ASUS TUF 17.3" FX707VJ-RB53-CA, Core 5 210H, 16GB, 512GB SSD, RTX 3050, Grey

The ASUS TUF FX707VJ-RB53-CA is a 17.3-inch budget gaming laptop with an RTX 3050, 16GB of RAM, and a 144Hz display. It's a good deal at the CAD 990 end of its price range, but the weak port selection, heavy build, and small 512GB SSD hold it back. At higher prices, you're better off with a laptop that has a newer GPU.

The RTX 3050 here is a 4GB card, and in our database it ranks in the 75th percentile among gaming laptops. That means it's well above average for budget machines, but it's still an entry-level GPU. In practice, you'll get smooth 1080p gaming in titles like Fortnite, Valorant, Apex Legends, and CS2, especially at medium to high settings. The 144Hz display actually matters for those esports games, and the RTX 3050 can push high frame rates in them without breaking a sweat.

The Intel Core 5-210H is an 8-core chip at 2.2GHz, and it lands around the 62nd percentile for CPUs in this category. That's solid, middle-of-the-pack performance. It won't bottleneck the RTX 3050 in most games, and it handles everyday multitasking fine. The 16GB of RAM is adequate for gaming and light content creation, though it sits in the 37th percentile, which is a bit underwhelming for a 17-inch machine. The 512GB SSD is also on the smaller side, so you'll be uninstalling games to make room sooner than you'd like. Load times are fine thanks to the SSD, but storage capacity is a weak spot."

Against the Lenovo Legion 5i 83F00008US, the TUF F17 loses on raw performance and port selection. The Legion 5i typically comes with a stronger GPU and better build quality, though it's usually pricier. The MSI Raider RAIDERGE6814247 is a different beast entirely, aimed at high-end gaming with far more GPU muscle, but it costs significantly more and is even heavier. If you're comparing the TUF F17 to the Acer Predator Helios Neo PHN16-73-95G8, the Acer generally offers better performance per dollar in the mid-range, with newer GPUs and better cooling.

The Apple MacBook Pro M4 Pro and Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition aren't really gaming machines, so they're odd competitors here. The MacBook Pro M4 Pro will destroy the TUF F17 in CPU performance and battery life, but it can't game the same way and costs way more. The Surface Laptop 7th Edition is a productivity machine with excellent portability, which is the exact opposite of this 2.80kg TUF. If you want a gaming laptop specifically, the TUF F17 competes with budget gaming rigs, not ultrabooks. But if you're open to a non-gaming laptop, the Surface and MacBook are far better for portability and battery."

Value is where this laptop gets interesting. Canadian listings range from CAD 990 to CAD 1,499, and that's a huge spread for the same hardware. At the low end, around CAD 990, this is a genuinely good deal for a 17-inch gaming laptop with a 144Hz screen and an RTX 3050. At CAD 1,499, you're dangerously close to better-equipped machines with RTX 4050 or 4060 GPUs, and those will run circles around this thing in modern games. If you're shopping in Canada, check which store has the CAD 990 listing and grab it there. The best deal we found is at the lower end of that range, and at that price, the compromises make a lot more sense. Just don't pay full freight for it."

The ASUS TUF FX707VJ-RB53-CA, also known as the TUF F17, is a 17.3-inch gaming laptop that sits in the budget to mid-range bracket, with Canadian listings running anywhere from CAD 990 to CAD 1,499 depending on the vendor. It packs an Intel Core 5-210H processor, an RTX 3050 with 4GB of VRAM, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. That's a familiar recipe for entry-level gaming, but the big 17.3-inch 144Hz display is the main draw here if you want screen real estate without paying for a high-end panel.

If you're searching for a cheap 17-inch gaming laptop that can handle esports titles and older AAA games, this one is worth a look. The RTX 3050 is a solid 1080p card for lighter games, and the 144Hz refresh rate means fast-paced shooters feel smooth as long as you're not cranking every setting to ultra. Just don't expect it to chew through modern AAA releases at high frame rates.

We pulled the numbers from our database, and the picture is mixed. The GPU lands in the 75th percentile for this category, which is respectable for the price, but the port selection is one of the worst we've seen, and this thing is not compact by any stretch. It's a big, heavy machine at 2.80kg, so it's more of a desk-bound gaming rig than something you'll toss in a backpack every day."

Skip this if you need portability, battery life, or modern AAA gaming performance. At 2.80kg with a 56Wh battery, this is a desk-bound machine that needs to stay plugged in. If you travel or work on the go, look at something like the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition or a lighter gaming laptop. If you want to play demanding new releases at high settings, the RTX 3050's 4GB VRAM will frustrate you, and you should save up for a machine with an RTX 4060 or better. And if you need lots of ports for peripherals, this laptop's port selection is one of the worst we've seen, so factor in a USB hub or look elsewhere.

Should you buy the ASUS TUF F17? If you can find it at the CAD 990 end of the price range and you want a big 17.3-inch screen for esports and older games, yes, it's a solid budget pick. The 144Hz panel is the star here, and the RTX 3050 is fine for 1080p gaming as long as you keep expectations in check. The 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD are workable, though you'll want an external drive or a storage upgrade down the line.

But if you're paying CAD 1,300 or more, walk away. At that price, you can find laptops with RTX 4050 or 4060 GPUs that will last much longer. The port selection is genuinely bad, the battery life is rough, and the weight makes this a desk-only machine for most people. This is a budget gaming laptop that only makes sense at a budget price."