{"id":1463186,"date":"2026-01-15T17:32:21","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T17:32:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/noaKoRTbb3jUFHCFSQk5Ri"},"modified":"2026-01-15T17:32:21","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T17:32:21","slug":"asus-tuf-gaming-a16-2025-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arcader.org\/news\/asus-tuf-gaming-a16-2025-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Asus TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The entry level is a funny place to be. While laptops with RTX 5080 and 5090 GPUs are pored over, looking for every little fluctuation in frame rate to discover the different effects various CPUs and cooling solutions have on the rendering ability of Nvidia\u2019s finest silicon, the low end tends to get lumped into an amorphous mass.<\/p>\n

In fact, PC Gamer hasn\u2019t reviewed many laptops with an RTX 5050 GPU. Creeping through the dusty stacks, marvelling at the symmetrical book stacking (just like the Philadelphia mass turbulence of 1947) and trying not to attract the attention of the librarian, I could find only one other point of reference: the Medion Erazer Scout 15 E1<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t do particularly well when put through the testing regime, which might have something to do with the Core i5 13420H and low, low price, but if you\u2019re looking for PC gaming on a budget, it\u2019s worth a look.<\/p>\n

The Asus TUF Gaming A16 takes the same GPU and mixes it with a much more interesting CPU. The AMD Ryzen 7 260 (from the Hawk Point generation) uses eight Zen 4 cores and can boost up to 5.1 GHz. It\u2019s capable of Hyperthreading, or whatever AMD calls it, and each of those cores is a high-performance core, as AMD doesn\u2019t use the P and E distinction. This means you get quite a lot of processing capability, and indeed it puts in a performance that\u2019s up there with multiple Core i7 and Ultra 7 chips, as well as Ryzen AI 7s.<\/p>\n

\n
TUF Gaming A16 (2025) specs:<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

\"An<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

(Image credit: Future)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Model: <\/strong>FA608UH-RV027W
CPU: <\/strong>AMD Ryzen 7 260
GPU: <\/strong>Nvidia GeForce RTX 5050 8GB
Memory:<\/strong> 16 GB DDR5-5600
Storage:<\/strong> 1 TB SSD
Screen size:<\/strong> 16-inch
Screen type: <\/strong>IPS
Resolution:<\/strong> 1920 x 1200
Refresh rate: <\/strong>165Hz
Ports:<\/strong> 1x HDMI 2.1, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1x USB 2.0 Type-A, 1x Type-C USB 4, 1x Type-C USB 3.2, 1x Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm audio, charging
Wireless connectivity: <\/strong>Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Dimensions:<\/strong> 35.4 x 26.9 x 1.79cm
Weight: <\/strong>2.2 kg
Price: <\/strong>\u00a31,400<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

In Baldur\u2019s Gate 3 it performs as well as the new Framework 16, which has a higher spec on paper.<\/p>\n

At first, the GPU looks like it\u2019s going to be the millstone around the A16\u2019s neck, dragging it down to mediocre benchmark scores and making the graphs on this page look very sad indeed. In practice, no one\u2019s arguing that it\u2019s as good as a 5070, but it can give a 5060 a run for its money.<\/p>\n

The 55W RTX 5050 here can use as much as 115 W of power, which puts it ahead of 5060s and even 5070s. A 115 W 5060, such as that in the Erazer Deputy 15 P1, beats the A16 in the Time Spy Extreme benchmark, but the 85 W model in the Gigabyte Gaming A16<\/a> produces a slightly lower score than the TUF\u2019s (but a similar frame rates in Cyberpunk 2077 and Black Myth: Wukong). It just goes to show that core count isn\u2019t everything in choosing a GPU. This is a hot little chip.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Gaming temperatures<\/caption>\n
<\/th>\n\n

Avg CPU (\u00b0C)<\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Max CPU (\u00b0C)<\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Avg GPU (\u00b0C)<\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Max GPU (\u00b0C)<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n

\n

Asus TUF Gaming A16 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

75<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

81<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

69<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

74<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Acer Nitro V15<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

81<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

100<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

79<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

85<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Oh yes indeed. You should expect a modicum of fan noise from your gaming laptop, especially one with a CPU that tops out at 100 \u00b0C, but whack this into Turbo mode using Asus\u2019 ridiculously named Armoury Crate software (and put your own flavour of RGB flashing into the keyboard while you\u2019re at it) and you not only get improved performance, but a level of noise to make you reach for your headset.<\/p>\n

Luckily, the TUF A16 is well supplied with ports. Alongside the 3.5 mm audio jack and Bluetooth 5.3, you\u2019ll find a single USB4 (mercifully labelled as such on the top of the casing, something more manufacturers should do as the Type-C USB 3.2 port next to it is identical) and three USB-A ports too. There’s an HDMI and an Ethernet and a charging port. You\u2019ll always be able to find a place to stick a cable, and all this, along with the rubber feet underneath that lift it up to improve airflow, and the sheer weight of the metal and plastic constriction, lead to a machine that gives the impression it\u2019s more suited to use on a desk than resting on the top of your legs.<\/p>\n

The rear corners have been cut across in a nice little design touch, but you\u2019ll want to watch out for the front, where they can be a bit sharp. Otherwise, it\u2019s a standard black rectangle, devoid of lighting except in the keyboard and a scattering of status LEDs on the bit that protrudes back past the screen, where you\u2019ll never see them if the screen is raised.<\/p>\n