For the final variety of years, I’ve had the privilege of attending to check out a handful of various gaming laptops and ultrabooks, however my largest gripe has at all times been the identical — I would like to have the ability to recreation on the go, with out the added dimension and bulk of a traditional gaming laptop computer.
This 12 months, ASUS has launched their new gaming laptop computer, the TUF Gaming A14, a 14-inch laptop computer that shrinks a traditional 16-inch laptop computer right into a a lot smaller kind issue, permitting you to deliver it on the go whereas nonetheless retaining the conveniences of a smaller laptop computer, making it probably the most effective of each worlds.
Unboxing The ASUS TUF Gaming A14
The unboxing for the ASUS TUF Gaming A14 is a reasonably fundamental expertise, containing not an excessive amount of greater than the machine itself and its quite average-sized 200W energy adapter. Said energy adapter makes use of a proprietary connector, which, whereas I would favor to see USB Type-C right here, a minimum of saves you from taking on a port chances are you’ll want whereas utilizing the laptop computer itself.
Ports/Design
Taking a take a look at the laptop computer itself, I used to be initially fairly amazed at simply how light-weight ASUS was in a position to make the TUF Gaming A14. Coming in at solely 3.22Lbs(1.46kg), that is lighter than even a number of the skinny and light-weight ultrabooks I’ve reviewed through the years, making it a breeze to toss in my bag with out worrying about it weighing me down whereas travelling.
Made of a mixture of each aluminum and plastic, the general construct feels sturdy and strong, with minimal flex whereas typing. The display hinges enable for a full 180 levels of motion — one thing I at all times recognize seeing on my laptops.
Taking a take a look at the ports alongside the left aspect, you get the charging port, HDMI 2.1, a USB4 Type C port, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type A port and a combo headphone/mic port. Along the proper, you discover a second USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type A port, a USB 3.2 Type C port and one in every of my favourites — a MicroSD card slot.
No Ethernet port right here, which can disappoint some customers; nonetheless, I’m thrilled to see every part ASUS constructed into the chassis. It not solely offers me each port I personally discover myself utilizing regularly, but it surely additionally permits me to cost the laptop computer up with USB Type-C adapters from both aspect of the laptop computer, making cable administration a lot simpler.
Display
One of the primary facets of the ASUS TUF Gaming A14 that shocked me was its beautiful 14” show. Offering a decision of two.5K, paired with a 165Hz refresh price, that is one thing I’ve usually solely seen on a lot bigger units or higher-end skinny and light-weight laptops.
This show provides full sRGB color accuracy, making colors and video games pop and are available to life when enjoying, serving to to additional immerse you into no matter recreation or content material you might be viewing. I used to be additionally grateful to see that ASUS has made the show matte as an alternative of shiny, because it prevents daylight or different exterior lighting from stopping me from seeing what’s on my display, making it an awesome alternative when on the go.
Audio
Despite solely having a twin speaker setup, the ASUS TUF Gaming A14 did an awesome job of delivering a better-than-average listening expertise. While each audio system are downward firing, I discovered they have been effectively balanced, and the audio sounded true to life and correct, including additional dimension and depth to my gaming classes. Powered by Dolby Atmos, listening to music was moreover nice, and all tones sounded as I might hope to listen to and continued to shock me with simply how effectively they sounded.
Keyboard/Touchpad
ASUS, lately, has completed a formidable job by upping their recreation in terms of how their keyboards really feel on their laptops. This 12 months’s TUF Gaming A14 is not any exception, delivering an honest expertise, though possibly barely on the softer aspect of issues. While not at all is that this a mushy feeling keyboard, when in comparison with that of different extra premium laptops I’ve examined, the keyboard felt much less tactile. This did, nonetheless, make gaming and typing out longer paperwork rather less fatiguing and nonetheless fairly snug. I had no points in any respect ramping as much as my regular typing velocity when utilizing the TUF Gaming A14, and I shortly felt proper at dwelling when utilizing it.
Just above the keyboard are keys for quantity management, mic and a launch key for Armoury Crate, one thing I used to be very pleased to see right here. Being in a position to modify my quantity with out having to hit the “FN” key or taking on performance of the operate row keys made controlling my quantity whereas gaming or engaged on the laptop computer a lot simpler and prevented any unintended keystrokes whereas utilizing them, one thing I’ve often handled on different laptops.
Backlighting was moreover nice on the keyboard, providing 3 totally different levels of brightness, though I often discovered myself wishing the bottom brightness was only a tad dimmer for utilizing the laptop computer in a darkish room. You gained’t discover any flashy RGB lighting right here, which, whereas a bummer to some, was not too massive of a deal for me, because it made the ASUS TUF Gaming A14 look extra skilled in an workplace setting.
The touchpad on the ASUS TUF Gaming A14 is a conventional diving board type, which was adequately giant, making utilizing it seamless and straightforward. Clicks are smooth, but responsive, and it was general one of many nicer touchpads of this kind I’ve used lately.
Performance
To say that the ASUS TUF Gaming A14 is a powerhouse in an ultrabook kind issue can be underselling it. I used to be completely amazed at simply how a lot energy ASUS was in a position to pack into such a skinny kind issue. Powered by an AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 paired with 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM, I typically discovered myself struggling to seek out methods to make this mix break a sweat throughout my time of testing.
Running a few of my traditional benchmarks, Cinebench R23 produced a exceptional rating of 20305 in multicore, making this simply the best rating of any 14-inch laptop computer I’ve examined, and coming in near the identical efficiency seen on the MSI Stealth A16 I reviewed final 12 months. Even when attempting a tougher take a look at, Cinebench 2024, I nonetheless discovered that the ASUS TUF Gaming A14 got here in on prime of any 14-inch laptop computer I reviewed, nonetheless delivering a rating of 1061, which is a few hundred factors larger than most that I’ve reviewed so far.
“To say that the ASUS TUF Gaming A14 is a powerhouse in an ultrabook form factor would be underselling it.”
Even whereas testing and attaining the scores seen above, hardly ever did I ever discover the underside of the laptop computer getting overly heat, usually remaining completely snug to make use of, even on my lap. ASUS has completed an unimaginable job of managing to maintain the TUF Gaming A14 cool, though it does come at the price of some barely louder fan noise that might be distracting in some quieter work environments. Ventilation is available in from each the underside cowl and thru the keyboard and is expelled by means of the rear vents, one thing that can show exceptionally helpful for individuals who use their laptops on their mattress or on a sofa, akin to myself.
Gaming
As one would count on, the ASUS TUF Gaming A14 is not any slouch in terms of gaming. Coming geared up with an 8GB NVIDIA RTX 5060, there isn’t a lot that wont enjoyable correctly. In my time of testing the ASUS TUF Gaming A14, I struggled to make the system itself sweat even barely in any recreation I threw its method.
In most circumstances, operating on the native decision of 2560 x 1600, I used to be in a position to play most trendy AAA video games at maxed out settings whereas nonetheless attaining an impressively {smooth} 60FPS. At occasions, I used to be even in a position to attain speeds of 90+FPS, making for a silky-smooth expertise that stored me wanting extra and had me wanting to put in aftermarket mods to see simply how far I may push the system earlier than gaming began to battle.
It was really exceptional attending to see and play video games akin to Cyberpunk 2077 or Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 at full graphics, making for a really immersive and exceptionally enjoyable gaming session that stored me eager to play all day and evening.
Battery Performance
Despite being a reasonably skinny gaming laptop computer, the ASUS TUF Gaming A14 nonetheless manages to cram a 73Whr battery into its chassis. This is likely one of the largest batteries I’ve seen on this dimension class of laptops, coming in bigger than even many various 15-16” laptops available on the market.
During my testing, I used to be usually in a position to get about 8 hours of use from the ASUS TUF Gaming A14, watching HD movies on YouTube and searching the net whereas on the “Balanced” energy profile and at 2.5K 165Hz. Based on that, I might assume nearer to 10 or extra hours can be attainable if I have been to make use of the “Power Saving” profile, placing the TUF Gaming A14 fairly effectively on par with most 14-inch laptops I’ve examined in the previous few years. This is particularly spectacular, given the truth that the processor inside is considerably extra highly effective than these in these laptops.
If I have been to decrease the general decision to 1080p with solely 60Hz, I may get even longer battery life from the ASUS TUF Gaming A14. This makes it a probably nice all-around laptop computer for anybody on the go, and even college students searching for a robust but additionally transportable answer.
Repairability/Upgradability
One factor I want to see extra laptop computer producers do is to make their gaming laptops extra repairable and upgradable to make them extra future-proof. While ASUS has given the TUF Gaming A14 twin SSD slots to permit for big recreation libraries, sadly, the RAM is soldered to the motherboard and can’t be upgraded or changed.
One might make the remark that RAM isn’t usually replaceable in a 14” kind issue; nonetheless, ASUS themselves has completed it on thinner and lighter units they provide, such because the ExpertBook P3 I just lately reviewed. So, whereas I believe ASUS may enhance this facet on future revisions of the TUF Gaming A14, I do nonetheless recognize the inclusion of a secondary SSD slot.
Once once more, ASUS has continued to completely impress me with every part they’ve put into the TUF Gaming A14. From the superb port choice to the exceptional gaming expertise, the ASUS TUF Gaming A14 is a laptop computer I might haven’t any drawback recommending to any of my household or mates, because it really has a little bit of one thing for everybody, in a compact kind issue.
Coming in at $2599 CAD, the ASUS TUF Gaming A14 definitely isn’t an affordable system, however provided that, in contrast to plenty of entry-level and even mid-tier gaming laptops and ultrabooks, it brings considerably extra to the desk than many opponents and even a few of ASUS’s own products, simply making it my present favorite laptop computer on this class.