If looks aren't your priority, the Asus TUF A15 2023 is a solid gaming laptop featuring some notable upgrades. If you're looking for a premium gaming laptop, should you consider this laptop? Check out our review.

Asus' new TUF A15 2023 gaming laptop looks and feels the same as last year's TUF A15 model, but this year's iteration has been refreshed with a new AMD processor, an Nvidia 4000-series GPU, and a nifty feature that switches between dedicated and integrated graphics cards seamlessly to improve the gaming experience. Of course, these upgrades come at a high cost, which could be tricky to justify, given the macroeconomic slowdown.

That is why Asus is positioning the TUF A15 2023 towards upcoming and semi-professional gamers and not everybody. The good thing is that most of its variants remain uniform in terms of specifications -- with some tweaks here and there. The base model starts at Rs 1.06 lakh but increases drastically to Rs 1.52 lakh if you select the configuration with a QHD display (166Hz refresh rate), Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, and AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS processor.

After using the laptop for a week, there's no doubt that the Asus TUF A15 2023 is a powerful machine; however, the overall aesthetics may not be for everyone, including some hardcore gamers' cup of tea. If you prefer performance over looks, the story is different. How? Here is my review.

Asus TUF A15 2023 design

The latest iteration of the Asus TUF A15 looks similar to its last generation. That means we get the same chassis -- a mix of aluminium for the lid and plastic for the keyboard deck. The addition of a new CPU and GPU has not affected the overall weight, which stands at roughly 2.2kg. While this is not a lightweight laptop by no means, it is good to see that Asus managed to keep the weight unchanged. If portability is your priority, Asus offers ROG Flow X13; however, that comes at the cost of a smaller display. The price also starts at Rs 1,74,990, much higher than the base price of TUF A15 2023.

There are no new colour options other than the Jaegar Grey unit, which I do not mind. I have said in my previous review that I am not the biggest fan of black gadgets, which still stands. I also prefer the embossed TUF logo on the lid, as it blends nicely with the overall colour scheme.

One thing you'll notice on Asus's TUF A15 2023 is the presence of multiple branding elements. Windows gaming laptops, in general, are the result of longstanding partnerships with third-party brands such as AMD/Intel, Nvidia, Dolby, and more. As a result, you'll find stickers almost everywhere on the laptop to signify Asus's collaborations. Personally, I prefer a laptop with a minimalistic design, but that's a compromise that comes with most Windows laptops.

The port selection is also pretty standard for gaming laptops, but it's good to see Asus is offering high-end ports. The laptop TUF A15 2023 includes: 1x 3.5mm combo audio jack, 1x HDMI 2.1 FRL, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C with support for DisplayPort, PD charging, and G-SYNC, 1x RJ45 LAN port, and 1x Type C USB 4 with support for DisplayPort.

The TUF A15 2023 also carries improved hinges, as the screen has little to no flex. The keyboard deck has negligible flex, but that does not affect the typing experience. In fact, it carries one of the best keyboards I have used so far. More on that later.

Asus TUF A15 2023 display

Speaking of the display, there are multiple variants of this year's TUF A15. The variant I got comes with a 15.6-inch QHD display with a 165Hz refresh rate. Asus claims there's 100 per cent DCI-P3 colour calibration, which is good, but it is an anti-glare IPS display nonetheless. I do not have complaints about the viewing experience, as the video quality mostly appears balanced. The display is capable of offering a 3ms response time with 300nits brightness. The number may seem low, but the laptop offers adequate brightness even in a nicely lit room.

I played FIFA 2022 and Forza 5 on several laptops and found the quality rich and vivid, especially while running the titles with dGPU. Of course, the dark spots are not as rich as you'd get on an OLED display, but that's not a big concern here. However, the dual speaker system is totally underwhelming, even at this price. If you're planning to watch shows or movies, you might need to keep your headphones handy.

Otherwise, the only thing users need to remember is that the laptop consumes more battery on the highest display setting, therefore, it is best to tweak settings if you're on a flight to get extra hours of usage.

Asus TUF A15 2023 performance

While the new Asus TUF A15 2023 laptop looks similar to its older siblings, the three biggest upgrades include AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS (8-core/16-thread), Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, and MUX switch with Advanced Optimus. There's also 16GB of DDR5 and 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD onboard.

Compared to the 2022 edition with AMD Ryzen 7 6800H, the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS offers a moderate boost, capable of clocking at 5.2GHz from a turbo Boost clock speed: 4.7GHz. In Geekbench 5's single-core and multi-core test, the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS performs nearly 25 per cent better. In our PCMark 10 test, Asus TUF A15 2023 achieved an overall score of 5,400 points, which is a brilliant score compared to the competition in the segment.

Asus has also been clever in using the GeForce RTX 4070 mobile GPU, which is not Nvidia's latest flagship for laptops, but it is powerful enough without consuming too much battery or causing throttling issues. In terms of benchmarks, it scored a decent 4,907 points in 3D Mark's Time Spy GPU test. Beyond numbers, the overall gaming experience is fantastic as most titles I played ran smoothly with moderate heating. This mainly includes FIFA 2023, Forza 5, and Apex Legends -- at the highest settings.

The old TUF laptop offers a MUX switch to let users switch between integrated and discrete GPUs to get the best results possible. This year, there's support for Advanced Optimus that switches between the GPUs automatically, provided that the GPU mode in the Armoury Crate app is set to standard. The benefit is that users won't need to reboot the system whenever the laptop switches between discrete or integrated GPUs. Theoretically, this should improve the battery life if you are gaming. You can also use the laptop in Eco mode, which only uses the integrated AMD GPU, which is also decent and offers better backup.

Asus has retained the same cooling system from last year, which proves to be efficient but does come with reasonably loud fans. The anti-heating solution incorporates up to five heat pipes and quad heatsinks, ensuring effective heat dissipation throughout all internal components. According to Asus, the heat pipes cover 22 per cent of the system, effectively drawing heat away from not only the CPU and GPU but also the video RAM and voltage regulation modules, resulting in improved system stability. This claim appears to hold true based on my brief one-week testing period. Moreover, the 84-blade Arc Flow Fans are equally effective in keeping TUF A15 cool, even under heavy load.

For daily productivity, I did not face issues with the laptop that runs on Windows 11 Home. Credit also needs to be given to Microsoft for improving its game with the latest generative AI features. I have been using Edge since the rollout of Bing Chat, which worked smoothly. I am generally a fan of big screens as they are well-suited for working on spreadsheets, docs, and reading news.

Asus TUF A15 2023 keyboard, trackpad and battery

The typing experience on the Asus TUF A15 2023 is fantastic, as the keys offer satisfying feedback with ample travel. They provide a tactile feel that closely resembles a mechanical keyboard, albeit softer and considerably quieter. Additionally, you have the option to customize the RGB backlight using the Asus Armoury keyboard software. While the gaming experience with chiclet keys can vary, I found no issues with the keys on the TUF A15.

Another noteworthy feature is the trackpad's almost central alignment, which is a rarity among laptops, including some Asus notebooks. The trackpad boasts a smooth, glass-like finish, providing a pleasant tactile experience. Personally, I would have preferred a more pronounced clickiness on the trackpad, but again, it is a subjective matter.

Battery backup is also decent, if not the best. Asus has again used a 90Whr chunky unit, which takes roughly 1.5 hours to charge with the 240W charger. The laptop supports PD charging, though it will take much longer to charge.

I mostly used the Asus TUF A15 2023 in standard GPU mode with Nvidia Advanced Optimus enabled and got roughly three-four hours of battery on a single charge. Without gaming and just for work, the battery life can be extended up to five hours with a high refresh rate and maximum screen resolution. Of course, you can prolong the battery life with moderate configurations.

Asus TUF A15 2023 final verdict

While the Asus TUF A15 2023 is positioned as an entry-level gaming laptop for enthusiasts, by no means it's your average Joe. Gaming-wise, I do not see any issues with the device (at least in performance), and most users should be satisfied with the price they are paying. Compared to last year's TUF models, the new iteration with the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, and MUX switch with Advanced Optimus make a huge difference in the overall experience.

However, the Asus TUF A15 2023 lacks finesse in terms of build. That does not mean Asus has compromised on quality and the MIL-STD-810H standard is a testament to that. However, aesthetically, it may get mixed reactions. The plastic deck also attracts a lot of finger smudges, and Asus may want to work on that.

Otherwise, for Rs 1.52 lakh, there's no doubt that this particular variant of the TUF A15 2023 with a QHD display can deliver reliable performance. If you're on a tight budget, there's also an option available with a Full-HD display and RTX 4050, which costs Rs 1.06 lakh. Despite the lower price, it is still efficient, offering the same processor and RAM configuration, albeit with less internal storage.