Notebookcheck Logo

Asus Zephyrus M GU502GU Laptop Review: $1800 for Single-Channel RAM

Medium performance for a high price. The Zephyrus M GU502GU starts at the same price as the Razer Blade 15 with the same CPU, GPU, and 144 Hz display. It becomes difficult to recommend the Asus when the Razer alternative is both smaller and more rigid while offering essentially the same level of gaming performance.

The Zephyrus family is home to Asus' thinnest and most visually appealing gaming laptops. The lineup itself has since expanded into multiple branches: the Zephyrus G series for budget-conscious consumers, the Zephyrus S series for the higher-end enthusiast offerings, and the Zephyrus M series as the in-between middle-ground solution. The model we'll be looking at today is the Zephyrus M GU502GU equipped with the Core i7-9750H CPU, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GPU, and 1080p 144 Hz IPS display retailing for about $1800 USD on Xotic PC.

A more powerful Zephyrus M GU502GV is also available with the RTX 2060 GPU instead, but everything else remains identical between the two SKUs.

Competitors to the GU502GU include other budget to mid-range 15.6-inch gaming laptops like the MSI GF65, MSI GL65, HP Pavilion 15 Gaming, Lenovo Legion Y740-15, Dell G7 15, and the more recent Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti.

More Asus reviews:

Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74 (ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-9750H 6 x 2.6 - 4.5 GHz, Coffee Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile - 6 GB VRAM, Core: 1555 MHz, Memory: 1538 MHz, GDDR6, 440.97, Optimus
Memory
16 GB 
, DDR4-2666 (onboard), 1x SODIMM
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, AU Optronics B156HAN08.2, IPS, AUO82ED, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM370
Storage
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8, 512 GB 
Soundcard
NVIDIA TU116
Connections
4 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 2 USB 3.1 Gen2, 2 USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 20Gbps, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5mm, 1x USB 3.1 Type C (Gen 1); 1x USB 3.1 Type C (Gen 2 w/ Display Port & Power Delivery)
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Wireless-AC 9560 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 18.9 x 360 x 252 ( = 0.74 x 14.17 x 9.92 in)
Battery
76 Wh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Additional features
Speakers: 2 x 2.5W speakers with Smart AMP technology, Keyboard: ASUS AURA Individual Per-Key RGB Lighting Keybord (1.4mm Key Travel), Keyboard Light: yes, Armoury Crate, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.99 kg ( = 70.2 oz / 4.39 pounds), Power Supply: 756 g ( = 26.67 oz / 1.67 pounds)
Price
1800 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
82.9 %
10/2019
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
2 kg18.9 mm15.60"1920x1080

Case - Minor Differences from the GA502

The chassis is nearly identical to the GA502 and GX502 in terms of dimensions, weight, and chassis material. Instead, the main differences between the GU502 and the GA502 or GX502 relate to ports, LED lighting features, small thickness changes, and the omission of Asus' "Active Aerodynamic System". The magnesium alloy chassis and brushed aluminum outer lid remain for stronger first impressions than on the weaker Lenovo Legion Y740 or MSI GF65. When compared to the Razer, however, the Asus chassis is more prone to flexing. Construction quality on our unit is excellent with no unintended gaps or crevices around edges or corners. 

Many of our comments on the GA502 chassis apply here for the GU502.

Matte palm rests are slightly rubberized for a more luxurious feel
Matte palm rests are slightly rubberized for a more luxurious feel
bottom "chin" bezel is quite thick relative to the side and top bezels
bottom "chin" bezel is quite thick relative to the side and top bezels
Lid opened to maximum angle (~130 degrees)
Lid opened to maximum angle (~130 degrees)
Stylish brushed aluminum outer lid is prone to fingerprints
Stylish brushed aluminum outer lid is prone to fingerprints
Down-firing speakers
Down-firing speakers
More traditional bottom cover in contrast to the GX502
More traditional bottom cover in contrast to the GX502
360.4 mm / 14.2 inch 262 mm / 10.3 inch 26.8 mm / 1.055 inch 2.2 kg4.92 lbs362 mm / 14.3 inch 265 mm / 10.4 inch 25 mm / 0.984 inch 2.3 kg5.03 lbs360 mm / 14.2 inch 252 mm / 9.92 inch 19 mm / 0.748 inch 2.1 kg4.55 lbs360 mm / 14.2 inch 252 mm / 9.92 inch 18.9 mm / 0.744 inch 2 kg4.39 lbs358 mm / 14.1 inch 248 mm / 9.76 inch 18 mm / 0.709 inch 2 kg4.35 lbs360 mm / 14.2 inch 268 mm / 10.6 inch 15.75 mm / 0.62 inch 2.1 kg4.63 lbs355 mm / 14 inch 235 mm / 9.25 inch 19.9 mm / 0.783 inch 2.1 kg4.63 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity - Most of the Basics

Port options and positioning are nearly identical to the AMD-powered Zephyrus G GA502. The GU502 has moved the USB Type-C port from the left edge to the right edge while integrating a second 3.5 mm microphone jack along the left. Both Thunderbolt 3 and an SD reader are still missing and the left edge can feel quite crowded since the ports are tightly packed.

Front: No connectivity
Front: No connectivity
Right: 2x USB 3.2 Gen. 1 Type-A, Kensington Lock
Right: 2x USB 3.2 Gen. 1 Type-A, Kensington Lock
Rear: No connectivity
Rear: No connectivity
Left: AC adapter, Gigabit RJ-45, HDMI 2.0b, USB 3.2 Gen. 2 Type-A, 3.5 mm microphone, 3.5 mm headphones
Left: AC adapter, Gigabit RJ-45, HDMI 2.0b, USB 3.2 Gen. 2 Type-A, 3.5 mm microphone, 3.5 mm headphones

Communication

Wireless has not changed and so users can expect the same Intel 9560 module as found on the GX502 or GX531. The cheaper GA502 uses a slower 1x1 module.

Soldered WLAN module
Soldered WLAN module
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
683 MBit/s
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
644 MBit/s
Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502DU
Realtek 8821CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
252 MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
680 MBit/s
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
661 MBit/s
Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502DU
Realtek 8821CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
332 MBit/s

Maintenance

While servicing is relatively easy, it will require a lot of patience because of the sheer number of Philips screws involved (15). Expansions include two M.2 2280 slots and one SODIMM slot.

Accessories and Warranty

There are no accessories outside of the usual AC adapter and small manuals. A one-year limited manufacturer warranty applies with accidental damage protection if owners register their purchases with Asus.

Input Devices - Keys Could be Firmer

Keyboard and Touchpad

The GU502 shares the same keyboard and clickpad (10.5 x 7.5 cm) as on the GA502 and GX502. Thus, many of our existing comments on those laptops apply here on the GU502. We definitely think the input devices here feel more natural and easy to use than the unorthodox approach on the thinner GX531.

Per-key RGB lighting is available as opposed to the single-zone lighting on the cheaper GA502. Unfortunately, not every key symbol is lit as the small Function symbols (i.e., F1, F2, F3, etc.) are opaque. Additionally, the gray font colors printed on each key do not contrast very well against the black key caps and so it's recommended to have the lighting on for easier typing.

Identical layout to the GA502 and GX502
Identical layout to the GA502 and GX502
Clickpad is great for cursor movement, but its integrated keys have weak feedback
Clickpad is great for cursor movement, but its integrated keys have weak feedback
Annoyingly, the smaller Function symbols are not lit
Annoyingly, the smaller Function symbols are not lit
Keys feel shallower than the SteelSeries keyboard on most MSI laptops while being slightly deeper than on the Razer Blade 15
Keys feel shallower than the SteelSeries keyboard on most MSI laptops while being slightly deeper than on the Razer Blade 15

Display - Identical to the GX502

Asus has upped the bar for mid-range gaming laptops by dropping 60 Hz options in favor of 144 Hz and 240 Hz for the GU502 series. We're relieved to see that the GU502 uses the same AU Optronics panel as found on the pricier GX502GW instead of the horrendous 60 Hz panel on the cheaper GA502DU or FX505 series. Thus, our GU502GU test unit shares many of the same display characteristics as the GX502GW including the super-fast response times, relatively wide color space, decent contrast ratio, and average brightness values. We suspect that the 240 Hz display option uses the same or very similar panel as the one on the 240 Hz Razer Blade 15.

Both graininess and uneven backlight bleeding are minimal for an excellent impression representative of the high asking price.

Asus says there is no built-in webcam because of the narrow bezels
Asus says there is no built-in webcam because of the narrow bezels
Bezels are almost as narrow as on the Razer Blade 15
Bezels are almost as narrow as on the Razer Blade 15
Slight bleeding along the top corners
Slight bleeding along the top corners
Matte subpixel array
Matte subpixel array
263.7
cd/m²
308.6
cd/m²
268.5
cd/m²
272.1
cd/m²
297.7
cd/m²
281
cd/m²
258.4
cd/m²
290.1
cd/m²
278.9
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics B156HAN08.2 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 308.6 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 279.9 cd/m² Minimum: 16.1 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 84 %
Center on Battery: 297.7 cd/m²
Contrast: 692:1 (Black: 0.43 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.13 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 3.06
ΔE Greyscale 1.9 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
90.5% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
59.2% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
66.5% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
90.8% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
66.5% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.23
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74
AU Optronics B156HAN08.2, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
AU Optronics B156HAN08.2 (AUO82ED), IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
Panda LM156LF-GL, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
BOE NV156FHM-N4J, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
MSI GS65 Stealth 9SG
Sharp LQ156M1JW03 (SHP14C5), IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
BOE NV156FHM-N4K, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Display
-1%
-38%
1%
4%
-0%
Display P3 Coverage
66.5
64.9
-2%
39.56
-41%
67.7
2%
67.6
2%
65.3
-2%
sRGB Coverage
90.8
91
0%
59.5
-34%
91.6
1%
97.5
7%
91.8
1%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
66.5
65.9
-1%
40.91
-38%
67.1
1%
68.9
4%
66.5
0%
Response Times
-7%
-295%
-106%
-75%
-64%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
6.4 ?(3.4, 3)
7.2 ?(3.8, 3.4)
-13%
30.4 ?(14, 16.4)
-375%
19 ?(9, 10)
-197%
13.6 ?(8, 5.6)
-113%
13.6 ?(7.2, 6.4)
-113%
Response Time Black / White *
8.8 ?(4.4, 4.4)
8.8 ?(4.4, 4.4)
-0%
27.6 ?(17.6, 10)
-214%
10 ?(6, 4)
-14%
12 ?(7.6, 4.4)
-36%
10 ?(6, 4)
-14%
PWM Frequency
23260 ?(19)
200 ?(99)
Screen
10%
-44%
34%
26%
-3%
Brightness middle
297.7
286
-4%
286.2
-4%
477
60%
282.3
-5%
312.7
5%
Brightness
280
275
-2%
267
-5%
431
54%
269
-4%
305
9%
Brightness Distribution
84
90
7%
84
0%
84
0%
90
7%
90
7%
Black Level *
0.43
0.37
14%
0.33
23%
0.175
59%
0.32
26%
0.27
37%
Contrast
692
773
12%
867
25%
2726
294%
882
27%
1158
67%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
3.13
2.19
30%
5.45
-74%
4.17
-33%
1.17
63%
4.57
-46%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
7.1
4.4
38%
18.08
-155%
6.97
2%
3.29
54%
6.81
4%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
3.06
2.27
26%
4.47
-46%
2.51
18%
1.06
65%
2.91
5%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.9
2.2
-16%
5.3
-179%
3.49
-84%
1.3
32%
4.3
-126%
Gamma
2.23 99%
2.41 91%
2.1 105%
2.5 88%
2.2 100%
2.29 96%
CCT
6325 103%
6405 101%
7679 85%
7076 92%
6643 98%
7098 92%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
59.2
59
0%
37.6
-36%
60
1%
63.8
8%
59.4
0%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
90.5
91
1%
59.1
-35%
91
1%
97.5
8%
91.3
1%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
1% / 6%
-126% / -74%
-24% / 10%
-15% / 9%
-22% / -10%

* ... smaller is better

Color space is approximately 59 percent and 91 percent of AdobeRGB and sRGB standards, respectively. High refresh rate panels for laptops have yet to match the same wide color spaces that certain IGZO or 4K UHD panels can provide.

vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB

Further measurements with an X-Rite colorimeter show an accurate display out of the box. Color temperature is slightly on the warm side and RGB balance could be better, but our independent calibration addresses both.

Grayscale before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Saturation before calibration
Saturation before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Saturation after calibration
Saturation after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration

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
8.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 4.4 ms rise
↘ 4.4 ms fall
The screen shows fast response rates in our tests and should be suited for gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 19 % 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
6.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 3.4 ms rise
↘ 3 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. » 14 % 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 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Outdoor visibility and viewing angles are essentially the same as what we observed on the Zephyrus S GX502GW since Asus uses the same panels for both these models. It's recommended to work under shade whenever possible as sunlight will overwhelm the screen and wash out colors.

Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under sunlight

Performance - 9th Gen Coffee Lake-H with Mid-range Turing

The Core i7-9750H CPU and GTX 1660 Ti GPU target upper mainstream gamers in contrast to cheaper laptops with the slower Core i5-9300H, Ryzen 7 3750H, or GTX 1050/1650. You'll be able to play any game at native 1080p with most settings turned to High. For triple-digit frame rates or higher resolutions, however, the Zephyrus S or ROG G series would be better options since they offer graphics options up to the RTX 2080.

Note that 16 GB of DDR4-2666 RAM is soldered with one SODIMM expansion slot only. Thus, RAM will run in single-channel mode unless if the SODIMM slot is occupied.

Nvidia Optimus comes standard to automatically exclude G-Sync SKUs.

LatencyMon shows no DPC latency issues even when wireless is enabled.

 

Processor - Maximum Turbo Boost Sustainability

We're already quite familiar with the Core i7-9750H since it's barely any better than the Core i7-8750H. However, we're surprised that the CPU in the GU502GU can sustain a higher level of Turbo Boost than most other laptops with the same or similar CPU. Our CineBench R15 Multi-Thread loop graph below shows stable scores throughout compared to the steeper drops that we observed on the MSI GF65 or Dell G7 17.

See our dedicated page on the Core i7-9750H for more technical information and benchmark comparisons.

CineBench R15
CineBench R15
CineBench R20
CineBench R20
0701402102803504204905606307007708409109801050112011901260Tooltip
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74 GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø1248 (1233.43-1260.16)
MSI GF65 9SD GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3512GJ; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø1188 (1174.61-1309.11)
Dell G7 17 7790 GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Toshiba BG3 KBG30ZMS256G; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø1081 (1056.8-1189.87)
Alienware m15 P79F GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø1123 (1106.07-1188.78)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Asus Chimera G703GI
Intel Core i9-8950HK
206 Points +7%
Eurocom Nightsky RX15
Intel Core i9-9980HK
202 Points +5%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74
Intel Core i7-9750H
193 Points
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H
189 Points -2%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (170 - 194, n=82)
183.7 Points -5%
SCHENKER Key 16
Intel Core i7-8750H
171 Points -11%
Asus FX504GD
Intel Core i5-8300H
170 Points -12%
Asus FX503VM-EH73
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
156 Points -19%
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
Intel Core i7-1065G7
149 Points -23%
Asus GL702ZC-GC104T
AMD Ryzen 7 1700
144 Points -25%
Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502DU
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H
144 Points -25%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
138 Points -28%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Eurocom Nightsky RX15
Intel Core i9-9980HK
1821 Points +44%
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H
1721 Points +36%
Asus GL702ZC-GC104T
AMD Ryzen 7 1700
1408 Points +11%
Asus Chimera G703GI
Intel Core i9-8950HK
1312 Points +3%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74
Intel Core i7-9750H
1268 Points
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (952 - 1306, n=85)
1182 Points -7%
SCHENKER Key 16
Intel Core i7-8750H
1116 Points -12%
Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502DU
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H
805 Points -37%
Asus FX503VM-EH73
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
733 Points -42%
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
Intel Core i7-1065G7
676 Points -47%
Asus FX504GD
Intel Core i5-8300H
609 Points -52%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
510 (503.52min - 509.87max) Points -60%
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
109.7 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
1268 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
193 Points
Help

System Performance

PCMark results are nearly identical to the Razer Blade 15 equipped with the same CPU and GPU. While we didn't experience any software or hardware glitches during our time with the unit, new owners should be prepared for the deluge of Asus pop-ups upon boot up.

PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 10 Standard
PCMark 10 Standard
PCMark 10
Score
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-128G
5938 Points +13%
MSI GS65 Stealth 9SG
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5725 Points +9%
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H, 2x Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 (RAID 0)
5654 Points +7%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (4807 - 5829, n=15)
5531 Points +5%
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5301 Points +1%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5273 Points
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R7 3750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
4732 Points -10%
Essentials
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
9405 Points +5%
MSI GS65 Stealth 9SG
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
9380 Points +5%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-128G
9364 Points +5%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (8621 - 10098, n=15)
9360 Points +5%
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H, 2x Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 (RAID 0)
9231 Points +3%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
8946 Points
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R7 3750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
8355 Points -7%
Productivity
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H, 2x Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 (RAID 0)
7661 Points +4%
MSI GS65 Stealth 9SG
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
7657 Points +4%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (7241 - 8136, n=15)
7519 Points +2%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-128G
7381 Points +1%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
7339 Points
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
7290 Points -1%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R7 3750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
6518 Points -11%
Digital Content Creation
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-128G
8220 Points +36%
MSI GS65 Stealth 9SG
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
7090 Points +17%
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H, 2x Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 (RAID 0)
6936 Points +14%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (4426 - 7638, n=15)
6558 Points +8%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
6062 Points
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5898 Points -3%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R7 3750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5282 Points -13%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-128G
5661 Points +38%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (4074 - 5217, n=11)
4518 Points +10%
MSI GS65 Stealth 9SG
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4454 Points +9%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
4094 Points
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
4074 Points 0%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R7 3750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
3917 Points -4%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-128G
5870 Points +5%
MSI GS65 Stealth 9SG
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5751 Points +3%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5610 Points
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (5041 - 5913, n=12)
5540 Points -1%
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5480 Points -2%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R7 3750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
4701 Points -16%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4094 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5610 points
PCMark 10 Score
5273 points
Help

Storage Devices - M.2 Only

Two M.2 NVMe PCIe x4 slots are available with RAID 0 support. Our specific test unit comes with a 512 GB Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 which is the exact same drive as found on the Zephyrus S GX502GW and GX531GX. Still, different drives are possible depending on the region and reseller. Sequential read and write rates are good for a mid-range NVMe drive at approximately 1220 MB/s and 910 MB/s, respectively. Higher-end alternatives like the Samsung PM981 can offer sequential read rates approaching 2000 MB/s.

See our table of SSDs and HDDs for more benchmark comparisons.

Primary M.2 slot sits next to the soldered WLAN module
Primary M.2 slot sits next to the soldered WLAN module
Second M.2 slot sits next to the DDR4 SODIMM slot
Second M.2 slot sits next to the DDR4 SODIMM slot
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
2x Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 (RAID 0)
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-128G
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
27%
-18%
-9%
-29%
24%
Write 4K
156
97
-38%
93.9
-40%
137.5
-12%
134.2
-14%
135
-13%
Read 4K
60.7
49.58
-18%
46.29
-24%
57
-6%
37.72
-38%
41.1
-32%
Write Seq
968
1838
90%
974
1%
984
2%
389.2
-60%
1427
47%
Read Seq
1619
2421
50%
1425
-12%
1564
-3%
1030
-36%
1494
-8%
Write 4K Q32T1
485
326.9
-33%
259.4
-47%
237.4
-51%
238.9
-51%
494.9
2%
Read 4K Q32T1
337.3
372.9
11%
296.5
-12%
340.7
1%
343.9
2%
578
71%
Write Seq Q32T1
969
1894
95%
977
1%
959
-1%
789
-19%
1417
46%
Read Seq Q32T1
1825
2828
55%
1666
-9%
1732
-5%
1502
-18%
3251
78%
Write 4K Q8T8
293.4
Read 4K Q8T8
405.8
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 1825 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 969 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 337.3 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 485 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1619 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 968 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 60.7 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 156 MB/s

GPU Performance - Great for 1080p

3DMark results are where we expect them to be at just within 5 percent of the costlier RTX 2060 when not taking into account ray-tracing or DLSS features. Keep in mind that scores are slightly higher when running on Turbo mode compared to the regular Performance mode: 13381 points vs. 12714 points on Fire Strike.

Interestingly, Cloud Gate scores are much lower than expected at 30 percent below the average GTX 1660 Ti in our database. This means that the system may run slower than it's supposed to when aiming for high frame rates which our Gaming Performance section below can confirm.

3DMark 11
3DMark 11
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
Time Spy
Time Spy
Fire Strike Ultra
Fire Strike Ultra
Fire Strike (Performance fan)
Fire Strike (Performance fan)
Fire Strike (Turbo fan)
Fire Strike (Turbo fan)
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Asus Strix Scar III G531GW-AZ062T
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H
119860 Points +70%
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H
117764 Points +67%
Asus Zephyrus GX501
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
114542 Points +63%
Asus G752VS-BA338T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
101587 Points +44%
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H
101481 Points +44%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (59839 - 104780, n=18)
94171 Points +34%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
80615 Points +15%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
70315 Points
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R7 3750H
40948 Points -42%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H
21515 Points +43%
Asus Strix Scar III G531GW-AZ062T
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H
19846 Points +32%
Asus G752VS-BA338T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
18346 Points +22%
Asus Zephyrus GX501
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
18219 Points +21%
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H
15696 Points +4%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
15054 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (14186 - 16488, n=24)
14867 Points -1%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
11332 Points -25%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R7 3750H
9428 Points -37%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H
8512 Points +50%
Asus Strix Scar III G531GW-AZ062T
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H
7722 Points +36%
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H
5913 Points +4%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
5661 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (5335 - 6123, n=22)
5653 Points 0%
Asus G752VS-BA338T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
5651 Points 0%
Asus Zephyrus GX501
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
5636 Points 0%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
3626 Points -36%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R7 3750H
3568 Points -37%
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H
29453 Points +45%
Asus Strix Scar III G531GW-AZ062T
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H
25500 Points +26%
Asus G752VS-BA338T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
24349 Points +20%
Asus Zephyrus GX501
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
23540 Points +16%
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H
20765 Points +2%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
20311 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (18610 - 22670, n=24)
20096 Points -1%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R7 3750H
13575 Points -33%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
12620 Points -38%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H
12260 Points +29%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (9500 - 13311, n=23)
12019 Points +27%
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H
11825 Points +24%
Asus Strix Scar III G531GW-AZ062T
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H
10851 Points +14%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
9500 Points
Asus G752VS-BA338T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
8985 Points -5%
Asus Zephyrus GX501
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q, i7-7700HQ
8935 Points -6%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
6839 Points -28%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R7 3750H
6838 Points -28%
3DMark 11 Performance
15912 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
31253 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
13381 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
5641 points
Help

Gaming Performance

For some strange reason, the GU502GU underperforms when running games at low resolutions as predicted by the low Cloud Gate score above. Shadow of the Tomb Raider on the lowest 720p settings, for example, returns an average frame rate of 88 FPS compared to 115 FPS on the Razer Blade 15 equipped with the exact same CPU and GPU. We suspect that the single-channel RAM of our test unit is at least partly responsible for the performance deficit.

Idling on Witcher 3 shows consistent frame rates throughout to suggest no noticeable throttling when gaming. However, frame rates dipped once to 18 FPS momentarily during the hour-long test possibly due to undesirable background activity.

See our dedicated page on the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti for more technical information and benchmark comparisons.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider
1920x1080 Highest Preset AA:T
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
109 fps +76%
Alienware m15 P79F
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
84 fps +35%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
81 fps +31%
Asus Strix Scar III G531GW-AZ062T
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile
80 fps +29%
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q
78 (42min) fps +26%
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile
74.2 fps +20%
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
70 fps +13%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (62 - 73, n=8)
68.4 fps +10%
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
67 fps +8%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
62 fps
Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502DU
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
49 fps -21%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GM
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
43 fps -31%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
41 fps -34%
1280x720 Lowest Preset
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
146 fps +66%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
126 fps +43%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (88 - 151, n=6)
122 fps +39%
Alienware m15 P79F
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
119 fps +35%
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
115 fps +31%
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
115 fps +31%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GM
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
111 fps +26%
Asus Strix Scar III G531GW-AZ062T
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile
111 fps +26%
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile
91.3 fps +4%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
88 fps
Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502DU
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
62 fps -30%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
62 fps -30%
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
30 fps -66%
The Witcher 3
1024x768 Low Graphics & Postprocessing
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
300 (259min - 330max) fps +69%
SCHENKER Key 16
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q
294.7 fps +66%
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
289.7 fps +63%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q
263.4 fps +49%
Alienware m15 P79F
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
261.8 fps +48%
Asus Strix Scar III G531GW-AZ062T
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile
258 (230min - 292max) fps +46%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (177.3 - 298, n=14)
254 fps +43%
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
247.6 fps +40%
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
245.1 fps +38%
Asus G752VS-BA338T
Intel Core i7-7700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
228.1 fps +29%
Dell G7 17 7790
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
203 fps +14%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GM
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
197.6 fps +11%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
177.3 fps
Asus GL702ZC-GC104T
AMD Ryzen 7 1700, AMD Radeon RX 580 (Laptop)
176 (160min) fps -1%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
146.4 fps -17%
Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502DU
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
138.4 fps -22%
Asus FX504GD
Intel Core i5-8300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
119.9 fps -32%
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
58 fps -67%
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
MSI GE75 9SG
Intel Core i9-9880H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Mobile
95.3 fps +73%
Asus Zephyrus S GX701GX
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q
81.7 (68min) fps +48%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q
80.3 fps +45%
SCHENKER Key 16
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q
77.4 fps +40%
Asus Chimera G703GI
Intel Core i9-8950HK, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile
76.7 fps +39%
Asus Strix Scar III G531GW-AZ062T
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile
72 (61min - 84max) fps +30%
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile
70.2 (58min) fps +27%
Dell G7 17 7790
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
64.7 fps +17%
Alienware m15 P79F
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
64.4 fps +17%
Asus Zephyrus GX501
Intel Core i7-7700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q
61.9 fps +12%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
60 fps +9%
Asus G752VS-BA338T
Intel Core i7-7700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile
59.6 fps +8%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (51.6 - 65.1, n=21)
56.2 fps +2%
Asus Strix Hero III G731GV
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
56 fps +1%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
55.2 fps
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
51.6 fps -7%
Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502DU
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
48.8 fps -12%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GM
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
40 fps -28%
Asus GL702ZC-GC104T
AMD Ryzen 7 1700, AMD Radeon RX 580 (Laptop)
37.4 (31min) fps -32%
Asus FX503VM-EH73
Intel Core i7-7700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
37 fps -33%
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
36.2 fps -34%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti
Intel Core i5-7300HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
26.2 (20min - 32max) fps -53%
Asus FX504GD
Intel Core i5-8300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
22.2 fps -60%
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
9.6 fps -83%
05101520253035404550Tooltip
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74 GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8: Ø48.4 (18-51)
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 235.5 216.4 201.6 121.6
The Witcher 3 (2015) 177.3 148 95.9 55.2
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) 88 68 67 62

Emissions

System Noise

The cooling solution consists of twin ~45 mm fans and five copper heat pipes. Fan noise will still be present even when set to Silent mode as low loads like browsing or video streaming will induce a fan noise level of 31 dB(A) against a background of 28.2 dB(A). When gaming on Performance mode, fan noise becomes relatively constant at about 54.2 dB(A) to be noticeably louder than on the MSI GS65 or Razer Blade 15 under similar conditions.

When set to Turbo mode, fan noise will jump to almost 60 dB(A) when gaming. Headphones are recommended at this point because it will be nearly impossible to play games like Fortnite or Overwatch optimally where enemy footsteps and audio cues are of utmost importance.

We can notice no electronic noise or coil whine from our test unit. Even if it were present, the constant fan noise will likely be more overwhelming.

Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, i7-9750H, 2x Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 (RAID 0)
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, R7 3750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
MSI GS65 Stealth 9SG
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
Noise
-9%
-5%
5%
3%
2%
off / environment *
28.2
30
-6%
28.7
-2%
28.2
-0%
28.3
-0%
28.5
-1%
Idle Minimum *
28.7
31
-8%
29.8
-4%
28.2
2%
30.4
-6%
30.3
-6%
Idle Average *
30.5
33
-8%
32.4
-6%
28.2
8%
30.5
-0%
30.5
-0%
Idle Maximum *
31
38
-23%
38
-23%
31.4
-1%
30.6
1%
30.5
2%
Load Average *
39
50
-28%
38.2
2%
39.8
-2%
37.6
4%
41
-5%
Witcher 3 ultra *
54.2
53
2%
56.6
-4%
47
13%
46
15%
48
11%
Load Maximum *
59.6
56
6%
56.6
5%
50.2
16%
55.1
8%
51.9
13%

* ... smaller is better

Noise Level

Idle
28.7 / 30.5 / 31 dB(A)
Load
39 / 59.6 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 28.2 dB(A)

Temperature - Lots of Vents

Four sets of exhaust vents
Four sets of exhaust vents

Surface temperatures when idling can be as warm as 32 C and 37 C on the top and bottom surfaces, respectively, as shown by our temperature maps below. When gaming, hot spots can become as warm as 48 C to 63 C near the vents compared to 45 C to 48 C on the competing MSI GF65. Such areas are thankfully toward the back half of the laptop where users are unlikely to touch. The palm rests, WASD keys, and directional keys remain relatively cool for comfortable gaming.

Max. Load
 42.8 °C
109 F
49.8 °C
122 F
42 °C
108 F
 
 39.2 °C
103 F
45.8 °C
114 F
35.4 °C
96 F
 
 31.2 °C
88 F
27.2 °C
81 F
28.6 °C
83 F
 
Maximum: 49.8 °C = 122 F
Average: 38 °C = 100 F
51 °C
124 F
63.2 °C
146 F
52 °C
126 F
38.2 °C
101 F
44.6 °C
112 F
39.4 °C
103 F
29 °C
84 F
30.2 °C
86 F
30.8 °C
87 F
Maximum: 63.2 °C = 146 F
Average: 42 °C = 108 F
Power Supply (max.)  51.8 °C = 125 F | Room Temperature 22.4 °C = 72 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 38 °C / 100 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 49.8 °C / 122 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 63.2 °C / 146 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.8 °C / 86 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(±) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 37.2 °C / 99 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 31.6 °C / 88.9 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-2.7 °C / -4.9 F).
System idle (top)
System idle (top)
System idle (bottom)
System idle (bottom)
Witcher 3 stress (top)
Witcher 3 stress (top)
Witcher 3 stress (bottom)
Witcher 3 stress (bottom)
Prime95+FurMark stress (top)
Prime95+FurMark stress (top)
Prime95+FurMark stress (bottom)
Prime95+FurMark stress (bottom)

Stress Test - Decent Core Temperatures

When running Prime95 on the regular Performance mode, clock rates top out at only 3.3 to 3.4 GHz and at a core temperature of 73 C. When repeating this same test on Turbo mode, clock rates remain steady at 4 GHz and at a cooler temperature of 69 C. Thus, Turbo mode is recommended if you want every ounce of juice possible from the GU502GU. Running both Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously will cause CPU and GPU temperatures to stabilize at 82 C and 73 C, respectively.

Running Witcher 3 on Turbo mode will result in slightly faster GPU clock rates (~1755 MHz vs. 1665 MHz) and slightly cooler core temperatures by about 5 degrees C. It's a small boost relative to the sharp increase in fan noise between Performance mode and Turbo mode.

Running on battery power will limit performance. A 3DMark Fire Strike run on batteries returns Physics and Graphics scores of 9391 and 3709 points, respectively, compared to 15963 and 15054 when on mains. Turbo mode is disabled when not connected to an outlet.

System idle
System idle
Prime95+FurMark stress (Turbo fan)
Prime95+FurMark stress (Turbo fan)
Witcher 3 stress (Performance fan)
Witcher 3 stress (Performance fan)
Witcher 3 stress (Turbo fan)
Witcher 3 stress (Turbo fan)
Prime95 stress (Performance fan)
Prime95 stress (Performance fan)
Prime95 stress (Turbo fan)
Prime95 stress (Turbo fan)
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C) Average GPU Temperature (°C)
System Idle -- -- 39 42
Prime95 Stress (Performance fan) 3.3 - 3.4 -- 73 73
Prime95 Stress (Turbo fan) 4.0 -- 69 68
Prime95 + FurMark Stress (Turbo fan) 3.5 - 3.6 ~1680 82 73
Witcher 3 Stress (Performance fan) ~4.0 1665 81 74
Witcher 3 Stress (Turbo fan) ~4.0 1755 75 69

Speakers

Audio quality is good considering the size of the chassis. Pink noise measurements show a better balance between treble and bass frequencies when compared to most Ultrabooks. The downside, however, is that the palm rests will vibrate noticeably to the touch when set to higher volume settings.

Speakers are on the front corners of the chassis
Speakers are on the front corners of the chassis
Pink noise at maximum volume
Pink noise at maximum volume
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2040.941.72540.941.73138.6384038.138.15038.440.4634039.38036.237.310035.948.112534.560.41603470.42003368.325032.269.631531.572.240030.970.150030.669.863030.575.980029.779100029.275.7125029.472.3160029.171.5200028.568.9250028.365.7315028.169.8400027.974.850002872.5630027.573.9800027.576.41000027.474.41250027.465.61600027.372.1SPL40.985.5N4.172.1median 29.2median 72.1Delta1.62.735.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAsus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (85.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 7.3% lower than median
(-) | bass is not linear (15.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.8% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.9% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (9.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 4% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 95% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
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%

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

Power Consumption - Disable Turbo Mode When not Needed

Idling on desktop demands anywhere between 17 W and 57 W depending on the power profile and brightness setting to be less efficient than most other 15.6-inch gaming laptops. Thus, it's even more important to manually set the appropriate performance profile on the GU502GU for better power savings and to keep fan noise in check. Running Witcher 3 draws 149 W compared to 176 W on the GX502GW with RTX 2070 graphics.

We're able to record a maximum demand of 170 W from the medium-sized (~16.5 x 7.5 x 3.3 cm) 230 W AC adapter. Unlike most other laptops, the GU502GU is able to maintain this power draw indefinitely when on Turbo mode much like what we discovered on our CineBench loop test and Stress Test results above. The system can both recharge and run extremely demanding loads simultaneously.

Consumption when running 3DMark 06
Consumption when running 3DMark 06
Consumption when idling on Witcher 3
Consumption when idling on Witcher 3
Prime95+FurMark initiated at 20s mark
Prime95+FurMark initiated at 20s mark
Prime95 initiated at 10s mark. Constant consumption throughout with no dips
Prime95 initiated at 10s mark. Constant consumption throughout with no dips
Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.35 / 1.1 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 17.6 / 24.7 / 56.3 Watt
Load midlight 111.1 / 170 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 M15 GU502GU-XB74
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, 2x Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 (RAID 0), IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
R7 3750H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-128G, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Power Consumption
-11%
9%
49%
4%
1%
Idle Minimum *
17.6
24
-36%
16.1
9%
7
60%
22.2
-26%
18.7
-6%
Idle Average *
24.7
27
-9%
20.9
15%
9.9
60%
24.9
-1%
30.7
-24%
Idle Maximum *
56.3
33
41%
27
52%
12
79%
30.6
46%
33.9
40%
Load Average *
111.1
129
-16%
93.4
16%
68.4
38%
101
9%
93.4
16%
Witcher 3 ultra *
149
176
-18%
168.2
-13%
94.9
36%
143
4%
158.9
-7%
Load Maximum *
170
216
-27%
215.3
-27%
130.9
23%
186
-9%
195.3
-15%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life - Standard for its Class

Asus doesn't explicitly advertise the capacity of the internal battery, but we've confirmed it to be 76 Wh compared to only 50 Wh on the thinner GX531. Expect only 4.5 hours of real-world WLAN use when on the Balanced power profile which is about average for a gaming laptop. Remember to set the power profile via Armoury Crate to optimize battery life.

Recharging from empty to full capacity with the included AC adapter takes about 1.5 hours. USB PD charging up to 65 W is supported as well to give users a second charging option should they forget to carry the main AC adapter.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
7h 04min
WiFi Websurfing
4h 28min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 41min
Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, 76 Wh
Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, 76 Wh
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, 50 Wh
Asus TUF FX505DT-EB73
R7 3750H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, 48 Wh
Razer Blade 15 GTX 1660 Ti
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, 65 Wh
MSI GS65 Stealth 9SG
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, 82 Wh
Battery Runtime
-25%
-32%
1%
23%
35%
Reader / Idle
424
353
-17%
466
10%
WiFi v1.3
268
220
-18%
181
-32%
285
6%
330
23%
362
35%
Load
101
62
-39%
87
-14%

Pros

+ able to maintain maximum CPU Turbo Boost on Turbo mode
+ 144 Hz display comes standard
+ balanced audio playback
+ per-key RGB lighting
+ attractive design
+ USB PD charging
+ narrow bezels

Cons

- Keyboard key feedback could be firmer and deeper
- Armoury Crate performance profiles are finicky
- no Thunderbolt 3, SD card reader, or webcam
- 16 GB of single-channel RAM
- undersized directional keys
- lid could be stiffer
- high starting price

Verdict

In review: Asus Zephyrus M GU502GU-XB74. Test model provided by Xotic PC
In review: Asus Zephyrus M GU502GU-XB74. Test model provided by Xotic PC

We recently reviewed the 15.6-inch MSI GF65 which ships with the same CPU and GPU as our Asus Zephyrus M GU502GU for almost half the price. When a competing sub-$1000 laptop can offer the same gaming performance as your ~$2000 laptop, then you better offer enough extra features to warrant the price premium. In Asus' case, the GU502GU is a mixed bag. The system is larger, thicker, noisier, and more flexible with shorter battery life and fewer port options than the Razer Blade 15 which retails for the same price as the GU502GU. Thus, if you're looking for something sturdier and more luxurious than a budget gaming laptop like the GF65, it'd be hard to recommend the Asus since it can't even stand neck-to-neck with the Razer.

There are some minor advantages on the Asus worth mentioning. Firstly, this is one of the few gaming laptops with support for USB PD meaning that you can recharge the system with any third-party USB Type-C 65 W charger. Having a single USB Type-C charger for your smartphone, tablet, Switch, and gaming laptop when traveling will certainly come in handy for some users. Secondly, the higher-than-average CPU Turbo Boost performance can be exploited by power users. Thirdly, it offers per-key RGB lighting which is conspicuously absent on the aforementioned Razer. Nonetheless, this short list of pros pales in comparison to its longer list of missing features, comparatively weaker chassis, and single-channel RAM.

The Asus Zephyrus M GU502GU isn't a bad gaming laptop, but its $1800 USD starting price is about $200 to $300 more expensive than it should be when considering that it feels inferior to the similarly priced Razer Blade 15.

Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 GU502GU-XB74 - 10/25/2019 v7
Allen Ngo

Chassis
81 / 98 → 82%
Keyboard
79%
Pointing Device
75%
Connectivity
55 / 80 → 69%
Weight
63 / 10-66 → 95%
Battery
60 / 95 → 64%
Display
85%
Games Performance
88%
Application Performance
91%
Temperature
81 / 95 → 86%
Noise
74 / 90 → 82%
Audio
86%
Average
77%
83%
Gaming - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

Read all 6 comments / answer
static version load dynamic
Loading Comments
Comment on this article
Please share our article, every link counts!
> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Asus Zephyrus M GU502GU Laptop Review: $1800 for Single-Channel RAM
Allen Ngo, 2019-10-25 (Update: 2019-10-25)