The Surface Pro’s design has been with us for nearly a decade, so it is type of a marvel that in all that point, nobody has actually ever tried to make a removable 2-in-1 gaming machine. Pretty a lot in all places you look, there is a hybrid model of each kind of gadget — from tablets to smartphones — other than gaming PCs. And whereas ASUS teased us with the ROG Mothership again in 2019, now the corporate has lastly returned to remodel that idea into an precise retail gadget: the ROG Flow Z13.

Design and show

For these aware of Microsoft’s detachables, if you happen to take one have a look at the Flow Z13 (which begins at $1,800) you will instantly see why I discussed the Surface Pro line, as a result of ASUS has principally taken that blueprint and made all of it gamery. You get a vibrant 13.4-inch full HD display screen with a 120Hz refresh fee, a helpful kickstand in again, and a magnetic strip for hooking up a detachable keyboard cowl. That cowl additionally feels much like a Surface, proper all the way down to the bounciness of the keyboard and its barely too-small touchpad. This means any hardcore RTS or FPS avid gamers will certainly wish to preserve an exterior keyboard round. ASUS even hid a microSD card slot and detachable M.2 cowl behind the kickstand, identical to the Surface Pro. You’ll additionally discover an 8-MP digicam round again, although its picture high quality leaves rather a lot to be desired (the cam in entrance is ok although). Elsewhere, we’ve one USB-C port with Thunderbolt 4, a USB A port and a few different ports hidden beneath a protecting seal. But extra on these later.

Pros

• Bright 120Hz display screen
• USB-C port with Thunderbolt 4
• Unique design
• Good efficiency for the dimensions
• simply accessible M.2 SSD slot

Cons

• Impractical
• Pricey
• Top-heavy
• lackluster rear digicam picture high quality

That stated, whereas its general design is rather a lot like a Surface, the Z13 offers off a really totally different vibe. ASUS’ over-the-top cyberpunk aesthetic mixed with a splash of purple and black accents could be a bit a lot for some. But I kinda like it, particularly that window with RGB lighting in again. In truth, I’m gonna exit on a limb and say we’d like extra see-through devices on the whole.

Specs and efficiency

On the within, we received some comparatively beefy elements, significantly for a system this measurement. We’re speaking an Intel Core i9-12900H CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB M.2 SSD, and an RTX 3050TI. In regular use looking the net or social media, the Z13 is fairly quiet, although that modifications whenever you launch a sport. Fan noise is noticeable, however doesn’t turn into an actual distraction. And whereas the again of the Z13 does get heat, ASUS’ pill design and vapor chamber cooling system helps preserve throttling to a minimal.

Now usually, pairing an i9 chip with a 3050 Ti doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. In most video games, the Z13 goes to be bottlenecked by its GPU, which makes a high-end CPU appear to be overkill. In benchmarks, I noticed body charges of 37 fps in Forza Horizon 5 on extremely settings, 64 fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider on highest and 40 fps in Metro Exodus on excessive. So first rate, however not precisely mind-blowing.

That’s the place these hidden ports are available. Once you take away the protecting seal, you may connect ASUS’ elective (and costly) $1,400 XG Mobile graphics dock, which has much more ports (HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, Ethernet, 4 USB 3.2 Type-A ports and an SD card reader), together with an RTX 3080 graphics card. And after I hooked every part up, gaming efficiency principally doubled, with body charges in Forza Horizon 5 leaping as much as 87 fps on the similar settings, with comparable outcomes for different titles (134 fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider and 95 fps in Metro Exodus).

So now, we’re taking a look at a conveyable gaming pill that has the type of efficiency you’d usually solely get from a giant 15 or 17-inch pocket book. And as a result of the dock is removable, you’ve got the choice to depart it behind if you happen to’re not gonna be gaming. It even has its personal energy cable, permitting it to ship juice to the Z13 when related. So theoretically, if you happen to throw each of those in your bag, you may go away ASUS’ fundamental charging brick at dwelling. And whenever you’re not utilizing the dock, beneath that seal subsequent to ASUS’ proprietary XG port, there is a USB-C 3.2 connection that helps video out with G-sync.

However, there are a selection of quirks in regards to the XG dock. First, you may’t simply disconnect it at will. Before you pull the plug, it is advisable to manually disable it from the icon within the Windows system tray, which takes greater than a second. You can also’t decide what GPU goes inside, it’s both an RTX 3080 or nothing. That means if you wish to improve sooner or later, you’re gonna have to purchase a complete new dock, assuming ASUS even makes a second era. And due to that proprietary port, the XG Dock is simply suitable with this technique and the ROG Flow X13, which is principally the laptop computer model of Z13.

Battery life

One of the most important downsides of the Z13’s pill design isn’t having a whole lot of room for a large battery. In our video rundown check, the system’s 56 Whr energy pack lasted simply 5 hours and 38 minutes. That’s 4 hours shorter than the Zephyrus G14 (9:45) and almost two and half hours lower than the Alienware X14. That means you’ll in all probability must deliver ASUS’ energy brick everytime you go away the home, particularly if you happen to plan on precise gaming. And in the actual world, even with probably the most informal workloads, I discovered the Z13 was typically gasping for power properly earlier than the tip of the day. On the plus facet, the Z13 makes use of USB-C Power Delivery, so not less than the charger can prime up different devices too.

Wrap up

When it involves summing up a product, I’m normally not this conflicted. Don’t get me incorrect, I like the thought, I like the best way it seems, and I like with the ability to tack on a beefy GPU after I need further efficiency. I additionally love with the ability to flip it open, pair a controller and simply get to gaming – no want to fret a few keyboard. There actually is not anything just like the Z13. The drawback is that the entire package is not very sensible, and it isn’t an important worth both.

When you are utilizing it as a laptop computer – like you realize, in your lap – as a result of all of its guts are stuffed inside what is actually a pill chassis, it is actually top-heavy. Also, its battery life is not excellent, lasting not less than two to 3 hours shorter than each different gaming laptop computer we have examined lately. And whereas it’s comparatively skinny, when you consider all of the equipment you may wish to carry round with it, the Z13 doesn’t actually allow you to pack that a lot lighter when in comparison with a rival 14 or 15-inch laptop computer.

And then there’s its value. The Z13 begins at $1,800, or round $1,900 for one much like our overview unit with a 3050TI GPU, which is as excessive as you may spec it. And if you’d like the XG cell graphics dock your all-in value climbs properly above $3,000.

A equally geared up conventional gaming laptop computer, like an Alienware X14 goes for about $200 much less. Meanwhile, ASUS’ personal G14 Zephyrus will be had for as little as $1,450, and that is with a barely extra highly effective RTX 3060. So if you happen to simply need to have the ability to sport on the go, it can save you a bunch of cash just by getting one thing much less unique. And if you happen to want some further efficiency at times, you are in all probability higher off getting a daily exterior GPU enclosure you could improve your self down the road as a substitute of ASUS’ proprietary dock.

Now all this doesn’t suggest you should not get one. But it’s best to know what you are moving into first. The Flow Z13 is a wildly fascinating system, and for folks in search of a conveyable and adaptable machine with large time efficiency, I’m glad that ASUS lastly made a gaming pill/removable 2-in-1 into an actual gadget in any case these years. And whereas its excessive value will make the Z13 an extremely onerous promote for most individuals, I nonetheless suppose it’s impractically cool.