Review: ASUS TUF Gaming A15 FA506NC-R5165W (2021)

 Review: ASUS TUF Gaming A15 FA506NC-R5165W (2021)

The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 from the FA506 series is one of the most popular mid-range gaming laptops of 2021. The FA506NC-R5165W combines solid Full HD gaming performance with the durable design of the TUF series. Is it still worth considering after a few years?

Specifications (typical for this configuration)

• Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 5600H (6 cores / 12 threads)

• Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 (4GB GDDR6)

• RAM: 16 GB DDR4 (expandable)

• Disk: SSD NVMe 512 GB

• Screen: 15.6" IPS, Full HD (1920×1080), 144 Hz

• System: Windows 11

• Weight: approx. 2.3 kg

Design and execution

The TUF series is renowned for its military-inspired styling and enhanced durability. The chassis features a subdued, matte finish, with a subtle TUF logo on the lid. The laptop meets selected durability standards (including vibration and temperature resistance), making it a solid device for everyday use.

It is not an ultra-thin design – it weighs over 2 kg and is quite thick – but in return it offers good cooling and casing stability.

Efficiency

The combination of Ryzen 5 5600H and RTX 3050 provides very good performance in Full HD resolution.

In practice:

• CS2 / Valorant / Fortnite – 120–200 FPS (high settings)

• GTA V / The Witcher 3 (non-RT) – 60–90 FPS (high)

• Cyberpunk 2077 – Playable 40–60 FPS (average, no ray tracing)

The RTX 3050 also allows you to use DLSS technology , which improves smoothness in newer titles.

The laptop also works very well for work – the 6-core Ryzen can handle video editing, programming and graphics processing.

Screen

The 144Hz display is a big plus for gamers – animation is noticeably smoother than with the standard 60Hz display.
Colors and viewing angles (IPS) are accurate, although color gamut coverage isn't professional – it may be insufficient for advanced color work.

The brightness is average – it is perfectly sufficient for home use, but in full sunlight it can be too weak.

Cooling and work culture

The cooling system is efficient, but the laptop is noisy under load —typical for this class of computer. However, CPU and GPU temperatures remain within safe ranges.

In office mode, noise is moderate.

Keyboard and ports

The keyboard is comfortable, with RGB (zoned) backlighting. The keystroke is crisp, making it ideal for both typing and gaming.

The port set includes:

• USB-A

• USB-C

• HDMI

• RJ-45 (LAN)

• audio jack

An advantage is the presence of a LAN port, which will be appreciated by online players.

Battery

Battery life is approximately:

• 5–7 hours of office work

• 1–2 hours while playing

This is a standard result for a 2021 gaming laptop.

Advantages

✔ Good price-to-performance ratio
✔ Ryzen 5 5600H processor – still very solid
✔ 144 Hz screen
✔ Expandable RAM and disk
✔ Durable construction

Defects

✖ Loud operation under load
✖ RTX 3050 with 4 GB VRAM – limited in newer games
✖ Average brightness and color reproduction

Is it worth it in 2026?

If you buy it used at a good price – yes, it still makes sense to:

• e-sports,

• older AAA games,

• science, technical studies,

• everyday work.

The latest games at high graphics settings may lack power (mainly due to 4 GB of VRAM).