ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) has recently released their Zephyrus S (GX531), the latest model in the ROG Zephyrus series, which sets a new milestone for ultrathin gaming laptops.
At a mere 14.95~15.75mm thin, Zephyrus S is 12% slimmer than the original Zephyrus (GX501). It’s equipped with the latest Intel® Core™ i7-8750H CPU and NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1060 graphics, making it ideal for work or play. Super-narrow bezels squeeze a 15.6-inch display, with a 144Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time, into a 14.2-inch chassis. The all-metal chassis is strong enough to meet military-grade durability standards without compromising on design, with sleek lines and a premium finish. An advanced cooling system ensures optimal performance of all components, incorporating the proprietary Active Aerodynamic System (AAS) — a design and engineering hallmark of the Zephyrus series.
Powerful visuals achieved with a super-narrow-bezel display
Super-narrow bezels allow the 15.6-inch display to be squeezed into a 14.2-inch chassis. This reduces the entire footprint and in addition, the slimmer bezels create a more immersive gaming experience.
The 120Hz panel on the initial version doubled the refresh rate of conventional displays, while Zephyrus S pushes the refresh rate to 144Hz, and reduces blurring and ghosting by lowering the response time to 3ms. Built for more than just speed, the IPS-type AHVA panel also has excellent image quality. It covers 100% of the sRGB color gamut, ensuring richness of color, and wide viewing angles.
Proprietary cooling to ensure optimal performance
Cooling the critical components that comprise Zephyrus S is a difficult feat due to the ultrathin design, but it’s imperative to ensure peak performance. Because of this, ASUS and ROG thermal engineers developed the innovative Active Aerodynamic System (AAS). When the lid of the laptop is lifted, a special vent opens underneath the chassis to let the laptop draw in more cool air. The AAS intake stretches across the entire back of the body to improve airflow by 22%. Additional airflow comes in from through the keyboard, and the keyboard’s forward layout makes more room for additional cooling throughout the system.
The Zephyrus S contains five heat pipes that pull heat away from the CPU and GPU, and also the VRM circuitry that feeds them power. The CPU and GPU connect to both shared and dedicated heatsinks to ensure efficient cooling for any workload, and the power components stay under 80°C to improve long-term reliability. Thermal energy is channeled along the pipes to four heatsinks and exhaust vents at the rear corners, twice as many as in the first Zephyrus.
Keeping heatsinks free of dust and debris is key to preserving cooling performance, which is why the engineering team added self-cleaning fans to eject particles from the system through anti-dust tunnels. This special feature prevents accumulation on the fins to ensure consistent cooling and improve long-term stability.
Customization with RGB lighting through Aura Sync
Integrated RGB lighting lets gamers customize Zephyrus S to their preference, or match the mood of the game currently being played. Four independent zones illuminate the keyboard, and additional LEDs create a subtle glow inside the AAS vent. Aura Sync coordinates colors and effects with compatible peripherals like the ROG Delta headset and Gladius II Origin mouse, making it easy to personalize the entire setup with just a few clicks. Third-party applications can harness the lighting through the Aura SDK, and ROG is working with developers to incorporate support in games and applications.
