Asus TUF Gaming A14 overview: Nice efficiency, simply not for gaming

Finest Costs At the moment: Asus TUF Gaming A14

An off-the-cuff look on the Asus TUF Gaming A14 may need you suppose it’s a mid-range gaming laptop computer constructed for avid gamers on a funds. That’s not fairly proper. Actually, the laptop computer doesn’t even have Nvidia discrete graphics and as a substitute depends on AMD’s Radeon 8060S, a robust IGP supplied by AMD’s APU. These design selections have penalties for its efficiency, which can look roughly alluring relying in your wants.

Asus TUF Gaming A14: Specs and options as-tested

The Asus TUF Gaming A14 is powered by AMD’s new Ryzen AI Max+ 392. It cuts the core depend again to 12 CPU cores (the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 has 16), however retains different chip options together with the built-in AMD Radeon 8060S GPU and the XDNA NPU.

• Mannequin quantity: FA401EA-DS96
• CPU: AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392
• Reminiscence: 32GB LPDDR5x-8000
• Graphics/GPU: Built-in AMD Radeon 8060S
• NPU: AMD XDNA NPU as much as 50 TOPS
• Show: 14-inch 2560×1600 IPS 165Hz refresh price
• Storage: 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 solid-state drive
• Webcam and microphone: 1080p webcam with IR digital camera
• Connectivity: 1x USB-C 4 with DisplayPort and Energy Supply, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 with DisplayPort, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1x microSD card reader, 1x HDMI 2.1 FRL, 1x 3.5mm combo audio jack
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
• Biometrics: Home windows Howdy facial recognition
• Battery capability: 73 watt-hours
• Dimensions: 12.24 x 8.94 x 0.78 inches
• Weight: 3.26 kilos
• Working System: Home windows 11 Residence
• Value: $2,199.99 present retail (related configuration)

The laptop computer in any other case appears to maintain the function set fundamental to ship the brand new chip on the lowest worth level Asus might handle. It has a 1600p IPS show and sticks to Wi-Fi 6E. It additionally lacks Thunderbolt, which is frequent for AMD methods. 

Talking of worth, the Asus TUF Gaming A14 that I examined rings up at $2,199.99 MSRP and, as a result of the laptop computer is new, it has but to see a reduction. That makes judging the laptop computer a bit tough, as prior variants of this laptop computer are presently inexpensive (round $1,500 to $1,800) and have Nvidia RTX 4060 or 5060 graphics. Nonetheless, these prior fashions additionally are inclined to have simply 16GB of RAM, which is okay for gaming however much less interesting for work.

Asus TUF Gaming A14: Design and construct high quality

Foundry / Matthew Smith

Whereas the brand new Asus TUF Gaming A14 has a brand new AMD chip inside, the machine retains a fundamental design that’s extraordinarily much like earlier variations of the laptop computer. The outside is usually plastic; the lid has a metallic gunmetal end whereas the inside is matte black. Materials high quality is powerful however not luxurious. Most contact factors lack a notable texture which may set the laptop computer aside from the group. It’s, on the entire, an especially boring laptop computer to have a look at.

The laptop computer’s construct high quality can be mundane, although high quality. Shifting the show lid reveals a little bit of flex throughout the show panel, however nothing that’s extreme or uncommon. The decrease chassis additionally permits a little bit of motion when selecting the laptop computer up from one nook. On the plus facet, although, the laptop computer didn’t emit any creaks or groans throughout dealing with, and the keyboard didn’t flex whereas typing.

As its identify implies, the Asus TUF Gaming A14 is a 14-inch laptop computer, so consumers might think about it for journey. The laptop computer measures just a little over 12 inches vast, nearly 9 inches deep, and about eight-tenths of an inch thick at its thickest level (together with the rubber toes on the underside of the laptop computer). It additionally weighs about 3.25 kilos. Ultraportables just like the Dell XPS 14 and Asus Zenbook 14 will really feel noticeably smaller, however the TUF Gaming A14’s dimensions are much like different highly effective 14-inch machines, such because the Acer Swift X 14 AI.

Asus TUF Gaming A14: Keyboard, touchpad

Foundry / Matthew Smith

The Asus TUF Gaming A14’s keyboard is a combined bag. I’m not a fan of the structure. Asus supplies numerous house between keys, however that additionally means the keys really feel a bit small, and the spacebar is truncated to suit a reasonably giant Copilot button in addition to the arrow keys. Nonetheless, key really feel is first rate with good journey and a taut bottoming motion, and I had no drawback typing at my traditional cadence.

Keyboard backlighting is included, however solely in white. The laptop computer utterly lacks RGB-LED customization. That’s disappointing given the laptop computer’s worth level and potential for use as a gaming machine. Those that need such customization might want to step as much as the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14.

The touchpad is okay. It measures about 5 inches vast and three inches deep, which is a bit small for a touchpad on a contemporary 14-inch laptop computer. The floor normally feels giant sufficient however can appear a bit cramped when scrolling via internet pages with a two-finger swipe-to-scroll gesture. The touchpad is in any other case responsive and didn’t have points with unintended inputs.

Asus TUF Gaming A14: Show, audio

Foundry / Matthew Smith

Asus equips the TUF Gaming A14 with an IPS show. It has 2560×1600 decision and a most refresh price of 165Hz.

The show is certainly a draw back. It’s fairly shiny, seems sharp, has an anti-glare end, and supplies first rate coloration efficiency. All of this makes for a satisfactory expertise. 

Nonetheless, the show lacks the wealthy distinction and sense of depth an OLED show can present. That’s an more and more troublesome subject for IPS shows in trendy laptops. In spite of everything, OLED shows will not be costly—in truth they’re present in laptops offered below $1,000. 

What this finally means is that the TUF Gaming A14 seems higher in shiny, vivid video games, however struggles with extra atmospheric titles.

Movement readability and fluidity are good, although, due to the show’s 165Hz refresh price. The show additionally helps adaptive sync and AMD FreeSync, which is an usually ignored perk. FreeSync assist means the show can change its refresh price to match the body price of a title you’re enjoying, which supplies a lot better movement fluidity and eliminates ugly display tearing.

The TUF Gaming A14 has a dual-speaker sound system with downward-firing audio system. They supply good quantity however rapidly sound harsh and awkward as the amount will increase. The audio system are high quality for ambient music at low quantity or video games and leisure the place audio high quality is much less of a spotlight, however you’ll need exterior headphones or audio system for any critical listening.

Asus TUF Gaming A14: Webcam, microphone, biometrics

A 1080p webcam is stuffed within the Asus TUF Gaming A14’s prime bezel. It supplies good sharpness as long as sufficient gentle is supplied. Nonetheless, the picture can look a bit washed out by way of coloration. Even so, the webcam is sweet sufficient for Zoom calls, Google Meet, Microsoft Groups, and different video convention platforms.

The webcam is joined with a twin microphone array. It picked up my voice with nice quantity and readability, however I additionally seen that it let some background noise creep into the audio. Particularly, an area heater I usually have turned on was audible.

Biometric login is out there via Home windows Howdy facial recognition, which makes use of the webcam’s IR digital camera. The facial recognition is mostly fast and correct, and it really works even in low gentle circumstances.

The laptop computer doesn’t have presence detection. It is a function that may routinely flip off the show or put the laptop computer to sleep if you step away from it. It’s more and more frequent amongst ultraportable and enterprise laptops, although much less so amongst gaming machines.

Asus TUF Gaming A14: Connectivity

Many of the TUF Gaming A14’s connectivity is targeted on USB. It has two USB-C ports; one is USB 4 with 40Gbps of knowledge, DisplayPort, and Energy Supply, whereas the opposite supplies USB 3.2 Gen 2 with 10Gbps of knowledge and DisplayPort. 

Whereas the USB-C 4 port could be very succesful, the USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port is much less so—and also you’ll want to concentrate to which you utilize, as a result of the specs of the ports are fairly totally different. Should you’re connecting a USB hub, for instance, you positively need to use the USB-C 4 port. The ports are labeled, no less than.

The laptop computer additionally supplies two USB-A ports with USB 3.2 Gen 2, which places them at 10Gbps of knowledge. I like that two ports are included, because it means you’ll be able to join a wired keyboard and mouse and not using a USB-C hub.

Video connectivity is supplied by HDMI 2.1, which is typical for a contemporary laptop computer. Different connectivity features a microSD card reader and a 3.5mm combo audio jack.

Wi-fi connectivity is disappointing, because the TUF Gaming A14 solely helps Wi-Fi 6E. That’s largely okay for now, as most individuals don’t but have a Wi-Fi 7 router. Nonetheless, at this worth, I actually count on to see a laptop computer present the newest Wi-Fi model. Bluetooth 5.2 can be a bit behind the curve, although that’s much less necessary than the Wi-Fi.

Asus TUF Gaming A14: Efficiency

The Asus TUF Gaming A14 is an attention-grabbing machine from a efficiency perspective. Though billed as a gaming laptop computer, it doesn’t have discrete graphics. As an alternative it depends on the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392, pairing 12 CPU cores with built-in AMD Radeon 8060S graphics, which incorporates 40 compute items. 

The laptop computer additionally has 32GB of RAM, which is an improve from simply 16GB of RAM in prior TUF Gaming A14 fashions. The doubled RAM is shocking given the state of RAM pricing proper now, and it suggests to me that Asus actually needs to place this laptop computer as not solely a gaming laptop computer but in addition a funds workstation for inventive and AI workloads.

Foundry / Matthew Smith

PCMark 10 is a holistic system benchmark that stresses most parts of a laptop computer’s {hardware}. It tends to reward well-balanced designs with numerous efficiency throughout a number of areas, as a substitute of laptops that stand out in only one space.

It’s no shock, then, that the Asus TUF Gaming A14 does effectively on this benchmark with a rating of 9,688. That’s an especially excessive rating. It doesn’t simply defeat related laptops that PC World has not too long ago examined. It additionally thrashes each single gaming laptop computer PC World has ever examined. Even the older Asus ROG Strix Scar 18, which had an Intel Core i9-13980 and Nvidia RTX 4090, scored a bit decrease at 9,479.

So, yeah, the Asus TUF Gaming A14 is off to an excellent begin right here.

Foundry / Matthew Smith

Now we transfer on to Cinebench 2024, a closely multi-threaded CPU benchmark. Right here, too, the Asus TUF Gaming A14 performs extraordinarily effectively with a rating of 1,149. Whereas this isn’t the record-setting efficiency we noticed in PCMark 10, it as soon as once more is clearly forward of comparable 14-inch laptops which are presently obtainable. The brand new AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392 might drop 4 cores in comparison with the Ryzen AI Max+ 395, however that actually doesn’t come throughout as an obstacle right here.

Foundry / Matthew Smith

Subsequent up is Handbrake, a video encoding take a look at which is heavy on CPU multi-threaded efficiency. And the Asus TUF Gaming A14 does extraordinarily effectively right here, clearly outperforming equally priced 14-inch laptops that PC World has not too long ago examined.

On the entire, the Asus TUF Gaming A14 is clearly a heavy-hitter on the subject of CPU efficiency. It scores extraordinarily effectively for a 14-inch machine. To be clear, you’ll be able to nonetheless discover a lot better CPU efficiency in a laptop computer—however to take action you normally must improve to a a lot bigger machine, just like the Maingear Tremendous 16. The Asus TUF Gaming A14’s general CPU efficiency is nice for a machine in its worth bracket and measurement class.

Now we transfer on to GPU efficiency. As talked about, the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392 has Radeon 8060S graphics. That is built-in graphics, however an especially highly effective model of built-in graphics with 40 CUs. For comparability, that’s as many CUs because the Radeon RX 6700 XT.

Foundry / Matthew Smith

3DMark Time Spy locations the Radeon 8060S instantly between the Intel Arc B390 built-in graphics present in latest Intel Core Extremely Collection 3 chips and Nvidia’s RTX 5060 discrete graphics. 

The Radeon 8060S is about 30 % faster than the Intel Arc B390, and the RTX 5060 is about 20 % faster than the Radeon 8060S—although the specifics of efficiency will fluctuate between totally different laptops with the identical {hardware}.

Foundry / Matthew Smith

Earlier than we transfer on, a fast word. I swapped out among the comparability laptops to supply a extra full set of take a look at outcomes. PCWorld sometimes solely runs laptops meant for gaming via real-world gaming checks. I’ve added within the Acer Nitro V16 AI to characterize the Nvidia RTX 5050 and the Dell G15 to characterize the Nvidia RTX 4060.

That mentioned, the Asus TUF Gaming A14 doesn’t attain probably the most alluring lead to Shadow of the Tomb Raider. It averaged 106 frames per second at 1080p and Highest element with no ray tracing in use. In fact, it is a clean and playable expertise, nevertheless it’s outclassed by entry-level Nvidia discrete graphics.

Foundry / Matthew Smith

Metro Exodus, which we take a look at at 1080p decision and the Excessive preset with out ray tracing in use, produces attention-grabbing outcomes. That is about as difficult as video games get with out flipping RT on, and the AMD Radeon 8060S truly manages to commerce blows with the RTX 5060 and RTX 5050.

Foundry / Matthew Smith

Coming round to Cyberpunk 2077, nonetheless, the narrative swings wildly within the different course. Right here we see the AMD Radeon 8060S at a transparent drawback at 1080p and the Extremely preset. The Asus TUF Gaming A14 solely averaged 46 frames per second, whereas the opponents all averaged over 60 frames per second.

Turning RT on makes issues worse, and the AMD Radeon 8060S falls method behind the competitors. None of those laptops are playable at 1080p with the Overdrive preset turned on, however the Nvidia GPUs have an enormous lead.

Total, the AMD Radeon 8060S performs effectively for an built-in GPU, nevertheless it’s nonetheless not a match for discrete GPUs just like the Nvidia RTX 5050, RTX 4060, and RTX 5060. Certainly, the TUF Gaming A14 is arguably among the many least succesful gaming laptops you’ll see carrying that badge. To be truthful, you’ll be able to play numerous video games on this laptop computer at pleasurable body charges, from Civilization VI to Counter-Strike 2. However if you wish to play the newest, most graphically demanding titles at excessive settings, the TUF Gaming A14 isn’t a sensible choice.

Asus TUF Gaming A14: Battery life and portability

The Asus TUF Gaming A14 is an attention-grabbing case on the subject of battery life. The laptop computer has a 73 watt-hour battery, which isn’t giant in any respect for a machine that is likely to be used for gaming. Nonetheless, the TUF Gaming A14 has built-in reasonably than discrete graphics. So, how does this all work out?

Foundry / Matthew Smith

Not so scorching.

I recorded about 9 and a half hours of battery life in our normal battery take a look at, which loops a 4K trailer of the quick movie Tears of Metal at roughly 250 nits of brightness. Because the graph exhibits, that’s disappointing consequence.

My real-world expertise was extremely variable. At occasions it appeared as if the laptop computer would possibly endure for 12 hours or extra. Alternatively, an early battery take a look at drained the battery flat in just below 4 hours. I believe that was because of iCloud Drive, which was put in at the moment and in my expertise is a infamous battery hog (I eliminated it for later checks). Nonetheless, it exhibits how the battery can discharge with velocity if an app revs up the highly effective CPU.

The laptop computer ships with a 240-watt energy adapter which connects to the laptop computer over a proprietary energy connection. I’m shocked by the scale of the facility adapter, which is bigger than I anticipated given the laptop computer’s capabilities.

With that mentioned, you may also energy the laptop computer over the USB-C 4 port. This will likely not enable for optimum efficiency in high-load conditions, however it’s going to permit you to skip bringing the heavy energy adapter if you journey.

Asus TUF Gaming A14: Conclusion

The Asus TUF Gaming A14 is a laptop computer with an identification disaster. It payments itself as a gaming laptop computer, but when that label is taken at face worth, the TUF Gaming A14 fails. At an MSRP of $2,199.99, the TUF Gaming A14 is priced in league with many laptops with RTX 5070 and RTX 5080 graphics that may blow it out of the water. Heck, even the Razer Blade 14 with RTX 5060 retails for less than $100 greater than the Asus TUF Gaming A14 (although, to be truthful, the Razer has simply 16GB of RAM).

Alternatively, the Asus TUF Gaming A14 advantages from an especially succesful APU that features 12 quick processor cores. That, alongside 32GB of RAM and fairly fast but environment friendly AMD Radeon 8060S graphics, makes for a laptop computer that might work effectively as a conveyable workstation for 3D rendering, video enhancing, and related duties.

Nonetheless, it’s laborious to argue in favor of the TUF Gaming A14 when it’s offered at MSRP. Maybe it’s an indication of the occasions as RAM pricing is inflicting laptop computer producers to eye greater MSRPs for laptops. For the time being yow will discover higher general recreation efficiency at a low worth—not solely from opponents but in addition from prior variants of the Asus TUF Gaming A14.