Asus TUF Gaming Laptop FX504 15.6” Full HD IPS-Level, 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8300H review

Asus TUF Gaming Laptop FX504 15.6” Full HD IPS-Level, 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8300H review

Asus TUF Gaming Laptop FX504 15.6” Full HD IPS-Level, 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8300H review

The Asus TUF FX504 is the first laptop to carry the TUF name. The branding is designed to cater towards entry-level gamers who may not want to spend more on a "proper" Republic of Gamers (ROG) system. As a result, the budget TUF FX504 sits right below the cheapest ROG laptop available in the class hierarchy.

Our test system today is the 15.6-inch FX504GD that represents a small update to last year's FX503 series. The new model incorporates Coffee Lake-H (i5-8300H, i7-8750H), entry level GTX GPUs (GTX 1050, GTX 1050 Ti), and only FHD display options (TN, IPS, or 120 Hz) whereas last year's FX503 could go up to the GTX 1060.

Pros+2.5-inch SATA III + M.2 NVMe slot
+support for Intel Optane memory
+relatively low core temperatures
+no pulse-width modulation
+steady CPU performance
+inexpensive

Cons-budget TN panel; narrow color space
-strange CPU Turbo Boost behavior
-soft trackpad prone to fingerprints
-matte panel is slightly grainy
-no USB Type-C or SD reader
-more difficult serviceability
-poor internal speakers
-short battery life
Asus FX504GD (TUF FX504GD Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-8300H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 (Laptop) - 6144 MB, Core: 1354 MHz, Memory: 7008 MHz, GDDR5, 388.73, Optimus
Memory
8192 MB

, DDR4-2666, PC4-21300
Display
15.6 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, AU Optronics B156HTN03.8, TN LED, ID: AUO38ED, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM370
Storage
Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172, 1027 GB

, 5400 rpm
Weight
2.3 kg ( = 81.13 oz / 5.07 pounds), Power Supply: 505 g ( = 17.81 oz / 1.11 pounds)

A NEW CHAPTER IN GAMING

TRUE IMMERSION. EXTENDED DURABILITY.


ASUS TUF Gaming FX504 is a powerful Windows 10 laptop that combines immersive gaming with an extended lifespan that goes far beyond standard. The patented Anti-Dust Cooling (ADC) system ensures longevity and stable performance, while a 7.1-channel surround sound fully engages your senses — FX504 ticks all the right boxes at an affordable price!1:32

THE FIRST TUF GAMING LAPTOP

TOUGH BEYOND STANDARD


Infused with the spirit of The Ultimate Force (TUF) and designed to strike fear into the heart of the enemy, the durable and lightweight FX504 is the first laptop in the TUF Gaming family. A powerful, portable, and enduring all-rounder, FX504 is able to play the latest games and multitask with ease, while at the same time providing unmatched toughness and durability to give you immersive gaming experiences for years to come. The patented Anti-Dust Cooling system provides the necessary cooling for graphically-intense gaming sessions, and prolongs the lifespan of the machine by expelling harmful dust particles and dirt. Whether you're using FX504 for extended gaming or long typing sessions at work — it'll take it in stride thanks to a 20 million key press lifespan, which doubles the industry standard of 10 million key presses. FX504 is designed to impress — choose from four different designs to match your personality and style. FX504 is tough beyond standard and has everything you need for work or play.


Portable Performance
Anti-Dust Cooling

7.1-Channel Audio
Extra Durable Keyboard





Wave 2 Wi-Fi




PORTABLE PERFORMANCE

WORK HARD. PLAY HARDER.

FX504 is equipped with the latest generation Intel® Core™ i5-8300H processor and NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1050 graphics with full Microsoft® DirectX® 12 support, all packed into a chassis measuring an impressively slim 0.39in and weighing just 5.07lbs. Whether you need to multitask for work or school, kick back with movies or music, or game on the go — FX504 has the power to perform!


* Actual specification may vary according to configuration



Windows 10

Intel Core
i5 - 8300H
CPU
NVIDIA GeForce
GTX 1050
GPU




Case


The chassis is nearly the same as the FX503 save for some purely aesthetic changes on the outer lid and corners. Asus has added slight accent marks on the outer surface while shaving off the rounded corners for a sharper look. Otherwise, chassis rigidity is essentially identical. In short, the base is strong considering the price, but the lid could have been more rigid especially down its center. The base of the Inspiron 7577 is even stronger and heavier due to its internal aluminum reinforcement.


Note that the bottom side of the notebook is now one piece whereas last year's FX503 had a removable section for exposing the drive bays and SODIMM slots.

Connectivity


We're not expecting Thunderbolt 3 since this is a budget gaming system. Nonetheless, there are glaring omissions potential buyers should be aware of. The lack of both USB Type-C and a card reader feels strange on a thick 15-inch chassis. Furthermore, there are no ports on the right edge of the system that can potentially be an inconvenience for users. Even last year's FX503 included USB ports on both sides of the notebook.






Accessories


There are no included extras outside of the AC adapter and Warranty card.



Maintenance



As mentioned earlier, Asus has made it harder to service the notebook when compared to the FX503. Removing the screws from the bottom will require tearing a plastic cover to indicate tampering from the end user. Users will find 2x SODIMM slots and 2x storage bays. Intel Optane is supported.


Warranty


The standard 12-month warranty applies. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices

Keyboard and Touchpad

The keyboard (~34.3 cm x 10.4 cm) and trackpad (10.3 cm x 7.3 cm) are identical to the ones on the FX503 save for some aesthetic changes around the edges. We refer to our existing review for more information on the feedback and feel of the keys. In short, key feedback is acceptable while the integrated trackpad keys continue to be soft and on the spongy side. Its smooth plastic surface will accumulate grease much more quickly than the rest of the notebook as well.














Display

RGB subpixel array (141 PPI)


Three 1080p display options are available distinguished by the panel type (TN or IPS), refresh rate (60 Hz or 120 Hz), and color coverage (45 percent vs. 94 percent NTSC). Our test unit is equipped with the low-end 60 Hz TN option and its middling quality shows through our measurements below. Contrast is poor and colors appear muted and not very deep. Furthermore, the overlying matte panel is slightly grainy and so texts do not appear as sharp as they would on a glossy panel. This same AU Optronics B156HTN03.8 panel can also be found on the Asus X555DA and Acer Aspire E5-552G.


Reproducible color space is limited to only 36 percent and 61 percent of the AdobeRGB and sRGB standards, respectively, which is typical of cheap TN panels. The narrow gamut is responsible for the muted colors as mentioned above. Digital artists may want to consider the more color-accurate panel option for the FX504 or a different notebook altogether.

vs. sRGB

vs. AdobeRGB

vs. Dell XPS 15 2-in-1


Further measurements with a X-Rite spectrophotometer reveal generally inaccurate colors and grayscale out of the box. Color temperature is much too cool and RGB is off balance to indicate a budget panel. Our calibration efforts improve grayscale and RGB balance to a degree, but calibrations can only go so far when the gamut is so narrow. Colors become increasingly inaccurate the higher the saturation level due to the limited sRGB coverage.


Outdoor visibility is poor when under sunlight or overcast sky due to the limited brightness of the backlight. The system is simply not designed for long periods of outdoor use. To its credit, the matte panel helps in reducing glare, but this advantage is somewhat mitigated by the limited viewing angles of the TN panel.

Asus TUF Gaming Laptop FX504 15.6” Full HD IPS-Level, 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8300H review

Game-Changing Technologies

These innovative GPUs were created to meet the demands of next-generation displays, including VR, ultra-high-resolution, and multiple monitors. NVIDIA GameWorks™ technologies give you extremely smooth, cinematic gameplay, plus revolutionary NVIDIA Ansel™ that lets you capture 360-degree in-game images and view them in VR.






Performance


Unlike the hexa-core Core i7-8750H that is making the rounds on higher-end laptops like the Aero 15X, GS65, and Asus' own GM501, the Core i5-8300H is merely a quad-core offering meant to supplant the quad-core i5-7300HQ. The most notable change in the i5-8300H when compared to the i5-7300HQ is its inclusion of Hyper-Threading for 8 simultaneous threads. This fact alone puts the i5-8300H more in line with the Core i7-7700HQ of yesteryear in terms of horsepower.

For graphics, the mid-range GTX 1050 is a common find on less expensive gaming systems like the FX504. Optimus is supported for switching to the integrated UHD Graphics 630 if needed.

Processor


CPU performance is a mixed bag. While single-thread performance is excellent and where we expect it to be for an i5-8300H, multi-thread performance is about 20 percent slower than the average i5-8300H. Even the two-generations old i7-6700HQ in the MSI GE72VR is able to handily outperform the i5-8300H in our FX504 according to CineBench benchmarks. We double-checked that the High Performance profile was in place and repeated the tests to be sure, but scores would never improve.


On the bright side, performance is at least consistent. Running CineBench R15 Multi-Thread in a loop results in very consistent scores throughout the entire run. Thus, we can at least expect the i5-8300H in the FX504 to not throttle even if it is unable to reach the higher clock rates that we know the CPU is capable of.

System Performance


PCMark benchmarks rank the FX504GD within just a few percentage points of the Lenovo Legion Y520 and Inspiron 15 7577. We were hoping for a bigger difference because of the new CPU, but systems with the Core i7-7700HQ and GTX 1050 Ti can still outscore our configured Asus.

We experienced no hardware or software issues during our time with the unit.

Storage Devices


Our test model utilizes a 5400 RPM Seagate ST1000LX015 HDD. Fortunately, there is a PCIe M.2 slot should users want to install secondary NVMe SSDs for faster system performance. HD Tune returns an average transfer rate of 101 MB/s which pales in comparison to even the cheapest SATA III SSDs in the market. We highly recommend investing in a small primary SSD with a large secondary HDD for a significantly better gaming experience.

GPU Performance


The FX504 brings nothing new to the table with its GTX 1050 even when taking the Coffee Lake-H CPU into consideration. 3DMark scores reveal it to be in line with the average GTX 1050 in our database. Fire Strike Physics is almost 40 percent higher than the i5-7300HQ to bring the system closer to i7-7700HQ laptops in terms of raw CPU power. For gaming, however, the CPU boost is more marginal. Don't expect steep rises in frame rates just because the i5-8300H is newer than the i7-7700HQ.

Stress Test

We stress the system to identify for any potential throttling or stability issues. When subjected to Prime95 load, the CPU can be observed running at a steady 2.3 GHz and an unusually low CPU temperature of 59 C. The base clock rate for the i5-8300H is 2.3 GHz, so the system is strangely not benefiting from any Turbo Boost when under such conditions. Our findings mirror the CineBench results above where the Multi-Thread score was much lower than expected. The CPU is clearly capable of sustaining faster clocks and there is a high core temperature ceiling to support it, but this does not occur for whatever reason when under extreme CPU stress.

The results become even stranger when running Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously as the CPU can be observed running steady at 2.8 GHz. CPU and GPU clock rates remain in the low to mid 70 C range when gaming as is typical of most thicker gaming notebooks.

Running on battery power will impact GPU performance while the CPU remains unaffected. A 3DMark 11 run on batteries returns Physics and Graphics scores of 6213 and 5803 points, respectively, compared to 6234 and 7133 when on mains.

Emissions

System Noise

The dual system fans are always active no matter the load. Thankfully, they are barely audible in a typical classroom or library environment during low loads like browsing. Fans become very loud very quickly when subjected to average (3DMark06) loads. Users can expect a 40 to 44 dB(A) range when gaming to be quieter than most super-thin gaming notebooks like the Razer series. The fans are generally steady and will not pulsate frequently.


We can notice no electronic noise or coil whine on our test unit.

Temperature
Witcher 3 load (rear exhaust)


Surface temperatures are generally cool in the mid to high 20 C range when idling save for the left palm rest. As shown by the temperature maps below, the HDD will warm the left palm rest to as much as 5 degrees higher than the right palm rest. It's not enough to be uncomfortable, but the temperature difference is certainly noticeable when typing.

Higher loads like gaming can induce a surface temperature of 54 C near the center of the keyboard and 47 C on the opposite side. It's clear where the processors are located simply by identifying the hot spots of the notebook. Luckily, the important WASD and Arrow keys are kept comfortably cool for gaming because of the system fans directly underneath.

Speakers


Sound quality from the stereo speakers are subpar. As graph pink graph below shows, bass is poorly represented while higher frequencies are exaggerated similar to cheap netbooks. Maximum volume is sufficiently loud but no particularly ideal for movies or gaming. We recommend earphones if possible. Higher volume settings do not reverberate or rattle the chassis.

Energy Management

Power Consumption


Idling will draw anywhere from 7 W to 11 W depending on the brightness setting and Windows Power profile. Gaming demands about 96 W to be very comparable to the Lenovo Legion Y520 and Dell Inspiron 15 7577 with the GTX 1050 Ti and GTX 1060 Max-Q, respectively. The FX503VM is the more graphically powerful notebook but with slightly higher power consumption during most loads.

Maximum load will draw about 103 W from a medium-sized (~16 x 7.5 x 2.5 cm) 120 W AC adapter. The rough 15 percent overhead is sufficient for running even extremely demanding applications.

Battery Life


Runtimes are average at best from the non-removable 48 Wh battery. Competing systems like the Inspiron 15 7577 and even the older FX503 have larger batteries for longer runtimes. There is definitely room for optimization as the Lenovo Legion Y520 is able to outlast our Asus by at least an hour longer under WLAN loads with a smaller 45 Wh battery pack.


Charging from near empty to full capacity will take about 2 hours.

HYPERCOOL TECHNOLOGY


IMPROVED COOLING AND LONGER LIFESPAN


GPU The thermal design of FX504 significantly prolongs its lifespan and provides stable performance for graphics-intensive gaming, with HyperCool technology combining the patented self-cleaning ADC system with the customizable Fan Overboost function. By expelling harmful dust particles and dirt from the chassis through two dedicated tunnels, the ADC system is a cooling masterpiece that acts like the laptop's immune system — preventing build-up in the thermal fins to increase system stability and lifespan. The adjustable Fan Overboost function is specially designed to fit multitasking and gaming needs: Choose between three different modes to find the perfect balance between fan performance and noise level. A pair of copper heat pipes and a dual-fan system cool the processor and graphics card independently, while the airflow-optimized chassis design increases thermal efficiency by up to 27% in contrast to standards cases. An intelligently-placed fan is located right below the WASD key group to ensure your keyboard stays cool even during long gaming sessions.



Patented
Anti-Dust Cooling
For Extended Lifespan
Powerful
Dual Fan
Architecture
Fan
Overboost
Technology


Patented
Thermal-Friendly
Chassis
Intelligent
Keyboard
Cooling

ANTI-DUST TUNNELS

An exclusive internal design forces dust and debris to exit the chassis through two anti-dust tunnels located at the edges of the fans. Dust accumulation between the fins or inside the chassis is a common problem, and it leads to decreased cooling performance, high battery consumption through overworked fans, and may even damage the system. Opening the chassis may void the warranty, while repair centers are time-consuming and expensive. The patented Anti-Dust Cooling system prevents the thermal fins from becoming caked in grime, benefitting both longevity and reliability.
FAN OVERBOOST

A single press of the function key allows you to quickly and easily select from three fan performance modes to control noise levels and power consumption. Fan Overboost mode intelligently boosts fan power when CPU and GPU temperatures increase to ensure system stability and sustain high framerates during gaming. The Silent mode curbs noise level and power consumption, ideal for less demanding tasks such as surfing online or using productivity apps at work. A balanced mode combines the best of both worlds by delivering stable fan performance at a moderate noise level and power consumption.
AIRFLOW-OPTIMIZED CHASSIS

Every part of FX504 serves to improve system stability and efficiency. The innovative and patented trapezoid-cut lid doesn't interfere with the exhaust vents to increase thermal efficiency by up to 27% over standard laptop lids.
PLAY IT COOL

Intelligently-placed fans below the WASD key group area ensure your keyboard stays cool and comfortable even during long gaming sessions and heavy loading.1:07

DTS HEADPHONE:X™


IMMERSIVE 7.1-CHANNEL SURROUND SOUND


DTS Headphone:X™ delivers an immersive 7.1-channel surround sound experience that enables your headphones, external and laptop speakers to deliver home theater-quality audio. Whether you're playing games, watching a movie, or cheering on your favorite sports team, DTS offers several content modes to take you right into the heart of the action! The Game profile enables the audio engine to process sounds more accurately than ever, allowing you to be completely aware of what's going on around you so you can hear where enemies are coming from, as DTS Headphone:X can precisely emulate the experience of being surrounded by multiple speakers. Furthermore, the built-in equalizer satisfies the needs of every audiophile, providing detailed audio adjustment options to let you create your own personal sound environment.



Authentic
7.1 -Channel
Surround Sound
Optimized
Game/ Movie/ Sports
Audio Profile
Audophile-grade
Equalizer
Sound Options

EXTRA DURABLE KEYBOARD

OPTIMIZED FOR GAMING AND TYPING

The design of each component in FX504 is carefully thought out and made to last, with a desktop-inspired keyboard that is perfectly optimized for extended gaming and typing sessions. With a lifespan of 20 million key presses, FX504 has one of the most durable keyboards to be found in a laptop — double that of the current industry standard of 10 million key presses. The scissor-switched keys have 0.25mm keycap curves and offer 1.8mm of travel for smooth and tactile keystrokes, and are backlit in striking red so they're clearly visible when gaming or working in the dark. Exclusive Overstroke technology ensures that keys are registered early with an extended distance after the actuation point for precision and comfort. Highlighted WASD keys, a broad space bar, and isolated arrow keys enable fast and accurate control.



Desktop-inspired
Design
20 Million
Key Presses
1.8 mm
Travel Distance


0.25 mm
Keycap Curves
Overstroke
Technology

20 MILLION KEY PRESSES
Keyboards are a weak spot in today's laptops, be it an unusual layout, low precision, or just simply unreliable. A 10-key average typing speed of 8,000 keystrokes per hour (KPH) explains why standard keyboards break after a few years of use. For those reasons, FX504 comes with a desktop-inspired keyboard layout and exclusive Overstroke technology, with each key able to endure up to 20 million presses — twice the industry standard. It's a keyboard that promises an extended lifespan without compromising accuracy and comfort.

DESKTOP-INSPIRED LAYOUT

The new keyboard layout of FX504 follows the design of the best gaming desktop keyboards to give you a perfect gaming and typing experience without the need of an external keyboard. The entire module is now designed for the way your fingers are used to playing and typing, with gaps between the function keys for easier identification, an independent power button, and isolated arrow keys for the most accurate fingertip control.

EXCLUSIVE OVERSTROKE TECHNOLOGY

Exclusive Overstroke technology provides each key with a perfectly balanced peak force of 62 grams (the force needed to fully press the key down), an early actuation point for increased input accuracy, and extended overstroke distance for more typing comfort — perfect for competitive gaming and extended periods of typing.

802.11AC WAVE 2

FASTER SPEEDS. WIDER COVERAGE.
FX504 features one of the fastest Wi-Fi standards available — the latest Intel 802.11ac Wave 2 boasts data transfer rates of up to an incredible 1.7Gbps — 12X faster than baseline 802.11b/g/n! Additionally, the 2x2 wireless configuration provides up to 30% wider coverage than the 1x1 configuration. Stream your favorite movies in high-resolution or play online with fewer connection drops, even if FX504 is farther away from your router.


* Actual specification may vary according to configuration



12 x Faster
Than Baseline BGN
1.7 Gbps
Transfer Speeds
160 Mhz
Channels

INTEL® OPTANE™ MEMORY
FX504 can be specified with a variety of storage options. If it's speed you're after, chose up to a 256GB SATA or PCIe SSD to cut application and game load times to an absolute minimum. Even if you decide to stick with traditional HDDs to house your game library, FX504 features 16GB of Intel Optane™ Memory to significantly increase data access speeds. It acts like a cache drive, resulting in faster boot up times for frequently used files. Intel Optane boosts overall system performance by up to 39%, and makes daily tasks twice as responsive so you'll get more done in less time!


* Actual specification may vary according to configuration


Overall System
39 %
Performance Improvement
Everyday Tasks
2 X
More Responsive
I/O PORTS

FUSS-FREE CONNECTIVITY

FX504 has all the ports you need for gaming, productivity, and entertainment. A single USB 2.0 and two USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports cater to your gaming peripherals, while HDMI 1.4 lets you hook FX504 up to an external display. And since they're all situated on the left hand side of the laptop, your mouse is kept away from tangled cables, too.

POWERFUL MEMORY

UP TO 32GB OF DDR4

With up to 32GB of 2666Mhz DDR4 RAM, FX504 provides the perfect balance of performance and energy efficiency.


* Actual specification may vary according to configuration

ARRAY MICROPHONE

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD

A built-in array microphone filters out ambient noise to ensure clear and crisp voice pickup, even in noisy environments. Whether you're having a Skype conversation with friends, or playing online without a headset, the microphone of FX504 ensures your voice is heard!


Products certified by the Federal Communications Commission and Industry Canada will be distributed in the United States and Canada. Please visit the ASUS USA and ASUS Canada websites for information about locally available products.
All specifications are subject to change without notice. Please check with your supplier for exact offers. Products may not be available in all markets.
Specifications and features vary by model, and all images are illustrative. Please refer to specification pages for full details.
PCB color and bundled software versions are subject to change without notice.
Brand and product names mentioned are trademarks of their respective companies.
Unless otherwise stated, all performance claims are based on theoretical performance. Actual figures may vary in real-world situations.

The actual transfer speed of USB 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, and/or Type-C will vary depending on many factors including the processing speed of the host device, file attributes and other factors related to system configuration and your operating environment.

Ultrabook, Celeron, Celeron Inside, Core Inside, Intel, Intel Logo, Intel Atom, Intel Atom Inside, Intel Core, Intel Inside, Intel Inside Logo, Intel vPro, Itanium, Itanium Inside, Pentium, Pentium Inside, vPro Inside, Xeon, Xeon Phi, Xeon Inside, and Intel Optane are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or other countries.

Hinge test: Tested up to 10,000 flipping cycles, each cycle is tested from 5° to 140° to 5°to 350°, then back to 5°, each flipping cycle contains 2 open and close swings, resulting a total 20,000 cycle open and close test.


ModelBrandASUSModelFX504GD-NH51Part Number90NR00J1-M20480
Quick InfoOperating SystemWindows 10 Home 64-bitCPUIntel Core i5-8300H 2.30 GHzScreen15.6" IPSMemory8 GB DDR4Storage256 GB M.2 SATA SSDGraphics CardGeForce GTX 1050Video Memory2 GB GDDR5CommunicationGigabit LAN and WLANDimensions (W x D x H)15.12" x 10.31" x 0.98"Weight5.07 lbs.
CPUCPU TypeIntel Core i5 8th GenCPU Speed8300H (2.30 GHz)Number of CoresQuad-core ProcessorCore NameCoffee LakeCPU L3 Cache8 MB
DisplayScreen Size15.6"TouchscreenNoWide Screen SupportYesDisplay TypeFull HDResolution1920 x 1080PanelIPSColor Gamut72% NTSCLCD FeaturesIPS-Level 72% NTSC Anti-Glare
Operating SystemsOperating SystemWindows 10 Home 64-bit
GraphicsGPU/VPUNVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050Video Memory2 GBGraphic TypeDedicated Card
StorageSSD256 GB
MemoryMemory8 GB
Optical DriveOptical Drive TypeNo
CommunicationsLAN10/100/1000MbpsWLAN802.11ac Wireless LANBluetoothBluetooth 5.0
PortsUSB1 x USB 2.0 Type-A
2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-AHDMI1 x HDMIAudio Ports1 x Headphone/Microphone Combo Jack
AudioAudioBuilt-in array microphoneSpeaker2 x 2W speaker
Input DeviceKeyboardIlluminated Chiclet KeyboardBacklit KeyboardBacklitWebcam720p HD
GeneralStyleStandardTypeGaming & EntertainmentUsageConsumer
PowerAC Adapter120-watt AC adapterBattery48 WHrs, 3S1P, 3-cell Li-ion
Dimensions & WeightDimensions (W x D x H)15.12" x 10.31" x 0.98"Weight5.07 lbs.

Verdict

In review: ASUS TUF FX504GD


We welcome cheaper and more affordable gaming notebooks so long as they preserve core features and offer a balanced experience. Cut too many corners and the drawbacks can become distracting.

Existing notebook gamers with i5-7300HQ or i7-7700HQ systems need not upgrade to the i5-8300H if gaming is a priority. Instead, investing in a system with the older i7-7700HQ and GTX 1060 would be tremendously more fruitful than a system with the newer i5-8300H and GTX 1050 or 1050 Ti.

The FX504 falters when compared to other budget gaming systems as well. Alternatives like the Legion Y520, Sabre 15, and Inspiron 7577 have longer battery life and more port features including USB Type-C and SD card readers. Gamers on a budget may want to consider the FX503 instead of the FX504 since the former is essentially the same system but with easier serviceability, larger battery, and more balanced CPU and GPU options.

The FX504GD is one of the cheapest gaming notebooks available with the GTX 1050. Nonetheless, we recommend spending a bit more on the higher-end SKUs with IPS and SSD options or even the older GTX 1060-powered FX503 for about the same price.

Asus TUF Gaming Laptop FX504 15.6” Full HD IPS-Level, 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8300H review

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