ASUS · 2021 · end of life
ASUS TUF Gaming A15
FA506, 2021
The budget refurb pick around 650 dollars used, with a Ryzen 7 5800H, a 90W RTX 3060 and a big 90 Wh battery for a TUF that lasts about 7 hours unplugged.
from $650 last seen 2026-05-22
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- Best for gaming study programming
- Linux: minor fixes
Scorecard
Mean of six category scores, 0 to 10. Compiled from public sources. How we rate.
Strongest on value and battery, with no category below average.
- Battery 7/10
- Display 5/10
- Build 6/10
- Keyboard 6/10
- Speed 6/10
- Value 8/10
Worth knowing
Stands out
- 144Hz screen, smoother motion
- RAM is user-upgradeable
Watch for
- Discontinued, sold from remaining stock
- NVIDIA needs the proprietary driver on Linux
- Dim 253-nit screen, weak in bright light
Linux
Excellent · Best on arch. Confidence: medium · How we score
Linux compatibility, per distro
- Arch Minor setup
- Wi-Fi : works
- Bluetooth : works
- Fingerprint : unknown
- Webcam : works
- Audio : works
- Suspend : needs tweak
org tooling covers the TUF line: asusctl drives fan curves, the keyboard and the throttle_thermal_policy power modes, and supergfxctl manages the NVIDIA dGPU through the proprietary driver in Optimus. Suspend with the dGPU wants the nvidia suspend services enabled.
ArchWiki: Laptop/ASUS →Show full report
rvices enabled. The cheaper Panda 144Hz panel here is dim at about 253 nits, the 240Hz Sharp panel is the one to look for. Two SO-DIMM slots and two M.2 slots make it easy to upgrade.
See the broader picture in the Linux compatibility hub, the full compatibility matrix, and the buying guides.
Specs
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H |
|---|---|
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop (90W with Dynamic Boost) |
| RAM | 16 GB (upgradeable) |
| Storage | 1 TB |
| Screen | 15.6" 1920x1080 @ 144Hz, 253 nitsbest kept indoors, smoother scrolling and motion |
| Weight | 2.3 kgheavy for daily carry |
| Battery | 90 Wh, around 7 h real-world |
Common questions
- Does the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 (FA506, 2021) work with Linux?
- Mostly: it runs after one or two known fixes (checked on Arch). The asus-linux.org tooling covers the TUF line: asusctl drives fan curves, the keyboard and the throttle_thermal_policy power modes, and supergfxctl manages the NVIDIA dGPU through the proprietary driver in Optimus.
- What does the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 (FA506, 2021) cost?
- Last seen around 650 USD (2026-05-22). It is discontinued, so prices vary with remaining stock.
- Is the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 (FA506, 2021) good for gaming?
- For gaming we score it 8/10 on value and 6/10 on performance.
- How heavy is the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 (FA506, 2021)?
- 2.3 kg (5.07 lb). That's heavy for a daily commute.
- What's the battery life like?
- A 90 Wh pack, around 7 hours real-world mixed use. We score battery 7/10.
- Can I upgrade the RAM or storage?
- RAM is on SODIMM slots, so you can swap it later. Storage starts at 1024 GB on this configuration.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 (FA506, 2021) is discontinued
The price below is the last we saw, kept for reference. See the current alternatives further down.
from $650 last seen 2026-05-22
Find remaining ASUS stockAs an Amazon Associate (US, NL, DE, UK programs), qualifying purchases via this link may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Other markets not yet enrolled. How we make money. Verified 2026-05-22.
