ASUS V500MVC-BSI516512-CB, Core i5-13420H, 16GB, 512GB SSD

The ASUS V500MVC-BSI516512-CB scores 40 out of 100 in our database, with a gaming score of just 10.7. The 8-core i5-13420H and 16GB of DDR5 RAM are solid for office work, but the integrated graphics and 512GB SSD hold it back. At CAD 500, it's a basic machine for basic tasks, nothing more.

The Core i5-13420H is an 8-core chip with a 2.1GHz base clock, and it handles everyday multitasking without breaking a sweat. 16GB of DDR5 RAM means you can keep a dozen browser tabs open alongside a video call and a document or two. The 512GB SSD is quick for boot times and app launches, but it's on the smaller side for 2025, and our database puts it at the 30th percentile for storage. You'll fill that drive faster than you think if you keep photos, videos, or any games on it.

The integrated Intel UHD Graphics are the bottleneck. They're fine for streaming video, light photo editing, and basic productivity, but they're not built for anything demanding. Gaming scores a 10.7 out of 100, which is one of the worst we've seen in this category. Don't expect to play anything beyond solitaire or 2D indie titles. The 180W PSU also means you can't just slap in a dedicated GPU later, so what you see is what you get.

Stacked against the competition, this ASUS is outclassed in almost every way. The Apple Mac Studio M3 Ultra is in a completely different league, with a CPU and GPU that would make this machine cry, but it also costs several times more. The Dell Desktop ECT1250 and HP OmniDesk M02-0234 are closer in spirit, and both offer better port selection and storage options. The MSI Aegis Z2 A8NVL-1610US is a gaming-focused machine that absolutely destroys this ASUS in graphics performance, though it's pricier. The Lenovo Yoga AIO F0J20012US is an all-in-one that trades the tower for a cleaner desk setup. If you need any kind of graphical horsepower, skip this ASUS and look at the MSI or even the HP. If you just need a basic office box, the Dell or HP will give you more room to grow.

At CAD 500, this ASUS is priced like a budget desktop, and that's exactly what it is. The 8-core CPU and 16GB of RAM are decent for the money, but the 512GB SSD and integrated graphics hold it back. You're paying for a laptop's internals in a desktop shell, which means you get laptop performance without the portability. For basic home office work, it's a fair deal. For anything more, you'll outgrow it quickly. The single listing we found is at CAD 500, so there's not much price variation to compare.

The ASUS V500MVC-BSI516512-CB lands at 40 out of 100 in our database, which puts it firmly in the bottom third of everyday desktops we've tested. The headline spec is an 8-core Intel Core i5-13420H running at 2.1GHz, paired with 16GB of DDR5 RAM and a 512GB SSD. That's a laptop processor stuffed into a mid-tower case, and it shows in the scores. Home office use gets a 40.1, business a 38.6, and gaming a brutal 10.7. This thing is not built for fun.

The RAM sits at the 51st percentile, which is about average, and the CPU is at the 46th, so nothing embarrassing there. But the storage is at the 30th percentile and the port selection is at the 21st, which is a weak spot. The integrated Intel UHD Graphics are fine for spreadsheets and video calls, but they're the reason gaming scores are in the basement. For CAD 500, you're getting a competent office machine with some real limitations.

Skip this if you need any kind of graphical performance. The integrated Intel UHD Graphics score a 10.7 out of 100 for gaming, which is one of the worst we've seen. The 512GB SSD is also a weak spot at the 30th percentile, so if you store a lot of files, you'll be juggling external drives. And the port selection is at the 21st percentile, which means you'll be reaching for dongles and hubs. If you want to play games, edit video, or run anything demanding, look elsewhere. Even for office work, the below-average reliability score at the 37th percentile is worth considering before you buy.

The ASUS V500MVC-BSI516512-CB is a competent but limited everyday desktop. The 8-core i5 and 16GB of RAM are fine for office work, but the integrated graphics, small SSD, and weak port selection hold it back. At CAD 500, it's a reasonable buy for someone who needs a simple machine for email, documents, and web browsing. But if you have any aspirations beyond that, you'll hit the ceiling fast. The 180W PSU means no GPU upgrades, and the 512GB SSD will fill up sooner than you'd like. It's a laptop in a desktop case, for better and worse.