ASUS TUF Gaming GT501 2021, Ryzen 7 5800X, 16GB, 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD, Radeon RX 5700 XT, Black
The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X 8-core processor and Radeon RX 5700 XT 8GB GPU deliver solid 1080p gaming performance in a mid-tower case with liquid cooling. The 256GB NVMe SSD plus 1TB HDD provides fast boot times and ample storage, while the 700W PSU supports upgrades. This prebuilt is best for gamers who want a ready-to-play desktop with a TUF chassis and liquid cooling at a competitive price point.
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Snapshot
The 30-Second Version
A pretty case with a dated GPU and not enough RAM for the price. The 5800X is solid, but the RX 5700 XT drags the whole build down.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Ryzen 7 5800X is still a capable 8-core CPU 71st
- Tempered glass RGB case looks sharp
- Thermaltake 360mm liquid cooler keeps temps in check
- 1TB HDD gives you extra storage for game libraries
Cons
- RX 5700 XT is outdated for the price
- Only 16GB of RAM in a $1,579 USD build
- 256GB NVMe SSD fills up fast
- Wi-Fi 5, not Wi-Fi 6 or 6E
The proof
Performance
The 5800X holds up surprisingly well for gaming and creator tasks, landing in the 63rd percentile for CPUs in our database. But the RX 5700 XT is the bottleneck here. It sits at the 68th percentile for GPUs, which sounds okay until you realize that's against all products, including budget builds. For 1080p gaming, you'll be fine on medium to high settings. Push to 1440p or crank ray tracing, and this thing starts wheezing. The 16GB of DDR4-3200 RAM is also a weak spot, ranking in the 33rd percentile. For a $1,579 USD build, that's rough.
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 5800X |
| Cores | 8 |
| Frequency | 3.8 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 32 MB |
Graphics
| GPU | AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT |
| Type | Discrete |
| VRAM | 8 GB |
| VRAM Type | GDDR6 |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 16 GB |
| RAM Generation | DDR4 |
| Storage 1 | 256 GB |
| Storage 1 Type | NVMe SSD |
| Storage 2 | 1 TB |
| Storage 2 Type | HDD |
Build
| Form Factor | mid-tower |
| PSU | 700 |
Connectivity
| USB Ports | 6 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Ethernet | Gigabit Ethernet |
System
| OS | Windows 11 Pro |
vs Competition
Stack this against the HP OMEN GT22-3080 and the Lenovo Legion Tower 7i Gen 10, and the GT501 build falls behind fast. The OMEN and Legion both offer newer GPUs and better overall balance for similar money. The Apple Mac Studio M5 Max is a different beast entirely, aimed at creators who don't need discrete gaming graphics. And the Dell Tower Plus EBT2250 is more of an office workhorse. If you want a gaming desktop, the OMEN or Legion are the smarter picks.
| Spec | ASUS TUF Gaming GT501 | Apple Mac Studio M5 Max | Lenovo T Series Towers Legion Tower 5a Gen 10 | Dell Desktop ECT1250 | HP OMEN GT16-0364 | CLX SET TGMSETRTU5204BM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 5800X | Apple M5 Max | AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D | Intel Core Ultra 7 265 | AMD Ryzen 7 8700F | Intel Core i9 14900KF |
| RAM (GB) | 16 | 64 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 64 |
| Storage (GB) | 1280 | 4096 | 4096 | 2048 | 1024 | 8192 |
| GPU | AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT | Apple (40-Core) | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti | Intel UHD Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 |
| Form Factor | mid-tower | mini | mid-tower | sff | mid-tower | mid-tower |
| Psu W | 700 | 480 | 850 | 180 | 850 | 850 |
| OS | Windows 11 Pro | macOS | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | CPU | GPU | RAM | Ports | Storage | Reliability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASUS TUF Gaming GT501 | 64 | 70.9 | 31.6 | 34.2 | 53.6 | 37.3 |
| Apple Mac Studio M5 Max Compare | 95.8 | 83.6 | 98.4 | 89.1 | 98.1 | 99.3 |
| Lenovo T Series Towers Legion Tower 5a Gen 10 Compare | 73.4 | 93.1 | 78.1 | 88.4 | 98.1 | 70 |
| Dell Desktop ECT1250 Compare | 88.4 | 58.7 | 81.8 | 74.5 | 82.8 | 70 |
| HP OMEN GT16-0364 Compare | 69.7 | 89.3 | 87.2 | 97.9 | 53.6 | 70 |
| CLX SET TGMSETRTU5204BM Compare | 94.9 | 89.3 | 96.5 | 84.2 | 99.2 | 11.6 |
Price
Value & Pricing
At $1,579 USD, this is a tough sell. You're paying a premium for the TUF branding and RGB case, but the GPU and RAM are holding you back. For that money, you could build something with a newer GPU and 32GB of RAM. Unless you're getting a steep discount, skip it.
Read more
Overview
The ASUS TUF Gaming GT501 build is a weird mix of old and new. You've got a Ryzen 7 5800X, which is still a solid 8-core workhorse, paired with an RX 5700 XT that's starting to show its age. It's like putting fresh tires on a car with 100,000 miles on the odometer. The case is a looker with that tempered glass and RGB, but the internals feel like someone raided a 2019 parts bin and called it a day.
Common Questions
Q: How big is this thing?
It's 22 x 10 x 22 inches and weighs 32 pounds. Not exactly a small form factor build, so make sure you've got desk space.
Q: What kind of cooling does it use?
It's got a Thermaltake Floe Riing 360 RGB Premium Edition water cooling kit. That's a 360mm radiator, so temps should stay in check even under load.
Q: Can I upgrade the GPU later?
Yes, the case is a standard mid-tower with room for a full-size GPU. But with a 700W PSU, you'll want to check power requirements before dropping in something like an RTX 4080.
Who Should Skip This
If you're looking for a future-proof gaming rig, this isn't it. The RX 5700 XT is already struggling with newer titles, and 16GB of RAM is the bare minimum these days. Go grab an HP OMEN or Lenovo Legion with a newer GPU and 32GB of RAM instead.
Verdict
The ASUS TUF Gaming GT501 build is a case of style over substance. The 5800X is fine, but the RX 5700 XT and 16GB of RAM make this feel like a budget build wearing a premium price tag. If you can find it for under $1,200 USD, it's worth a look. At $1,579 USD, you're better off shopping elsewhere.
Usage Scores
- Overall48
- AI/LLM31.2
- Gaming56.2
- Portability22.9
- Creator48.5
- Business42.5
- Developer41.4
- Home Office46.5
- Workstation45.9
