Asus bets on Blackwell and NPU power with TUF 16 and ExpertBook B5 Flip G2 reveals at Computex
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Mid-range gaming gets a Blackwell boost
Asus spent its Tuesday at Computex 2026 refreshing two very different corners of its portfolio, targeting the budget-conscious gamer and the mobile professional. The standout of the showcase is the 2026 iteration of the TUF 16, which serves as a critical bridge between the entry-level accessibility of the TUF line and the premium performance of the Republic of Gamers (ROG) ecosystem.
The most significant update here is the integration of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 GPU. While the TGP (Total Graphics Power) is clocked at a modest 85W—suggesting a focus on efficiency and thermal stability over raw, unbridled power—the real story is the support for DLSS 4. With frame generation becoming the baseline for modern AAA titles, the 50-series architecture allows the TUF 16 to punch above its weight class in demanding environments without necessitating the massive power bricks found in the ROG Strix series.
Under the hood, Asus has opted for the Intel Core i7 14650HX. With a hybrid architecture of eight performance cores and eight efficiency cores, the chip hits a peak clock speed of 5.2GHz. It is a sensible pairing for the 85W GPU, ensuring that CPU bottlenecks are minimized while maintaining a power profile that won’t immediately throttle under load.
Thermal management and chassis durability
Thermal throttling has historically been the Achilles’ heel of mid-range gaming laptops. Asus is attempting to mitigate this with a dual 80-blade fan system and three dedicated heat pipes. Interestingly, the company is making a specific claim about acoustics, stating that Turbo Mode noise levels stay under 40dB. For gamers who don’t always use headsets, this is a meaningful improvement in the “jet engine” symphony typically associated with gaming laptops.
The build remains grounded in the TUF ethos: a 180-degree hinge and MIL-STD-810H military-grade certification. While the chassis isn’t as flashy as the ROG line, the inclusion of two RAM and two SSD slots suggests Asus is still catering to the enthusiast who prefers to upgrade their own hardware rather than being locked into soldered configurations.
The AI-Ready Enterprise Pivot
While the TUF 16 focuses on raw frames, the ExpertBook B5 Flip G2 is all about the emerging AI PC narrative. Powered by the Intel Core 7 Series 3, the laptop integrates a dedicated NPU (Neural Processing Unit) capable of 18 TOPS. This puts the B5 Flip G2 in the conversation for “Copilot+” style workloads, allowing for local AI processing that offloads tasks from the CPU and GPU to save battery life.
The form factor is a classic 2-in-1, featuring a 360-degree hinge and a touchscreen. Weighing in at 1.34kg and measuring just 14.9mm thick, it competes directly with the likes of the HP EliteBook and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga. The aluminum chassis in “Gentle Gray” gives it a professional aesthetic, but the utility is in the I/O: two Thunderbolt 4 ports and HDMI 2.1 ensure it remains a viable workstation replacement despite its slim profile.
Asus has also iterated on the stylus experience. The new pen supports a rapid-charge system where a 15-second plug-in provides roughly 60 minutes of active use. This solves one of the primary pain points of active styluses—the dead battery during a critical meeting.
As of the Computex announcement, Asus has not provided specific pricing or regional availability for either device. However, given the RTX 5070’s positioning, the TUF 16 is expected to occupy the competitive $1,200 to $1,600 price bracket upon launch.
