How to open ASUS TUF Gaming A14 FA401 (2024) – disassembly and upgrade options

LaptopMedia.com Guides How to open ASUS TUF Gaming A14 FA401 (2024) - disassembly and upgrade options

From: Severin Kolakov 21 October 2024 / 17:33 | 0

#CommissionsEarned

ASUS TUF Gaming A14

Processor: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
VideoCard: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (Laptop, 100W)
RAM: 16GB RAM
STORAGE: 1000GB SSD

Detailed review

ASUS TUF Gaming A14 FA401

Processor: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370
VideoCard: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (Laptop, 100W)
RAM: 32GB RAM
STORAGE: 2000GB SSD

Detailed review

ASUS TUF Gaming A14 FA401

Processor: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370
VideoCard: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (Laptop, 100W)
RAM: 16GB RAM
STORAGE: 1000GB SSD

Detailed review

View all results

Opening the Device

Undo the 11 Philips-head screws securing the bottom panel. The one in the lower right corner is captive and will lift the panel slightly, making it easier to start prying.
Start by prying the front from the lifted section, then proceed to pop the sides and the back.

More info: The inside of the bottom panel includes dust filters for the fans and several rubber elements for added internal structural support.

Battery Removal

Unplug the battery connector from the mainboard.
Undo the 4 Philips-head screws securing the battery to the base.
Lift the battery to remove it.

Note: The device comes with a 73Wh battery, providing approximately 12 hours of video playback.

Memory Information

Note: The memory is soldered, with configurations up to 32GB of LPDDR5x-7500MHz RAM in dual-channel mode.

Storage Upgrade

The laptop has two M.2 slots compatible with 2280 Gen 4 SSDs.
The slot on the left supports PCIe 4.0 x4 lanes, while the other offers PCIe 4.0 x2 lanes.
The preinstalled SSD is covered in foil, with a small thermal pad on the bottom for cooling.

Hint: Don’t forget to check out our Top M.2 SSDs Performance Rankings for insights on the best storage options available.

You can buy compatible SSDs here: Buy from Amazon.com (#CommissionsEarned)

Wi-Fi Card

The Wi-Fi card is located close to the right NVMe slot.

Cooling System Overview

The cooling system features two large fans, three heat pipes shared between the CPU and GPU, two top-mounted heat sinks, and five heat spreaders of varying shapes and sizes.

ASUS TUF Gaming A14 FA401 in-depth review

We saw a lot of small yet potent gaming devices in 2024. Now it's time to check how good the TUF Gaming A14 (FA401) is compared to the competition, including the HP OMEN Transcend 14, Nitro 14 (AN14-41), or the Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51). The ASUS creation has a lot of tricks up in its sleeve but the most notable one should be its top CPU option which is the Zen 5 AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 with a 50 TOPS NPU. When this chip is well-cooled, it offers fast performance and efficiency at the same time.Speaking of which, this small fella has a pretty capable thermal system with three heat pi[...]

Read the full review

Pros

2x M.2 slots
Great overall performance
Compact and light
Zen 5 CPU option
High CPU clocks and power limits during heavy stress (4.35 GHz / 3.23 GHz P and E-core clock + 72W)
The RTX 4060 can maintain ~ 100W during gaming
MUX switch + NVIDIA Advanced Optimus + G-SYNC
Four USBs + Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3
PWM-free (BOE0AC4)
Snappy panel (7.6 ms) + 165Hz refresh rate (BOE0AC4)
99% sRGB coverage + accurate color thanks to our "Design and Gaming" profile (BOE0AC4)
1700:1 contrast ratio a 445 nit max brightness (BOE0AC4)
The Armoury crate app offers tons of customization options
Comfortable backlit keyboard + precise touchpad
Long battery life
The fans don't spin during light loads in "Silent" mode
Solid build quality
Fast and well-cooled SSD ( 1TB WD PC SN5000S SDEQNSJ-1T00-1002)