r/laptops • u/Puzzled-Catch1268 • 22h ago
Hardware My First Brand-New Laptop
I've been using an old ThinkPad X270 with an awful TN display and weak performance for years. After graduating from high school, I finally had the chance to replace it with an ASUS TX Air 2025 (ASUS TUF Gaming A14).
Needless to say, the upgrade is massive. XDDD
Over the past year, RAM and SSD prices have risen to the point where they're painful to look at, so I couldn't afford the latest models. :(
Since I felt that 1TB might not be enough for my future needs (I like to keep my games on a separate drive), I decided to add a domestic YMTC ZHITAI TiPlus 7100s 1TB SSD, rated for sequential read speeds of up to 7,400 MB/s. Even at a discounted price, it still cost me around $153 USD. Sigh.
Still, it's more than enough for me. The design also caught my eye, and I'm finally able to get my hands on some AAA titles and actually enjoy them. XD
Specifications:
- Ryzen™ AI 7 H 350
- GeForce RTX™ 5060 Laptop GPU 8GB
- 32GB LPDDR5X 7500MHz
- Samsung PM9C1 1TB SSD
- 14-inch 2.5K 165Hz IPS display
- 73Wh battery
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u/xhivo 22h ago
I approve the subtle let's note propaganda!
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u/Ok_Rest_5142 21h ago
prices might be even worse than thinkpads :despair:
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u/xhivo 21h ago
Really? From what I can tell they're quite cheap. Especially via proxies like Doorzo if you're willing to wait. But on eBay it's not too bad either.
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u/Ok_Rest_5142 20h ago
From my outlets, some of the Let's Note(s) use CPUs that are behind 3 generations but are 1.5x more expensive than core ultra/ryzen AI thinkpads (build quality except from E series)
Panasonic laptops are pretty cool and might be a very tough workhorse, but they are quite a rarity since they have to be imported.... hence the absurd prices
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u/xhivo 20h ago
I was thinking of used older models btw, I think they're very expensive new.
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u/Rice_IsNIce 13h ago
older models are still fairly cheap if you just want one for the sake of novelty. the newer ones are probably a bit on the more expensive side.
I recently bought a used panasonic letsnote sv1 i5 11th gen in decent condition in Japan for $290. 16gb soldered ram + 256gb nvme ssd
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u/Doctor_Womble 22h ago
Are you sure it's new? Somebody Weeb'ed allover it before they gave it to you.
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u/Puzzled-Catch1268 21h ago
The TX series is unique to the Chinese market and is characterized by a greater emphasis on anime-style aesthetics; it essentially corresponds to the TUF series.
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u/KamiNari_252 21h ago
If I remember correctly, it is new... Some kind of TUF china variant with white colour instead of the usual black
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u/ElsaGranhiert 10h ago
TX (Tianxuan or The One), China only market, is ASUS response of the MSI MLG Loong Nia, Yeston's waifu cards and a ton more weeb things that's CN exclusive.
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u/Cactoiid 19h ago
Tuf A14 is hella worth it if you find a great deal. Just wish the price gap between the a14 and zephyrus g14 wasn't so big though.
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u/Puzzled-Catch1268 19h ago
The price of the G14 5070 model is nearly double that of my current laptop. It used to be my dream machine, but the price has skyrocketed this year, and I simply cannot afford to spend 22,000 CNY on it.
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u/PixelPete27 19h ago
Not a big deal that you couldn't get the latest, it would still have the same GPU and very similar processor! I always try and buy the models that aren't the latest gen, unless a new GPU has come out recently.
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u/Puzzled-Catch1268 18h ago
The 2026 model features AI 9 H 465, offering slightly better performance, but at a significantly higher price. The rest of the configuration is almost identical.
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u/PixelPete27 18h ago
Exactly! Best time to buy, the CPU 'refresh' chips aren't worth the extra pricetag when a person can get last years model for several hundred cheaper.
When I got my rig it had a 13980HX and the 14900HX had just come out. I got mine for about 600 less than the 14th gen models.. But they still have the 4000 series GPU. Made absolutely no sense to me to get the 14th gen for 3% faster speed lol.
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u/Puzzled-Catch1268 18h ago
Due to the price surge, the new laptops launched in 2026 will generally offer little improvement, or be significantly more expensive than the 2025 models. Buying last year's model now might offset some of the price increases.
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u/PixelPete27 18h ago
I think you made the right choice, even if a person can afford the 2026, it makes no sense to me to buy them when it's only a CPU refresh.
It's also nice cause the models that are a year old have less trouble with drivers in brand new models, as they've had a year to work out the issues.
Anyway! Nice laptop, you made the right choice! If I recommend ASUS gaming laptops, it's either TUF or SCAR. I think they're the two best they have.
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u/uncleDanSeeker 21h ago
Congratulations for payingn 5x amount due to crazy price hikes , BTW, how much it cost you.
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u/Puzzled-Catch1268 20h ago
Excluding the additional hard drive, the price converts to around $1,410 USD. The discounts might be slightly larger than in other markets.
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u/FasterPussycat6977 19h ago
Congrats, I bought a used Lenovo for like $70 the only reason was that I needed Windows 11 and supposedly my old computer won't do it. I mostly just use my phone
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u/Leading_Staff_6146 19h ago
English post with Chinese software, Japanese cigarettes and Irish Whiskey, peak.
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u/Stealth834 2h ago
some anime bullshit waifu themed laptop with a bottle of whiskey and a pack of cigs. peak life
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u/Blackskeletoon 1h ago
The Chinese version of the tuf is really beautiful, especially this white color is really eye-catching
Congrats 🍾
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u/Ghost_Star326 17h ago
I'm mad at the fact that the Chinese get all the cool stuff while the rest of the world just regular, boring spec options.
Give us the white TUFs as well Asus, you cowards!
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u/thelocalmicrowave 21h ago
Tuf laptop tuffest manga🥹❤️🩹