In today’s comparison, we’re diving into two of ASUS’s latest laptops, the ProArt Studiobook 16 (Pro P16) and the refreshed ROG Zephyrus G16. While these laptops share much of their internal hardware, the key differences between them cater to distinct audiences. The ProArt is geared toward creators, while the Zephyrus focuses more on gamers and lifestyle users. Let’s explore how these laptops stand out, their similarities, and which one may be better suited for you.
Core Differences:
Both laptops are built on AMD’s new Strix Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU and are equipped with Radeon RX 40 series GPUs. This ensures impressive performance across the board. However, the ProArt P16 is targeted more toward creators with its higher RAM configuration and a 4K OLED display that supports touch and pen input. On the other hand, the Zephyrus G16 offers a more well-rounded package, including a 240Hz G-Sync display, making it a better choice for gaming enthusiasts.
Interestingly, despite the more premium features of the ProArt, the Zephyrus comes in at a few hundred dollars less, leading to the question: Does the Pro variant still justify its existence?
Familiar Territory with New Features:
We’ve reviewed various configurations of the Zephyrus G16 before, but this refreshed AMD model caps out at an RX 4070 for its GPU, compared to the previous Intel variant that supported up to the RTX 4090. Our version today is powered by the RX 4060 with a maximum TGP of 95W. The ProArt, meanwhile, edges ahead with its 4070, allowing for slightly more power draw and performance. Both laptops come with a 1TB SSD and fast RAM. However, the ProArt doubles the RAM capacity, a clear advantage for creators, while the G16 sticks with a more mainstream configuration.
Both laptops share the same Zen 5 platform and AMD Ryzen 9 processor, making them solid choices for both work and gaming. The Zephyrus G16 retains its 240Hz OLED panel that we’ve grown to love, while the ProArt features a 60Hz OLED panel with touch and pen support — a welcome addition for creative professionals.
Design: Sleek or Flashy?
When it comes to design, both laptops share much of the same chassis, and this is mostly a good thing. The Zephyrus G16 and ProArt P16 are some of the best-looking Windows notebooks on the market, but they aren’t without their drawbacks. Both have reflective, glossy displays that could use some improvement. However, the ProArt stands out with a cleaner, more minimal design, perfect for professional environments. Its matte black finish is sleek but prone to fingerprints, which can easily be cleaned.
In contrast, the Zephyrus G16 adopts a slightly more flashy “gamer” aesthetic, complete with an LED bar on the display lid, dedicated function buttons, and a bolder font on the keyboard. For those looking for a subtle, professional laptop, the ProArt is the clear winner here, but gamers and lifestyle users will likely appreciate the Zephyrus’s design.
Ports and Connectivity:
The ports on both laptops are largely the same: Power connector, HDMI 2.1, USB-C 4.0, USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, and audio port on the left, with another USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, and a full-size SD card reader on the right. However, the ProArt has one key advantage — it significantly boosts transfer rates on the SD card reader, making it ideal for content creators working with large media files.
Internally, both laptops have similar configurations, including soldered RAM and dual NVMe slots. This is great news for users looking for flexibility in future upgrades.
Performance and Cooling:
One of the concerns we had with previous Zephyrus models was the third fan, which was often noisy due to the smaller system fan. Unfortunately, this problem persists with the G16, although the ProArt seems to have solved it. Under high-performance loads, both laptops are reasonably loud but quieter in lower modes. That said, ASUS could have taken this opportunity to optimize the cooling system further.
Keyboards, Touchpads, and Inputs:
Both laptops feature excellent keyboards with satisfying travel, solid tactile feedback, and well-thought-out layouts. Although the key layout may not appeal to everyone, most users will adapt quickly. The touchpads on both laptops are spacious and responsive, with the ProArt offering an additional dial for system functions and creative apps.
The ProArt’s OLED screen is touch and pen-enabled, which is useful for creators. However, using a pen on a traditional laptop form factor may not be ideal for extended periods. The screen’s wobbly display hinge also makes precise input difficult.
Displays: OLED vs. High Refresh Rate:
The ProArt’s OLED panel is highly accurate with near 100% coverage of sRGB, Adobe RGB, and DCI-P3, making it a solid choice for color-critical tasks like photo and video editing. However, its brightness maxes out at just 306 nits, which is lower than the Zephyrus G16’s 240Hz OLED display. For those who care about refresh rates or are casual gamers, the Zephyrus G16 is the better choice, thanks to its 240Hz panel, which offers a noticeably smoother experience.
While the ProArt’s OLED is beautiful, it’s hard to overlook the benefits of a high-refresh-rate screen, especially given that other ASUS laptops like the ZenBook Pro 16X offer 120Hz OLEDs. The ProArt’s 60Hz panel feels like a missed opportunity.
Performance Testing:
We ran some benchmarks to see how each laptop performs. Both devices feature AMD’s 12-core Ryzen 9 processor, with power draw up to 80W under full load, leading to impressive results that surpass Intel’s Meteor Lake CPUs. Even on battery, both laptops perform well, maintaining about 65W under load with only minor drops in performance.
In Cinebench R23 and R24, only Apple’s M3 Max or Intel’s 14900HX can outperform these AMD chips, so you’re covered for both single and multi-core applications.
System performance is excellent across the board, with the Zephyrus G16 holding a slight edge despite its slower GPU. In GPU benchmarks, the G16’s RX 4060 performs well but not class-leading, while the ProArt’s RX 4070 is among the fastest in its form factor.
Battery Life:
In a Wi-Fi test with the display set at 150 nits, 60Hz, and running a script to simulate web browsing, both laptops perform adequately. However, in a video playback test, the ProArt surprised us with a whopping 21 hours of battery life, while the G16 lagged behind despite having the same CPU and battery capacity.
Conclusion: Which Should You Choose?
Ultimately, the decision comes down to your specific needs. The AMD-powered Zephyrus G16 offers a premium all-around experience for gamers and lifestyle users, with a 240Hz display and solid overall performance. On the other hand, the ProArt Studiobook 16 is a focused machine designed for creators, with its excellent color-accurate display, touch and pen input, and expanded RAM options.
If you’re a creator who can overlook the 60Hz refresh rate, the ProArt P16 is an excellent choice, albeit a pricey one. But if you’re a gamer or someone who dabbles in both gaming and content creation, the Zephyrus G16 offers much of the same performance at a more affordable price.
Let us know in the comments which laptop you prefer and why. Thanks for reading!
