The Asus TUF product line is the entry-level gaming line with some mid-range products as well (the higher end is the ROG product line). The A15 from the TUF lineup is a gaming laptop SKU that gets refreshed periodically. There are multiple variations in display size and GPU primarily depending on the year and version.
It’s a high-end gaming laptop built for performance and durability. This review is intended to provide an in-depth look at the features and performance of the TUF Gaming A15, as well as to give an opinion on its suitability for gaming. The target audience for this review is gamers looking to buy a new laptop to play high-end games.
Exact product reviewed: Asus TUF Gaming A15 2022 (FA507RM-ES73) with the following specs:
- 15.6” display
- 300 Hz refresh rate
- 1080p resolution
- AMD Ryzen 7 6800H CPU
- Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU
- 16GB DDR5 system RAM
- 512 GB PCIe SSD storage
- WiFi 6
- Windows 11 Home
- Mecha Gray
- $1000+
The points on build quality, design, function, ergonomics, reliability, etc. apply to other A15 gaming laptops too, including the ones from 2021 with a GTX 1650. The price is mainly controlled by the GPU and CPU, which also determine the performance.
Design and build quality
The TUF Gaming A15 has a sleek and modern design, with a matte black finish and red accents on the keyboard and touchpad. The laptop is built with a combination of plastic and metal materials, giving it a solid and durable feel.
The laptop is built to military standards, meaning it can withstand harsh conditions and rough handling. This makes it a great option for gamers who are always on the go, as it can withstand the wear and tear of travel.
The ergonomics of the TUF Gaming A15 are well thought out, with a comfortable keyboard and responsive touchpad. The laptop is also relatively lightweight and slim, making it easy to take with you on the go. The ports are well-placed and easy to access.
The TUF Gaming A15 has a sleek and modern design that is sure to appeal to gamers. The laptop has a black finish with a red accent on the back, which gives it a bold and aggressive look. The laptop is also relatively thin and lightweight, making it easy to carry around.
The build quality of the TUF Gaming A15 is top-notch. The laptop is made of high-quality materials and feels solid and durable. The hinge is strong and keeps the display in place, and the keyboard is comfortable to type on. The touchpad is also responsive and accurate.
The TUF Gaming A15 has a full-size keyboard with a numpad and a red backlight. The keys have a good travel distance and provide a satisfying typing experience. The keyboard is also spill-resistant, which is a nice added bonus for gamers who might accidentally spill drinks while playing.
The TUF Gaming A15 has a decent number of ports, including USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, and Ethernet. There’s also an SD card reader and a headphone jack, which is great for connecting peripherals.
Overall, the design and build quality of the TUF Gaming A15 are impressive. It feels solid and durable, and the design is modern and attractive. It is also a very portable laptop. The laptop looks good, feels solid, and is easy to carry around. The keyboard is comfortable to type on and the touchpad is responsive. The port selection is also decent.
Performance and hardware
Let’s talk specs now.
Processor & graphics card
The TUF Gaming A15 is powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 6800H processor, which is a powerful CPU built for gaming and heavy-duty tasks. The processor has 8 cores and 16 threads, which allows for smooth multitasking and efficient performance.
This one is equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, which is a top-of-the-line graphics card that is capable of delivering smooth and realistic gaming visuals. The RTX 3070 GPU is also capable of running games at high frame rates and high resolutions, making it ideal for gamers who want the best gaming experience.
RAM & storage
The TUF Gaming A15 is available with up to 16GB of DDR5 memory and 512GB of SSD storage. A large amount of memory ensures that you can run multiple applications at the same time without any lag, and the fast SSD storage ensures that games and applications load quickly.
I do consider 1TB to be the minimum for any kind of PC, but it depends on you. If you want, you can go for the 1TB variation or upgrade it later after the warranty ends and when your PC is getting full.
Display
The TUF Gaming A15 features a 15.6-inch Full HD display with a fast refresh rate of 300 Hz. The fast refresh rate ensures that the display is smooth and responsive, which is important for gaming. The display also has a wide viewing angle and good color accuracy, making it suitable for content creation.
Cooling system
The TUF Gaming A15 comes with an efficient cooling system that keeps the laptop cool even when under heavy load. The cooling system consists of two fans and four heat pipes, which keep the temperature of the CPU and GPU under control, this is a very important aspect for gamers to avoid thermal throttling.
Battery life
The TUF Gaming A15 has a battery life of around 6 hours, which is decent for a gaming laptop. It’s not the best in its class, but it’s enough for a gaming session or a short trip.
Gaming performance & benchmarks
The TUF Gaming A15 is capable of running most modern games at high or even ultra settings, with frame rates averaging around 150-200 FPS or higher. The graphics card is powerful enough to handle intense gaming sessions, making it a great option for gamers looking for a smooth experience.
The TUF Gaming A15 has been benchmarked against other gaming laptops in its price range, and it generally performs well. It scores high on tests such as 3D Mark and Geekbench, showing that it is a capable machine for gaming.
The TUF Gaming A15’s cooling system is efficient, and it does not produce too much heat or noise during intense gaming sessions. This makes for a comfortable and enjoyable experience.
Overall, the performance and hardware of the TUF Gaming A15 are impressive. The powerful CPU and GPU, along with a large amount of memory and fast storage, make it a great option for gamers who want a high-performance laptop.
The fast refresh rate display, efficient cooling system, and good color accuracy make it suitable for content creation as well. The battery life could be better but it’s still decent.
Features
The laptop is loaded with all the features you’d ever want, especially if you’re buying the 2022 version.
Display and resolution
The TUF Gaming A15 features a 15.6-inch display with a resolution of 1920×1080. The display is bright and vibrant, with accurate colors and good contrast. The viewing angles are also wide, making it easy to share the screen with friends or teammates. The display also supports up to 300 Hz refresh rate, which is great for gamers who want a smooth and responsive gaming experience.
The RTX 3060 can easily render at 300 FPS. The Ryzen 5 6800H doesn’t bottleneck either even on AAA titles. What this means is that you’re looking at an excellent performance in terms of FPS even on more demanding titles.
Audio and speakers
The TUF Gaming A15 has a set of stereo speakers that are loud and clear. The sound quality is decent, with good bass and treble balance. The speakers are also located on the bottom of the laptop, which helps to provide a more immersive gaming experience.
Keyboard and touchpad
The TUF Gaming A15 has a full-size keyboard with a numpad and a red backlight. The keys have a good travel distance and provide a satisfying typing experience. The keyboard is also spill-resistant, which is a nice added bonus for gamers who might accidentally spill drinks while playing. The touchpad is also responsive and accurate.
Additional software and programs
The TUF Gaming A15 comes with a number of additional software and programs that are designed to enhance the gaming experience. This includes the ROG Gaming Center, which allows users to easily monitor system performance and adjust settings.
The laptop also includes the ROG Aura Creator, which allows users to customize the keyboard backlight and create unique lighting effects. Additionally, the TUF Gaming A15 comes with a built-in cooling system that helps to keep the laptop cool even during intense gaming sessions.
Comparison to competitors
You might have other options in the same price range. Let’s see what sets this one apart.
The TUF Gaming A15 is a great option for gamers looking for a high-end gaming laptop in the same price range. It offers a similar set of features as competitors such as the Dell G5 15 or the Lenovo Legion Y540. However, the TUF Gaming A15 stands out with its sleek design, robust build quality, and advanced cooling system.
One of the main advantages of the TUF Gaming A15 is its powerful hardware, which includes an Intel Core i7 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics card. This allows the laptop to handle high-end games with ease. Additionally, the TUF Gaming A15 has a unique design, with a military-grade build, and an anti-dust cooling system, which makes it more durable than its competitors.
However, the TUF Gaming A15 has a shorter battery life compared to some of its competitors, which can be a drawback for gamers who want to play on the go. Additionally, the TUF Gaming A15’s speakers could be more powerful and leave something to be desired, especially when I’m watching movies.
If you play on headphones or have a home theater to watch media, then you won’t be using the speakers anyway so that’s not an issue.
Personal opinions & anecdotes
I had the pleasure of using the TUF Gaming A15 for an extended period and overall, I was impressed with its performance. I played a variety of games, ranging from fast-paced first-person shooters to open-world adventure games, and the laptop handled them all with ease. The graphics were crisp and the gameplay was smooth.
The TUF Gaming A15 made me feel like a true gamer. The design is sleek and the build quality is robust, which gave me a sense of confidence that the laptop could handle whatever game I threw at it. The keyboard and touchpad were responsive, which made gameplay more enjoyable. The cooling system was also effective, which kept the laptop cool even during intense gaming sessions.
Overall, I highly recommend the TUF Gaming A15 to anyone looking for a high-end gaming laptop. It offers a great balance of power, design, and durability.
I was particularly impressed with the anti-dust cooling system, which keeps the laptop running at optimal performance even after prolonged usage. Additionally, the keyboard is comfortable and the touchpad is smooth.
The only minor downside is the battery life, but if you’re gaming, you will be likely plugged in anyways. I also found that the speakers could be more powerful, but it wasn’t a deal breaker for me. The TUF Gaming A15 is an excellent option for gamers who want a laptop that can handle the latest and greatest games, and it will make you feel like a true pro gamer!
Final verdict
The Asus TUF Gaming A15 is a powerful and reliable gaming laptop that offers a smooth and enjoyable gaming experience. It has a sleek design, a high-quality display, and a comfortable keyboard. It also performs well in benchmarks and is capable of running most modern games with max settings at 150-200 FPS.
The TUF Gaming A15 is a great option for gamers who are looking for a powerful and reliable machine for gaming. It is also a good choice for those who want a laptop that can handle multitasking and heavy workloads.
Overall, the TUF Gaming A15 is a great gaming laptop that offers a lot of value for its price. It has a great design, a high-quality display, and a comfortable keyboard. It also performs well in benchmarks and is capable of running most modern games at high settings. I would rate it 4.5 out of 5.
Pros
- Great performance
- Good design and build quality
- Comfortable keyboard
Cons
- Battery life could be better
- Loud fans under heavy load
- Subpar stock speakers
The TUF Gaming A15 is a solid choice for gamers looking for a powerful and reliable gaming laptop that can handle multitasking and heavy workloads. Its design and build quality are excellent, and it performs well in benchmarks.
