Pros
- Full HD IPS display with a 144 Hz refresh rate
- RGB backlit keyboard
- AMD Ryzen 7 octa-core CPU
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
Cons
- No SD card slot
- Noisy fans when the system is overworked
It is with that in mind that today we've decided to tackle the review of the Asus TUF506IV-AS76. A gaming laptop that's priced within the mid-tier but that will fulfill most user's needs. But don't take our word for it. This laptop has some serious street cred with literally hundreds of clients vouching for it. Without further ado, let's get on with the review!
Index
- Technical specifications
- Who's it for?
- Design
- Display
- Performance
- Graph
- Ports and Connectivity
- Autonomy
- Bottom Line
Asus A15 TUF506IV-AS76 Technical Specifications
| Make model | ASUS A15 TUF506IV-AS76 |
| Dimensions | 14.1 x 10.1 x 1.0 inches |
| Weight | 5.1 pounds |
| Panel | IPS | 15.6 inches | 144 Hz |
| Resolution | Full HD (1920 x 1080 píxeles) |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 4800H (8 cores up to 4.20 GHz) |
| RAM | 16GB (DDR4) |
| Graphic Controller | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (6 GB) |
| Storage | 1 TB (SSD) |
| Drums | 90 Whr | 4 cells | Lithium |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 5 Bluetooth 5.0 RJ-45 USB-A 2.0 USB-A 3.2 (x3) USB-C 3.2 HDMI Audio combo connector HD webcam Digital microphone |
Who's it for (in a nutshell)?
The ASUS TUF506IV-AS76 is a chameleon, suitable for just about anyone who decides to buy it. Basically, there's no computing task you can't perform with this laptop. Period.
Anything from web design, gaming, digital marketing, software development, video editing, and everything in between is possible with the set of specs this model is packing. Couple that with a battery life that actually gets through the day, a crisp and quick display, and you've got yourself a powerhouse that's down for everything.
Design
On an aesthetic level, the MIL-STD-810H military certification that this computer boasts, translates into equipment designed to withstand the most extreme conditions of use, including accidental drops, extremely high/low temperatures, and even humidity.
Its robust and angular chassis with a brushed matte black finish gives it a pleasant touch, while the internal ventilation system features anti-dust technology to extend the durability of the internal components. It also delivers a relatively sober look when compared against other gaming devices - relatively speaking -.
And while its measurements of 14.1 by 10.1 inches, height of 1 inch, and weight of 5.1 pounds do not exactly make it the most portable of gaming notebooks, it is worth remembering that these gaming laptops are designed to be used in fixed places. Having said that, when comparing to other gaming laptops, the A15 TUF506IV-AS76 is definitely on the lighter side of the spectrum.
Keyboard and Trackpad
If there's one aspect that's often overlooked when researching a new laptop that would be the keyboard. We get sucked into the vortex of CPU speed, ram, display resolution and we generally forget about the feature without none of that is relevant: a good keyboard.
In effect, Asus knows this, its customers know this, and that's why we're happy to report that the keyboard is great, with a comfortable mechanical sensation that sits somewhere in between modern "butterfly" keyboards and previous "typewriter keyboards". All this to say there's a good key travel distance, a nice backlight for both gaming and late-night crunch sessions.
Obviously, being a gaming keyboard, we've also got the RGB zone to facilitate gaming sessions and we love the trackpad which features two mechanical buttons which are a great asset for gaming where every millisecond counts, and sometimes an old-school "click" is what's going to get the job done.
Let's talk about the display
The TUF506IV-AS76 boasts a 15.6-inch screen that, in addition to the thin bezels that frame it, is sharp, bright, and fluid enough to meet the needs of today's gamers. Specifically, it has a Full HD (1080p) resolution, a spectacular 144 Hz refresh rate, and IPS technology, with viewing angles of up to 178º both horizontally and vertically.
This is much appreciated as more often than not screens on gaming notebooks aren't all that good in terms of viewing angles, they tend to wash colors out when you move beyond a 90-degree angle so having a 178º viewing angle is something we can certainly appreciate.
Diving into the hardware, we come across the next-gen AMD chipset, Ryzen 7 4800H. This processor is comparable in performance to Intel's new Core i9-10980HK and has 8 real cores operating at frequencies of up to 4.20 GHz, though through reported benchmark tests we've seen this processor can withstand an even higher clock speed.
This CPU has a cache memory of 8 MB (L3), 16 processing threads, and a TDP of 45W. It is also accompanied by a remarkable 16 GB of RAM, running under the DDR4 architecture which delivers more efficient multitasking performance and energy management.
Moving onto storage, we've got a massive 1 TB SSD unit. Ideal for storing all the applications with which you usually work on a daily basis as well as the heaviest gaming titles. It's upgradable, as is the RAM, but we'll cover more on that in a bit.
Ultimately, whether you're a gamer or a design professional, this set of key components allow the A15 to deliver a killer performance when playing and performing multimedia editing, graphic design, and 3D CAD modeling tasks, without leaving aside other tasks such as programming, virtualization, music production, and the typical office tasks. AKA: a powerhouse laptop that's down for anything.
The TUF506IV-AS76 will take your gaming sessions to a new level of realism and immersion thanks to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics which packs a dedicated memory of no less than 6 GB (GDDR6).
All in all, when you consider the RAM, processor, and graphics card on this machine you can see how it's more than capable of running titles such as FIFA 21 in 4K resolution (146 fps), the recently launched Hitman 3 in 2K format (61.8 fps) and Cyberpunk 2077 with Full HD quality (62.3 fps).
What's more, thanks to its FreeSync technology and the display's native 144 Hz refresh rate you can say goodbye to ghosting and tearing on your games, and if you disable the motion blur feature in your game - if it has it - then you'll really be in for a treat. Truly, a night and day gaming experience.
Ports and Connectivity
Moving to the connectivity segment of this review, we find that this notebook has Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0 high-speed technologies, an RJ-45 network port, as well as an HDMI output to connect 4K monitors.
Additionally, to connect your gaming peripherals, you have 3 USB-A inputs and a reversible USB-C type port, a 3.5 mm audio jack, and an HD webcam with a microphone for your streaming sessions.
Regarding the audio quality, the laptop does feature a pair of decent speakers, but we always recommend getting an external audio solution be it headphones or Bluetooth speakers to truly immerse yourself in the gaming experience. That's not to say the speakers are bad but at the end of the day, these are still laptop speakers with all the limitations that that entails.
Autonomy
Battery life-wise this laptop packs a lithium battery with a 90 Whr capacity whose performance has nothing to envy what other gaming laptops offer in this segment. Specifically, it ensures a duration of just over 8 hours of light use (web browsing) and, under continuous video playback, reaches no less than 12 hours.
Of course, depending on your usage your mileage will vary but let's not lose sight of the fact that most gaming laptops will rarely go beyond the 3-hour mark as it is.
Therefore delivering this kind of battery life on a gaming notebook is a total game-changer for Asus and something that's sure to help keep this model amongst the best-selling laptops in the market.
Can the RAM / Storage be increased?
This model has 2 SO-DIMM type slots to enable expansion of the serial memory up to a maximum of 64 GB, after occupying both slots with 32 GB DDR4 modules. It's worth noting that these memories are 3200 MHz to take full advantage of its multitasking capabilities.
Regarding storage, say that this computer incorporates two M.2 slots -one of them already occupied- to allow you to add another SSD unit and thus enjoy more space to store your applications and games. Also, the BIOS doesn't care in which SSD you store the OS so you can store your data in the slot that's further away from the hottest area.
Conclusion: Is the ASUS A15 TUF506IV-AS76 worth buying?
Few reviews have had an easier conclusion than this one: Yes. The ASUS TUF506IV-AS76 is worth buying. Its high-end specs coupled with its massive storage unit and more than generous battery life along with a display that features a 144 Hz refresh rate make this one of the most reasonably priced gaming/professional laptops currently in the market.
Ultimately, you'll be hard-pressed to find anything similar within this price range and you'll have an even harder time finding a gaming laptop that isn't a dud when it comes to battery life. Overall, pretty much the best possible laptop you could buy if you're in need of dedicated graphics and don't need to carry it around everywhere you go.