The Asus TUF Dash F15 with an i5 12450H processor and RTX 3050 offers a perfect mix of power, portability, and sleek design.
Specifications
- Operating System: Windows 11
- Processor: Intel Core i5-11300H 3.1GHz, 4 Cores (8M Cache, up to 4.4GHz)
Intel Core i7-11370H 3.3GHz, 4 Cores (12M cache, up to 4.8GHz) - Graphics: NVIDIA Geforce RTX 3050 GPU, 60W (75W with Dynamic Boost) 4GB DDR6
- Display: 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) 16:9 IPS Level with Anti-Glare display.
- Refresh rate: 144hZ, Optimus
- Color: sRGB 62.5%, Adobe 47.34%
- Memory: 8Gb DDR4 on Board, 32GB Max Capacity.
- Storage: 512GB/1Tb M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD, Support up to Gen 4 SSD
- Weight: 2.00Kg
Design, keyboards and Ports
TUF Dash A15 and F15 models and F-series is lighter weighing about 2kg compared to the regular TUF series, which is 200g heavier. TUF Dash F15 is a gaming laptop but lighter similar to the Acer Aspire series, which weighs 1.8kg. Full gaming laptops usually weigh around 2.5kg, so this model strikes a balance.
Top lid has a simple design with just the TUF branding on the side. Hinges are sturdy and stable, allowing you to open the laptop with one hand. Screen wobble is minimal and there’s little flex in the lid and keyboard. The build quality feels strong and durable. The back is a mix of white and black with the white part featuring a water droplet pattern for air intake vents. There are also rubber grips on the corners for added stability.
On the TUF Dash F15, we get a full-sized keyboard with a num-pad included, and this is a single-color backlit keyboard without RGB lighting. Therefore, it is a gaming laptop with a sophisticated look. The typing feel of the keyboard is really good, making it comfortable to use. The size of the trackpad is also large enough, and on the trackpad, there is TUF’s branding. And the trackpad supports multi-gesture for easy use.
- 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack
- 1x HDMI 2.0b
- 3x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
- 1x thunderbolt 4 support, DisplayPort / power dilevery
On the left side, you’ll find:
- A power input port
- RJ45 LAN port
- HDMI 2.0 port (supports up to 4K at 60 FPS)
- Thunderbolt 4 port (for display output)
- USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port (supports DisplayPort and power delivery)
- G-SYNC support for compatible monitors via Type-C HDMI
- USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port
- Headphone and mic jack combo
On the right side, there’s a single USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port. As for the display output, using the Thunderbolt port gives you output from the integrated GPU (IGPU), while the HDMI port connects to the external RTX 3050 GPU. F15 also includes a MUX switch, accessible through the Armoury Crate software. In “Ultimate” mode, the laptop’s display uses the external GPU (EGPU), while in “Standard” mode, it switches to the integrated GPU.
Display
Asus TUF Dash F15 priced at $1,199 comes with a 15.6-inch 1080p anti-glare IPS-level display. “IPS-level” essentially means it’s the same quality as IPS but companies use this term to avoid trademarking costs. Display offers good viewing angles, a 144Hz refresh rate, and 250 nits of brightness. It covers 45% NTSC and 62% sRGB color spaces. The bezels are thin on the sides with a standard ASUS chin at the bottom and slightly more bezel on the top. Overall, the laptop has a sleek design.
It’s great for watching movies and gaming but not ideal for tasks requiring high color accuracy. With only 45% NTSC coverage, it’s basic for its price. A brightness boost to 300 nits would have made the display stand out more in this price range.
Webcam quality is decent but it struggles with exposure when direct sunlight hits my face causing overexposure. You can adjust it slightly, though it doesn’t perform well in low light. While the webcam may have issues in bright conditions, it works fine in average room lighting. Microphone has noise cancellation, reducing background sounds, so communication is clear. It also has two 2-watt downfiring speakers, providing slight bass and decent sound quality. For small group multimedia viewing the audio is adequate. Plus, if you connect a compatible device Dolby Atmos support enhances the experience.
Performance and Gaming
CINEBENCH R23 scores are impressive with a single-core score of 1669 and a multi-core score around 11.5k. The PCMARK10 score is around 6.5k, which is excellent and the Geekbench CPU score is also strong. In 3DMARK Time Spy, overall score is 5489 with the GPU scoring around 5000 and the CPU performing well. You can compare our CROSSMARK score with other laptops or reviews online.
We’ve tested this laptop for 4K video editing and it handles it smoothly. Comparing it to the previous generation, even with AMD’s 6000 series, Intel’s 12th gen outperforms AMD’s 5000 series in productivity. I’m also testing a 13th gen i7 laptop which delivers next-level performance and is really fun to use.
Editing 4K videos, using Photoshop, coding, and daily tasks are all easy with this laptop. Basic 3D modeling and rendering are possible, but for more demanding tasks, you’ll need at least an i7 processor and a graphics card with 6GB VRAM, preferably a 3070 or 4060. The price increases with higher specs. You can create simple Unity games but for larger projects, you may experience slowness and need to upgrade. If you’re considering a career in game development, I recommend building a custom PC.
Since all games are tested at 1080p due to the display we started with VALORANT on max settings. Intel’s 12th-gen i5 shows its power delivering around 300 FPS. In a 20°C room, the CPU ran between 80-85°C, which I’d call average. Using a cooling pad can bring it down to 75-80°C. Next, we tested GTA-5 on mixed high/very high settings. It hit 130-140 FPS, which is impressive. The GPU operates at 70-75 watts running at full capacity. The 16GB dual-channel RAM enhances the experience, but users with 8GB may notice lower performance.
In FARCRY6 at high settings, we got 90-95 FPS, sometimes even 100+. RAM usage was around 5GB, showing why 16GB is recommended. The CPU stayed at 80-85°C, giving us a solid understanding of the thermals. For CALL OF DUTY WARZONE 2.0 on ultra settings with balanced DLSS, it hit 90+ FPS. One great feature of the 12th-gen CPU is its ability to manage power and heat depending on the game. CPU temps rise but performance remains strong. In SPIDER-MAN: Miles Morales with high settings, no ray tracing, and balanced DLSS, we got 70-80 FPS with the 3050 75W GPU and i5 12450H CPU, showcasing the laptop’s excellent gaming performance.
Battery Life
Asus Tuf Dash F15 has a 76Wh battery at 50% brightness with keyboard lights off and battery-saver mode on, I got 3–3.5 hours of battery life while doing basic tasks, which is good for a gaming laptop. Gaming laptops usually offer only 1–1.5 hours of battery backup.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a lightweight gaming laptop around $1,199 with great specs, solid build quality and a sleek design, the Asus TUF Dash F15 is a strong option. It features an Intel Core i5 12450H processor, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and an RTX 3050 4GB VRAM graphics card, making it an excellent gaming companion.
It also comes with a lifetime subscription to Microsoft Office Home and Student 2021, which is perfect for work tasks. The keyboard and trackpad are comfortable to use, and the laptop itself is built to last. With support for G-SYNC, Thunderbolt 4, and plenty of ports, this laptop is a well-rounded choice for both work and gaming.
