ASUS TUF GAMING FX505DU

ASUS unveiled a pretty massive arsenal last April 23, 2019 that included a GTX1650 for only PHP49,995. While the rest of the specs were modest, including a measly 4GB ram and 1TB HDD, the TUF FX505DT came with a 120hz panel with FreeSync. This was something that comes with laptops found on 54,995 or higher, and this feature alone made the FX505DT a really great bargain. To add, the design ID of the FX505DT is really great too!

In terms of benchmarks, the R5-3550H also promises to be slightly faster than the Intel 8th gen I5-8300H.

Here’s a summary of the key features of the FX505DU:

• IPS-level NanoEdge display with 120hz refresh rate
• MIL-STD-810G Military-grade toughness
• Desktop-inspired RGB-backlit keyboard
• HyperCool Technology for improved durability
• Immersive DTS Headphone:X™ surround sound
• The FX505DU comes with 2 years global warranty.

LENOVO IDEAPAD L340 GAMING

On the other hand, we have Legion’s line up.They have a smaller arsenal but they sure pack quite the punch. In this battle, the L340 Gaming laptop is featured because of the similar price point and spec to the FX505DU.

The laptop comes more modest in terms of design, but that should appeal to gamers who also need the device for work or on the go. After all, not everyone cam rock a gaming laptop just about anywhere.

In terms of spec though, it doesn’t carry a 120hz panel or a military grade certification but it uses Intel’s latest i5-9300H which promises 20% better performance than the previous generstion i5-8300H, essentially outperforming even the R5-3550H. To add, the Ideapad L340 already comes with 8GB ddr4 out of the box so you don’t have to pay extra P4000 for the upgrade.

The Lenovo Ideapqd L340 comes with the same 2 years warranty but trades the global support for local onsite support. Yes, they’ll fix your laptop at your residence instead of you having to bring it to the service centre.

So who wins this fight?

Let’s weigh the pros and cons by putting up the spec side by side.

Processor	9th Generation Intel Core i5-9300H (6 cores)	AMD® Ryzen™ 5 3550H Processor (4 cores)
OS	Windows 10 Home
Graphics	Up to NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1650 4GB
Memory	8GB DDR4	4GB DDR4
Battery	Up to 9.5 hours*, with Rapid Charge technology*	3-Cell, 48Whr Battery
Storage	1TB HDD. With Extra M.2 Slot for upgrades
Display	15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080), IPS, antiglare, 250 nits	15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080),IPS-like Panel with 120Hz / FreeSync
Audio	2x 1.5W speakers with Dolby® Audio®	2x 2W Stereo Speakers / DTS® Headphone: X®
Camera	HD 720p with dual-array mic and physical shutter	HD 720p CMOS module
Dimensions (W x D x H)	363mm x 254.6mm x 23.9mm	360.4 x 262.0 x 25.8 ~26.8 mm (WxDxH)
Weight	2.19KG	2.3KG
Connectivity	2 x 2 WiFi 802.11 ac4 + Bluetooth® 4.2	2 x 2 WiFi 802.11 ac4 + Bluetooth® 4.2
Ports / Slots	2 x USB 3.1(Gen.1) 1 x HDMI 2.0 1 x RJ45 1 x Combo of 3.5mm Stereo Headphone 1 x Type C（USB3.0)	1 x COMBO audio jack 1 x Type-A USB2.0 2 x Type-A USB 3.1 (Gen 1) 1 x RJ45 LAN jack for LAN insert 1 x HDMI, HDMI support 2.0

The ASUS FX505DU’s greatest would probably be the 120hz panel, 2W Dual Stereo Speakers and the gaming chassis with RGB keyboard. As for the Lenovo IdeaPad L340, it would be the use of a 6-core Intel Core i5-9300H, 8GB ram out of the box and a more compact and lighter chassis.

Installed Ram vs Display?

While the ASUS can easily be upgraded to 8GB ram as well, that would set you back atleast an additional 3K to 3.5K pesos. The same can’t be said about Lenovo’s screen though as you cannot easily upgrade the panel.

HOWEVER, it can be fairly said that we don’t really need a 120hz panel for a GPU like the GTX1650 whose promise is 60fps on Full HD. This is nowhere near the 120fps that you’d need to take advantage of a 120hz panel so we can almost say that the 120hz panel is pretty useless here.

After Sales

On the after sales part of it all, both laptops come with 2 years warranty but differ in scope and process for repair. ASUS’ warranty is 2 years global, meaning you can have it repaired in any of the 50+ countries ASUS covers in the world and LENOVO’s warranty is 2 Years Local Premium Care, meaning it doesn’t get covered outside of the Philippines but should anything happen to your laptop, Lenovo will be the one to come to you and fix your laptop in your residence and save you the hassle.

Considering this, and removing the 120hz as a benefit to any of the 2 laptops – the Lenovo IdeaPad L340 definitely comes out as the better option between the 2. It’s a stealth designed laptop that you can bring with you for work and play, comes with a power efficient 6 core processor for all your tasks, and already comes prepared with 8GB ram for your multi-tasking needs.

We’re not discounting the value of the ASUS TUF GAMING FX505DU, though. Should it have come with 8GB out of the box, maybe this fight would have been a little tougher. It’s true! Because at this price point, every peso counts!