 x Thunderbolt 4 1 x Type-C USB 3.2 Gen 2 (with DP + PD) 2 x Type-A USB 3.2 Gen 2 1 x HDML 2.1 FRL 1 x 2.5Gbps LAN 1 x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack |
1 x Thunderbolt 4 1 x Type-C USB 3.2 Gen 2 (with DP + PD) 2 x Type-A USB 3.2 Gen 2 1 x HDML 2.1 FRL 1 x 2.5Gbps LAN 1 x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack |
| Battery | 90Wh | 90Wh |
| Size | 35.4 x 26.4 x 2.26 ~ 3.04 cm 2.6kg |
35.4 x 26.4 x 2.26 ~ 3.04 cm 2.5kg |
| Availability (US) | ASUS Newegg Amazon Best Buy B&H Photo |
ASUS Newegg Amazon Best Buy B&H Photo |
| Availability (CA) | ASUS Amazon Canada Computers Memory Express |
For those who accept no compromise: Go ultraportable and ultrapowerful with the Flow Z13
Sometimes life takes you places you don't expect. For those who are always on the move, smaller, thinner and lighter devices make carrying your tech around all day a breeze. With most devices, if you make the form factor smaller, you’re sacrificing battery life and raw horsepower. ROG's Flow series throws that compromise out the window.
Weighing in at just 2.6 pounds and nearly the same size as a sheet of paper, the ROG Flow Z13 tablet will easily fit into any of your bags that can accommodate a standard notebook for lectures. When being used to take notes, the screen protector pulls double duty as a foldout keyboard, and keeps the overall footprint of the machine easy to fit on even the smallest desks and workspaces. The 13-inch touchscreen is protected with Gorilla Glass, ensuring the machine is protected from everyday wear and tear. For the artists among us, the screen is also fully compatible with Wacom devices and pens, making it easier than ever for your digital art to come to life.
What sets this tablet apart from its underpowered competition is the sheer performance we’ve packed under the hood. In this tiny 13-inch machine, we’ve managed to fit an Intel Core i9-13900H processor—an ultra high performance mobile CPU that can boost up to 5.4GHz—and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU, capable of playing the latest games and rendering your content projects. Backed up by LPDDR5 RAM clocked to an insanely fast 5200MHz, you'd be hard-pressed to find a machine this compact that competes on power.
But if an RTX 4060 isn’t enough horsepower for you, the Z13 has one last ace up its sleeve: full compatibility with the XG Mobile ecosystem. These svelte external GPUs pack up to an NVIDIA RTX 4090 Laptop GPU worth of power in a unique form factor, bumping the raw graphics power of the system up significantly. By utilizing a unique PCIe x8 connection to the Flow Z13, the XG mobile can also serve as a power supply and I/O hub for all of your peripherals and devices, including HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, an ethernet port, 4x USB 3.2 ports, and an SD card reader. When you’re back in the dorm room, with a single connector your Flow Z13 transforms into the heart of a mighty desktop gaming and content creation system. The Flow Z13 makes no compromises, and neither should you.
Perhaps the idea of the Flow Z13 appeals to you, but you aren’t sold on the idea of using a tablet as your primary computer. The ROG Flow X13 has all of the same portability and versatility, thanks to its full compatibility with the XG Mobile ecosystem, but in a transforming 13-inch clamshell design. Thanks to its 360° hinge, this more traditional laptop can be used in tablet mode when needed, but it retains the traditional typing and trackpad experience you would expect from an ultraportable notebook.
| ROG Flow Z13 (2023) | |
|---|---|
|
CPU |
Up to Intel Core i9-13900H |
|
GPU |
Up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 |
|
Display |
Nebula QHD+ 165Hz/3ms 100% DCI-P3 |
|
Memory |
Up to 16B DDR5 5200MHz |
|
Storage |
Up to 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD |
|
I/O |
1 x ROG XG Mobile interface |
|
Battery |
56Wh |
|
Size |
Device: 302.8 x 206.9 x 12.96 ~ 14.26 mm |
|
Availability (US) |
|
|
Availability (CA) |
|
Welcome to the Republic
No matter which university or major you choose, ROG has the right gaming laptop for you. Whether you prioritize screen size, portability, or power, we have a machine that can fit your campus lifestyle. Just don’t forget to keep up with your dailies.
