Because it’s so easy to build a gaming desktop at home, companies making prebuilt machines need to offer either a great value or something unique. That’s why the Asus TUF T500 isn't technically a desktop PC, at least in the classic sense. That should give this desktop a much longer lifetime than gaming laptops that are similarly-equipped, at least on paper. I’m pleasantly surprised with the execution, and the T500 offers a solid value and a unique upgrade path, with some expected compromises around cooling and ports. Asus specifically calls out college students, but I'd think a gaming laptop would get you through at least four years, and you could take it to class with you.