Price When Reviewed

$1,879

Best Prices Today: Asus ROG Flow Z13 2023

$1879.99

It was just a little over a decade in the past when Microsoft unleashed its Surface gadgets on the world. It took a couple of tries, nevertheless it discovered a recipe that labored and has largely caught with it ever since. Others within the PC trade have adopted go well with, however few actually tried to combine up the keyboard-cover-and-kickstand components.

That’s why this Asus ROG Flow Z13 is an odd critter–it’s the Surface recipe to a T, nevertheless it dares to ask the query “What if it were for gamers?” The reply is a thicker 2-in-1 with a really highly effective CPU and an Nvidia GPU inside, with an enormous cooling system as well. But in a world the place most gaming laptops are no less than within the 14-inch-and-bigger class, can is that this a usable gaming PC or just an odd duck?

Looking for extra choices? Check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best gaming laptops.

Asus ROG Flow Z13: Specs

Our assessment unit got here outfitted with an Intel Core i7-13900H CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of SSD storage. For extra data, try the specs checklist beneath:

• CPU: Intel Core i7-13900H (14 cores, 20 threads: 6 efficiency, 8 effectivity) 
• Memory: 16 GB LPDDR5 RAM
• Graphics/GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060, 8 GB GDDR6 VRAM
• Display: 13.4-inch 16:10 WQXGA (2560×1600) IPS touchscreen with 165Hz refresh fee and stylus assist
• Storage: 1 TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe PCIe stable state drive
• Webcam: 13MP
• Connectivity:  1x Thunderbolt 4, 1x  USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (with ROG XG cellular GPU interface), 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x 3.5mm combo audio, microSD reader
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
• Biometrics: Windows Hello facial login
• Battery capability: 56Wh
• Dimensions: 11.89 (W) x 8.11 (D) x 0.51 (H) inches 
• Weight: 2.6 kilos, 3.7 kilos with AC adapter
• Price as Reviewed: $1,879

Asus ROG Flow Z13: Design and construct high quality

IDG / Brendan Nystedt

Ah, players. The stereotypes generally are true, and it exhibits in how gaming PCs are designed and marketed. The ROG Flow Z13 completely leans into that, with extremely-styled metallic, wild-looking fan vents, pointless branding, and even a small window that appears on the PC’s motherboard, with RGB as well. To be trustworthy, I don’t hate the best way this appears, and it even seems like a high-quality PC–however I feel it may very well be a lot extra subdued.

Thankfully, the front-on view is completely high quality, with solely the RGB and font of the keyboard legends providing you with a touch that this 2-in-1 is making an attempt just a bit too onerous to be cool. Like the Surface, the pill’s magnetically-attached keyboard has a felt exterior and may be ripped off the system or folded onto its again (though the PC will warn that the vents are blocked). In some cases, like on an airplane tray desk, having the pill stand by itself with a kickstand when having fun with a film. Even although the Flow Z13 is considerably thicker than others on this laptop computer class, utilizing the kickstand and keyboard can nonetheless be an pleasurable expertise.  

Asus ROG Flow Z13: Connectivity

IDG / Brendan Nystedt

2-in-1s usually go away ports out to be able to get as skinny and moveable as doable. Thankfully, with its thicker shell, the ROG Flow Z13 crams in a bunch of choices beside the everyday USB-C ports. Sure, you get a Thunderbolt 4 port, nevertheless it additionally has a USB-A, a 3.5mm headset jack, and one other USB-C port hidden beneath a rubber cowl that additionally homes Asus’s proprietary XG Mobile exterior GPU connector. It’s value noting that the Flow Z13 comes with a USB-C charging brick that may ship 130W to the system. But, because it’s USB-C, you’ll lose a vital port when you’re on the charger for its most efficiency. 

Underneath the machine’s kickstand is a microSD card slot, which is tremendous handy on a tool like this. Furthermore, Asus has opted to go together with the M.2 2230 stable state drive commonplace, and there’s a hatch for swapping out storage with out tearing the pill aside. Thin machines like this usually come with none upgradeability, so it’s actually nice you possibly can add more room when you want it.

For wi-fi hookups, the ROG Flow Z13 has the most recent Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2, precisely what we’d count on for the cash you’re paying.

Asus ROG Flow Z13: Keyboard and trackpad

IDG / Brendan Nystedt

This being a 2-in-1, the keyboard isn’t constructed into the ROG Flow Z13. Thankfully, this magnetically-attached keyboard cowl is included within the field. While I discovered the RGB-backlit keys have loads of journey, the duvet has a little bit of flex. Of course, the usability of this keyboard is considerably private–folks with brief thighs won’t have the ability to match the pill’s kickstand and keyboard cowl of their laps like a daily laptop computer. Moreover, the entire contraption might need points on smaller tables and desks, like these present in a university lecture corridor. But, on a daily desk, I had no points typing at excessive speeds. 

IDG / Brendan Nystedt

The huge trackpad is fairly good however as a result of flexing of the keyboard cowl, I discovered that generally it may be clicked throughout vigorous typing. Thankfully, it’s responsive throughout use and registers gestures shortly and reliably.

Asus ROG Flow Z13: Display, audio system, and webcam

IDG / Brendan Nystedt

Gaming laptops are likely to favor quick refresh over every part else. That’s why I used to be thrilled to see that the 13.4-inch, 3:2 display within the ROG Flow Z13 was a terrific decision, has punchy colours, and is superior for gaming and day-to-day use alike. It’s a touchscreen for pill use, as effectively. Unfortunately, the skinny bezels across the display make it a poor pill–I discovered that holding the Flow made it far too simple to hit the shut button on the nook of home windows.

The 13 megapixel webcam is fairly respectable, all issues thought-about. I discovered that some element was lacking from my face (largely in my scraggly beard) however I got here via well-exposed and looking out pure. This digicam additionally doubles as a 5 MP facial recognition digicam, so utilizing Windows Hello for quick logins is an choice right here as effectively.

Unfortunately, between the battery, beefy chips, and every part else stuffed inside, there seemingly wasn’t any spare house left for good audio system. The 2-speaker system within the ROG Flow Z13 hearth out the edges and aren’t very spectacular, even when they’ll get considerably loud. I’d have drastically most well-liked that Asus take one other web page from the Microsoft Surface playbook and make them front-firing audio system as an alternative.

Asus ROG Flow Z13: Performance

With its 20-thread Intel Core i9-13900H chip, the Asus ROG Flow Z13 has a ton of energy in a comparatively small package deal. Thankfully, its gaming pedigree means Asus has gone a bit nuts with the vents and followers, and even beneath load the Flow stays fairly cool to the contact, contemplating the truth that there’s a robust CPU and an Nvidia RTX 4060 in there, too. 

IDG / Brendan Nystedt

Using Cinebench R20, we will check out how a laptop computer renders a 3D mannequin with its processor cores. This may help us gauge how effectively all of the cores work to perform a demanding process collectively. Here, we will see that the Intel i9-13900H contained in the ROG Flow Z13 is a lot quick, however can’t sustain with larger laptops, designed for punishing workloads with cooling programs to match.

IDG / Brendan Nystedt

Inside the Asus ROG Flow Z13 is an Nvidia GPU, serving to it get stunning gaming efficiency. Packing the GeForce RTX 4060, this pretty compact 2-in-1 can sport fairly effectively on the go, in line with the 3DMark Time Spy benchmark. While removed from class-leading (as we will see on the chart), you’d be hard-pressed to seek out one other laptop computer on this measurement with a GPU that’s this good. 

For a tool of this class, the graphics efficiency is a lot spicy for powering AAA video games like Cyberpunk 2077 at round 50 fps with good visible constancy, simply perhaps not on the system’s native decision.

IDG / Brendan Nystedt

While the ROG Flow Z13 looks as if a loser when stacked up in opposition to latest gaming laptops, we predict that getting round 111 frames within the Shadow of the Tomb Raider take a look at is respectable. For on-the-go gaming, this implies you’ve gotten an excellent quantity of flexibility, even when it’s not going to run the most recent AAA video games at 4K/120.

IDG / Brendan Nystedt

Finally, in our benchmarks, we run each laptop computer via a Handbrake video compression state of affairs. This lets us clock how lengthy it takes to crunch a full-resolution HD film into one fitted to an Android pill. In this take a look at, the 20-core i9 contained in the Flow Z13 took just a little longer than larger high-power gaming laptops, nevertheless it nonetheless acquitted itself effectively for 13-inch pill.

Asus ROG Flow Z13: Battery Life

IDG / Brendan Nystedt

A key take a look at we run on each laptop computer is a battery take a look at that loops a 4K video. Unfortunately, this can be a huge weak spot for the Asus ROG Flow Z13. Because it’s such a small laptop computer, and a lot of the inside is taken up by chips and coolers, it’s left with a small 56Wh battery inside. No miracles at the moment ­– that is when the Flow actually behaves like a gaming laptop computer, draining its battery in solely round six and a half hours. Anecdotally, I misplaced 10% of battery whereas working at a café in lower than a half-hour, which is a reasonably sharp drop.

Asus ROG Flow Z13: Should you purchase it?

While it’s not probably the most performant gaming laptop computer round, the Asus ROG Flow Z13 is not like some other system I’ve ever examined. Not solely is it a really compact machine, it’s bought loads of energy for lots of video games, and greater than sufficient oomph for inventive work. Its largest weak point is by far its battery life, making it a poor cellular workstation, no less than so long as you’re away from a wall socket. 

For my functions, although, the Asus ROG Flow Z13 can be a a lot better cellular powerhouse with a high-powered AMD APU inside, like what comes within the Razer Blade 14. That means, the Flow may get nice on-the-go runtime, have sufficient pep to run the occasional sport on the highway, however when again house can dock up with an exterior GPU for extra resource-intensive video games and packages. But, when you like your laptops small, however don’t wish to compromise on energy, then the Asus ROG Flow Z13 is a superb little beast.