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Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 Gaming Laptop Review: Gaming in 16:10

Also features great speakers. The Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 is not just a simple high-end gaming laptop. The 16:10 WQXGA screen and the very good speakers set the Asus notebook apart from the rest of the competition. Read our review to learn what else the Zephyrus M16 has to offer.
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16

With the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 SE and the ROG Zephyrus G15, Asus has already demonstrated that it can pack a whole lot of power in a compact chassis. The Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 looks slim but packs a lot of power. Our review configuration features Intel’s Core i9-11900H, Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3070, 32 GB of RAM and a 2 TB SSD. The M16 comes with a 16:10 display.

The Zephyrus M16 has a 16-inch screen but takes up about as much space as a typical 15-inch laptop. Below is the list of the laptops, against which the Zephyrus M16 is going to be compared in our review. Below each section, readers can add other devices from our database to the comparison chart.

Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H (ROG Zephyrus M16 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i9-11900H 8 x 2.5 - 4.9 GHz, 90 W PL2 / Short Burst, 30 W PL1 / Sustained, Tiger Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU - 8 GB VRAM, Core: 1290 MHz, Memory: 1500 MHz, 100 W TDP, NVIDIA 462.13, Intel UHD Graphics Xe 750 32EUs
Memory
32 GB 
, Dual-Channel
Display
16.00 inch 16:10, 2560 x 1600 pixel 189 PPI, AU Optronics AUOC199, IPS, glossy: no, 165 Hz
Mainboard
Intel HM570
Storage
Soundcard
Intel Tiger Lake-U/Y PCH-LP - cAVS (Audio, Voice, Speech)
Connections
1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 2 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 USB 4.0 40 Gbps, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5-mm combination audio jack, Card Reader: microSD
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), MediaTek MT7921 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/), Bluetooth 5.2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 20 x 355 x 243 ( = 0.79 x 13.98 x 9.57 in)
Battery
90 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 0.9 MP, 16:9 (1280x720)
Additional features
Speakers: 2x 2W tweeter, 4x 2W woofer, Keyboard: chiclet-style, Keyboard Light: yes, Asus Armoury Crate, 24M Months Warranty
Weight
2.048 kg ( = 72.24 oz / 4.52 pounds), Power Supply: 550 g ( = 19.4 oz / 1.21 pounds)
Price
3000 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Likely Competitors

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
85.6 %
07/2021
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
i9-11900H, GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
2 kg20 mm16.00"2560x1600
85.4 %
04/2021
Alienware m15 R4
i9-10980HK, GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
2.3 kg20 mm15.60"1920x1080
82.8 %
06/2021
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
i9-11900H, GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
2.7 kg26 mm17.30"1920x1080
86.4 %
06/2021
Aorus 15P YD
i7-11800H, GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
2.2 kg27 mm15.60"1920x1080
84 %
02/2021
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
i7-10870H, GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
2.1 kg19.8 mm15.60"1920x1080

Case - Slim 16-inch gaming laptop

In terms of design, the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 is very similar to the Zephyrus G15. The housing is made of sturdy plastic and feels very premium. The 16-inch gaming laptop does not have a very large footprint because its screen has a very small bottom bezel. In terms of size, the Zephyrus M16 is very similar to a typical 15-inch notebook.

Asus ROG Zephyrus M16
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16

When compared to the rest of the competition, the Zephyrus M16 is the smallest and the lightest device. It weighs about only 2 kg (4.4 lbs).

Size Comparison

399 mm / 15.7 inch 269 mm / 10.6 inch 26 mm / 1.024 inch 2.7 kg5.84 lbs357 mm / 14.1 inch 244 mm / 9.61 inch 27 mm / 1.063 inch 2.2 kg4.89 lbs360 mm / 14.2 inch 276 mm / 10.9 inch 20 mm / 0.787 inch 2.3 kg5.07 lbs358 mm / 14.1 inch 248 mm / 9.76 inch 19.8 mm / 0.78 inch 2.1 kg4.63 lbs355 mm / 14 inch 243 mm / 9.57 inch 20 mm / 0.787 inch 2 kg4.52 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity - Asus laptop supports Thunderbolt 4

The Zephyrus M16 features a good selection of ports. It offers two USB-C ports, one of which supports Thunderbolt 4. The other Type-C port (USB 3.2 Gen 2) can output a DisplayPort (1.4) signal and supports PowerDelivery over UBS-C (version 3.0). Many different accessories can be connected to the Asus laptop.

Left side: Power socket, HDMI 2.0b output, Gigabit Ethernet port, one USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port, one Thunderbolt 4 port, one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port (with support for DP 1.4 and PD 3.0), combination 3.5-mm headphone/microphone jack
Left side: Power socket, HDMI 2.0b output, Gigabit Ethernet port, one USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port, one Thunderbolt 4 port, one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port (with support for DP 1.4 and PD 3.0), combination 3.5-mm headphone/microphone jack
Right side: One USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, microSD card reader, Kensington Security Slot
Right side: One USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, microSD card reader, Kensington Security Slot

Card Reader

The card reader can take only microSD cards. It managed to achieve good read and write rates with our reference-grade microSD card (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60). Nevertheless, the Zephyrus M16 takes last place in our comparison chart because competing laptops have faster SDcard readers.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Alienware m15 R4
  (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60)
190 MB/s +98%
Aorus 15P YD
  (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60)
185 MB/s +93%
Average of class Gaming
  (19 - 202, n=103, last 2 years)
99 MB/s +3%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
  (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60)
96 MB/s
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Alienware m15 R4
  (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60)
237 MB/s +27%
Aorus 15P YD
  (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60)
189 MB/s +1%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
  (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60)
187 MB/s
Average of class Gaming
  (26 - 269, n=94, last 2 years)
122.9 MB/s -34%

Communication

The Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. The built-in Wi-Fi module manages to achieve upload speeds of 548 Mb/s and download speeds of 710 Mb/s with our reference-grade router Netgear Nighthawk AX12. Other high-end gaming laptops with Wi-Fi 6 modules can achieve higher data transfer rates than the Zephyrus M16.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Alienware m15 R4
Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650w
1540 MBit/s +181%
Aorus 15P YD
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1265 (1163min - 1351max) MBit/s +131%
Average of class Gaming
  (885 - 1412, n=7, last 2 years)
1147 MBit/s +109%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1089 (603min - 1196max) MBit/s +99%
Average MediaTek MT7921
  (548 - 985, n=16)
797 MBit/s +45%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
 
582 (312min - 680max) MBit/s +6%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
MediaTek MT7921
548 (470min - 602max) MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Alienware m15 R4
Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650w
1720 MBit/s +142%
Average of class Gaming
  (881 - 1700, n=7, last 2 years)
1391 MBit/s +96%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1263 (1093min - 1464max) MBit/s +78%
Aorus 15P YD
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
933 (498min - 1012max) MBit/s +31%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
MediaTek MT7921
710 (360min - 761max) MBit/s
Average MediaTek MT7921
  (90 - 972, n=16)
628 MBit/s -12%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
 
569 (350min - 709max) MBit/s -20%
050100150200250300350400450500550600650700750Tooltip
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø697 (360-761)
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø548 (470-602)

Web Camera

Just like most modern notebooks, the Zephyrus M16 features a low-resolution 0.9-MP web camera, which produces subpar photos and videos.

ColorChecker
14.4 ∆E
14.5 ∆E
15.6 ∆E
12 ∆E
16.8 ∆E
15.3 ∆E
14.6 ∆E
17.8 ∆E
18.6 ∆E
11.6 ∆E
7.9 ∆E
10.1 ∆E
10.9 ∆E
8 ∆E
21.1 ∆E
4.2 ∆E
18.9 ∆E
14.1 ∆E
2.3 ∆E
13.1 ∆E
13.4 ∆E
12.9 ∆E
9.2 ∆E
6 ∆E
ColorChecker Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H: 12.65 ∆E min: 2.33 - max: 21.06 ∆E

Accessories

In addition to the laptop, the box also contains a power adapter. However, Asus offers a lot of laptop accessories on its website.

Maintenance

The bottom plate of the Zephyrus M16 can be easily removed. To do this, all screws on the underside need to be undone. Then, with the help of a guitar pick, the bottom cover can be lifted.

Inside the device, there are two SSD slots, one RAM slot and a Wi-Fi module. 16 GB of RAM, with which the Zephyrus M16 ships, is soldered-in.

Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 - Maintenance options
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 - Maintenance options

Warranty

The Zephyrus M16 comes with a 24-month warranty.

Input Devices - White keyboard backlight

Keyboard

The keys of the Zephyrus M16 provide a lot of feedback and have a very clear actuation point. The keyboard takes some getting used to, but after a while, most users should have no trouble typing out long texts. However, the arrow keys are a little too small for our taste. There are dedicated keys for volume control, turning off and on the microphone and the Armoury Crate utility. The backlight offers three luminance levels.

TouchPad

The Zephyrus M16 uses a TouchPad as a replacement for the mouse. The pad has no trouble recognising touch and mechanical inputs. It is good enough for moving the mouse pointer around.

Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 - Input devices
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 - Input devices
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 - Keyboard
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 - Keyboard
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 - Backlight
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 - Backlight

Display - Bright and fast

Screen bleeding
Screen bleeding

The 16-inch IPS display of the ROG Zephyrus M16 has a native resolution of 2560x1600 pixels and a 16:10 aspect ratio. The maximum brightness of 446 cd/m² is well above average and the brightness distribution of 86% is also on a good level. Furthermore, the panel does not use PWM for brightness control.

There are no other screen options.

461
cd/m²
490
cd/m²
442
cd/m²
446
cd/m²
448
cd/m²
421
cd/m²
445
cd/m²
425
cd/m²
434
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics AUOC199 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 490 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 445.8 cd/m² Minimum: 24 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Center on Battery: 448 cd/m²
Contrast: 933:1 (Black: 0.48 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.76 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 2.86
ΔE Greyscale 3.1 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
100% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
87% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
Gamma: 2.153
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
AU Optronics AUOC199, IPS, 2560x1600, 16.00
Alienware m15 R4
LG Philips LGD066E, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
AU Optronics AUI8294 (B173HAN04.9), IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Aorus 15P YD
BOE09B9, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
AU Optronics B156HAN12.0, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Display
Display P3 Coverage
69.4
40.1
70.2
67.7
sRGB Coverage
99
60
98.5
98.4
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
70.5
41.4
72.4
69.1
Response Times
-61%
-424%
-126%
-147%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
4.8 ?(2, 2.8)
7.4 ?(2, 5.2)
-54%
32.4
-575%
14 ?(7.2, 6.8)
-192%
14.4 ?(6.8, 7.6)
-200%
Response Time Black / White *
6 ?(2, 4)
10 ?(4.4, 5.6)
-67%
22.4
-273%
9.6 ?(5.2, 4.4)
-60%
11.6 ?(7.6, 4)
-93%
PWM Frequency
Screen
14%
-19%
-11%
6%
Brightness middle
448
333
-26%
266
-41%
337
-25%
259.5
-42%
Brightness
446
303
-32%
264
-41%
316
-29%
264
-41%
Brightness Distribution
86
86
0%
79
-8%
85
-1%
90
5%
Black Level *
0.48
0.29
40%
0.32
33%
0.31
35%
0.25
48%
Contrast
933
1148
23%
831
-11%
1087
17%
1038
11%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
2.76
1.8
35%
3.97
-44%
3.87
-40%
2.52
9%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
7.09
4.49
37%
8.93
-26%
8.09
-14%
5.55
22%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
2.86
1.13
60%
3.5
-22%
1.15
60%
1.93
33%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.1
1.9
39%
1.8
42%
6.1
-97%
1.7
45%
Gamma
2.153 102%
2.265 97%
2.31 95%
2.132 103%
2.04 108%
CCT
6826 95%
6840 95%
6754 96%
6891 94%
6414 101%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
87
71
-18%
41.4
-52%
72
-17%
63.3
-27%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
100
93
-7%
60
-40%
94
-6%
98.8
-1%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-24% / 2%
-222% / -81%
-69% / -28%
-71% / -18%

* ... smaller is better

The screen of the Zephyrus M16 offers very good colour space coverage (100% of sRGB; 87% of AdobeRGB). However, when it comes to the contrast ratio (933:1), the display does not look particularly impressive. The black value of 0.48 cd/m² is rather elevated as well. Other competing devices offer better black levels.

CalMAN: Grayscale tracking
CalMAN: Grayscale tracking
CalMAN: Saturation
CalMAN: Saturation
CalMAN: Colour accuracy
CalMAN: Colour accuracy
CalMAN: Grayscale tracking (after calibration)
CalMAN: Grayscale tracking (after calibration)
CalMAN: Saturation (after calibration)
CalMAN: Saturation (after calibration)
CalMAN: Colour accuracy (after calibration)
CalMAN: Colour accuracy (after calibration)

The screen of the Asus notebook is very colour-accurate This is not surprising because the Zephyrus M16 comes with a Pantone Validated Certification. Through calibration, we were able to improve colour accuracy even further. For instance, after calibration, we got a grayscale DeltaE 2000 average of 0.9 (pre-calibration it was 3.1). You can download our ICC profile at the bottom of the box which contains all display measurements (this box is located to the left of the graphic showing the distribution of brightness).

Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 vs sRGB (100%)
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 vs sRGB (100%)
Pixel arrangement
Pixel arrangement
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 vs AdobeRGB (87%)
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 vs AdobeRGB (87%)

The Zephyrus M16 can be used outdoors without any issues, as long as it is in the shade. The screen of the Zephyrus M16 is not bright enough to be able to handle direct sunlight.

Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 outdoors
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 outdoors
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 outdoors
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 outdoors

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 2 ms rise
↘ 4 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 13 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
4.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 2 ms rise
↘ 2.8 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 11 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18071 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

The IPS panel of the Asus laptop has very stable viewing angles. The screen content can be read from any angle without distortions.

Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance - Very fast CPU

There are several CPU and GPU options to choose from. Our configuration of the Zephyrus M16 comes with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 and an Intel Core i9-11900H. There is also a version with an Intel Core i7-11800H and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060. There are different memory and RAM configurations as well.

Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 - CPUz
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 - CPUz
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 - CPUz
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 - CPUz
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 - HWInfo
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 - GPUz

Processor

The Intel Core i9-11900H is an octa-core CPU. Its clock speed ranges from 2.5 to 4.9 GHz, and it can process up to 16 threads at the same time. Both the TDP and the cooling capacity affect the level of performance that the processor can achieve. Asus specifies a long-term power limit of at least 30 W. The CPU can draw up to 90 W when boosting by default.

In our CineBench R15 stress test, the performance dropped 11% over the course of the test. Here, the Zephyrus M16 performs better than the Asus TUF Gaming F17 which features the same CPU. The Zephyrus M16 often manages to outperform the rest of the competition in the CPU benchmarks.

011523034546057569080592010351150126513801495161017251840195520702185Tooltip
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H Intel Core i9-11900H: Ø1968 (1875.21-2210.56)
Alienware m15 R4 Intel Core i9-10980HK: Ø1567 (1501.78-1606.36)
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM Intel Core i9-11900H: Ø1874 (1698.44-2029.22)
Aorus 15P YD Intel Core i7-11800H: Ø1808 (1756.39-1935.92)
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG Intel Core i7-10870H: Ø1502 (1440.51-1640.55)
Cinebench R20
CPU (Single Core)
Average of class Gaming
  (169 - 855, n=237, last 2 years)
693 Points +15%
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (600 - 615, n=5)
607 Points +1%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
Intel Core i9-11900H
603 Points
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
Intel Core i9-11900H
600 Points 0%
Aorus 15P YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
583 Points -3%
Alienware m15 R4
Intel Core i9-10980HK
477 Points -21%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
Intel Core i7-10870H
473 Points -22%
CPU (Multi Core)
Average of class Gaming
  (930 - 13769, n=237, last 2 years)
7255 Points +41%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
Intel Core i9-11900H
5160 Points
Aorus 15P YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
4920 Points -5%
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (4324 - 5160, n=5)
4758 Points -8%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
Intel Core i9-11900H
4403 Points -15%
Alienware m15 R4
Intel Core i9-10980HK
3915 Points -24%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
Intel Core i7-10870H
3759 Points -27%
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (79.2 - 318, n=241, last 2 years)
266 Points +13%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
Intel Core i9-11900H
241 Points +2%
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (236 - 243, n=5)
240 Points +2%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
Intel Core i9-11900H
236 Points
Aorus 15P YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
230 Points -3%
Alienware m15 R4
Intel Core i9-10980HK
202 Points -14%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
Intel Core i7-10870H
199 Points -16%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (400 - 5663, n=242, last 2 years)
3024 Points +37%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
Intel Core i9-11900H
2211 (1875.21min - 2210.56max) Points
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (1770 - 2211, n=5)
2068 Points -6%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
Intel Core i9-11900H
2029 Points -8%
Aorus 15P YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
1936 (1756.39min - 1935.92max) Points -12%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
Intel Core i7-10870H
1641 (1440.51min - 1640.55max) Points -26%
Alienware m15 R4
Intel Core i9-10980HK
1606 (1501.78min - 1606.36max) Points -27%
Blender - v2.79 BMW27 CPU
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
Intel Core i7-10870H
292 Seconds * -20%
Aorus 15P YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
291 Seconds * -20%
Alienware m15 R4
Intel Core i9-10980HK
279 Seconds * -15%
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (231 - 270, n=5)
247 Seconds * -2%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
Intel Core i9-11900H
243 Seconds *
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
Intel Core i9-11900H
242 Seconds * -0%
Average of class Gaming
  (87 - 1259, n=235, last 2 years)
205 Seconds * +16%
7-Zip 18.03
7z b 4 -mmt1
Average of class Gaming
  (2685 - 7581, n=236, last 2 years)
6062 MIPS +9%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
Intel Core i9-11900H
5870 MIPS +5%
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (5582 - 6018, n=5)
5781 MIPS +4%
Aorus 15P YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
5582 MIPS 0%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
Intel Core i9-11900H
5582 MIPS
Alienware m15 R4
Intel Core i9-10980HK
5437 MIPS -3%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
Intel Core i7-10870H
5312 MIPS -5%
7z b 4
Average of class Gaming
  (11386 - 140932, n=236, last 2 years)
75363 MIPS +39%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
Intel Core i9-11900H
54156 MIPS
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (49486 - 57263, n=5)
52910 MIPS -2%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
Intel Core i9-11900H
50441 MIPS -7%
Alienware m15 R4
Intel Core i9-10980HK
48838 MIPS -10%
Aorus 15P YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
47604 MIPS -12%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
Intel Core i7-10870H
44272 MIPS -18%
Geekbench 5.5
Single-Core
Average of class Gaming
  (158 - 2193, n=241, last 2 years)
1795 Points +11%
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (1576 - 1692, n=5)
1634 Points +1%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
Intel Core i9-11900H
1624 Points
Aorus 15P YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
1582 Points -3%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
Intel Core i9-11900H
1576 Points -3%
Alienware m15 R4
Intel Core i9-10980HK
1316 Points -19%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
Intel Core i7-10870H
1280 Points -21%
Multi-Core
Average of class Gaming
  (1946 - 22200, n=241, last 2 years)
13326 Points +38%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
Intel Core i9-11900H
9663 Points
Aorus 15P YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
9335 Points -3%
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (7725 - 9856, n=5)
9140 Points -5%
Alienware m15 R4
Intel Core i9-10980HK
7789 Points -19%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
Intel Core i7-10870H
7755 Points -20%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
Intel Core i9-11900H
7725 Points -20%
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 - 4k Preset
Average of class Gaming
  (3 - 37.6, n=239, last 2 years)
20.8 fps +39%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
Intel Core i9-11900H
15 fps
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (13.6 - 16.7, n=5)
15 fps 0%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
Intel Core i9-11900H
14.9 fps -1%
Alienware m15 R4
Intel Core i9-10980HK
13.1 fps -13%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
Intel Core i7-10870H
12.6 fps -16%
Aorus 15P YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
12.6 fps -16%
LibreOffice - 20 Documents To PDF
Alienware m15 R4
Intel Core i9-10980HK
49.3 s * -22%
Average of class Gaming
  (32.8 - 332, n=233, last 2 years)
49.1 s * -21%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
Intel Core i7-10870H
48.2 s * -19%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
Intel Core i9-11900H
45.8 s * -13%
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (40.5 - 49.3, n=5)
44.5 s * -10%
Aorus 15P YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
43.8 s * -8%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
Intel Core i9-11900H
40.5 s *
R Benchmark 2.5 - Overall mean
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
Intel Core i7-10870H
0.595 sec * -9%
Alienware m15 R4
Intel Core i9-10980HK
0.578 sec * -6%
Aorus 15P YD
Intel Core i7-11800H
0.56 sec * -3%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
Intel Core i9-11900H
0.544 sec *
Average Intel Core i9-11900H
  (0.52 - 0.544, n=5)
0.531 sec * +2%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
Intel Core i9-11900H
0.529 sec * +3%
Average of class Gaming
  (0.3609 - 4.47, n=236, last 2 years)
0.4734 sec * +13%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
2211 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
188 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
236 Points
Help

System Performance

In PCMark 10, the ROG Zephyrus M16 takes second place in our comparison chart. In many sections of the benchmark, the Asus laptop manages to achieve above-average results. In day-to-day use, the system feels very responsive. The applications start very quickly. Accessing data also does not present any problems.

You can find out how the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 stacks up against other laptops on our CPU benchmarks page.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Gaming
  (5235 - 9852, n=203, last 2 years)
7573 Points +7%
Aorus 15P YD
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i7-11800H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL21T0HCLR
7191 Points +1%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, i9-11900H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB
7097 Points
Average Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
 
7097 Points 0%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU, i9-11900H, SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N
6901 Points -3%
Alienware m15 R4
GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, i9-10980HK, Micron 2300 1TB MTFDHBA1T0TDV
6640 Points -6%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, i7-10870H, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00
6121 Points -14%
Essentials
Average of class Gaming
  (8300 - 12334, n=202, last 2 years)
10701 Points +1%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU, i9-11900H, SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N
10602 Points +1%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, i9-11900H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB
10544 Points
Average Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
 
10544 Points 0%
Aorus 15P YD
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i7-11800H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL21T0HCLR
10528 Points 0%
Alienware m15 R4
GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, i9-10980HK, Micron 2300 1TB MTFDHBA1T0TDV
9577 Points -9%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, i7-10870H, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00
9437 Points -10%
Productivity
Average of class Gaming
  (7244 - 11833, n=202, last 2 years)
9729 Points +7%
Aorus 15P YD
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i7-11800H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL21T0HCLR
9188 Points +1%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, i9-11900H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB
9113 Points
Average Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
 
9113 Points 0%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU, i9-11900H, SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N
9071 Points 0%
Alienware m15 R4
GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, i9-10980HK, Micron 2300 1TB MTFDHBA1T0TDV
8605 Points -6%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, i7-10870H, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00
7873 Points -14%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Gaming
  (6462 - 18475, n=202, last 2 years)
11407 Points +13%
Aorus 15P YD
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i7-11800H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL21T0HCLR
10434 Points +3%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, i9-11900H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB
10097 Points
Average Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
 
10097 Points 0%
Alienware m15 R4
GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, i9-10980HK, Micron 2300 1TB MTFDHBA1T0TDV
9643 Points -4%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU, i9-11900H, SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N
9274 Points -8%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, i7-10870H, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00
8376 Points -17%
PCMark 10 Score
7097 points
Help

DPC Latencies

Our latency benchmark reveals that the Zephyrus M16 offers decent DPC latencies. This is why it is suited for work with real-time audio and video.

DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95
Alienware m15 R4
GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, i9-10980HK, Micron 2300 1TB MTFDHBA1T0TDV
4199 μs * -337%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU, i9-11900H, SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N
1399 μs * -46%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, i9-11900H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB
960 μs *
Aorus 15P YD
GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, i7-11800H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL21T0HCLR
775 μs * +19%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, i7-10870H, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00
706 μs * +26%

* ... smaller is better

Storage Devices

The Zephyrus M16 comes with a 2 TB SSD from Samsung (PM9A1). In our storage benchmarks, the SSD achieves superb read and write rates. This is why the Asus laptop takes first place in our comparison chart.

You can find out how the Samsung PM9A1 stacks up against other storage devices on our HDD/SSD benchmarks page.

Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB
Alienware m15 R4
Micron 2300 1TB MTFDHBA1T0TDV
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
SK Hynix HFM001TD3JX013N
Aorus 15P YD
Samsung PM9A1 MZVL21T0HCLR
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-40%
-32%
1%
-42%
Write 4K
239.6
93.7
-61%
168.8
-30%
230.4
-4%
163.1
-32%
Read 4K
89.3
48.1
-46%
72
-19%
91.8
3%
48.97
-45%
Write Seq
4515
2785
-38%
4301
-5%
2607
-42%
Read Seq
4592
2598
-43%
4474
-3%
2316
-50%
Write 4K Q32T1
605
481.9
-20%
459.5
-24%
656
8%
338
-44%
Read 4K Q32T1
658
521
-21%
473.1
-28%
722
10%
475.6
-28%
Write Seq Q32T1
5280
3362
-36%
3129
-41%
5198
-2%
3090
-41%
Read Seq Q32T1
7098
3200
-55%
3529
-50%
7065
0%
3421
-52%
Write 4K Q8T8
484.5
Read 4K Q8T8
1518
AS SSD
-67%
-31%
-1%
-60%
Seq Read
5615
2658
-53%
2837
-49%
5376
-4%
2198
-61%
Seq Write
4297
2769
-36%
1565
-64%
3669
-15%
2596
-40%
4K Read
55.3
46.07
-17%
55.4
0%
56.5
2%
43.81
-21%
4K Write
170.5
87.2
-49%
152.9
-10%
157.7
-8%
115.5
-32%
4K-64 Read
2591
1372
-47%
1327
-49%
2720
5%
1692
-35%
4K-64 Write
3190
1247
-61%
1922
-40%
3366
6%
2162
-32%
Access Time Read *
0.04
0.052
-30%
0.035
12%
0.04
-0%
0.056
-40%
Access Time Write *
0.025
0.098
-292%
0.028
-12%
0.027
-8%
0.098
-292%
Score Read
3208
1684
-48%
1666
-48%
3314
3%
1956
-39%
Score Write
3790
1611
-57%
2232
-41%
3890
3%
2537
-33%
Score Total
8563
4166
-51%
4695
-45%
8804
3%
5513
-36%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-54% / -56%
-32% / -32%
0% / -0%
-51% / -52%

* ... smaller is better

Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 7098 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 5280 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 658 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 605 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 4592 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 4515 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 89.3 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 239.6 MB/s

Continuous read speed: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8

No graph data

Graphics Card

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 can easily handle all the latest games on high settings. In some titles, the RTX 3070 in the Zephyrus M16 outperforms the rest of the competition. However, in other titles, the Zephyrus M16 is beaten by all other competing laptops.

To learn how the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 compares against other GPUs, visit our GPU benchmarks page.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Gaming
  (1029 - 72070, n=241, last 2 years)
39928 Points +99%
Aorus 15P YD
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i7-11800H
38409 Points +92%
Alienware m15 R4
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-10980HK
37287 Points +86%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
  (12535 - 38275, n=54)
32331 Points +61%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i7-10870H
31092 Points +55%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-11900H
25793 Points +29%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-11900H
20039 Points
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Alienware m15 R4
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-10980HK
178400 Points +128%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i7-10870H
139665 Points +78%
Average of class Gaming
  (15902 - 193851, n=150, last 2 years)
135325 Points +73%
Aorus 15P YD
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i7-11800H
128191 Points +64%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
  (45531 - 179716, n=33)
121367 Points +55%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-11900H
110773 Points +41%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-11900H
78290 Points
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Aorus 15P YD
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i7-11800H
29389 Points +77%
Average of class Gaming
  (781 - 53059, n=245, last 2 years)
29195 Points +76%
Alienware m15 R4
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-10980HK
27977 Points +68%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
  (7178 - 29128, n=52)
24302 Points +46%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i7-10870H
23893 Points +44%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-11900H
19737 Points +19%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-11900H
16628 Points
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (224 - 22547, n=243, last 2 years)
11907 Points +97%
Aorus 15P YD
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i7-11800H
11129 Points +84%
Alienware m15 R4
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-10980HK
11019 Points +82%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
  (2644 - 11019, n=53)
9300 Points +53%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i7-10870H
9131 Points +51%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-11900H
7582 Points +25%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i9-11900H
6059 Points
3DMark 11 Performance
19516 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
44393 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
15460 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
6448 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 can run current games at high resolutions and high frame rates. In some titles, the Zephyrus M16 is able to beat the rest of the competition. However, in other titles, the Zephyrus M16 falls behind the competition.

The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Average of class Gaming
  (8.61 - 216, n=238, last 2 years)
115.1 fps +29%
Aorus 15P YD
Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
107 (86min) fps +20%
Alienware m15 R4
Intel Core i9-10980HK, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
101 (76min) fps +13%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
  (34.9 - 109, n=52)
91.8 fps +3%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
Intel Core i7-10870H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
89.7 (83min - 95max) fps +1%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
89.1 (76min) fps
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
74 fps -17%
Dota 2 Reborn - 1920x1080 ultra (3/3) best looking
Average of class Gaming
  (26.9 - 220, n=248, last 2 years)
141.2 fps +2%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
139 (109.6min) fps
Aorus 15P YD
Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
133 (116.2min) fps -4%
Alienware m15 R4
Intel Core i9-10980HK, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
130 (112.7min) fps -6%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
121 (106.3min) fps -13%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
  (26.9 - 163.9, n=58)
120.7 fps -13%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
Intel Core i7-10870H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
107 (89.3min) fps -23%
GTA V - 1920x1080 Highest Settings possible AA:4xMSAA + FX AF:16x
Average of class Gaming
  (6.38 - 167.7, n=227, last 2 years)
106.3 fps +34%
Aorus 15P YD
Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
97.4 (6.21min, 66.7P1 - 206max) fps +23%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
  (21.7 - 125.8, n=50)
91 fps +15%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
Intel Core i7-10870H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
90.4 (16.9min, 66.7P1 - 171max) fps +14%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
80.4 (8.99min, 55.6P1 - 149max) fps +1%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
79.4 (10.2min, 47.6P1 - 136max) fps
Final Fantasy XV Benchmark - 1920x1080 High Quality
Average of class Gaming
  (9.13 - 194.9, n=237, last 2 years)
109.6 fps +67%
Aorus 15P YD
Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
106 fps +61%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
Intel Core i7-10870H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
87.5 fps +33%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
  (27.9 - 107, n=49)
86.4 fps +32%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
72.3 fps +10%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
65.7 fps
Alienware m15 R4
Intel Core i9-10980HK, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
62 fps -6%
X-Plane 11.11 - 1920x1080 high (fps_test=3)
Average of class Gaming
  (12.4 - 166.2, n=253, last 2 years)
100.8 fps +17%
Alienware m15 R4
Intel Core i9-10980HK, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
91.4 fps +6%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
86.4 fps
Aorus 15P YD
Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
84.4 fps -2%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
  (12.4 - 118.8, n=61)
81.1 fps -6%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
80.1 fps -7%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
Intel Core i7-10870H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
76.4 fps -12%
Strange Brigade - 1920x1080 ultra AA:ultra AF:16
Average of class Gaming
  (14.6 - 421, n=235, last 2 years)
203 fps +93%
Aorus 15P YD
Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
188 (69.8min, 143P1 - 294max) fps +79%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
  (36.2 - 194, n=46)
159 fps +51%
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
Intel Core i7-10870H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
155 (34.1min, 116P1 - 248max) fps +48%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
130 (88.3min, 98.4P1 - 218max) fps +24%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
105 (66.4min, 72.1P1 - 295max) fps
Far Cry 5 - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:T
Average of class Gaming
  (14 - 218, n=129, last 2 years)
125.8 fps +14%
Aorus 15P YD
Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
121 fps +10%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
110 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
  (89 - 140, n=36)
108.6 fps -1%
Alienware m15 R4
Intel Core i9-10980HK, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
107 fps -3%
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
93 fps -15%
Cyberpunk 2077 1.0 - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset
Aorus 15P YD
Intel Core i7-11800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
71 fps +20%
Alienware m15 R4
Intel Core i9-10980HK, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
70.5 fps +19%
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
  (50 - 70.5, n=11)
62 fps +4%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
Intel Core i9-11900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
59.4 fps

Our gaming stress test, which we conduct with the help of The Witcher 3, shows that the Zephyrus M16 is able to maintain a high level of performance when gaming.

The Witcher 3 - Gaming stress test (FPS)

051015202530354045505560657075808590Tooltip
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, i9-11900H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB: Ø89.8 (86-93)
low med. high ultraQHD
GTA V (2015) 184 179 151 79.4
The Witcher 3 (2015) 89.1
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 173 156 148 139
Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) 137 81 65.7 49.1
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 126 106 86.4
Far Cry 5 (2018) 110 85
Strange Brigade (2018) 311 146 119 105 82.3
Cyberpunk 2077 1.0 (2020) 59.4 38.4

Emissions - Gaming laptop with very good speakers

System Noise

When idle, the Zephyrus M16 does not produce much noise and the fans usually just stand still. However, under full load, the fan noise reaches up to 56 dB(A). The amount of system noise depends heavily on the workload. There are no abnormal noises such as coil whine to report.

Noise Level

Idle
25 / 31 / 42 dB(A)
Load
48 / 56 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Earthworks M23R, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 25 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs20323843.237.435.22531.836.63635.134.63140.648.247.741.748.54035.933.43127.932.45030.127.324.824.726.36340.13028.725.326.88028.221.821.419.131.21003128.729.328.533.612530.121.723.219.23016033.323.225.118.53120031.430.226.423.331.625037.526.525.218.138.331533.827.325.914.936.740031.725.91912.935.950033.427.81912.439.663036.732.221.410.642.780037.733.822.511.644.8100037.331.919.811.944.312503933.721.31246.7160037.932.319.911.346200038.131.9181246.4250037.430.715.712.546.2315035.628.315.912.944.5400030.523.814.913.939.7500029.922.414.113.438630028.316.71414.137.7800023.615.513.913.638.41000019.713.513.313.430.51250016.713.412.913.625.11600015.212.412.212.220.2SPL47.741.930.825.355.6N63.51.50.710.1median 33.3median 27.3median 19median 13.4median 38.3Delta6.36.94.936.5hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseAsus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H

Temperature

According to our measurements, the surface temperatures of the Zephyrus M16 reach 53 °C (127.4 °F) under load. The temperatures in the wrist rest area peak at 39 °C (102.2 °F). Under load, the Zephyrus M16 gets quite hot, but it is always usable.

The Witcher 3
The Witcher 3
The Witcher 3
The Witcher 3
The Witcher 3
The Witcher 3
Stress test
Stress test
Stress test
Stress test
Stress test
Stress test

During our stress test, the temperatures inside the device hit 96 °C and the CPU clock rates dropped to 2.1 GHz. However, the base frequency of the Intel Core i9-11900H amounts to 2.5 GHz. Other than that, the system ran without any issues during our stress test.

Our gaming stress test, which we conduct with the help of The Witcher 3, reveals that the internal temperatures are somewhat lower when gaming. Here, the CPU temperatures peaked at 87 °C and the CPU clocks (2.6 GHz) stayed above the base frequency. The Zephyrus M16 should not significantly throttle under sustained load.

Max. Load
 49 °C
120 F
52 °C
126 F
49 °C
120 F
 
 46 °C
115 F
48 °C
118 F
43 °C
109 F
 
 35 °C
95 F
36 °C
97 F
39 °C
102 F
 
Maximum: 52 °C = 126 F
Average: 44.1 °C = 111 F
53 °C
127 F
51 °C
124 F
52 °C
126 F
48 °C
118 F
50 °C
122 F
45 °C
113 F
46 °C
115 F
47 °C
117 F
45 °C
113 F
Maximum: 53 °C = 127 F
Average: 48.6 °C = 119 F
Power Supply (max.)  53 °C = 127 F | Room Temperature 21 °C = 70 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated), Voltcraft IR-900
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 44.1 °C / 111 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F for the devices in the class Gaming.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 52 °C / 126 F, compared to the average of 40.4 °C / 105 F, ranging from 21.2 to 68.8 °C for the class Gaming.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 53 °C / 127 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(±) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 35.8 °C / 96 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(-) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 45 °C / 113 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(±) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 39 °C / 102.2 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-10.1 °C / -18.2 F).

Speakers

The Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 features two speakers for the high frequencies and four speakers for the low and medium frequencies. The speakers of the Asus laptop offer a very wide sound stage and sound very good. The Zephyrus M16 can be used for media consumption.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2037.4412535.137.83141.741.14027.931.65024.727.56325.334.78019.135.810028.545.512519.251.616018.555.320023.357.725018.163.531514.963.540012.964.450012.466.763010.665.580011.668.9100011.971.612501272160011.373.820001270.3250012.560.5315012.961.5400013.962.5500013.460.2630014.166.6800013.667.41000013.465.11250013.659.21600012.254.9SPL25.380.4N0.748.8median 13.4median 63.5Delta34.435.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAsus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603HApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (80 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 7.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.6% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.6% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (12.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 11% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 86% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 7% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 91% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management - Lasts nearly 8 hours in our Wi-Fi test

Energy Consumption

According to our measurements, the Asus notebook draws about 20 W when idle and up to 197 W under load. The Zephyrus M16 has a similar power draw to the rest of the competition.

The included 240-W power adapter should be able to provide enough energy to charge the device under any conditions.

Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 - Power adapter
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 - Power adapter
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 - Power adapter
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 - Power adapter
Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.5 / 3.1 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 11 / 20 / 30 Watt
Load midlight 111 / 197 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
i9-11900H, GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
Alienware m15 R4
i9-10980HK, GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
i9-11900H, GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
Aorus 15P YD
i7-11800H, GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
i7-10870H, GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
Average NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU
 
Average of class Gaming
 
Power Consumption
-75%
18%
-34%
1%
-10%
-7%
Idle Minimum *
11
35
-218%
10.3
6%
23
-109%
12.9
-17%
15.6 ?(4 - 64, n=39)
-42%
13.8 ?(2 - 64, n=185, last 2 years)
-25%
Idle Average *
20
39
-95%
13.1
34%
25
-25%
15.4
23%
20.1 ?(9 - 68.2, n=39)
-1%
19.1 ?(8 - 67, n=185, last 2 years)
4%
Idle Maximum *
30
48
-60%
14.1
53%
35
-17%
27.1
10%
29.4 ?(14.6 - 76, n=39)
2%
26.7 ?(9 - 101.1, n=185, last 2 years)
11%
Load Average *
111
135
-22%
110
1%
101
9%
98.2
12%
110.8 ?(76.8 - 214, n=39)
-0%
111.2 ?(32.1 - 202, n=185, last 2 years)
-0%
Witcher 3 ultra *
156
194
-24%
138
12%
190
-22%
164.9
-6%
Load Maximum *
197
252
-28%
190
4%
280
-42%
232.9
-18%
214 ?(157 - 290, n=39)
-9%
250 ?(64.5 - 418, n=184, last 2 years)
-27%

* ... smaller is better

Power draw when gaming (The Witcher 3)

0102030405060708090100110120130140150160Tooltip
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, i9-11900H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB: Ø155.7 (152-161)

Battery Life

In our practically oriented Wi-Fi test, the Zephyrus M16 lasted for 7h and 43m. With its 90-Wh battery, the Asus laptop is able to outlast all other competing devices.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
13h 19min
WiFi Websurfing
7h 43min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 37min
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H
i9-11900H, GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, 90 Wh
Alienware m15 R4
i9-10980HK, GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, 86 Wh
Asus TUF Gaming F17 FX706HM
i9-11900H, GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU, 90 Wh
Aorus 15P YD
i7-11800H, GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU, 99 Wh
MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG
i7-10870H, GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU, 99.9 Wh
Average of class Gaming
 
Battery Runtime
-61%
27%
-15%
2%
-22%
Reader / Idle
799
220
-72%
448
-44%
649
-19%
541 ?(57 - 1290, n=87, last 2 years)
-32%
WiFi v1.3
463
164
-65%
454
-2%
319
-31%
426
-8%
364 ?(57 - 745, n=188, last 2 years)
-21%
Load
97
52
-46%
151
56%
126
30%
129
33%
85.5 ?(36 - 173, n=150, last 2 years)
-12%

Pros

+ colour-accurate 16:10 panel
+ very bright screen
+ a lot of CPU performance
+ good speakers

Cons

- mediocre Wi-Fi speeds
- RTX 3070 often slower than in competing devices
- only microSD card reader
- elevated temperatures

Verdict - The Zephyrus M16 impresses

Review of the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16. Device provided courtesy of: Asus Germany
Review of the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16. Device provided courtesy of: Asus Germany

The Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 is for those who are looking for a 16:10 gaming laptop. The Asus notebook offers a larger screen size than a typical 15-inch laptop. Moreover, the display of the Zephyrus M16 is very bright, colour-accurate and fast (165 Hz). The selection of ports, good maintenance options and good input devices round off the overall package.

The Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 is very unique in the world of gaming laptops, thanks to its 16:10 screen.

There are a few negative points such as the mediocre Wi-Fi performance. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 is a very capable GPU that can run all current titles. However, other laptops such as the Alienware m15 R4 or the MSI GS66 Stealth 10UG manage to squeeze more performance out of this GPU. The Zephyrus M16 offers a very high level of CPU performance. With a 2 TB SSD and 32 GB of RAM, the Zephyrus M16 is suited for any task.

Price and Availability

The Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 with an Intel Core i9-11900H and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 is currently available on Amazon for $2200.

Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU603H - 06/27/2021 v7
Mike Wobker

Chassis
82 / 98 → 84%
Keyboard
79%
Pointing Device
86%
Connectivity
66 / 80 → 83%
Weight
63 / 10-66 → 94%
Battery
78 / 95 → 82%
Display
90%
Games Performance
96%
Application Performance
95%
Temperature
73 / 95 → 77%
Noise
62 / 90 → 69%
Audio
82%
Camera
32 / 85 → 37%
Average
76%
86%
Gaming - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 Gaming Laptop Review: Gaming in 16:10
Mike Wobker, 2021-07- 1 (Update: 2021-07- 2)