I’m getting a lightweight 4090 laptop and I’ve narrowed it down to two options: MSI Stealth 16 vs ROG Zephyrus G16.
ROG Zephyrus G16 seems to be superior in many ways—OLED screen, max 230W power input, and significantly cheaper here in Canada. However, I saw a concern today that the G16 uses Liquid Metal as its cooling solution, and that the way it’s implemented might not be optimal. There’s a risk of it leaking out and potentially damaging the laptop, especially if you’re carrying it around in a backpack often.
Is this a serious concern? How likely is it to happen? Will it be covered by warranty?
Not generally. Liquid metal laptops have special tape around them that covers the critical components of the die. While it’s not impossible, I’d say it happens in maybe .1% of cases where the application is poor. If you’re worried, you can always repaste with PTM 7950, which offers similar performance.
@Phoenix
Liquid metal issues are pretty rare these days. The application comes with protective barriers, and manufacturers have improved how it’s secured. I’ve carried my laptop daily for over a year without any problems.
I also saw reviews claiming that the performance of the G16 is very unstable because Windows power modes keep conflicting with Armory Crate’s power profiles. Is there a fix for this?
Sky said:
I also saw reviews claiming that the performance of the G16 is very unstable because Windows power modes keep conflicting with Armory Crate’s power profiles. Is there a fix for this?
Yeah, just stop using Armory Crate. Try G-Helper instead: [link]
I’ve had two ASUS ROG laptops with liquid metal (ROG STRIX G15 2020 and Zephyrus G15 2022). I used the ROG Strix for about 2 years, and in my experience, liquid metal is reliable enough. It wasn’t an issue for me after 2 years of use, and I replaced it with the Zephyrus, which also uses liquid metal. After 1.5 years of heavy gaming and Blender use, I haven’t had any issues. Of course, everyone might have different results, but this is just my experience.
Sky said: @Valen
Oh no, this looks bad. Is this covered by warranty?
I don’t know because I handled it myself. You could say ‘my CPU is running very hot and I don’t understand why’ and send it to ASUS for repair, but who knows how they’ll handle it. Honestly, it might be better to just deal with it yourself.
Sky said: @Valen
Is there a tutorial for doing this yourself? Or can hardware stores like Bestbuy do it for you?
Each laptop is different, but most are easy to open: unscrew the back, remove the heatsink, and you’ll have access. However, some laptops have tamper stickers, which might void the warranty. [Tutorial link]
Sky said: @Valen
Oh no, this looks bad. Is this covered by warranty?
You don’t need to worry too much about liquid metal burning out your CPU. You can just disable turbo, limit CPU core clocks, use a good cooling pad, and undervolt to keep temps under control. I’ve been using a Strix Scar 15 with liquid metal for 2.5 years and only enable turbo for very demanding games.
Avery said: @Valen
Is PTM7950 a thermal pad? I couldn’t find any paste when I Googled it.
PTM7950 is a PCM (Phase Change Material). It looks like a pad, but it liquefies once it heats up. Before using it, put it in the fridge for an hour so it stays firm enough to peel the film off.
