Asus’ latest mainstream TUF gaming laptops will launch this quarter, sporting AMD’s “4th Gen” Ryzen 7nm Renoir mobile CPUs (using the same architecture and process node as the company’s Ryzen 3000 desktop CPUs). But if you’re after an Intel-based model, you’ll have to wait. The TUF A15 (15-inch) and A17 (17-inch) AMD Zen 2-based models will come first, while Intel 10th Gen F15 and F17 versions are promised at an undetermined date later this year.
The AMD R9 models will sport 8 cores and 16 threads, and feature DDR4 RAM up to 3,200MHz, while graphics will be handled by Nvidia, with up to RTX 2060 GPUs.
The laptops’ “IPS-level” displays will top out at 144Hz on the 15-inch model and 120Hz on the 17-incher and all will include slim bezels and a webcam housed in a small bump above the display, which the company says also helps when opening the gaming laptop.
Finishes will come in either “Fortress Gray” or “Bonfire Black,” with the former looking a little less busy but sporting exposed screws in all four corners for some industrial edginess. The underside is designed for easy access via Philips-head screws, and there will be a second, unpopulated PCIe M.2 slot for adding extra speedy storage.
The keyboard is RGB-backlit (at least in some models) with translucent WASD keys. Port selection is solid, with two USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports and a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C on the left edge, along with HMDI 2.0b and Ethernet. The right edge houses another USB-A port and a lock slot in between air vents.
Battery life for the AMD-based models is quoted as 8.7 hours of web browsing or 12.3 hours of video playback. That’s a surprising amount of unplugged runtime for a gaming laptop, likely helped by both AMD/TSMC’s 7nm process and a big 90Wh battery.
There’s no word on pricing yet, but Asus' announcement said the AMD-based A15 and A17 TUF models will arrive sometime in the first quarter, while the Intel F15 and F17 laptops will land “later in 2020.” That date likely depends mostly on whenever Intel can ship its 10th Gen H Series CPUs in volume.
