Processor Ryzen 7 4800H | RAM 16GB DDR4 | Display 15.6 inches | GPU Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti | Hard drive 512 GB SSD | Dimensions 14.5 x 10.1 x 0.98 inches | Weight 5.07 pounds
ASUS is coming out swinging with its first TUF Gaming A15 laptop. Despite a very affordable price tag, this system offers a Ryzen 7 4800H CPU and 16GB of DDR4 RAM (you can compare it to
as well). This configuration has a modest Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GPU to drive the IPS panel 15.6-inch display’s 1920 x 1080 pixels. It would be nice if the display had a little more horsepower, but keep in mind this is a fairly budget-minded system — and if you do want to play games with this system, you get a fast 144 Hz refresh rate, as well as Nvidia G-Sync, which eliminates tearing in gaming graphics. On the storage front, you get a 512GB SSD. Bottom line: This is no RTX 2080-caliber laptop, and it isn’t intended to be.
The chassis itself is, as the TUF name suggests, pretty rugged. ASUS says it’s built to the MIL-STD-810H military construction specification, able to survive unexpected drops and bumps. Even so, it’s under an inch thick, and still manages to include a battery that delivers about 9 hours of runtime between charges. The keyboard is fully RGB backlit and supports a handful of lighting profiles. Especially cool is that the WASD keys are highlighted for easy finger placement when you’re playing in the dark.
The system has no shortage of ports: you’ll find an Ethernet jack, audio port, HDMI, and four USB ports (two USB 3.0 and a USB-C on the left, and a USB 2.0 on the right). The laptop also includes speakers with four case cut-outs delivering DTS:X Ultra 7.1 virtual surround sound. There’s also Bluetooth (naturally) and WI-Fi (in this case, Wi-Fi 5, making this laptop essentially futureproofed against next-generation wireless routers).
Whether you choose this or another configuration, the TUF A15 is upgradeable. The case opens easily, where you’ll find empty slots to add moth RAM and a second SSD drive.
If you order the A15 now, it should arrive in late May or early June. And if you’re looking for a high-performance laptop right now, you might also want to consider an Intel Core i9-based laptop — check out the roundup of the best i9 portables to see what Intel-based portables have to offer.
Remember: If you use your laptop at home frequently, consider connecting it to a UPS so it and your other devices can weather a power failure without costing you any data. It might also make sense to consider an AMD Ryzen desktop computer instead since it can deliver more processing power and expansion options than you’ll get in a laptop.