ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (GU603ZM) vs. ASUS R521JA (EJ974T)

Laptop Comparison, Reviews and Tests

Side by side comparison and review of ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (GU603ZM) and ASUS R521JA (EJ974T). Compare dimensions, processors, batteries, storage capacities and other key specifications and features to simplify the choice of your perfect laptop. Our goal is to make it easier for you to decide on the laptop that will best meet your expectations by revealing the main differences between the products.

ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (GU603ZM) Review

Advantages and disadvantages of ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (GU603ZM) based on its technical characteristics, features, user experience, expert reviews and price level.

powerful gaming performance

high-resolution display

sleek, lightweight design

good thermal management

versatile connectivity options

expensive price point

average battery life

limited upgradeability

noisy under load

ASUS R521JA (EJ974T) Review

Advantages and disadvantages of ASUS R521JA (EJ974T) based on its technical characteristics, features, user experience, expert reviews and price level.

affordable price

solid build quality

lightweight design

decent battery life

adequate performance

average display quality

limited storage capacity

no backlit keyboard

basic graphics card

Laptop Comparison and Tests

Difference between ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (GU603ZM) and ASUS R521JA (EJ974T)
82 % - Design
87 % - Display
86 % - Performance
85 % - Connectivity
75 % - Battery
78 % - Design
72 % - Display
65 % - Performance
75 % - Connectivity
75 % - Battery

Laptop Specifications Comparison

ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (GU603ZM) vs. ASUS R521JA (EJ974T) Comparison Chart
DESIGN AND DIMENSIONS ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (GU603ZM) ASUS R521JA (EJ974T)
Product Type Notebook Notebook
Dimensions (WxDxH) 35.5 cm x 24.3 cm x 1.99 cm 36 cm x 23.5 cm x 2.29 cm
Weight 1.9 kg 1.9 kg
Colour Off black Transparent silver
DISPLAY ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (GU603ZM) ASUS R521JA (EJ974T)
Screen Size (Type) 16" 15.6"
LCD Backlight Technology LED backlight -
Screen Resolution 2560 x 1600 (WQXGA) 1920 x 1080 (Full HD)
V-Sync Rate at Max Res. 165 Hz 60 Hz
Widescreen Yes Yes
Image Aspect Ratio 16:10 16:9
Image Brightness - 200 cd/m²
Colour Gamut 100% DCI-P3 45% NTSC
Features Anti-glare, Adaptive-Sync technology, 3 ms response rate, Pantone Validated, IPS-level, Dolby Vision Anti-glare, 83% screen-to-body ratio
PROCESSOR ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (GU603ZM) ASUS R521JA (EJ974T)
CPU Intel Core i7 (12th Gen) 12700H / 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5 (10th Gen) 1035G1 / 1 GHz
Max Turbo Speed 4.7 GHz 3.6 GHz
Number of Cores 14-core Quad-Core
Cache 24 MB 6 MB
Features Intel Smart Cache -
MEMORY ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (GU603ZM) ASUS R521JA (EJ974T)
RAM 16 GB (1 x 8 GB + 8 GB (soldered)) 4 GB (provided memory is soldered)
Max RAM Supported 40 GB -
RAM Type DDR5 SDRAM DDR4 SDRAM
Speed 4800 MHz -
Form Factor SO-DIMM 262-pin -
Slots Qty 1 -
Empty Slots 0 -
STORAGE ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (GU603ZM) ASUS R521JA (EJ974T)
Main Storage Size (HDD/SSD) 1 TB SSD M.2 PCIe 4.0 - NVM Express (NVMe) 512 GB SSD M.2 PCIe 3.0 - NVM Express (NVMe)
AUDIO & VIDEO ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (GU603ZM) ASUS R521JA (EJ974T)
Multi-GPU Configuration 1 single GPU card / integrated GPU -
Graphics Processor (GPU) NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 / Intel Iris Xe Graphics Intel UHD Graphics
Video Memory 6 GB GDDR6 SDRAM -
Video System Features NVIDIA Optimus, ROG Boost, Dynamic Boost -
Gaming Yes -
Camera Yes - 720p Yes - VGA
Camera Features IR camera, Windows Hello -
Sound Two tweeters, two woofers, array microphone Speaker, microphone
Compliant Standards Dolby Atmos -
Audio Features Noise-cancellation technology, Smart Amplification technology Output: ASUS SonicMaster
COMMUNICATIONS ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (GU603ZM) ASUS R521JA (EJ974T)
Wireless Bluetooth 5.2, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax (Wi-Fi 6E) 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.1
Network Interface 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet -
Features Dual stream (2x2) Single stream (1x1)
BATTERY ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (GU603ZM) ASUS R521JA (EJ974T)
Technology 4-cell Lithium Ion 2-cell Lithium Ion
Battery Capacity (Size) 90 Wh 32 Wh
AC ADAPTER ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (GU603ZM) ASUS R521JA (EJ974T)
Input AC 100-240 V (50/60 Hz) AC 100-240 V (50/60 Hz)
Output 240 Watt, 20 V, 12 A 45 Watt, 19 V, 2.37 A
INPUT ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (GU603ZM) ASUS R521JA (EJ974T)
Type Keyboard, touchpad Keyboard, touchpad
Numeric Keypad - Yes
Keyboard Backlight Yes -
Features Chiclet keyboard, ASUS Overstroke technologie, 1.7mm travel distance Chiclet keyboard
CONNECTIONS & EXPANSIONS ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (GU603ZM) ASUS R521JA (EJ974T)
Interfaces Thunderbolt 4 (supports DisplayPort) (Power Delivery)
2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2
USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (supports DisplayPort Alt Mode) (Power Delivery)
HDMI
LAN
Headphone/microphone combo jack
USB 3.2 Gen 1
USB-C 3.2 Gen 1
2 x USB 2.0
HDMI
Headphone/microphone combo jack
Memory Card Reader Yes (microSD, microSDXC UHS-II) Yes (microSD)
SOFTWARE ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (GU603ZM) ASUS R521JA (EJ974T)
Operating System (OS) Windows 11 Home Windows 10 Home
MISCELLANEOUS ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 (GU603ZM) ASUS R521JA (EJ974T)
Included Accessories Power adapter Power adapter
Security - Firmware Trusted Platform Module (TPM) Security Chip
Security Slot Type Kensington security slot -
Theft/Intrusion Protection Security lock slot (cable lock sold separately) -
Features System password -
Model Number K8006W -
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