Asus TUF Dash F15 FX516PE review (Intel i7, RTX 3050Ti Laptop, 144 Hz screen)

I’ve been a bit busy lately, with work and a novel, and so I’ve been a bit slack in my writing schedule. On top of that, my trusty old laptop has started to show its age. It’s definitely time for a change.

Earlier this week I received our review unit of Asus’ TUF FX516PE, a tiny 15.6-inch gaming laptop featuring an Nvidia RTX 3050Ti graphics card and an Intel Core i7-9750H processor. In this review I’ll look at how the FX516PE performs, comparing it to other budget gaming laptops I’ve tested, and how it compares to the competition.

The Asus TUF FX516PE is a laptop with a 15.6″ IPS screen that comes with a powerful Intel Core i7-9750H CPU, GTX 1650Ti discrete graphics card, and 144Hz refresh rate. This is amazing for gamers, who will be able to get excellent performance from games like Fortnite, Apex Legends, and Overwatch, just to name a few. The 144Hz refresh rate is also useful for productivity users, who will benefit from the higher refresh rate to stay in sync with the actions of their coworkers.

Earlier this year, Asus launched a controversial product, the TUF Dash F15 series, a thin and compact 15-inch laptop based on Intel H35 and Nvidia RTX 3000 hardware. This series tries to fall somewhere between the regular Asus TUF Gaming class and the Asus ROG Zephyrus G laptop, aiming to be a competitive everyday laptop with good gaming capabilities and a portable form factor. A few months ago, we took a look at the high-end configuration of the Dash F15 and concluded that the RTX 3070 laptop GPU is partly too powerful and narrow for the Intel i7-11370H 4C processor that Asus puts into this series, making this configuration hard to sell. Meanwhile, we managed to get our hands on a more balanced configuration that pairs the same Intel i7-11370H processor with an RTX 3050Ti laptop graphics chip, in a laptop that sells for around $1,000 here. For that, you only get 8GB of single-channel RAM (so you’ll definitely need to add an extra bar), 512GB of SSD storage, and, unfortunately, the same 144Hz display that Asus offers in the TUF 2020 and 2021 gaming lineup. But if the Tiger Lake H35 makes sense these days, it’s for a product and configuration like this. In this in-depth review, we will go through all the important aspects that you need to know before buying this laptop to know whether it is a good buy in its price range or not.

ASUS TUF Dash F15 FX516PETechnical data under test

	2021 ASUS TUF Dash F15 FX516PE
View	15.6-inch IPS panel, 16:9, non-touch, matte, Chi Mei N156HRA-EA1 FHD 1920 x 1080 px, 144Hz with 62% sRGB, with AdaptiveSync
Processor	Intel Tiger Lake H 35W, Core i7-11370H, 4C/8T
Video	Intel Iris Xe Laptop + Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050Ti 4GB (60-75W, GeForce 466.25 driver)
Memory	16GB DDR4-3200 (8GB soldered, + 1x 8GB DIMM)
Storage	1TB NVMe SSD (2 x4 M.2 PCI slots)
Link	Gigabit LAN, Wireless 6 (Intel AX201) 2×2 connectivity, Bluetooth 5.1
Ports	3x USB-A 3.2 gen1, 1x USB-C with Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.0b, LAN, headset/microphone, Kensington lock
Battery	76Wh, 180W plug-in charger and 100W charger via USB-C
Size	360 mm or 14.17 (W) x 252 mm or 9.92 (D) x 19.9 mm or .78 (H)
Weight	2.05 kg (4.52 lb), .52 kg (1.15 lb) Power supply block and cable, EU version
Extras	Single-zone RGB keyboard with backlight, webcam, stereo speakers.

Design and construction

We already discussed the design, build quality and ergonomics of the Tuf Dash F15 series in my first review, and I won’t do it again because these aspects are identical between the available configurations. In a few words: The Dash F15 is a slim, compact and lightweight 15-inch laptop, made primarily of plastic with a metal chassis. Available in white or dark grey, it is beautifully made and suitable for everyday use. It’s also practical, although it lacks some features available in more expensive products, such as B. Biometrics, speakers that go up, a 180 degree screen, or even a camera.

Keyboard and touch pad

The input seems borrowed from the 2020 Zephyrus G15: a rather small plastic touchpad and a minimalist keyboard without a NumPad section. Still, as mentioned in the previous review, both keyboards are good enough for everyday use, and in the time I spent with them, the keyboard proved reliable for typing. However, it only lights up in teal, which is not ideal because the letters on the white keys are hard to see in some circumstances. This problem should not occur with the dark gray option.

Screen

However, the screen in this lower configuration differs from the screen in the 3070 models. They were equipped with a high-quality Sharp 240 Hz panel with 100% sRGB color space and fast response time. On the other hand, this 3050Ti configuration is mostly available with a 144Hz Chi Mei panel, has only 62% sRGB colors and a slower response time. This results in blurred and unrealistic colors, as well as ghosting in fast-paced games. In fact, this screen is similar to the one that Asus is also putting in their TUF 2020 and 2021 gaming lineup, and you can find plenty of details about it if you do a quick Google/Youtube search. Of course, I understand that the Dash F15 has had to make some sacrifices to live up to its aggressive price tag, but I just can’t recommend this panel today, because for me the screen is probably one of the last things I’m willing to sacrifice on my laptop, and a 100% sRGB panel with decent response time would be the bare minimum for a gaming laptop I’d use. These are the results of our tests with the X-Rite i1 Display Pro Sensor:

• The material designation of the panel : Chi Mei CMN1521 (N156HRA-EA1);
• Coverage: 62.6% sRGB, 43.8% AdobeRGB, 44.8% DCI-P3 ;
• Measured Gamma : 2.47 ;
• Maximum luminance at the center of the screen: 287.54 cd/m2 when turned on ;
• Minimum brightness in the center of the screen: 16.11 cd/m2 at startup;
• Contrast at maximum brightness : 1407:1 ;
• Period: 6600 K ;
• Black at maximum brightness: 0.20 cd/m2 ;
• PWM: No.

In terms of color and response, this panel confirms most other qualities: good black levels, contrast and uniformity, and slight fading at the edges. These colors, however…

Equipment and power

This review model is a cheaper ASUS TUF Dash F15 configuration, codenamed FX516PE, based on an Intel Core i7-11370H 4C/8T processor, 16GB dual-channel DDR4 3200MHz memory, a 1TB SSD and dual graphics : Nvidia RTX 3050Ti dGPU for laptop with 4GB vRAM and Iris Xe iGPU integrated with Intel processor. Before proceeding, keep in mind that our test unit was provided by Asus and is a retail model identical to those already available in stores, with the software available in mid-May 2021 (BIOS 312, Armoury Crate 3.0.5.0, GeForce 466.47 driver). Technically, the TUF Dash F15 is based on an Intel H35 platform with Nvidia graphics. The i7-11370H processor is only a 4C/8T, and while it’s capable of running at high clock speeds and consuming a lot of power (up to 60W on this laptop), we’ve seen that this isn’t always good for more powerful GPUs like the RTX 3070, as in some cases it leads to reduced combination and gaming performance. On the FX516PE we see the same processor paired with a mid-range GPU, the RTX 3050Ti, running at 60-75W with Dynamic Boost 2.0. This GPU only has 4 GB of vRAM, which may not be enough for some games, but it’s also not designed for AAA games at maximum settings, but rather as a budget chip designed for laptops priced around $1000/Euro. In terms of RAM and storage options, the laptop comes with 8GB of RAM pre-installed and an additional DIMM available, as well as two M.2 SSD slots. Our device was equipped with 16 GB of dual channel RAM and a fast Skynix SSD. SSD performance is high, with no throttling or choppiness. Access to the components is relatively easy: just lift the rear panel, which is secured with two Phillips screws. On the software side, Asus offers three performance profiles for the TUF Dash F15 FX516PE:

• Quiet – idle or silent fans and limited CPU/GPU speed and power;
• Performance – balanced profile with default CPU/GPU settings, fan with medium noise – GPU running at 60-75W and default clock speeds ;
• Turbo – High performance profile with improved processor power distribution, faster fan rotation and overclocked GPU (up to 75 W, +100 MHz core/+120 MHz memory).

The Turbo feature is only available when the laptop is plugged in and is designed for gaming and other demanding workloads. Performance means versatility, while Silent is designed for video and everyday lighting applications. Fans are turned off in the Quiet profile until the CPU/GPU temperature rises above 60 degrees Celsius, providing silence for daily use. This is what you can expect in terms of performance and temperature for everyday multitasking, web browsing and video. To move on to more demanding loads, we begin testing CPU performance by running the Cinebench R15 test over 15 times per cycle, with a 1-2 second delay between each run. The Intel i7 processor runs at a constant 50+W in Turbo mode, which equates to a constant frequency of 4.3GHz and a score of 1050-1100. The average temperature is about 80 degrees, but it fluctuates, with the fans alternating between long periods of low activity and short periods when they crank up the power to 45 dB. Throughout the test, we observed no performance degradation or throttling. Switching to the performance profile, the CPU stabilizes at 45-50W, and the temperature and fan behavior are similar. Power is reduced by 2 to 5% compared to the turbo profile. In silent mode, the processor runs at 18-25W with barely audible fans (less than 35dB) and average temperatures (low to high 60C). It gives a value of about 800, which is about 25% lower than the turbo profile. Finally, the processor runs consistently at ~35W from the battery on a performance profile, with temperatures in the mid-70s and scores in the 900+ range. Details below. To put these results in perspective, the i7-11370H is no match for this generation’s Core H/Ryzen H processors with a limited number of cores. In this test it is ~20% faster than the standard Core U i7 Tiger Lake, but with almost half the sustained power. Of course, this is just a multithreaded processor benchmark, and there are other things to consider when looking at this processor, as you will see further down. We then checked our results with the longer cycle Cinebench R23 test and the dreaded Prime 95 on the Turbo profile. In Cinebench R23 and Prime 95, the processor stabilizes at ~57W in Turbo mode, with a constant temperature of ~90 degrees Celsius and a fan speed of 44-45dB. We also ran combined CPU+GPU stress tests with this laptop. 3DMark Stress runs the same test 20 times in a loop, looking for changes and performance degradation over time, and this device passed with flying colors. This is a good indication of solid performance combined with a focus on the GPU, for example in games. Then we ran all the tests and benchmarks with the default Turbo profile in Armoury Crate.

• 3DMark 13 – Firestrike: 12669 (Graphics – 14640, Physics – 14532, Combined – 5755) ;
• 3DMark 13 – Time Spy : 5676 (Graphics – 5763, CPU – 5234);
• 3DMark 13 – Wildlife : 32976 ;
• Uniengine Overlay – 1080p Extreme: 3324 ;
• Uniengine Overlay – Medium 1080p : 10513 ;
• Handbrake 1.3.3 (encoding 4K to 1080p): average 31.95 frames per second;
• PassMark 10 : Rating: -3358 (CPU rating: 13270, 3D graphics rating: 8762, disk rating: 24209);
• PCMark 10 : -6146 (Fundamentals – 9774, Productivity – 9392, Digital Content Creation – 6863) ;
• GeekBench 5.3.1 64-bit : Mononuclear: 1569, multi-core: 5180 ;
• CineBench R15 (best execution): CPU 1088 cb, Single Core CPU 232 cb ;
• CineBench R20 (best execution): CPU 2739 cb, Single Core CPU 588 cb ;
• CineBench R23 (best execution): CPU 7105 cb, Single Core CPU 1543 cb ;
• x265 HD Benchmark 64-bit: 50.30 sec.

This Tiger Lake H35 i7 processor performs well in single-core tests, outperforming Tiger Lake ultrabooks and all previous-generation Intel and AMD products. However, the AMD Ryzen 5000 processors can keep up with these results, and in some tests they are even ahead. In multithreaded tests, the results are obviously at the level of the 4C/8T architecture and cannot be compared to modern 6 or 8 core processors. We also ran some performance profile tests on this TUF Dash F15, mainly to compare performance between standard and overclocked versions of the 3050Ti GPU.

• 3DMark 13 – Firestrike: 12067 (Graphics – 13904, Physics – 14518, Combined – 5378) ;
• 3DMark 13 – Time Spy : 5265 (Graphics – 5261, CPU – 5294);
• Uniengine Overlay – 1080p Extreme: 3053 ;
• Uniengine Overlay – Medium 1080p : 9561 ;
• PassMark 10 : Place: 3739 (CPU rating: 13431, 3D graphics rating: 8911, hard drive rating: 20384);
• PCMark 10 : 6338 (Fundamentals – 9992, Productivity – 10199, Digital content creation – 6780) ;

We see about 5-10% drop in GPU estimates in this unlocked profile and about the same CPU estimates. For more information on how the 3050Ti compares to the similarly performing 3060 and 3070 chips, I recommend reading this article. Finally, we also ran some workstation-related loads on this i7-11370H configuration in Turbo profile:

• Blender 2.82 – BMW car scene – CPU calculation: 5m 48s (Turbo) ;
• Blender 2.82 – BMW car scene – GPU calculations: 1m 22s (CUDA), 38s (Optix) ;
• Blender 2.82 – Classroom scene – CPU calculation: 16m 6s (Turbo) ;
• Blender 2.82 – Tutorial scene – GPU calculations: 4m 59s (CUDA), 2m 7s (Optix) ;
• Luxmark 3.1 – Luxball HDR – OpenCL CPUs + GPUs score: – ;
• SPECviewerf 2020 – 3DSMax: 55.92 (Turbo) ;
• SPECviewerf 2020 – Catia : 37.1 (Turbo) ;
• SPECviewerf 2020 – Creo : 66.52 (Turbo) ;
• SPECviewerf 2020 – Energy: 12.07 (Turbo);
• SPECviewerf 2020 – Maya: 166.17 (Turbo) ;
• SPECviewerf 2020 – Medicine: 20.22 (Turbo);
• SPECviewerf 2020 – SNX: 11.99 (Turbo) ;
• SPECviewerf 2020 – SW : 110.65 (Turbo).

That’s right, let’s watch some games. We ran several DX11, DX12 and Vulkan games with the default Turbo, Performance and Quiet profiles at FHD (internal display) and FHD/QHD (external display) resolutions. Silent mode is enabled in the silent profile. Here’s what we got:

Intel Core i7-11370H Laptop + RTX 3050Ti 60-75W	FHD Turbo	FHD performance	FHD Mute	FHD Turbo External	QHD Turbo External
Battlefield V (DX 12, Ultra Preset, RTX OFF)	78 frames per second (36 frames per second – 1% low)	75 frames per second (36 frames per second – 1% low)	50 frames per second (34 frames per second – 1% low)	86 frames per second (41 frames per second – 1% low)	36 frames per second (21 frames per second – 1% low)
Battlefield V (DX 12, Ultra Preset, RTX ON, DLSS OFF)	32 fps (16 fps – 1% low)	–	–	27 frames per second (14 frames per second, 1% less)	–
Cyberpunk 2077 (DX 12, Ultra Preset, RTX OFF)	32 fps (24 fps – 1% low)	–	–	36 frames per second (28 frames per second is 1% less)	–
Cyberpunk 2077 (DX 12, Ultra Preset + RTX, DLSS Quality)	24 fps (16 fps – 1% low)	–	–	30 frames per second (21 frames per second, 1% less)	–
Dota 2 (DX 11, best preset)	103 fps (62 fps – 1% low)	–	–	–	–
Far Cry 5 (DX 11, Ultra Preset, SMAA)	78 frames per second (62 frames per second – 1% low)	76 frames per second (58 frames per second – 1% low)	60 frames per second (55 frames per second, 1% less)	76 fps (59 fps, 1% less)	55 frames per second (46 frames per second – 1% low)
Metro Exodus (DX 12, Ultra Preset, RTX AUS)	41 fps (22 fps – 1% low)	–	–	–	–
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (DX 11, Ultra-preset)	110 frames per second (76 frames per second – 1% low)	106 frames per second (74 frames per second – 1% low)	60 frames per second (58 frames per second, 1% less)	110 frames per second (74 frames per second – 1% low)	78 frames per second (58 frames per second, 1% less)
Red Dead Redemption 2 (DX 12, Ultra-optimized, TAA)	46 frames per second (32 frames per second – 1% low)	–	–	41 fps (28 fps – 1% low)	–
Rise of Tomb Raider (DX 12, very high preset, FXAA)	77 frames per second (43 frames per second – 1% low)	–	–	80 frames per second (48 frames per second, 1% less)	–
Shadow of Tomb Raider (DX 12, maximum preset, TAA)	61 fps (34 fps – 1% low)	58 frames per second (36 frames per second, 1% less)	46 frames per second (23 frames per second – 1% low)	56 frames per second (34 frames per second – 1% low)	32 fps (22 fps – 1% low)
Shadow of Tomb Raider (DX 12, max preset, TAA, RTX Ultra)	26 frames per second (18 frames per second, 1% less)	–	–	24 fps (15 fps – 1% low)	–
Alien Brigade (Vulcan, Ultra preset)	128 frames per second (96 frames per second, 1% less)	–	–	–	–

• Battlefield V, The Witcher 3, CyberPunk 2077 – recorded from the Fraps/in-game FPS meter in campaign mode;
• Far Cry 5, Metro, Middle Earth, Strange Brigade, Red Dead Redemption 2, Tomb Raider – registered with benchmark programs included;
• Optimized profile of Red Dead Redemption 2 based on these settings.

This 3050Ti configuration can handle older and casual games with maximum details, but for modern AAA games you will need to lower the graphics settings to medium. RT technology is also a challenge for this chip in most games, so one of the high-end RTX 3000 GPUs is better suited. The HWinfo logs below show the CPU and GPU speed and temperature in Far Cry 5, Cyberpunk 2077 or Battlefield V with the default Turbo profile. While there are some differences between these games, Dash F15’s RTX 3050Ti GPU runs on average at 60-75W in this mode, at 75-78 degrees Celsius, while the CPU runs at 20-35W, at 70-85 degrees Celsius. The fans spin up to 44-45dB, making them on average louder and quieter than the 3070 configuration. This is to be expected as the 3050Ti is a low power consumption chip. If you lift the laptop slightly off the table to improve airflow from below to the fans, you’ll save about 1-3 degrees on the CPU and GPU, so don’t let this series get you down. Switching to the performance profile limits CPU power and GPU clock speeds a bit and makes the fans slightly quieter (42-43dB), which has a small impact on actual performance, lower CPU temperatures, but slightly higher GPU temperatures, around 80 degrees C. Unlike many other ASUS gaming ultraportable laptops, the performance profile is actually usable. The quiet profile also allows for quiet play with noise levels of less than 40 dB. We tested with Whisper Mode enabled, which sets a hard limit of 60 frames per second in most games, coupled with a processor with limited power consumption and a GPU running at 0.78GHz and about 30W. These settings are not enough to achieve 60 fps in Ultra configuration in most of the games tested. As a result, the Silent profile is not as useful for this 3050Ti as it is for higher performance configurations, unless you want to sacrifice detail. Finally, this is what happens when you connect the laptop to an external display (via DP, to compensate for the effect of the missing MUX switch). We see solid performance and temperatures when the laptop is placed on a table, and especially when you close the lid and place the Dash F15 on an upright stand, which further boosts the cool airflow to the fans and makes for excellent CPU and GPU temperatures. At the same time, the results show that the laptop’s 3050Ti GPU is designed for FHD gaming and is not powerful enough for QHD. Overall, this 3050Ti GPU is much more interesting in a Tiger Lake H35 configuration than the 3060/3070 variants. Sure, you won’t get the same performance here (I’ve attached a comparison with the 60+W 3060 – Zephryus G14 and the 80+ 3070 – Dash F15 so you can see the difference), but you also won’t have to deal with the bottlenecks caused by the 4C/8T processor, you’ll get a cooler/slighter product, and a lower price.

FHD resolution, Turbo (OC GPU)	Intel Core i7-11370H Laptop + RTX 3050Ti 60-75W	AMD R9 5900HS Laptop + RTX 3060 60-80W	Intel Core i7-11370H + RTX 3070 80-85W Laptop
Battlefield V (DX 12, Ultra Preset, RTX OFF)	78 fps (56 fps, 1% less)	84 fps (60 fps – 1% low)	101 fps (53 fps – 1% low)
Battlefield V (DX 12, Ultra Preset, RTX ON, DLSS OFF)	32 fps (16 fps – 1% low)	58 frames per second (46 frames per second – 1% low)	69 frames per second (35 frames per second, 1% less)
Cyberpunk 2077 (DX 12, Ultra Preset, RTX OFF)	32 fps (24 fps – 1% low)	44 fps (33 fps – 1% low)	61 fps (44 fps, 1% less)
Cyberpunk 2077 (DX 12, Ultra Preset + RTX, DLSS Auto)	24 (16 frames per second – 1% low)	40 frames per second (29 frames per second, 1% less)	45 frames per second (35 frames per second is 1% too low)
Dota 2 (DX 11, best preset)	103 fps (62 fps – 1% low)	106 frames per second (65 frames per second, 1% less)	101 fps (58 fps – 1% low)
Far Cry 5 (DX 11, Ultra Preset, SMAA)	78 frames per second (62 frames per second – 1% low)	91 fps (58 fps – 1% low)	90 frames per second (68 frames per second, 1% less)
Metro Exodus (DX 12, Ultra Preset, RTX AUS)	41 fps (fps is 1% low)	46 frames per second (28 frames per second – 1% low)	57 frames per second (43 frames per second – 1% low)
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (DX 11, Ultra-preset)	110 frames per second (76 frames per second – 1% low)	130 frames per second (93 frames per second – 1% low)	146 frames per second (96 frames per second, 1% less)
Red Dead Redemption 2 (DX 12, Ultra-optimized, TAA)	46 frames per second (32 frames per second – 1% low)	73 fps (57 fps – 1% low)	74 fps (47 fps – 1% low)
Rise of Tomb Raider (DX 12, very high preset, FXAA)	77 frames per second (43 frames per second – 1% low)	–	84 fps (47 fps – 1% low)
Shadow of Tomb Raider (DX 12, maximum preset, TAA)	61 fps (34 fps – 1% low)	74 fps (55 fps – 1% low)	85 frames per second (40 frames per second, 1% less)
Shadow of Tomb Raider (DX 12, max preset, TAA, RTX Ultra)	26 frames per second (18 frames per second, 1% less)	46 frames per second (36 frames per second, 1% less)	60 frames per second (34 frames per second – 1% low)
Alien Brigade (Vulcan, Ultra preset)	128 frames per second (96 frames per second, 1% less)	–	150 frames per second (111 frames per second – 1% low)

Noise, heat, communication, loudspeakers and other

Internally, the Dash F15 is almost identical to the 2020 Zephyrus M15 and has almost the same thermal module, with minor differences in the VRM heatpipes. It is also important to add that the thermal design is identical between the 3070, 3060 and 3050Ti configurations, compared to the less powerful 3050Ti in terms of temperature and noise levels. Add to that the open back, plastic chassis (which conducts less heat than metal structures), and energy-efficient hardware inside, and it’s no surprise that the laptop doesn’t generate much heat when playing games or under heavy load. In games, we see internal CPU temperatures around 70-85 degrees C (with a few exceptions) and 75-78 C on the GPU, coupled with slightly quieter fans than the 3070 configurations previously tested (~44dB, compared to ~47dB on the 3070 version). Outside temperatures are in a comfortable range even in games and under heavy load, with the WASD and Arrow zones averaging 30-40 degrees and in some places in the middle of the laptop, around the CPU/GPU, reaching the mid-50s at the top and the mid-60s at the bottom of the heat pipes. In light use, the laptop runs quietly and smoothly in the Silent profile, with both fans shutting down until the CPU/GPU temperature exceeds 60C. I didn’t notice any coil gain on my sample either, but there is no guarantee that you won’t notice electronic noise on your unit, so watch for any issues during the return period. It should be noted that the fans remain active in Performance/Turbo mode even when the laptop is idle.   *Daily use – watch Netflix on EDGE for 30 minutes, silent profile, fan at 0 dB *Games – Performance – play Far Cry 5 for 30 minutes, fan at 42-43 dB *Games – Turbo, desktop – play Far Cry 5 for 30 minutes, fan at 44-45 dB In terms of connectivity, the device features Wireless 6 and Bluetooth 5 via the Intel AX201 chip, as well as Gigabit Lan. Our sample worked well with WiFi both close to the router and over 30 feet away with obstacles in between. The drivers are from the Zephyrus 2020 series, which means they are pretty punchy with 80+ dB at the head and medium quality. Not bad, but not surprising either. The sound of the headphones is also very good. As for the camera, this laptop doesn’t have one, just like the Zephyrus models. There are a couple of microphones at the bottom of the screen.

Battery life

In the TUF Dash F15 there is a 76 Wh battery, also from the Zephyrus series. This is what we got on our test sample in terms of battery life at a screen brightness of around 120 nits (~60 brightness).

• 12.5W (~5-6 hours of use)– text editing on Google Drive, sleep mode, 60% screen, Wi-Fi enabled ;
• 11W (~7h usage)– Full screen 1080p video on Youtube in Edge, silent mode, 60% screen, Wi-Fi enabled ;
• 10.5W (~7-8 hours of use)– Netflix full screen in Edge, sleep mode, 60% screen, Wi-Fi enabled;
• 14W (~4-5 hours of use) – Edge display, performance mode, 60% screen, Wi-Fi enabled.

The results for streaming and low usage are worse than the previous Dash F15 setup we tested a few months ago, and I’m not sure what’s causing the drop in uptime. On battery and iGPU, the system always automatically switches the screen to 60 Hz. The Armoury Crate also features an iGPU/dGPU switch that allows the Nvidia card to be completely disabled when unplugged, ensuring that no unauthorized programs running in the background wake up the card and shorten battery life. In this variant, Asus ships the notebook with a compact 180-watt power supply, slightly smaller and lighter than the 3070’s 200-watt block. The battery charges in about 2 hours, and there’s also the option to charge it up to 100W via USB-C, in case you don’t want to take your main brick on the road.

Price and availability

At the time of writing, the 2021 TUF Dash F15 series is available in most countries in the world in all possible configurations. As we’ve mentioned several times in this article, the Dash F15 FX516PE 3050Ti variant discussed here makes the most sense in this case, and it’s available here in Europe from €1000 (with 8GB RAM – single-channel and 512GB SSD), or €1100 for 16GB RAM in dual-channel and 1TB SSD. Unfortunately, this all comes with the Chi Mei’s 144Hz panel, 60% blurry sRGB colors, and a pretty poor response time, and for some of you, that may be the deciding factor. I really wish Asus wouldn’t skimp on this aspect and put a better 144Hz panel in this product, like you find in mid-range products. Currently, the only other panel available for the Dash F15 series is a 240Hz panel from Sharp, but this is an exclusive option for 3070 configurations. Follow this link to find current configurations and prices in your area as you read this article.

Final thoughts

This TUF Dash F15 series is the most affordable 15-inch ultraportable product Asus has put in stores this 2021, and as I mentioned in my previous review of the RTX 3070 configuration, it meets a lot of good conditions and even exceeds my expectations in some areas. A light and slim format and a balanced overall configuration are the main advantages of this series. In addition, this Dash F15 offers fast daily use combined with good battery life and a good FHD gaming experience thanks to its reliable temperature and quiet fans. On the other hand, the Tiger Lake H35 hardware platform may not be enough for your needs, especially if you plan to run workloads that could benefit from a 6C or 8C processor, and it’s important to consider this aspect when deciding whether or not to buy this product. For me, the 11370H is fine for a 3050Ti configuration, and that’s no reason to ignore this product, but if multithreaded performance is important to you, you’re better off with something like the full AMD-based TUF-A15 series, or perhaps the Legion 5 or Omen 15 alternatives. In addition, the 2021 Zephyrus G14 laptop is also a very competitive option around £1000 (for the 3050Ti version), an even smaller and lighter product with superior 144Hz display quality and more powerful AMD Ryzen 5000 hardware. Back to the Dash F15. The 144Hz panel with 60% sRGB colors and the slow response time that Asus shows on most configurations is my biggest downside to this series and a potential no-buy. Other than that I think everything is fine, and I understand that Asus had to sacrifice a bit to get this model around £1000, but that 60% of colours is just hard for me to accept. Honestly, I’ve been spoiled by all the nicer screens I use on a daily basis, so I may be a little biased towards this screen, but I still think OEMs shouldn’t be compromising on these types of panels these days. Asus already offers a nicer screen in this series, but only in the more expensive and unbalanced 3070 variants, and I would gladly pay a little more to have the same screen in the 3050/3060 models. Anyway, we’re going to end the 2021 TUF Dash F15 review at this point, but I’d love to hear what you think of it and if you think it’s worth buying. We will discuss this below. Denial: Our content is supported by our readers. If you make a purchase through certain links on our site, we may receive an affiliate commission. Read more. Andrei Girbea, Editor-in-Chief of Ultrabookreview.com. I’ve been involved in mobile computing since the 2000s, and you’ll find detailed reviews and tutorials written by me on the site.The Asus TUF FX516PE is an affordable 14-inch laptop that starts at $849, and the i7-8750H processor, RTX graphics and 144Hz screen all feel like a steal for the money. If you’re looking for a portable that can blitz through games and handle everyday tasks with ease, this would be a great choice.. Read more about asus tuf dash f15 rtx 3060 review and let us know what you think.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ASUS TUF dash F15 worth buying?

The ASUS TUF series is a line of durable, but affordable laptops—or, as we like to call them, workhorses. They’re made for those that need a rugged, reliable companion for their work. The new ASUS TUF dash F15 is no exception. It’s a laptop that’s built to take the heat, but is also built to keep you going, with nimble performance, long battery life, and a durable design—all at an honest price. Most view this laptop as being a high-end professional-grade gaming device. It is equipped with a powerful processor, a high-end graphics card, and a fast 140Hz display. It also comes equipped with a large, spacious keyboard with functional wrist rests. However, it is worth noting that it does not have the newest Intel processor available, and it also does not have an RTX 2080 card. Given these facts, is it worth it to buy this laptop?

Are ASUS TUF laptops good?

Over the last twelve months, ASUS has released a number of laptops that have been designed to endure the most extreme situations you could throw at your laptop. The TUF series laptops are designed to handle the most punishing of conditions and have been built to not only survive but also to thrive in conditions you would never expect to find your laptop in. In this review we will take a look at the TUF FX516PE and see if it’s ready to survive the most intense of conditions. Asus have built a reputation for making gaming-centric laptops, and the TUF line is a prime example of that. The Tuf series have been on the market for quite some time, and during that time, Asus has produced many iterations of the lineup. The current generation was introduced in 2017 and is aimed at professional gamers, with its focus on the 20-inch gaming laptops.

Does ASUS TUF dash F15 have a camera?

The ASUS TUF F15 is a 15.6 inch TFT display laptop with a 15.6 inch LED-backlit display. It has a black brushed aluminum finish and a matte finish on the back. The aluminum finish is anodized and is brushed on the edges. The system has an Intel i7-8750H processor, a 6 GB GTX 1050 Ti, 8 GB DDR4 2666 Mhz RAM, a 1 TB HDD, and Windows 10 Home 64 bit operating system. The ASUS TUF Gaming FX516PE is one of the best laptops we’ve tested this year. With AMD’s Radeon RX Vega GPU, an impressive 144Hz screen and a comfortable keyboard, it’s a great first laptop for a high-end gamer that wants to bring their games with them on the go.

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