We were all looking forward to the integration of the newly released Nvidia 30 series GPUs in gaming laptops. The latest version of the Asus TUF A15 combines an AMD Ryzen 7 5800H + the RTX 3070 producing a massive powerhouse of a gaming laptop. Capable of handling excellent gaming, streaming, video editing, high quality content production and anything in between. Not that it doesn’t have any flaws, because every gaming laptop does. Originally, there were several configurations that reminded gamers of laptops such as Acer Nitro5, Lenovo Legion Y545.
- Asus TUF A15 with GeForce RTX 2060
- Asus TUF A15 with GeForce GTX 1650 Ti and 1650
- Asus TUF A15 with GeForce GTX 1660Ti
Also with different CPU and memory configurations such as AMD Ryzen 7 4800H, 9 4900H and 5 4600H with 16GB and 8GB DDR4 @ 3200MHz. However since these are all older versions, we will talk about the Asus TUF Gaming A15 2021 with the CPU and GPU combos that we mentioned initially. See how the latest version delivers gaming and processing power in 2021 and compete with it’s rivals. To be most accurate, this model is named as Asus TUF Gaming A15 FA506QR. Still, there are other CPU and GPU configs available in this model with different price tags.
Asus TUF Gaming A15 FA506QR Specs
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H |
| GPU | Nvidia RTX 3070 |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4 Dual-Channel |
| Storage | 1TB NVMe SSD |
| Display | 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080 @ 240Hz IPS Panel |
| I/O Ports | 3.5mm audio jack, RJ45 LAN port, HDMI 2.0b, 3x USB 3.2 Type-A, USB 3.2 Type-C |
| Weight | 2.3 kg |
| Price | $1,799 |
Those are the specs in a nutshell. And we should also mention that there is Wi-Fi 6 support integrated to work in good compatibility with a Wi-Fi 6 router. And the mobile 3070 requires 95W operational power which is significantly lower than some other models. A downside though, is the elimination of a webcam which I doubt is a worthy choice.
Design And Build Quality
It is traditional to review the chassis before diving headlong into the performance aspect. Yes, the looks don’t matter and performance is the only criteria that we are concerned about. Nevertheless let’s see the design. The design feels above average once you flip open the panel. Solid plastic at the bottom and constructed for optimum airflow for heat maintenance purposes. The palm rest has a good comfortable finish that looks capable of even hosting your palm for length sessions. No unwanted flexes or creaks. The hinges feel solid and easy to move. And as you can see from the dimensions, the form factor is slim and not too bulky.
The touchpad is not too budget nor too luxurious. There are left and right mouse buttons despite the fact that you are going to be using a gaming mouse. The single USB Type-A port is on the right side which also has a large vent. The left hand side hosts the other ports such as the USB 3.2 Type-C port and the pair of USB 3.2 Type-A ports etc. You must have noticed the absence of a Thunderbolt port but the Wi-Fi 6 connectivity makes up for that. The universal WASD gaming keys are highlighted among the others in white color. The keyboard brightness has three levels that can either be adjusted from the Aura software or the keyboard shortcut.
The base feels rigid and durable, made out of plastic and slight aluminum texture for a more budget impression. The display that is surrounded by narrow bezels can be tilted until about 120 degrees. The matte material on the outer lid makes the laptop look good from a distance. You won’t find any fancy features on the keyboard panel like dedicated volume or microphone buttons. Although this isn’t a high-end gaming PC type chassis, it is reasonably well built with budget and functionality in mind.
Gaming and Processing Performance
Although the Asus TUF Gaming 15 is called an entry-level gaming laptop, the performance surpasses the expectations of such a laptop. Now keep in mind that the 2021 “Gaming” version has only one other configuration which is the Intel version. The variants we mentioned at the beginning of this post are that of the first laptop. As you know the Ryzen 7 5800H used in this laptop has 8 cores and 16 threads. A good choice for gaming, as we don’t see the need for those high power consuming multi threaded CPUs. The clock rates are between 3.2 and 4.4 GHz. Experts at PCGamer and notebookcheck tested the laptop system performance for single core and multi core tasks. And as you are very well aware, the AMD CPU fame is built around their multi core performance outranking Intel. The Intel processors are more single core performance oriented.
Anyways with Cinebench R20 and R23 testing for single and multi core, the Asus TUF Gaming 15 outranked laptops such as the Gigabyte Aorus 15, Asus TUF Gaming Dash 15 and MSI GF65. However the Intel i7 11th gen integrated Asus TUF Gaming laptop performed better than the Ryzen version. In the video encoding tests, the Ryzen 7 5800H emerged on the top beating the Intel CPUs. Overall it performs great in the productivity tests, although the Intel CPU tends to catch up in the single core tests.
Gaming
As for gaming, well you know what to expect out of a configuration like this. You can enable ray-tracing with DLSS plus ultra graphic settings at 1080p and still experience solid gaming performance. And that’s what’s possible with this laptop. It surpasses the 60FPS limit on GTA V, Far Cry 5, Metro Exodus and F1 2020. In Metro Exodus with DLSS and RTX on, at ultra settings and 1080p resolution the frame count clocks at 35FPS. And in Cyberpunk 2077 without RTX and DLSS the frame rate output is almost close to 60FPS. Just keep in mind that this is a laptop GPU and the power consumption is around 80W.
This is in case you need further confirmation regarding the GPU power. When this laptop was tested against some other rivalries like the Legion 7i and MSI GS66 with the RTX 2080 and 2070 Super Max-Q GPUs, you can see the under utilization of the RTX 3070. The performance of the MSI GS66 and Lenovo Legion 7i in COD: Modern Warfare, DOOM Eternal and Rainbow 6: Siege is higher than the A15. That is, they render higher average frame rates. So if the manufacturers had decided to have a 3070 that draws in more power, the performance is bound to increase linearly.
Heat and Noise Emission
This is where the Asus TUF Gaming 15 does not shine so well. The fan noise levels are clearly audible during heavy processing instances. So it might be a bit of a nuisance for a quiet workplace. There are 3 performance settings that you can configure using the software and they are Performance, Silent and Turbo. The maximum GPU temperature shoots up until about 76C which isn’t that bad.
The Turbo mode is faster by an average of 100MHz than the Performance mode, while with the Silent mode you have to sacrifice a lot of frame rates. Speaking of Silence, the noise isn’t that bad in either mode as it remains below 50 decibels. However some experts say that the noise levels were too high in the Performance and Turbo modes. And we already said that with the Silence mode, you will be playing in lower quality.
Battery Power
Now this is one of the aspects that the Asus TUF Gaming 15 outranks the others. Even in the performance mode the device lasts for more than 15 hours. And that is insane battery life for a gaming laptop of this caliber. The battery holds up well even in heavy multi threaded type workloads.
Other Features
We’ve spoken of the essential facts of a gaming laptop. The speaker drivers are located at the bottom which is quite common these days. The bass is moderate and the other notes are pretty standard and not overdone. For regular listening, these speakers are just fine. The display is the other area where the TUF Gaming 15 highlights it’s value. The numbers of sRGB, Adobe RGB and dci B3 plus response times are those of a display of a laptop that usually costs somewhere around $2000-3000$. Therefore it is truly a treat to play games in a display of these specifications. Content creation, watching movies are so enticing with a display like this. The read/write speeds of the SSD are pretty fast. Also there is an additional M.2 slot for expansion. The charger is compact and won’t take up half of the room.
Conclusion
Well there you have it. The Asus TUF Gaming 15 is a great gaming laptop for the price you pay. Of course you may purchase a gaming mouse. And the exclusion of a webcam plus the louder fan profiles can be a bit of a dampener. Nonetheless the build quality, display and most importantly the battery life is fantastic. If you are purchasing this laptop for Gaming, Programming, Content Creation or even just for regular usage, you will be happy with the performance it delivers.
Asus TUF Gaming A15 2021 vs Dash F15
| ASUS TUF Gaming A15 | ASUS TUF Gaming F15 | |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H-8 cores, 16 threads | Intel Core i5-11300H-4 cores, 8 threads Intel Core i7-11370H-4 cores, 8 threads Intel Core i7-11375H-4 cores, 8 threads |
| GPU | GeForce RTX 3060, 3070 | GeForce RTX 3060, 3070 |
| RAM | up to 32GB | up to 32GB |
| Storage | 2 x M.2 NVMe PCIe Slots | 2 x M.2 NVMe PCIe Slots |
| Display | 15.6” FHD 60Hz, 144Hz, 240Hz | 15.6” FHD 60Hz, 144Hz, 15.6” WQHD 165Hz |
| Ports | USB-C,3 x USB-A , RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI 2.0b, Audio jack | 1 x Thunderbolt 4, 3 x Type-A USB Type-A, USB2.0, RJ45 LAN ,HDMI support 2.0b |
| Dimensions | 14.13 x 10.08 x 0.90 – 0.96 inches | 14.17 x 9.92 x 0.78 inches |
A much sought after comparison as you can very see that both the laptops are almost in equal calibration with some insignificant and some vital differences. The initial thoughts that will flow into your mind is the major difference in the CPUs. Because we already know how AMD and Intel size up in single and multi core performances. Also the inclusion of a thunderbolt 4 port(40Gbps) is attractive, plus there is an additional choice for display which is WQHD. Everything else is pretty much identical including Wi-Fi 6 connectivity.
Comparison
Before we get into the gaming comparison we should mention that the F15 GPU is even less powerful than the A15. Meaning the power consumption is 80W with the F15. Keep that in mind when we give the frame rates for different games played in the F15.
The design is more innovative than the A15 and has a fresher slimmer look. The inside is all plastic while the lid is gunmetal grey. The Keyboard is a backlit chiclet. The gaming WASD keys are highlighted in this keyboard as well. They have separated the volume keys from the function keys which is an innovative move. Overall the keyboard has good tactile feedback with creditable response times.
According to the experts, the i7-11730H processor paired with16GB of DDR4 RAM performed smoothly during regular usage such as heavy web browsing and the other usual tasks. But when it comes to content creation and other heavy processing stuff, it’s just as you anticipated. It is only 4 cores and 8 threads vs 8 cores and 16 threads. Therefore the A15 performs way better in CPU stress tests. Even the Lenovo Legion 5i and MSI GS66 Stealth laptops perform better than the F15 thanks to their 6-core and 8-core processors.
When it comes to gaming performance the F15 barely managed to maintain 60FPS at 1080P and high graphics settings with games like Red Dead Redemption 2, Borderlands 3, Metro Exodus. However you can always tune down and experience better frame rates. Also I am not sure if this is the optimum choice for high quality video editing or any heavy graphic powered tasks. Again, the reason is the reduced power of the GPU.
One area where this laptop shines is the battery life which on paper is a stunning 16.6 hours. The battery is 76Wh as opposed to the 90Wh of the A15. The RTX 3060 version actually lasted for 9+ hours in the PCMark 10 test. Therefore you can expect it to last a full day at moderate processing power.
Summary
As a final word of conclusion, the F15 is a good laptop for the price tag which is less than $1000. Yes, the GPU power is reduced and there isn’t any next level multi threaded CPU performance. But for someone who is looking to play games at decent settings for the next few years can still expect a creditable level of performance with this laptop. The exclusion of a webcam is again a downside. Nevertheless, we can state that the Asus TUF F15 serves as a good multi-purpose laptop. Not too high end, yet above average.
