ASUS has significantly expanded its notebook portfolio, encompassing both business and gaming segments with diverse lineups. Among the gaming notebook offerings, ASUS features two prominent series: ASUS TUF Gaming and ASUS ROG. Our focus today centers on the ASUS TUF Gaming lineup.
Intel recently unveiled its 14th-generation CPUs, showcasing enhanced capabilities for more robust tasks compared to their predecessors. In keeping with the demand for accelerated processing speeds, ASUS has introduced its inaugural 14th-generation gaming notebook, named the ASUS TUF Gaming FX607. This cutting-edge notebook is fueled by the Intel Core i9-14900HX CPU, representing the pinnacle of performance within this generation.
Complemented by the formidable RTX 4060 GPU from NVIDIA, the ASUS TUF Gaming FX607 surpasses the power requirements for today’s latest AAA games. Beyond gaming prowess, this notebook incorporates essential features, including DDR5 5600MHz RAM, a PCIe 4.0 SSD, a vivid 165Hz Refresh Rate Display, and a substantial 90WHr battery – all crucial components in the contemporary gaming notebook landscape.
Delving into the details, the ASUS TUF Gaming FX607 emerges as a comprehensive gaming solution, ensuring a seamless and powerful user experience. From processing capabilities to graphics performance and the inclusion of cutting-edge components, every facet of this notebook is designed to cater to the discerning needs of gamers in the current landscape.
Specifications
| Screen | 16″ QHD+ (2560 x 1600), 165Hz, 3ms, 100%sRGB , G-Sync, 400nits, 16:10 |
| Processor | 14th Gen Intel Core i9-14900HX (36 MB cache, 24 cores, 32 threads, up to 5.8 GHz Turbo) |
| Wireless Connection | Wi-Fi 6(802.11ax) (Dual band) 2×2 and Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Graphics card | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, 8 GB GDDR6 |
| Memory | 16 GB: 1 x 16 GB, DDR5 5600MHz, manufactured by SK Hynix |
| Storage | 1 TB, M.2, PCIe 4.0 NVMe, SSD, manufactured by WD |
| Ports | 1x RJ45 Ethernet port 1x HDMI 2.1 1x Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C Port 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C Port (supports PD Charging and DP 1.4) 2x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports 1x 3.5mm headphone jack |
| Battery | 4-Cell, 90WHr, integrated battery with 240W AC Adapter |
| OS | Windows 11 |
| Weight | 4.85lb (2.2 kg) |
Design
The FX607 offers users a choice between two distinct color schemes: Cyan and Grey. Our review focuses on the Cyan variant, which maintains the familiar two-dimensional design with clean and dominant lines on the display shell. This design choice contributes to a cohesive aesthetic reminiscent of its predecessors.
Beneath the display shell, heat dissipation ports play a crucial role in managing thermals efficiently. Notably, the manufacturer has strategically incorporated numerous ventilation ports, a feature that will be explored in detail during the stress testing section. The entire notebook, including the display border, adopts a pristine white color, enhancing the overall visual appeal.
Turning our attention to technical specifications, the notebook measures 354 x 251 x 22.4 mm in dimensions, with a weight of 2.2 kg. While thickness and weight are often secondary considerations in gaming notebooks, as compared to business-focused counterparts, the notebook strikes a balance with its 22.4mm thickness, presenting a sleek profile for a gaming-centric device.
Display
Moving on to the display, the ASUS TUF Gaming FX607 boasts a 16-inch IPS LCD Display, excluding touch support. The display elevates visual experiences with a 2.5K resolution of 2560*1600p and an impressive 165Hz refresh rate. Departing from the 16:9 aspect ratio seen in its predecessors, this notebook embraces a 16:10 aspect ratio, expanding the screen area while eliminating bulky bezels. Notably, the screen-to-body ratio reaches an impressive 90%.
The brightness of the display sees a significant upgrade of 100 nits, reaching 400 nits in this iteration. The enhanced brightness, combined with a 3ms response rate and 100% sRGB color gamut coverage, creates a visually immersive experience. The top bezel accommodates a pop-up area housing the webcam and microphone.
For a comprehensive evaluation of the display, we conducted our testing using the Spyder X display benchmark software. The results closely align with the official claims, with the display covering 98% of the sRGB color gamut, 75% of Adobe RGB, 75% of DCI-P3, and 70% of the NTSC color gamut. The measured peak brightness reached 399 nits, and the contrast ratio was 1000:1, aligning with the official benchmarks.
Screen Test Results |
|
| sRGB | 99% |
| Adobe RGB | 76% |
| DCI-P3 | 76% |
| Maximum Brightness | 399nits |
| Average Delta E | 1.13 |
| Minimum Delta E | 0.38 |
| Maximum Delta E | 3.18 |
The average Delta E value, a measure of color accuracy, was an excellent 1.13, with the highest value at 3.18 and the lowest at 0.38. These results affirm that the notebook’s screen delivers a high-quality video display, catering to the demands of both gaming and graphics design. The ASUS TUF Gaming FX607’s display stands as a key feature, offering a visually rich and color-accurate viewing experience.
Keyboard and TouchPad
Beneath the vibrant display, the keyboard surface of the ASUS TUF Gaming FX607 unveils an aesthetic masterpiece. The entire keyboard adopts an elegant white design with a subtle key belly curve, enhancing the tactile experience during use. Notably, the spotlight of the keyboard is on the Cyan-colored WASD keys, featuring built-in Mini LED lamp beads. Recognizing the significance of these keys in gaming, their modification not only adds to the notebook’s aesthetics but also elevates the overall gaming experience. It’s important to mention that the keyboard supports RGB backlit customization, allowing users to personalize their gaming setup.
The inclusion of a numeric pad adds practicality to the notebook, catering to users who require numerical input. Utilizing Over Stroke precision key technology, each key boasts a peak pressure of 62 grams, ensuring faster and more accurate keystrokes for a smoother user experience.
Adding to user convenience, additional keys at the top left provide one-click control over volume and microphone settings. Positioned at the right top is an oval-shaped power button, accompanied by speaker grills slightly to the left. Underneath the keyboard, a sufficiently sized glass touchpad takes center stage, facilitating seamless navigation throughout the Windows interface. Noteworthy are the small LEDs at all four corners, enhancing both functionality and aesthetics. The FX607, with its thoughtfully designed keyboard and additional features, aims to provide users with an immersive and user-friendly gaming experience.
Ports
The ASUS TUF Gaming FX607 is equipped with an impressive array of eight ports, each serving a distinct purpose. Starting from the left, you’ll find a charging port, an RJ45 LAN port for stable connectivity, an HDMI 2.1 port, and two USB Type-C ports – one being a Thunderbolt 4 port and the other supporting PD charging and DP 1.4. Additionally, there’s a USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A port and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Moving to the right side, there’s an extra USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A port for added convenience. While these ports cover the essential needs of gamers, if you find them insufficient, you have the option to expand your connectivity by opting for a USB port extender. This flexibility ensures that you can easily tailor your gaming setup to accommodate a variety of devices and peripherals.
Battery and Charging
Powering this impressive 16-inch gaming notebook is a substantial 90WHr 4-cell Li-ion battery, underscoring ASUS’s commitment to prolonged usage. The battery with model number C14N2013 is a trusted component utilized in several ASUS gaming notebooks. Boasting a capacity of 5675mAh, the battery aligns with expectations for this gaming-oriented device.
Complementing the robust battery, ASUS includes a 240W AC adaptor (20V/12A) designed to deliver a quick charge. According to the official claim, this adaptor can charge 50% of the battery in just 30 minutes. Furthermore, the PD charging port supports charging at up to 100W, adding flexibility to the charging options. Notably, the notebook’s display features adaptive refresh rate technology in Integrated Display Mode, adjusting itself based on the battery’s condition for optimized power usage.
In our battery testing, conducted using PCMark 10 Modern Office mode with Integrated Display Mode activated, all other applications closed, Wi-Fi turned off, and brightness set to 50%, we achieved an impressive battery backup of 9 hours and 8 minutes. This score positions the ASUS TUF Gaming FX607 at the upper-middle level among gaming laptops, comparable to many thin and light laptops. With this battery life, users can confidently expect the notebook to meet the demands of a full day of mobile office work or gaming on the go.
RAM and SSD
The variant under review is configured with a single 16GB DDR5 memory stick, running at an impressive 5600MHz and manufactured by SK Hynix. Notably, the laptop’s RAM capacity can be upgraded to a maximum of 64GB, facilitated by the presence of two DDR5 SO-DIMM RAM slots upon disassembling the notebook.
To gauge the RAM’s performance, we conducted benchmark testing, enhancing it to Dual-Channel RAM mode by adding another 16GB DDR5 RAM stick with identical configurations. Utilizing the AIDA64 Cache and Memory Benchmark, we achieved commendable results: 86,285 MB/s Read Speed, 77,524 MB/s Write Speed, 78,662 MB/s Copy Speed, and a latency rate of 87.2ns. These results stand out, showcasing the excellent performance of the DDR5 RAM compared to previously reviewed notebooks.
In addition to the 16GB RAM, the notebook features a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, crafted by Western Digital and bearing the model number SN560. This M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD offers high-speed data access. Noteworthy is the provision of two SSD slots on the motherboard, allowing users to expand storage capacity as needed. It’s worth highlighting that previous generation models utilized PCIe 3.0 SSDs.
For SSD benchmark testing, we used the CrystalDiskMark 64GiB test, getting the following results: 4,852 MB/s Sequential Read Speed, 3,362 MB/s Sequential Write Speed, 38 MB/s 4K Random Read Speed, and 116 MB/s 4K Random Write Speed. These benchmark scores reflect a commendable performance in the storage domain, ensuring swift and responsive data access.
CPU Benchmark
One of the standout features of the ASUS TUF Gaming FX607 notebook is its formidable CPU. Sporting the latest 14th Generation Intel Core i9-14900HX CPU, which is essentially the mobile version of the Core i9-14900K CPU, this powerhouse boasts a total of 24 cores, including 8 P-Cores and 16 E-Cores. With 32 threads, 32MB L2 cache, and 36MB L3 cache, it stands as a processing juggernaut.
The P-Cores peak at an impressive 5.8GHz, with a base frequency of 2.2GHz. In a strategic move for the notebook platform, Intel has slightly reduced the frequency and power consumption when compared to the desktop version, making it well-suited for mobile use. Specifically, the full-core frequency is 400MHz lower than its desktop counterpart, with the acceleration frequency reduced by 200MHz. Notably, compared to the previous generation’s most powerful CPU, the i9-13980HX, the acceleration frequency is increased by 200MHz. This variant of the CPU operates at a 100W power consumption.
To delve deeper into the CPU’s capabilities, we conducted various benchmark tests to assess its performance.
CPU-Z: 864 points on Single Thread and 12,664 points on Multi-Thread
Cinebench R15: 311cb on Single Thread and 4,347cb on Multi-Thread
Cinebench R20: 816cb on Single Thread and 11,032cb on Multi Thread
Cinebench R23: 2,134pts on Single Thread and 27,656pts on Multi-Thread
Cinebench 2024: 125pts on Single Thread and 1,475pts on Multi-Thread
X265 FHD Benchmark: 132FPS
We also compared the Core i9-14900HX with the previous generation Core i9-13900HX CPU (featured in Dell G16 7630).
i9-14900HX(Asus FX607) vs i9-13900HX (Dell G16 7630) |
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| Core i9-14900HX | Core i9-13900HX | |
| Cinebench R15 Single Core | 311cb | Null |
| Cinebench R15 Multi Core | 4,347cb | 4,529cb |
| CInebench R20 Single Core | 816cb | 813pts |
| Cinebench R20 Multi Core | 11,032cb | 11,135pts |
| Cinebench R23 Single Core | 2,134pts | 2,099pts |
| Cinebench R23 Multi Core | 27,681pts | 25,598pts |
GPU Benchmark
The ASUS TUF Gaming FX607 notebook is equipped with a powerful combination of the Core i9-14900HX CPU and the latest RTX 4060 GPU, creating a formidable duo capable of handling the demands of modern gaming. The GPU is equipped with 8GB of GDDR6 video memory, featuring a boost frequency of 1940MHz and a 128-bit bus width.
In terms of power consumption, the RTX 4060 GPU operates at a basic power consumption of 105W, with a peak power consumption reaching 130W. Notably, the dynamic acceleration power consumption is an impressive 25W, surpassing the power requirements for optimal gaming performance. This robust GPU ensures a seamless and immersive gaming experience for users engaging in the latest era’s games.
The following are the benchmark tests of the GPU:
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme: 12,499 Total Score, including 12,877 GPU Score.
3DMark Time Spy: 11,652 Total Score, including 11,032 GPU Score.
Gaming Test
To test the gaming capabilities of ASUS’s new gaming book, we also did benchmark testing on some popular games of today’s era. The following are the benchmark tests:
Assassin’s Creed: Hall of Valor: The resolution was set to Full-HD (1920×1080), the Anti-Aliasing was set to high, the Picture Quality was very high, and the frames limiter was turned off. With these settings, we got an average of 124fps.
Horizon Zero Dawn: In this game, the resolution was set to Full-HD, and all the other options were closed. Here, we got an average of 118fps (194 maximum and 14 minimum).
Forza Horizon 5: The resolution was at Full HD, MSAA was set at 2x, and all the other options were selected at extremely high. We got an average of 100fps.
Forza Motorsports 8: With the exact resolution and all the other options at extremely high (except Ray Tracing, which was turned off), we got an average of 77fps.
Cyberpunk 2077: With full-HD resolution, high texture quality, and all the other options turned off, we got an average of 99fps.
From these benchmarks, it can be seen that this gaming notebook can easily handle all the latest games with smoothness.
Heat Dissipation and Stress Testing
The ASUS TUF Gaming FX607 is meticulously designed with a robust ventilation system, featuring numerous ventilation holes strategically placed across the entire notebook. Complementing this design, the internal cooling system comprises dual fans and five heat-sinking pipes, forming a crucial component for efficient heat dissipation. To assess the effectiveness of this cooling system, a stress test was conducted with the following results:
CPU Stress Testing: Using the AIDA64 FPU benchmark, within the first 30 seconds, the power consumption peaked at 130W. After approximately 15 minutes, the CPU stabilized at 100W, with P-Core frequency reaching 3.3GHz and E-Core frequency at 2.7GHz. The temperature was maintained at 89°C.
GPU Stress Testing: Employing the FurMark benchmark test, after nearly 10 minutes, the GPU temperature rose to 85°C. The highest observed temperature was 97°C, with a peak power consumption of 130W.
Combined Stress Testing: Utilizing FurMark to fully load both the CPU and GPU simultaneously, after almost 45 minutes, the GPU’s power consumption stabilized around 105W, while the CPU’s consumption was at 55W, totaling 160W. The maximum observed temperature on the CPU was 83°C, and on the GPU, it was 80°C.
These stress test results demonstrate the efficiency of the cooling system, showcasing its ability to manage and dissipate heat effectively during demanding tasks. The combination of ventilation holes, dual fans, and heat-sinking pipes ensures a reliable cooling solution for sustained performance, even under heavy workloads.
Also Read: ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED UX3405 Review
Summary
The ASUS TUF Gaming FX607, featuring the powerful Intel Core i9-14900H CPU and NVIDIA RTX 4060 GPU, stands out as a formidable gaming laptop. With a sleek design and vibrant 16-inch display boasting a 2.5K resolution and 165Hz refresh rate, it delivers an immersive gaming experience. The keyboard, complete with Cyan-colored WASD keys and RGB backlighting, enhances both aesthetics and functionality. Equipped with a 90WHr battery, 16GB DDR5 RAM (upgradeable to 64GB), and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, the notebook excels in performance and storage. Impressive stress test results highlight its efficient cooling system. Priced at $1300, the ASUS TUF Gaming FX607 offers a compelling blend of high-level specs and affordability, making it a noteworthy choice for gamers.
