Gaming

ASUS TUF Gaming FX505DY Hands-on: Still needs an upgrade

Neither basic nor great

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After playing with the TUF Gaming FX705, I have another ASUS gaming laptop. This one is aimed at those who are looking for a gaming machine on a budget. Gaming and budget don’t go always hand in hand, but this particular model can make them work together.

What I have here is the TUF Gaming FX505DY. It’s practically a smaller version of the previous TUF Gaming laptop I have, plus it’s running on pure AMD power.

I’ll not make this long, so let’s get right to it.

It has a plastic body with a distinct design

Similar to other TUF Gaming laptops

The vents face backwards

The heat is directed away from the user

All the ports are on the left

(L-R) Power, Ethernet, HDMI, 3x USB, headphone jack

There’s virtually nothing on the right side

To give space for your gaming mouse

It sports a 15.6-inch IPS-level 120Hz display…

It’s a non-glare panel

… with slim bezels

One of the laptop’s highlighted features

Still, the webcam stays on top

Quality is just okay

The keyboard has a three-stage red backlight

Budget means no RGB

Decent-looking for its price

The looks of the FX505 is not much different from its bigger cousin, the FX705. Also, the overall aesthetic is pretty much copied from the ROG line of premium gaming notebooks. Design-wise, the FX505 is not lacking; it’s certainly a gaming notebook when you see it.

The FX505 borrows the keyboard design of other new gaming laptops from ASUS, which is good. The layout is ideal for games, although the keys feel a bit mushy. As for the trackpad, it’s okay. It uses Windows Precision and it’s responsive to every gestures.

No one would suspect that this is a budget gaming machine. The slim bezels of the 15.6-inch Full HD display make the FX505 truly modern-looking. Gone are the day of fat bezels, even on a budget laptop. It does have a pretty big chin, but I prefer to trade that for slimmer side bezels. This also means that the FX505 is smaller than conventional 15-inch notebooks out there.

Not only that, the 120Hz refresh rate of the panel adds greater value to the FX505. I wasn’t expecting a high refresh rate on budget gaming laptops, so having it is really a treat. Everything on the screen is smooth and buttery. I am writing this article on the FX505 and it’s always fun to see scrolling smoother than my everyday laptop.

While the added features are welcome, ASUS still has keep the FX505 within budget. The laptop’s plastic body feels hollow, but ASUS says this laptop has passed US military-grade tests, so I’ll just have to take their word for it when it comes to durability.

Upgrade the memory, ASAP!

Let’s get to the specs. The TUF Gaming FX505DY (that’s the specific model name) is powered by the new AMD Ryzen 5-3550H processor with Radeon RX560X discrete graphics. Ryzen chips already have a capable GPU on their own, but nothing beats having a dedicated one. Unfortunately, ASUS is selling this particular with 4GB of DDR4 memory. That’s part of the cost-cutting methods, and it’s a bottleneck.

The processor and the GPU are more than capable to run most games in medium to high settings nicely, but the available system memory couldn’t keep up. 4GB of memory might be enough to let me use the FX505 for browsing, watching videos, typing, and other stuff, but it ruins the gaming experience.

I am no hardcore gamer, so my go-to game is often Cities Skylines. Guess what? I wasn’t able to even load my cloud save on Steam. The loading screen for the game always stops midway.

Of course, I tested other games. I’m glad to report that both battle royale games — CS:GO and Fortnite — run above 60fps on high settings. But, that’s not without hiccups. Due to the limited 4GB RAM, even though the GPU can handle the titles well, you can’t escape the lag. Maybe games that don’t have open-world maps won’t be as affected, but I can’t say for sure.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

No doubt that the TUF Gaming FX505 (specifically FX505DY) is a good option in its range. It might even be the best one considering the features it offers and its price tag. For just PhP 39,995, you can already grab a decent starter gaming laptop that has a 120Hz display, slim bezels, and ROG-esque design.

The display alone is a great selling point, but the 4GB RAM will never do it justice. I wish I could test out more games on the laptop, but I couldn’t even run my staple titles without any hiccups. The low memory is simply a pain and it limits the capabilities of the laptop.

Out of the box, this variant of the FX505 is not totally ready for gaming. If you’re getting one of these, make sure to buy some extra RAM. An additional 4GB stick doesn’t cost much; it’s even cheaper than fancy gaming mice out there.

SEE ALSO: ASUS TUF Gaming FX705 Review: Another big-screen option

Gaming

Esports Nations Cup 2026 secures US$ 45M funding

ENC to elevate global esports with structured national ecosystem

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The inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026 has just secured a US$ 45 million funding commitment, the Esports World Cup Foundation has announced.

This three-part funding commitment is structured to support the esports ecosystem through player and coach prizing, club release incentives, and national team development.

The first ever ENC will include a US$ 20 million in total prize money, paid directly to players and coaches across 16 titles.

The ENC introduces a placement-based prize framework, applied across all game titles. It is designed to be clear and player-centric.

Every qualified participant earns prize money and is guaranteed a minimum of three matches. Equal placement earns equal pay, meaning the same finishing position plays the same amount per player across all titles.

For a quick overview, the first-place finisher earns US$ 50,000 per player, whether competing in a solo or team title. Second-placers get US$ 30,000 per player, and third-placers get US$ 15,000 per player.

For team titles, payouts scale with roster size, so the result is consistent and transparent for everyone competing.

Meanwhile, the EWCF will provide US$ 5 million in club incentives for esports clubs that release and enable their professional players to participate in ENC.

In addition, there will also be another US$ 20 million for the ENC Development Fund. This supports official national team partners with logistics, travel, program operations, marketing, and the long-term growth of national team pathways.

The ENC 2026 is set to debut from November 2 to 29 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It will move to a rotating host-city model, bringing nation-based esports to major cities around the world.

The event is to be held every two years. Among confirmed titles for 2026 include Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Trackmania, and DOTA 2.

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Gaming

CODE VEIN II now available for consoles, PC

Launch trailer previews characters, combat gameplay, more

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Bandai Namco’s CODE VEIN II is now available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

A new launch trailer has also been revealed, previewing the Soulslike action RPG’s characters, combat gameplay, and more.

Players can experiment with the character creator demo and create their own ideal character for the game.

The demo showcases how in-depth and detailed players can get when creating their own character. It allows for them to experience Photo Mode in the base of MagMell to take pictures of their looks.

Additionally, players who try the demo are allowed to carry their created looks over into the game.

CODE VEIN II is set in the dystopian near future, focusing on the stories of Revenants who must fight against their terrible fate.

In this reality, civilization has collapsed due to an event called the Resurgence.  Humanity has only managed to survive, thanks to immortal vampire-like creatures called Revenants.

However, the sudden appearance of Luna Rapacis has turned these Revenants into mindless cannibals.

As a Revenant Hunter, the protagonist is tasked to save the world. Joining him in a journey 100 years into the past is a young girl.

In the process, they will witness the history-changing drama as they try to save the world from ruin.

The game is a combination of exploration action, wherein players can venture through dangerous areas and tackle powerful foes.

Combat against enemies are mainly hack-and-slash, while the protagonist can also explore the world like in the case of riding a motorbike.

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Gaming

Xiaomi SU7 Ultra makes Gran Turismo 7 debut

Xiaomi’s premium, high-performing electric sedan joins the GT7 roster

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Xiaomi’s high-performing electric sedan, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, is now on the acclaimed racing simulation, Gran Turismo 7.

The premium EV debuted as part of the “Update 1.67” patch, marking Xiaomi’s first entry into the storied Gran Turismo franchise.

Players worldwide can now experience the prowess of the high-performance luxury car on the game’s virtual tracks.

The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra represents a new addition to the series’ curated lineup, following an official collaboration announcement last June 2025.

As a benchmark in racing simulations, the Gran Turismo series is recognized for its hyper-realistic driving experience and stringent vehicle selection criteria.

The EV was test-driven on multiple occasions in several locations, including Beijing, the Nürburgring Nordschleife, and the Tsukuba Circuit.

To ensure an authentic experience, Xiaomi EV’s vehicle dynamics performance team traveled to Polyphony Digital’s studio for the final driving experience validation.

In reality, the SU7 Ultra is powered by an in-house developed Dual V8s + V6s Xiaomi Hyper TRi-Motor system.

It delivers 1,548 horsepower and achieves 0-100km/h in 1.98 seconds. The production version previously set a lap time of 7:04.957 at the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

To celebrate the launch, Gran Turismo 7’s developer will host a two-week official lap-time challenge on the title’s historic Monza circuit.

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