Turbo vs. Performance mode: how one setting dramatically changes the Asus TUF Gaming A18
In our review, the new Asus TUF Gaming A18 proves that picking the right performance mode matters more than usual. The default Performance mode noticeably holds the hardware back, while the laptop only reaches its full potential in Turbo mode. The differences are significant — in noise, power draw, and especially gaming performance. Here’s a look at the surprisingly wide gulf between the modes and what it means for users.
Performance mode: Quiet, efficient – but throttled
At first glance, the factory-set Performance mode looks like the obvious default for gaming. In reality, it behaves more like a balanced preset:
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CPU power draw drops from 80 W to 70 W after a short while
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GPU runs steadily but not at its peak
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Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra): just 90.7 fps
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Noise level stays pleasantly quiet at around 45 dB
This mode is perfectly fine if you don’t need to squeeze every last frame out of your games — but you won’t get full power here.
Turbo mode: Asus hits the afterburner
It’s only in Turbo mode that the A18 shows what the RTX 5070 and Ryzen 7 260 can really do. The fans ramp up noticeably, but performance jumps in a measurable way:
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CPU holds steady at 80 W
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GPU reaches significantly higher clock speeds
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12–16% more FPS in games
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Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra): 91.7 fps (the difference is larger in other titles)
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Noise level rises to just under 55 dB
GPU-heavy games in particular see a clear boost. The extra performance lets the A18 keep up with other RTX 5070 laptops — something it doesn’t quite manage in Performance mode.
What makes this unusual
Normally, we test gaming laptops in their Performance mode — typically the middle ground between the quieter Balanced mode and the always-loud Turbo mode. But with the A18, Asus simply removed the Balanced mode, or rather merged it into Performance, and made that the default option. And it’s clearly the mode Asus expects most gamers to use: noise and power draw are significantly lower here, even if that means giving up some 3D performance.
What sets the A18 apart is that on most laptops, the Performance mode usually brings higher noise levels and greater power consumption. On the A18, however, Performance behaves like a Balanced mode in terms of noise and power, yet still lands closer to a true Performance mode when it comes to actual output.
Conclusion: one laptop, two personalities
In testing, the Asus TUF Gaming A18 feels like a device with two distinct identities. In Performance mode, it’s a surprisingly quiet and power-efficient 18-inch machine — almost an energy-saving desktop replacement. Switch to Turbo mode, and it becomes a full-blown gaming system that pushes its hardware to the limit.
This strong dependence on mode made scoring it a bit tricky, but it’s also one of the A18’s strengths: it can be both efficient and powerful — or very powerful, with the usual trade-offs in noise and power draw.
You’ll find all additional pros and cons of the laptop in our full review of the Asus TUF Gaming A18.
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