On paper, the idea of a PC gaming tablet is not really understood. Anything with a screen larger than eight to ten inches is usually very large to catch for long sessions. Their thin chassis does not leave much space for large batteries, ports or discrete graphics. But with the second-Je ROG Flow Z13, Asus is changing the line of idea on your head with a surprisingly powerful system that can just more than the game-until you do not pay a premium for some niche engineering.
Design and display: not secretly
For better or worse, Z Flow 13 seems as if someone tuned a surface Pro to adjust the stereotypeical game beauty. It has a cyberpanki graphics which has been completed with a small window in its body with RGB light.
Unlike a lot of bullets, Asus gave the Z13 a thick-to-normal body (0.6 in), which left space for a stunning number of ports. Not only do you find two USB4 Type-C ports, a regular USB-A jack, full-size HDMI 2.1, 3.5 mm audio and even a microSD card reader. It immediately raises the tablet to something strictly to play the game in something that can also draw double duty as a portable video editing station.
ASUS’s 13.4-inch 2.5 IPS display thanks to 180Hz refresh rates, strong brightness (about 500 NITs) and even more thanks to pantone verification. Despite what you are doing, the color will be both rich and accurate. Rounding the package is some of the Panchi speakers, so you will not have to suffer from the sound. But there are boundaries here, because it is always difficult to produce on such small systems.
Sam Rutherford for Engaget
Finally, there are some pogo pin under its display to connect its folding keyboard. Sadly, it is one of the weak points of the system. Because Z13 is heavier than a specific tablet PC, its keyboard has to bear a heavy load. On a table, that’s fine. But if you try to use this thing on your lap (or any uneven surface), I found that the keyboard can flake so much that it can result in contingent mouse clicks. It is a shame because the bounce and journey of the keys usually look great. There is nothing more than playing games while resting on the couch and then to fight with tablets to avoid wrong click.
Display
Instead of relying on discomfort graphics, ASUS opted AMD’s Ryzen AI Max 390 or Max+ 395 APUs, which features up to 32 core and up to 128GB integrated RAM. However, our review unit came with a more modest, but still enough, 32 GB. Unexpectedly, it excludes the mincemeat from basic productivity functions, while the video is more than enough power to quickly edit the video.
Sam Rutherford for Engaget
But without a proper graphics card, can it be really a game? Yes, and well, I can add. In Cyberpank 2077 In 1080p and Ultra Settings, Z13 hit an impressive 93 FPS. And while the number was not enough Control At 1080p on the epic preset, 70 FPS is still very playable. A wrinkle is when I tested Cyberpank 2077 The second time on the ultra with Ray Tracing Saksham, the performance of the flow was cut in half in only 45 FPS. Unless you are playing a new AAA title, which requires RT support (one of which is an increasing number), Z13 is a shocking good portable gaming companion for frequent passengers.
You just have to be careful about how you configure its power settings. This is because if you are in a public or a calm room, the fan can be a good part of the noise as a result of high performance (especially turbo), which may draw some unwanted attention. Or in my case, it became very difficult to talk to someone sitting next to me on the couch.
battery life
Sam Rutherford for Engaget
When it comes to longevity, you will find one of the two results. In general use and on the modern office productivity battery life test of PCMark, Z13 performed quite well, finishing with six hours and 54 minutes time. It is not worth the whole day’s work, but it is quite good for most people. You just want to keep its chunky power adapter nearby.
However, if you plan this thing on gaming without plugging into the wall, just be ready for Z13, exit after two hours after two hours. When i played League of Legends’ Teamfite TacticsI made it through only two games (about 30 to 40 minutes each), before its battery decreased dangerously (about 10 percent). And this is enough to say, TFT There is not a lot of demanding title.
Wrap
Rog Flow is a customized button on the right side of the Z13 that can be programmed to launch an app of your choice.
Sam Rutherford for Engaget
Flow Z13 is a niche device that is higher than an all-rounder as it may be at first glance. The system fills an interesting difference between Asus’ gaming machines and more creatively centered PCs than its proert family. In a lot of ways, slapping a Rog badge over it does not really do this. It exceeds enough performance to air through general productivity or video editing, and its underlying microSD card reader has transferred footage to an air to the tablet. Its screen is bright and vibrant, while also offers a high refreshing rate with accurate color and a decency. And even without an untreated GPU, Z13 did not have much trouble providing games with lots of graphical bells and whistles.
However, the issues of this tablet boil a couple of major glued points. Its viosable keyboard is just very frightening, at the point where you use it anywhere other than a table or desk, you risk fighting with it to ensure that your mouse clicks are correct. But there is a big hurdle price. Starting from $ 2,100 (or around $ 2,300 as a test), the cost of the flow Z13 is the same or higher than a comparable Rog zephyrus G14 with a appropriate RTX 5070. Not only is its performance poor, it is also less stable due to the design of its tablet-style. For people trying to get the most value from your money, this proposal is a difficult sales.
Sam Rutherford for Engaget
In depth, I want to prefer Rog Flow Z13. And I do some extent. It is a cowardly construction and unexpectedly aggressive style. But until you have a very special set of requirements, it does not fit neatly in the lives of most people as a similar laptop. And before you consider how much it costs.
This article originally appeared on Engadget
