TUF Gaming T500: Small Form, Big Gaming Performance

The ASUS TUF Gaming T500 brings serious gaming chops into a surprisingly small package, blending robust hardware with a look that nods to its mecha-inspired roots. Announced on May 2, 2025, the T500 aims to slot into tight spaces—think dorm rooms or bedside setups—without skimping on the components that matter most to gamers and multitaskers alike.

A compact powerhouse

Measuring just 15.5 x 29.6 x 34.7 cm and tipping the scales at around 6 kg, the T500 is one of the more portable desktops you’ll find for its class. Its chassis comes in two flavors: a clear side panel with subtle yellow lighting or a sleek metal panel for a more understated look. Front-panel LEDs echo the “optical sensors” of a war-ready mech, giving the system a bit of personality without going overboard.

Performance where it counts

Under the hood, you’ve got options. At the top end sits an Intel® Core™ i7-13620H (six Performance cores + eight Efficiency cores, up to 5.0 GHz), with a Core™ i5-13420H as the more budget-minded alternative. Graphics duties are handled by an NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 5060 Ti, leveraging NVIDIA’s latest Blackwell architecture and features like DLSS 4 (Super Resolution, Ray Reconstruction, Multi-Frame Generation) for smoother frame rates and sharper visuals. Combined with up to 64 GB of DDR5-5200 MHz RAM and up to 2 TB of PCIe 4.0 NVMe storage, load times and application swaps feel snappy, whether you’re in a competitive match or juggling browser tabs and streaming apps.

Built TUF-tough

True to its name, the T500 meets MIL-STD-810H standards for durability. ASUS put it through tests for drops, vibration, high-altitude exposure, and temperature extremes, so it should shrug off the bumps and shakes of everyday life. The design takes cues from mecha anime—bold lines, futuristic angles, and a sense of “battle readiness”—but it stops short of feeling gimmicky.

Connectivity and extras

ASUS didn’t cut corners on ports: up front you get two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C, and a combo audio jack. Around back there’s HDMI 1.4 (4K), HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, a 1 GbE RJ-45 jack, two USB 2.0 Type-A, and three 3.5 mm audio jacks supporting 7.1-channel output. You also get Wi-Fi 6, Realtek ALC897 high-definition audio with ASUS Two-Way AI Noise-Canceling and Dirac® Audio, plus a 500 W 80+ Platinum TFX power supply.

In short, the TUF Gaming T500 is all about fitting high-end parts into a minimal footprint without sacrificing the rugged build TUF users expect. Pricing will vary by configuration and region, with availability starting in May 2025 through major retailers and ASUS’s online store.