ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502IV (2020) review – same look different hardware

For a short period of time, this is the second time that we are reviewing an ASUS Zen 2 laptop with a powerful 8-core Ryzen CPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q. The first one was the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 GA401 and we were pretty happy with its performance, build quality, and display. Now, this time we have the 2020 version of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502.

Our particular sample is configured with the AMD Ryzen 7 4800HS (with 35W TDP), 16GB RAM (3200 MHz), and NVIDIA RTX 2060 Max-Q. At first sight, it sounds like a decent allrounder that can handle games and heavy workloads thanks to its AMD CPU. Our device comes with an optional Pantone Validated display with a 240Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time (manufacturer specs) so we’ll see if its good for both gaming and color-sensitive work.

Another interesting thing is that we want to see how much ASUS has improved this laptop compared to the last year’s GA502 because we were not entirely happy with its performance and thermals. We’ll see about that but the mobile Zen 2 processors are one of the most efficient chips on the market and perhaps the new laptop could be better but we will talk about that in a minute. One thing we know for sure – the Ryzen 7 4800HS is way faster compared to any Zen+ mobile processor so definitely, the new laptop has much more computing power under the hood. And as we informed you, this one is equipped with the NVIDIA RTX 2060 Max-Q and the end result should probably be a proper mid-range gaming machine.

You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/asus-rog-zephyrus-g15-ga502/

Contents


Specs Sheet

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502 (2020) - Specs

  • HDD/SSD
  • up to 8000GB SSD
  • RAM
  • up to 40GB
  • OS
  • Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Home, No OS
  • Battery
  • 76Wh, 4-cell
  • Dimensions
  • 360 x 252 x 19.9 mm (14.17" x 9.92" x 0.78")
  • Weight
  • 2.10 kg (4.6 lbs)
  • Ports and connectivity
  • 3x USB Type-A
  • 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)
  • 1x USB Type-C
  • 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps), DisplayPort
  • HDMI
  • 2.0b
  • Wi-Fi
  • 802.11ax
  • Bluetooth
  • 5.0
  • Audio jack
  • 3.5 mm combo
  • Features
  • Fingerprint reader
  • Web camera
  • Backlit keyboard
  • optional
  • Speakers
  • Optical drive
  • Security Lock slot

All ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502 (2020) configurations

#CommissionsEarned

What’s in the box?

In the box, we found a 180W power adapter that seems powerful-enough for our particular configuration. ASUS has also provided a manual and of course, the laptop itself.


Design and construction

Hm, this one looks familiar, right? Yes, the 2020 version of GA502 looks almost exactly like the last year’s one. It looks like the build quality is the same as well. This means that the lid is made of aluminum and unfortunately the rest is just plastic. The device doesn’t feel cheap at all but we could probably appreciate a magnesium-alloy base (just like the ASUS Zephyrus G14 GA401) or an aluminum one instead of this boring plastic.

Dimensions-wise, this one has a 19.9mm profile and it weighs 2.10 kg which are the exact dimensions of the 2019 version of GA502. It’s not the thinnest and lightest device out there but it’s compact enough for a gaming notebook that houses an 8-core CPU and a mid-range NVIDIA video card.

In terms of design, the lid is the main event here. It can be easily opened with a single hand and unlike the older model, we observed almost no bends and twists during the process. This laptop lacks the innovative ErgoLift hinge that lifts the backside of the base allowing more breathing headroom for the cooling fans. Probably this will hurt the cooling performance of this machine but it is what it is.

The lid looks very good and it has a non-illumined ROG logo but that adds a darker and neater look. The side and top bezels are slim and that contributes to a more modernly looking machine while the “chin” is a bit on the thick side. However, the lid attracts smudges with ease. This device doesn’t have a camera which means that you don’t have to worry about your privacy while working or gaming but if you need a camera you need to buy an external one or you just can have to take a look for another laptop on the market. At least there are microphones that are positioned beneath the display.

A look-down and we can check the keyboard. Common ASUS, you can do better – there is no NumberPad and we are talking about a 15-incher, it’s not a super compact and slim 14″ device. The ASUS TUF A15 (FA506) has the same screen size and at the same time, its keyboard unit has a Numpad section. So yeah, that’s the first con regarding this ASUS GA502IV laptop.

Let’s continue with the keyboard. On top of it are placed dedicated media keycaps (as well as an Armoury Crate one) and we have an On/Off button with an unusual shape. The arrow keys are pretty small and the racing fans are not going to like this. The keycaps offer a satisfying “click” while typing but the key travel is too short for our likings. Although this keyboard isn’t that good for typing, it’s decent for gaming because of the clicky feedback. By the way, the keyboard deck is a fingerprint magnet as well. It’s not as bad as some glossy plastic laptops, but after an hour of usage, we saw a lot of smudges on the base of the laptop.

The keyboard unit lacks the fancy RGB effects and instead it glows in white color which actually looks nice because it contrasts very well with the all-black body. If you look at the keycaps from a certain angle, the glowing LEDs become visible, and unfortunately, they are too bright which is uncomfortable for prolonged periods of use.

The touchpad is an average performer, we have no issues while using it but its plastic surface feels a bit cheap. At least from our side, this unit is too small for comfortable every-day usage so an additional mouse isn’t a bad idea.

On the bottom side, we can see the ventilation grills as weel the cut-outs for the speakers. In addition, if you take a closer look at the ventilation grills you can spot that you can’t see the fans because there is a plastic shroud that covers the grills. This method is used to guide the air more effectively over the rest of the critical components. We have our doubts regarding this cooling “trick” but let’s continue further.

The cooling fans are “breathing” air through the bottom and through the keycaps. It’s not a bad idea because the WASD area remains fairly cool under heavy load as well as the arrow keys. The hot air has been pushed out from the back and from the right side so if you’re using a mouse it’ll be good to position it a bit down below the “exhaust” because otherwise, you’ll feel uncomfortable for the sake of the heat that comes continuously from the grill.

Ports

The port selection of this notebook is decent. On its left side are placed the following ports – a charging port, an Ethernet port, an HDMI 2.0b connector, a USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) port, a USB Type-C 3.2 (Gen. 2) port (with Display Port and charging capabilities), and an audio combo jack. The right side is being populated by a Kensington Lock and two USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) ports.


Upgrade options

In terms of upgradeability, the ASUS G15 GA 502 does a good job. There are 8GB/16GB (in our case it’s a 3200 MHz memory) soldered to the motherboard but at least there is another DIMM slot that can be used for future system memory upgrades. In this way, you can take advantage of the dual-channel memory mode that will boost the CPU performance additionally. Storage-wise, we are happy to see that there are two M.2 slots.

The cooling solution is upgraded compared to the last year’s device. We have four heat pipes – two of them are dedicated solely to the CPU and the GPU and additionally, there are two medium-sized cooling plates as well. The video card, the processor, and the voltage regulators make direct contact with the heat pipes for better heat dissipation.


Display quality

Our sample of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502 comes with an optional Full HD IPS panel with model number LQ156M1JW16 (SHP14F4). Its diagonal is 15.6″ (39.62 cm), and the resolution – 1920 х 1080. Expectedly, the screen ratio is 16:9, the pixel density – 141 ppi, their pitch – 0.18 x 0.18 mm. The screen can be considered Retina when viewed from at least 60 cm (24″) (from this distance, the average human eye can’t see the individual pixels and is excellent for a laptop).

It has comfortable viewing angles. We have provided images at 45 degrees to evaluate quality.

The maximum measured brightness is 320 nits (cd/m2) in the middle of the screen and 300 nits (cd/m2) average across the surface with a maximum deviation of 15%. The Correlated Color Temperature on a white screen and at maximum brightness is 7640K (average) – colder than the 6500K optimum for sRGB.

In the illustration below you can see how the display performs from uniformity perspective. The illustration below shows how matters are for operational brightness levels (approximately 140 nits) – in this particular case at 54% Brightness (White level = 138 cd/m2, Black level = 0.13 cd/m2).
Values of dE2000 over 4.0 should not occur, and this parameter is one of the first you should check if you intend to use the laptop for color-sensitive work (a maximum tolerance of 2.0 ). The contrast ratio is good – 1060:1.

To make sure we are on the same page, we would like to give you a little introduction to the sRGB color gamut and the Adobe RGB. To start, there’s the CIE 1976 Uniform Chromaticity Diagram that represents the visible specter of colors by the human eye, giving you a better perception of the color gamut coverage and the color accuracy.

Inside the black triangle, you will see the standard color gamut (sRGB) that is being used by millions of people in HDTV and on the web. As for the Adobe RGB, this is used in professional cameras, monitors, etc for printing. Basically, colors inside the black triangle are used by everyone and this is the essential part of the color quality and color accuracy of a mainstream notebook.

Still, we’ve included other color spaces like the famous DCI-P3 standard used by movie studios, as well as the digital UHD Rec.2020 standard. Rec.2020, however, is still a thing of the future and it’s difficult for today’s displays to cover that well. We’ve also included the so-called Michael Pointer gamut, or Pointer’s gamut, which represents the colors that naturally occur around us every day.

The yellow dotted line shows ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502’s color gamut coverage.

Its display covers 98% of the sRGB/ITU-R BT.709 (web/HDTV standard) in CIE1976.

Our “Design and Gaming” profile delivers optimal color temperature (6500K) at 140 cd/m2 luminance and sRGB gamma mode.

We tested the accuracy of the display with 24 commonly used colors like light and dark human skin, blue sky, green grass, orange, etc. You can check out the results at factory condition and also, with the “Design and Gaming” profile.

Below you can compare the scores of ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502 with the default settings (left), and with the “Gaming and Web design” profile (right).

The next figure shows how well the display is able to reproduce really dark parts of an image, which is essential when watching movies or playing games in low ambient light.

The left side of the image represents the display with stock settings, while the right one is with the “Gaming and Web Design” profile activated. On the horizontal axis, you will find the grayscale and on the vertical axis – the luminance of the display. On the two graphs below you can easily check for yourself how your display handles the darkest nuances but keep in mind that this also depends on the settings of your current display, the calibration, the viewing angle, and the surrounding light conditions.

Response time (Gaming capabilities)

We test the reaction time of the pixels with the usual “black-to-white” and “white-to-black” method from 10% to 90% and vice versa.

We recorded Fall Time + Rise Time = 9 ms. Combined with the 240Hz refresh rate this screen is superb for gaming purposes.


Health impact – PWM / Blue Light

PWM (Screen flickering)

Pulse-width modulation (PWM) is an easy way to control monitor brightness. When you lower the brightness, the light intensity of the backlight is not lowered, but instead turned off and on by the electronics with a frequency indistinguishable to the human eye. In these light impulses, the light/no-light time ratio varies, while brightness remains unchanged, which is harmful to your eyes. You can read more about that in our dedicated article on PWM.

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502’s display is PWM-free above 80 cd/m2. The backlight uses PWM below 35% brightness and it has a high-enough frequency, so it doesn’t introduce an excessive strain to the eyes in this aspect.

Blue light emissions

Installing our Health-Guard profile not only eliminates PWM but also reduces the harmful Blue Light emissions while keeping the colors of the screen perceptually accurate. If you’re not familiar with the Blue light, the TL;DR version is – emissions that negatively affect your eyes, skin, and your whole body. You can find more information about that in our dedicated article on Blue Light.

Conclusions

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502’s display has an IPS panel with Full HD resolution (1080p), good contrast ratio, comfortable viewing angles, and almost full coverage (98%) of the sRGB color gamut. Moreover, the backlight doesn’t flicker when the luminance is set above 80 cd/m2, and the color reproduction is pretty accurate. This display’s color accuracy is on point with an Average dE of 1.6. However, if you want to further improve your color accuracy, our Gaming and Web design profile will drop the Average dE value to 0.6, which is arguably the most accurate display we’ve seen. Additionally, it has quick pixel response times, which pairs really well with the 240Hz screen refresh rate.

Buy our profiles

Since our profiles are tailored for each individual display model, this article and its respective profile package are meant for ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502 configurations with 15.6″ LQ156M1JW16 (SHP14F4) (FHD, 1920 x 1080) IPS.

*Should you have problems with downloading the purchased file, try using a different browser to open the link you’ll receive via e-mail. If the download target is a .php file instead of an archive, change the file extension to .zip or contact us at [email protected].

Read more about the profiles HERE.

In addition to receiving efficient and health-friendly profiles, by buying LaptopMedia's products you also support the development of our labs, where we test devices in order to produce the most objective reviews possible.

Office Work

Office Work should be used mostly by users who spend most of the time looking at pieces of text, tables or just surfing. This profile aims to deliver better distinctness and clarity by keeping a flat gamma curve (2.20), native color temperature and perceptually accurate colors.

Design and Gaming

This profile is aimed at designers who work with colors professionally, and for games and movies as well. Design and Gaming takes display panels to their limits, making them as accurate as possible in the sRGB IEC61966-2-1 standard for Web and HDTV, at white point D65.

Health-Guard

Health-Guard eliminates the harmful Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) and reduces the negative Blue Light which affects our eyes and body. Since it’s custom tailored for every panel, it manages to keep the colors perceptually accurate. Health-Guard simulates paper so the pressure on the eyes is greatly reduced.

Get all 3 profiles with 33% discount


Sound

ASUS Zephyrus G15 GA502’s sound is decent. Low, mid, and high tones have some deviations.


Drivers

All drivers and utilities for this notebook can be found here: https://www.asus.com/bg/Laptops/ROG-Zephyrus-G15/HelpDesk_Download/

CPU options

The 2020 version of the ASUS Zephyrus G15 GA502 can be picked with just two different CPUs – the AMD Ryzen 7 4800H/HS and the Ryzen 9 4900H/HS. The “HS” CPUs are the same as their “H” sibling, the only difference is the TDP which is decreased from 45W to 35W. Given the power that these processors have, there is nothing to moan about regarding the CPU options.


GPU options

As for the graphics, you can choose between the Max-Q versions of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (65W) and GTX 1660 Ti (60W) as well. These are mid-range video cards, the RTX 2060 has ray-tracing capabilities while the GTX one doesn’t but the latter isn’t too far away in terms of performance.


Gaming tests (Internal monitor)

rise-of-the-tomb-raider

Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, Very High (Check settings)Full HD, MAX (Check settings)
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502 (2020)103 fps59 fps40 fps
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 GA401106 fps (+3%)62 fps (+5%)41 fps (+3%)

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon WildlandsFull HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Very High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502 (2020)75 fps65 fps42 fps
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 GA40177 fps (+3%)67 fps (+3%)44 fps (+5%)

 

Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Highest (Check settings)
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502 (2020)77 fps76 fps (+1%)50 fps (+4%)
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 GA40179 fps (+3%)75 fps48 fps

 

Doom EternalFull HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, U.Nightmare (Check settings)
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502 (2020)118 fps117 fps94 fps

Red Dead Redemption 2Full HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502 (2020)82 fps54 fps31 fps

Metro ExodusFull HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Extreme (Check settings)
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502 (2020)105 fps49 fps23 fps

Gears 5Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502 (2020)88 fps73 fps58 fps

TC: Rainbow Six SiegeFull HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Very High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502 (2020)186 fps171 fps157 fps

Assassin’s Creed OdysseyFull HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra High (Check settings)
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502 (2020)78 fps65 fps45 fps

Gaming tests and gameplay videos (External monitor) – RTX 2060 Max-Q

 

cs-go-benchmarks

CS:GOFull HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, MAX (Check settings)
Average FPS261 fps240 fps215 fps

 

DOTA 2Full HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
Average FPS164 fps145 fps139 fps123 fps

GTA-V-benchmarks

 

Grand Theft Auto V (GTA 5)Full HD, Normal (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Very High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
Average FPS172 fps126 fps70 fps45 fps

For HonorFull HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Extreme (Check settings)
Average FPS128 fps121 fps93 fps

 

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six SiegeFull HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Very High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
Average FPS225 fps184 fps174 fps161 fps

rise-of-the-tomb-raider

Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016)Full HD, Lowest (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, Very High (Check settings)Full HD, MAX (Check settings)
Average FPS134 fps109 fps61 fps41 fps

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon WildlandsFull HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Very High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
Average FPS83 fps75 fps66 fps43 fps

 

Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018)Full HD, Lowest (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Highest (Check settings)
Average FPS106 fps79 fps75 fps48 fps

Doom (2016)Full HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
Average FPS176 fps155 fps148 fps

Doom EternalFull HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, U.Nightmare (Check settings)
Average FPS126 fps118 fps109 fps

Red Dead Redemption 2Full HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, MAX (Check settings)
Average FPS86 fps53 fps32 fps14 fps

Metro ExodusFull HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Extreme (Check settings)
Average FPS106 fps50 fps23 fps

Gears 5Full HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
Average FPS126 fps88 fps75 fps59 fps

Assassin’s Creed OdysseyFull HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra High (Check settings)
Average FPS92 fps80 fps66 fps43 fps

HearthstoneFull HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)
Average FPS228 fps240 fps60 fps

MinecraftFull HD, Minimum (Check settings)Full HD, Maximum (Check settings)
Average FPS436 fps65 fps

League Of LegendsFull HD, V.Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, V.High (Check settings)
Average FPS266 fps225 fps209 fps

Rocket LeagueFull HD, H.Performance (Check settings)Full HD, H.Quality (Check settings)
Average FPS360 fps224 fps

OverwatchFull HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Epic (Check settings)
Average FPS237 fps185 fps124 fps

PUBGFull HD, V.Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
Average FPS165 fps130 fps121 fps102 fps

Darksiders GenesisFull HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, Mid (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
Average FPS138 fps125 fps110 fps98 fps

Halo ReachFull HD, Performance (Check settings)Full HD, Original (Check settings)Full HD, Enhanced (Check settings)
Average FPS202 fps186 fps143 fps

Borderlands 3Full HD, V.Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Badass (Check settings)
Average FPS105 fps84 fps59 fps46 fps

Team Fortress 2Full HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, MAX (Check settings)
Average FPS148 fps133 fps

eFootball PES 2020Full HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)
Average FPS203 fps148 fps

FIFA 20Full HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
Average FPS186 fps171 fps

The Witcher 3Full HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
Average FPS163 fps123 fps106 fps71 fps

Need For Speed HeatFull HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
Average FPS92 fps77 fps69 fps

Apex LegendsFull HD, Min. (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, MAX (Check settings)
Average FPS193 fps151 fps106 fps

Battlefield VFull HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
Average FPS139 fps107 fps98 fps90 fps

Call Of Duty Modern WarfareFull HD, V.Low (Check settings)Full HD, Normal (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
Average FPS100 fps89 fps68 fps

ARK: Survival EvolvedFull HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Epic (Check settings)
Average FPS147 fps68 fps57 fps37 fps

Total War Three KingdomsFull HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
Average FPS150 fps100 fps65 fps49 fps

WarframeFull HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)
Average FPS265 fps157 fps


Temperatures and comfort

Max CPU load

In this test we use 100% on the CPU cores, monitoring their frequencies and chip temperature. The first column shows a computer’s reaction to a short load (2-10 seconds), the second column simulates a serious task (between 15 and 30 seconds), and the third column is a good indicator of how good the laptop is for long loads such as video rendering.

Average core frequency (base frequency + X); CPU temp.

AMD Ryzen 7 4800HS (35W TDP)0:02 – 0:10 sec0:15 – 0:30 sec10:00 – 15:00 min
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502 (2020)3.23 GHz (B+11%) @ 72°C2.95 GHz (B+2%) @ 69°C2.72 GHz (B-6%) @ 76°C

It seems that ASUS favors thermals over performance (in this case – frequencies). In CPU-bound applications, as soon as the CPU hits 80°C the voltage and the clocks are going down. One curious fact is that in this scenario, the processor is almost “out of TDP headroom” just before hitting 80°C. In short loads, the AMD Ryzen 4800HS is able to maintain frequency above the base one. In prolonged CPU loads, the processor reduces its clock all the way down to 2.72 GHz. Let’s just don’t forget the fact that this chip has a 35W TDP (4800HS) while the regular variant (4800H) has 10W more which certainly plays its role in heavy computational tasks. In games, this isn’t such a big problem because the CPU doesn’t hit that hard its TDP limits.

As you can see, the ASUS TUF A15 (FA506) and ASUS TUF A17 (FA706) are doing a better job in prolonged computing scenarios, and on top of that their thermal results are from 5°C to 7°C lower. On the bright side, the processor temperature of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502 (2020) is always in an acceptable range below 80°C if you’re running some tasks that are requiring CPU-only power. In games, the Ryzen 7 4800HS is hitting constantly the mid 90°C because it boosts much higher (around 3.50 GHz) compared to non-gaming loads such as video rendering.

AMD Ryzen 7 4800H (45W TDP)0:02 – 0:10 sec0:15 – 0:30 sec10:00 – 15:00 min
ASUS TUF A15 (FA506)3.51 GHz (B+21%) @ 78°C3.30 GHz (B+14%) @ 80°C2.89 GHz @ 69°C
ASUS TUF A17 (FA706)3.62 GHz (B+25%) @ 69°C3.44 GHz (B+19%) @ 76°C2.93 GHz (B+1%) @ 71°C

Real-life gaming

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Max-QGPU frequency/ Core temp (after 2 min)GPU frequency/ Core temp (after 30 min)
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502 (2020)1425 MHz @ 75°C1342 MHz @ 86°C
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Max-QGPU frequency/ Core temp (after 2 min)GPU frequency/ Core temp (after 30 min)
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 GA4011478 MHz @ 77°C1436 MHz @ 84°C

Sadly, the GPU temperature of the NVIDIA RTX 2060 Max-Q that is fitted inside of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502 (2020) is nothing to write home about. Just have a look at the temperatures and clocks of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 GA401 and then at the ASUS GA502 results. In the first couple of minutes of gameplay, the core clock is somewhere around 1425 MHz which is fine but again, not as good as the ASUS G14 GA401. After no more than 30 minutes of gaming, however, the video card is constantly hitting the 86°C mark and the core clock is jumping around but its average result is 1342 MHz. The whole situation isn’t completely bad – you can play games with decent FPS but the GPU frequency is a bit on the low side. Interestingly, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 GA401 shows much more impressive results from the RTX 2060 Max-Q, despite its smaller form factor.

Gaming comfort

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502IV isn’t the most comfortable machine when the internal hardware is stressed. The shell is definitely too hot, especially the middle part of the keyboard. At least the WASD area and the one around the arrow keys are not that hot during gameplay. No matter what, you’re going to sense the heat while playing games or maybe compression/decompression (or some similar CPU-intensive task). On top of that, the cooling fans are too loud even at medium loads. For low-to-medium-intensity tasks, you can use the Silent mode which will “ease” the fans a bit.

 

Verdict

The 2020 version of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502 is a curious case. At first sight, the device looks like a decent gaming machine. We like its all-black chassis, aluminum lid, and thin bezels. The specs of our test sample are good enough for a decent gaming laptop – an 8-core AMD Ryzen 7 4800HS, 16GB RAM with 3200 MHz frequency, and the RTX 2060 Max-Q with 6GB video memory. Sounds good, right?

However, the performance of this particular laptop is nothing special. Perhaps the cooing solution has a design flaw and that’s why the processor and the video cards are hot while a heavy load is applied and that leads to lower frequencies, ergo, to lower performance. In heavy CPU loads, the processor’s clock drops down below the base frequency of 2.90 GHz and it reaches 2.72 GHz. The same goes for the GPU – when you fire up some games, in the beginning, you’ll notice GPU clock around 1500 MHz but after 20 minutes it drops down to 1342 MHz because the chip reaches 86°C.

The main problem is that it’s a gaming laptop that offers not-so-great thermal performance in games and the CPU and the GPU frequencies are always going up and down because of the temperatures. The shell of this laptop is very hot during gaming and the cooling fans are very loud when the processor and the video card are stressed at the same time. Yep, the gaming comfort of this ASUS machine is not one of its key selling points.

If you’re going to use this notebook mainly for CPU intensive tasks it should be fine because even at 2.72 GHz CPU frequency, the Ryzen 7 4800HS is still a fast chip but there are better laptops on the market that offer better thermals and performance at the same price tag.

Now, let’s talk about something more positive. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502 (2020) has a nice design that doesn’t screams “look at me, I’m a gaming notebook”. The look of it is a bit on the stealthy side and we like it. Additionally, its keyboard is a good unit for gaming and the screen is a real gem for games with its 240Hz refresh rate and fast response time. And yes, the performance is definitely there, the machine is super snappy in daily tasks such as Web browsing, watching HD video, or even photo and video editing. Gaming-wise, you can play the newest gaming titles thanks to the fast CPU and the GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q but the whole gaming experience could be better because the cooling fans are roaring like a vacuum cleaner during gameplay.

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA502 (2020) isn’t a bad device but its questionable performance under heavy loads makes it a not-so-attractive choice for gaming because for the same amount of money you can buy some other laptop with better cooling and performance levels than this ASUS device.

You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/asus-rog-zephyrus-g15-ga502/

Pros

  • The laptop is snappy and it supports Wi-Fi 6
  • 8GB/16GB of soldered memory plus one RAM SODIMM slot supporting 3200 MHz memory in dual-channel and dual NVMe drive support
  • The display is PWM-free above 35% brightness (and the frequency of the flickers is low-enough below that) (LQ156M1JW16)
  • 240Hz refresh rate and quick pixel response times (LQ156M1JW16)
  • 98% sRGB coverage and great color accuracy thanks to our Gaming and Web design profile (LQ156M1JW16)
  • USB Type-C port can be used to charge the laptop or to output a DisplayPort 1.4 signal


Cons

  • Lacks an SD card reader and Thunderbolt support
  • The laptop gets pretty hot and loud during heavy loads (and the CPU freq drops to 2.72 GHz)
  • The keyboard has no NumberPad

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
7 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Morten Monrad Pedersen
Morten Monrad Pedersen
3 years ago

Thank you for the thorough review.

I’m confused about the battery life, why does the g14 have more than twice the battery life of the g15? I apologize if this is explained in the review and I missed it.

Travis
Travis
3 years ago

I wonder the same thing here.Maybe on performance mode they didnt disable the independent GPU unlike G14.This 15 inch model ,with even weaker CPU,should last only longer than G14.

Also the screen refresh rate have a much heavier impact on battery life than screen resolution AFAIK, espesically when G15 boasts a whopping 240hz for its price.Its reasonable to lock the display at 60hz in the test because that would be the choice if someone wants their battery last longer doing Office things.

FeelsDeadMan
FeelsDeadMan
3 years ago

Old driver, dedicated GPU was on, G15 and G14 have almost the same battery life.

Last edited 3 years ago by FeelsDeadMan
Johnathan
Johnathan
3 years ago

Hello Laptop Media!

I just discovered this review… after ordering the laptop. I was looking everywhere to see if they fixed the cooling issue, and it seems they didn’t. What better laptops would you recommend for the same 1200-1600 price point?

Thanks!

Alex Iliev
3 years ago
Reply to  Johnathan

Hey Johnathan,

There are quite a lot of options. Some of them are the Acer Predator Helios (PH315-53), HP Omen 15 2020 (15-ek0000), Lenovo Legion 5 (15), and the list goes on.

Jon fromt
Jon fromt
3 years ago

The centered keyboard is the reason I would consider this. Not everyone wants or needs a number pad, useless to me.

Luis
Luis
3 years ago
Reply to  Jon fromt

Same here, I also heavily prefer having a centered keyboard and touchpad for that matter. I really dislike having a number pad I never use take any space (regardless of the laptop size). As a software developer I type all day long and I’ve got myself a Microsoft Sculpt ergonomic as my external keyboard, it haves the num pad in a separate module that’s been shelved on a drawer and never used since then. In my case not having a num pad is one of the PROS and not the CONS. I know for several people this could be quiet… Read more »