ASUS TUF A15 (2023) Review: A Sturdy Gaming Powerhouse with Some Caveats

We Ain't Got Time for an Intro! The new ASUS TUF A15 is finally here, and there's no time to waste. Let’s dive straight into the full breakdown of what this machine offers—and what it doesn’t.

Design & Build Quality The 2023 TUF A15 retains its familiar design, sporting a grey metal lid with a black plastic interior and bottom panel. ASUS sticks with a robust design—the keyboard deck shows a bit of flex under pressure, but nothing concerning. The lid is easy to open, thanks to its protruding edge, and the hinges are smooth and solid.

It comes in two color variants: Mecha Gray (with the logo in the center) and Jaeger Gray (with the logo offset to the side). Screen wobble is minimal even during aggressive typing. ASUS claims this model is 4.5% smaller than last year's, though the spec sheets show identical dimensions.

Size & Weight

  • Weight (Laptop only): 2.1 kg / 4.7 lbs

  • With Charger: 2.9 kg / 6.3 lbs

Laptop Specs (as reviewed):

  • CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS (Zen 4)

  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070

  • Display: 1080p, 144Hz

You can opt for lower-tier GPUs or older CPUs for a lower price.

Keyboard, RGB Lighting & Touchpad The TUF A15 has a single-zone RGB backlit keyboard. It features three brightness levels (controlled via F2/F3) and four built-in lighting effects. Unfortunately, the Aura Sync software is a bit buggy—some lighting modes are locked to red, and Aura Creator doesn't detect the keyboard properly.

Typing feels decent, though the 1.7mm travel is on the mushy side. The WASD keys are transparent, and extra keys above the keyboard control volume, mic mute, and Armory Crate. The touchpad is smooth, generously sized, and responsive.

Ports Most ports are on the left (sorry, left-handers):

  • USB 4 Type-C (front) – 100W charging + DisplayPort + direct Nvidia GPU

  • USB Type-C (rear) – DisplayPort + integrated GPU

  • HDMI – Direct to Nvidia GPU, supports 4K 120Hz, G-Sync compatible

Internal Layout & Upgrade Options Opening the laptop is easy (12 screws, three sizes). Inside you'll find:

  • Battery at the front

  • Two DDR5 RAM slots

  • One occupied M.2 SSD slot (Wi-Fi card under it)

  • One spare M.2 slot

You can upgrade Wi-Fi, both RAM modules, and both M.2 slots. It even supports dual-sided 4TB SSDs.

Wi-Fi & SSD Speed Wi-Fi speeds are average—slightly behind the TUF A16 but better than last year’s A15. The included 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD delivers decent read speeds but somewhat slower write speeds.

Speakers & Latency Speakers sound good at 50% volume but start to sound tinny above 70%. Latency results from LatencyMon aren’t impressive, but this is common across many laptops in 2023.

Battery Life & Power Saving The TUF A15 has a 90Wh battery with MyASUS software offering Battery Care Mode (limits charging to 80%).

With panel power saver enabled, the display refresh rate drops to 60Hz on battery, extending battery life. It hit over 8.5 hours during a YouTube video playback test—an excellent result, even if slightly behind the TUF A16 and previous A15.

Cooling System & Thermal Management It uses two fans with shared heatpipes and standard thermal paste. Vents are well-positioned and airflow is effective. Armory Crate gives four modes: Silent, Performance, Turbo, and Manual. Manual allows full customization, including fan curves and power limits.

Thermals are well-managed even under heavy load, but Manual mode offers marginal clock speed gains while significantly increasing noise and heat.

Performance & Gaming Benchmarks Gaming results vary by title:

  • Cyberpunk 2077: On par with other RTX 4070 laptops at 1080p; better stability at 1440p.

  • Red Dead Redemption 2: Best 4070 laptop at 1440p, though improvements are minor.

  • Control: Best 4070 laptop at both 1080p and 1440p, especially strong 1% lows.

Cinebench scores are the best we’ve seen from a Ryzen 9 7940HS so far, though real-world gains may vary due to silicon lottery.

Display Quality – A Mixed Bag Screen options depend on region:

  • US: 1440p 165Hz or 1080p 165Hz (both 3ms response)

  • AU: 1080p 144Hz (no response time listed)

Our 1080p 144Hz panel has:

  • Mediocre color reproduction

  • Just meets 300 nits brightness

  • Poor 18ms response time (causing blur in fast-paced games)

Stay away from this 144Hz option if you can get the 165Hz alternatives.

G-Sync, MUX Switch, and Advanced Optimus The TUF A15 supports G-Sync (when Optimus is off) and FreeSync otherwise. It features Advanced Optimus and a classic MUX switch via Armory Crate.

Webcam & Mic 720p webcam with no IR for Windows Hello. Microphone quality is decent for casual use.

Linux Compatibility Tested with Ubuntu 23.10:

  • Keyboard, touchpad, Wi-Fi, ethernet, and volume/brightness shortcuts all worked.

  • RGB lighting stuck on last Windows setting.

Pricing & Availability Prices vary, but at the time of review:

  • RTX 4050 + Zen 3+ = ~$1050 (not a good deal)

  • RTX 4060 + Zen 4 = ~$1100 (better value)

  • RTX 4070 + Intel = ~$1400 (wait for sales)

Check gaminglaptop.deals for updated offers.

The Verdict – Is the TUF A15 Worth It? The TUF A15 (2023) is a solid gaming laptop that keeps last year’s winning formula and upgrades the internals. Excellent battery life, good thermal management, and solid gaming performance make it a good choice.



Pros:

  • Sturdy design

  • Great battery life

  • Upgradeable internals

  • Strong gaming performance

  • Good port selection

Cons:

  • Buggy RGB software

  • Tinny speakers at high volume

  • Poor screen response time (on AU variant)

  • Prices can be hit-or-miss

Recommendation: Skip the 1080p 144Hz panel if possible. Opt for the 165Hz screen variants for a better gaming experience.

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