Asus TUF Gaming A15 (FA566) Review: Born to Win

The Asus TUF Gaming A15 is aimed at gamers with low budgets but could be more enjoyable. This laptop distinguishes itself from the competition since it is the first one we're reviewing with an AMD Ryzen Mobile 4000-series CPU. Despite Intel's near-monopoly on the laptop industry, AMD has stated that this generation could compete with simplicity.

We shall focus on this despite many other factors to consider. There are several different models of this laptop that Asus has released, and many of them have features that gamers will find appealing. The new TUF Gaming A15 is claimed to be thinner and lighter than the well-liked and well-priced TUF Gaming FX505 while still providing modern technology, extensive customizability, and, of course, certain design features specifically for gamers.

This series' name implies that it also emphasizes physical hardiness. But as we've often seen, people other than gamers, including students and creative workers, might be attracted to powerful laptops. We'll examine what Asus achieved and if the hardware and features are sufficient to make this a solid recommendation.

Specifications for the Asus TUF Gaming A15

Processor: Ryzen 9 4800H
Display: 15-inch, Full HD, 144Hz
RAM: 16GB
GPU: Nvidia GTX 1660Ti
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5; WiFi 5 (802.11ac)
Price: ₹94,990
Excellent for:
Value for the money
Effortless gaming experience
RAM and storage that can be upgraded
Portable and relatively lightweight
Bad for:
When under pressure, fans can become noisy.
Unsatisfactory battery life
The screen's general quality

Choices

In actuality, two variations?the FA566 (Fortress Grey) and FA506 (Bonfire Black)?will be sold under the TUF Gaming A15 brand. To simplify its use of alphanumeric names, Asus created the new A15 designation. Each will have somewhat different setup possibilities, and some will be accessible essentially offline while others may be focused on internet consumers.

Fortress Grey has a metal finish and is more subdued, making it easier to blend in, whereas Bonfire Black has a more conventional "gamer" appearance in textured plastic with solid lines and red highlights.

Software and Specifications

The TUF Gaming A15 (FA566) in the Fortress Grey model that we're analyzing costs Rs. 94,990. We utilize a gadget with a 512GB NVMe SSD, a 1TB hard drive, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, a 144Hz full-HD adaptive sync display, and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GPU. A Ryzen 7 4800H AMD processor is also included.

According to Asus, the RAM is entirely socketed, and this model (but not all models) includes one open M.2 slot for an extra SSD. Although there isn't a hatch on the bottom for easy access, users can update storage and RAM, so there is a fair amount of flexibility here. Surprisingly, Asus makes no claims about how long the 48Wh battery should last. The product we got arrived with a 180W charger that was lightweight but powerful. The USB Type-C connector does not permit charging.

There are nearly all of the connectors on the left: Gigabit Ethernet, two USB 3.2 Gen1 ports (5Gbps), HDMI 2.0b, one USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port (10Gbps + DisplayPort 1.4 output), and a 4.5mm combo audio socket. A USB 2.0 port and a Kensington lock slot are on the right. It is undesired if there isn't an SD card slot. The features include a 720p webcam, dual speakers with DTS:X Ultrasound enhancement, Bluetooth 5, and Wi-Fi 802.11ac.

Windows 10 Home has been installed on the TUF Gaming A15 by Asus. We encountered numerous large, obnoxious McAfee LiveSafe popups. Asus Armoury Crate was luckily not introduced; however, the design should be improved. You may choose between Performance, Silent, and Turbo settings to balance fan noise, power use, and CPU and GPU performance. Additionally, you may customize the RGB effects on the keyboard, examine hardware utilization, and check for system upgrades.

Usability and Design

There are several positive aspects of the TUF Gaming A15. It has a relatively modern and stylish appearance for an entry-level laptop. Although the massive tattoo-like TUF logo in the middle and the appearance of plastic rivets in the corners draw attention to this laptop, the Fortress Grey lid finish is less clear than we would have wanted, and some people could even find it tacky. While this laptop's body is mostly plastic, the outer lid is metal.

Except for a small tab at the top to provide a place for a camera, the screen's boundaries are comparatively thin when the lid is opened. Additionally, it makes it simple to reach the lid, which we call a lost or missing webcam.

The heavy bottom chin is visually considerably diminished by a wide incision running across the center of the lid, which is supported by hinges at both ends. It lets you see the laptop's status LEDs outside while the lid is closed. The lid has a tiny wobble and can be twisted sufficiently to deform the screen.

On the lower deck is a sizeable RGB-illuminated keyboard with a full-sized number pad and clear WASD keys. The divided arrow keys, smaller than usual but not squished into a single row, caught our attention immediately. We also appreciate how the Fn key row is organized and how there is no rim interference with the bottom row. The convenient Fn shortcut to lock the Windows key will be welcomed by gamers.

Asus has also employed distinct physical trackpad buttons in response to customer input. Despite lacking a clickable surface, the trackpad fully supports the multi-touch taps and gestures of Windows 10. The keyboard and trackpad are both pleasant in terms of use, and we had no problem working or playing games.

Due to the keycaps' translucent edges, the RGB LEDs may become obtrusive from certain angles, and the keyboard deck may bend somewhat in the middle. There are four primary effects, three brightness levels, and one lighting zone for each key on the keyboard. Unexpectedly, you cannot design your color scheme, and there are no options to sync impacts with music, or system temperature.

However, you can connect additional Asus Aura Sync-enabled devices. Additionally, we noted that the laptop's brightness would suddenly change to a distracting white flash when it went to sleep. The option to deactivate this is hidden within Asus' Armoury Crate tool.

The TUF Gaming A15 is a reasonably portable gaming laptop weighing 2.3kg and less than 25mm thick. You should be able to transport this laptop easily wherever you go, even though it is unsuitable for everyday travel. Multiple heat pipes, heatsinks, two self-cleaning fans, and many air vents beneath the keyboard at the back, right, and bottom, according to Asus, have all been utilized.

The moniker TUF refers to what Asus claims to be a degree of toughness equivalent to that of the military. The TUF Gaming A15 is designed to withstand unexpected events, dips, excessive humidity, and extremes in the weather. Although the plastic body, mainly the hinges, doesn't seem or feel all that secure, Asus claims that it has withstood tests under similar circumstances throughout the design stage.

Gaming and Performance

Under different workloads, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, the Ryzen 7 4700H, 16GB of RAM, and NVMe SSD provide a smooth and effective gaming experience. The laptop is set to Performance mode by default, and the screen operates at 144Hz even while using battery power. Running on battery power does not allow for the use of turbo mode.

The full-HD screen has exceptional indoor viewing angles and is non-reflective. Color reproduction is restricted to 45% of the NTSC gamut for everyday usage and gaming, which may not be enough for professional picture and video work. The bass is modest, although the speakers can play music at great levels without sound distortion. The voice clarity and game effects are good, but the music has a dull tone.

The TUF Gaming A15 was put through real-world testing while converting a 1.3GB AVI video to H.265 and 7zip-compressing a 3.24GB folder. The SSD's sequential read and write speeds were a respectable 1984.3MBps and 974.5MBps, according to CrystalDiskMark, while its random read and write speeds were 300.7MBps and 374.8MBps.

A gaming laptop has to have strong graphics performance, and 3DMark results for the Time Spy DX12 test gave a score of 5,807 and the older Fire Strike Extreme test a score of 3,220, respectively.

The TUF Gaming A15's 144Hz refresh rate gaming laptop produces fluid animation with a minimum frame rate of 65fps. Additionally, it did well in games like World War Z, Far Cry 5, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Compared to Civilization VI's built-in benchmark, the laptop managed a regular frame rate of 119.86fps with a 4X AF dial.

When under stress, the TUF Gaming A15 creates fan noise, which might make playing games uncomfortable. A mouse's comfortable use area could be impacted by hot air coming out of the right side.

The TUF Gaming A15's battery life lasts about four hours of casual use and is typical for a desk-bound gaming laptop. It took almost two hours to completely charge the battery on the Battery Eater Pro test, which could be better. Due to this, it is inappropriate to bring a laptop on a business journey.