ASUS TUF T500 Review: A Compact Gaming Powerhouse

Intel i7-13620H mobile processor paired with RTX 5060Ti 16GB GDDR7 delivering balanced gaming and productivity performance.

Hardware by Katmin on Sep 09, 2025

ASUS TUF T500 is one of the most interesting small form factor PCs to arrive recently. While it isn't a mini PC, its compact build makes it significantly smaller compared to a standard desktop.

Despite its size, it manages to pack in serious gaming performance with a clever use of a mobile CPU and a dedicated RTX GPU, making it stand out in the crowded gaming PC market.

Design and Build

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We immediately notice the unique design of the T500. Its angled stance is intentional, allowing airflow from the bottom to improve cooling. The system includes subtle RGB accents on the front and sides, maintaining the signature TUF brand aesthetic.

The build comes with tempered glass by default, but ASUS also offers a ventilated solid side panel as an alternative.

The T500 is powered by a 500W 80+ Platinum power supply, ensuring efficiency and stable performance. For connectivity, the front offers a 3.5mm audio jack, 2x USB 3.2 ports, and a USB-C port.

Around the back, we get 4x USB 2.0 type-A ports, gigabit Ethernet, 7.1 audio in/out, HDMI 1.4, and DisplayPort 1.4, with additional display options provided by the GPU.

Hardware Specifications

Inside, the T500 uses a mobile Intel Core i7-13620H. This 13th-gen CPU features 10 cores (6 performance, 4 efficiency) and 16 threads, with boost clocks up to 4.9GHz. It's paired with 16GB DDR5 SODIMM RAM running at 5200MHz, and storage options include a PCIe 4.0 M.2 2280 drive plus support for two SATA 6Gb drives.

The unit tested comes with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060Ti featuring 16GB GDDR7 VRAM. Additionally, there will be two GPU options available: a 3050 6GB and a 5060 dual 8GB model. Among the wireless communication options are Bluetooth 5.4 and Wi-Fi 6.

Controls and Software

With the ASUS Armory Crate pre-installed, you may customize the RGB lighting, fan controls, and performance. Balanced, Performance, Turbo, and Manual are the available modes; however, in this arrangement, the manual options are primarily restricted to fan control.

To maintain optimal system performance with the latest firmware and drivers, the program also serves as an update center.

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Performance Benchmarks

The i7-13620H achieved a single-core score of 2473 and a multi-core score of 11,238 on Geekbench 6. On 3DMark Steel Nomad, it reached 3540 points with an average of 35fps. Time Spy results came in at 15,170, showing solid mid-range performance for a compact gaming PC.

Gaming Experience

Real-world gaming performance is where the T500 shines. Cyberpunk 2077 at 1440p ultra settings averaged 75fps, with DLSS4 frame generation pushing that to 190fps. While some ghosting is visible with X4 multi-frame gen, it remains highly playable and visually stunning.

In Horizon Forbidden West at 1440p, with DLSS set to Quality, average performance was around 88fps. Mortal Kombat 1 at 1440p ultra high (no DLSS) ran flawlessly at 60fps+, showing fighting games are easily handled.

Black Myth: Wukong at 1440p averaged 63fps without frame generation, but exceeded that when DLSS frame gen was enabled. Oblivion Remastered also impressed, averaging 72fps at 1440p high settings and climbing past 130fps in less demanding areas with frame generation enabled.

Thermals and Efficiency

Cooling performance is excellent for a small form factor design. The average CPU temperature when playing games at 1440p was around 62°C, with a high of 73°C. The RTX 5060Ti stayed at an average of 68°C, with a high of 74°C.

These data suggest that ASUS's proprietary cooling system for the mobile CPU and GPU works well and doesn't make too much noise from the fans.

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Final Thoughts

The ASUS TUF T500 delivers impressive gaming power in a compact design. Its use of a mobile Intel CPU and full-sized RTX GPU makes it a unique hybrid between desktop and laptop hardware.

Cooling, performance, and aesthetics are all handled well, with the bonus of military-grade durability under ASUS's TUF branding.

We value its streamlined design, which contrasts with conventional large desktops, and the T500 is a good option for gamers seeking a gaming system that strikes a balance between mobility, performance, and efficiency.

Experimenting with different GPUs, such as an AMD Radeon for Linux builds, could provide even more options if you're seeking to push things further.

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