ASUS TUF Gaming A17 FA706IH: 17.3-inch Ryzen 5 and GTX 1650 laptop specs

The ASUS TUF Gaming A17 (model FA706IH-RS53) is a 17.3-inch Windows gaming laptop pairing an AMD Ryzen 5 4600H processor with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card. It has a 144Hz screen and a backlit keyboard, and it is built for playing games at Full HD and for everyday work on a large display. Here is what the specifications mean.

Processor and graphics

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600H is a six-core, 12-thread mobile processor with 11MB of cache and a boost speed of up to 4.0 GHz. In general, that is plenty for games, browsing, schoolwork and multitasking. The graphics card is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 with 4GB of GDDR6 memory and a boost clock up to 1615MHz. It is an entry-level gaming card from an earlier generation: it handles many popular titles at Full HD, typically at medium settings for demanding ones, and it does not include ray tracing hardware.

The 144Hz display

The 17.3-inch screen is Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS-type, with a 144Hz refresh rate. Refresh rate is how often the picture updates each second; 144Hz looks smoother than the usual 60Hz when the game runs at high frame rates. IPS-type panels generally offer good viewing angles. A 17-inch screen also gives more room for documents and side-by-side windows.

Memory and storage

The laptop comes with 8GB of DDR4 memory and a 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD, with Windows 11 Home. 8GB is the starting level for gaming and fits the basics, but modern games and many browser tabs can push against it. The SSD loads games and Windows much faster than a hard drive. Check the manual or ASUS's specification to see whether memory can be upgraded.

Cooling and keyboard

ASUS describes dual self-cleaning fans with anti-dust technology, called Anti-Dust Cooling, designed to extend system longevity by clearing dust from the cooling path. The RGB backlit keyboard is rated at 20 million keystrokes of durability. The wireless connection is Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), which ASUS says transfers data at up to 1.7Gbps.

Size and weight: about 15.7 x 10.9 x 1.0 inches (40 x 28 x 2.5 cm), weighing 5.7 lb (2.6 kg). That is a bit heavy for carrying every day, but typical for the size.

Who it suits

It suits students and casual to mid-level gamers who want a large screen with a smooth refresh rate and a dedicated graphics card for esports-style and older or lighter titles. Players who want the latest demanding games at high settings would typically look at a newer or more powerful graphics card.

What to check before you buy

• Games you play: check the recommended specs of your favourite games against a GTX 1650 and 8GB of memory.
• Memory upgrades: confirm whether the RAM can be increased if you plan to keep the laptop for years.
• Portability: at 5.7 lb with a power adapter, it is more of a desk or backpack laptop.
• Battery: gaming drains the battery quickly; plan to plug in.
• Ports: check the manual for the ports and display outputs you need.
• Operating system: the title says Windows 11 Home while the long description mentions Windows 10; confirm what is installed.

The short version

• 17.3-inch Full HD IPS-type display at 144Hz.
• AMD Ryzen 5 4600H (6 cores, 12 threads, up to 4.0 GHz).
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 with 4GB of GDDR6.
• 8GB DDR4 memory and a 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD.
• RGB keyboard, Anti-Dust Cooling and Wi-Fi 5; about 5.7 lb.

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