Design and build
The Flow Z13 draws parallels to the Surface Pro in the design and functionality department. To wit, the device is essentially a tablet with a kickstand and a folio-style detachable keyboard. Unlike the stealthy and reserved design of the ROG Flow X13 2-in-1 laptop from last year, the Flow Z13 is quite flashy and the unit features a robust metal chassis that is replete with dramatically etched patterns as well as the company’s branding. There is also a tiny glass Window at the back that allows users to peek at the laptop’s internals. In fact, you can see a part of the motherboard with a bunch of transistors that are all lit up with RGB LEDs. While it serves no purpose, it is bound to grab a lot of eyeballs. Having a thickness of 12mm, the device isn’t as thin as the Surface Pro series. Furthermore, the Z13 tips the scales at 1.2Kg (1.5Kg with the keyboard cover), and consequently, weighs more than the Surface Pro too. Having said that, the Z13 is packed to the brim with high-end hardware and the device marks a lot of firsts for the brand which helps it stand out.
Display
The Flow Z13 uses an IPS panel that measures 13.4-inches and is bordered by thin bezels all around. The screen is touch-enabled and has a glossy Gorilla Glass finish which is prone to smudges and fingerprints. The 16:10 aspect ratio means you get larger screen real estate compared to some laptops, however, keep in mind that a majority of video content will have black bars on the top and bottom. The display comes with a 1920×1200-pixel resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate and as such, the panel is plenty sharp and fluid. What’s more, the screen is rated at 500 nits of peak brightness and comes with support for Dolby Vision HDR. Understandably, watching movies and videos on the unit is an absolute treat and the panel exhibits punchy, tasteful colours. With 100% coverage of the sRGB colour space, and Pantone validation, the display should serve budding content creators well too. Speaking of which, the tablet comes with a stylus pen that can be used for drawing, sketching, and writing notes. It isn’t as intuitive as an Apple Pencil, but it gets the job done. The laptop is available in a 4K WQUXGA (3840 x 2400) display option too, albeit you’ll have to shell out an additional Rs 10,000 for the same. Quite frankly, that seems a bit unnecessary as you are only paying for more pixels, which doesn’t make sense on the Z13’s relatively small screen.
Keyboard and trackpad
The folio keyboard features single-zone RGB backlit keys sitting on top of a faux-leather material which feels soft and premium. It feels a bit rickety, especially when you’re using the device on your lap but the keyboard deck doesn’t flex or wiggle around when used on a solid flat surface. Thankfully, the unit easily snaps onto the tablet with the help of two tabs and built-in magnets, while the connection to the device is established via pogo pins. The 1.7mm key travel is actually good and I was impressed with the overall feedback and keystroke experience. The palm rest area is comfortable, but I assume will succumb to wear and tear sooner than later, especially if you have sweaty hands like me. Is it good for gaming? Well, it isn’t the worst, but if you are a serious gamer you already know that you need to invest in a proper gaming keyboard. As for the trackpad, it is small, but apart from that I had absolutely no complaints. The unit offers a smooth surface, is plenty responsive and offers great clicky left and right buttons.
Software and performance
Up until a few years ago, the idea of slapping a high-performance H-series Intel CPU onto a tablet would have been deemed ludicrous. But, folks at ASUS mean business as the Z13 can be specced with up to a 14-core Intel Core-i9 12900H CPU. That’s not all, as the device can be kitted with up to 16GB of LPDDR5 memory clocked at 5200MHz as well! To get you up to speed, Intel’s 12th-gen Alder Lake CPUs feature a new architecture and the 12900H, in particular, comprises six performance cores, and eight extra efficiency cores, which are enabled or disabled depending on the workload. For graphics, there is the Intel Iris Xe integrated GPU and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050Ti discrete GPU with 4GB of memory. Do note that the discrete GPU combo is only available with the top-tier model, which is coincidentally the unit sent to me for review as well. The GPU in question is capable of running at 35W with a boost of up to 40W. There is a built-in MUX switch as well that can give a slight performance boost to the chip.
Battery
Disappointingly enough, the Flow Z13’s 56WHr battery fell short of my expectations. Now, seeing how the device is backed by a power-hungry 12th-gen Intel processor (especially the Core i9 on my unit), I wasn’t expecting any mind-blowing results to begin with. Now you can get up to five hours of battery life if you stick to light web browsing with 20-30% screen brightness, 60Hz refresh rate, keyboard lighting turned off and the performance mode switched to Silent. However, the tablet does not stay up for more than two-three hours on average. In real-world testing, which included switching between a bunch of Chrome tabs, writing some articles, checking emails, and a little bit of video/music consumption, the battery on the Flow Z13 would drop down to 15% in about two and a half hours.
Verdict
Despite having a wide array of gaming notebooks under its belt, ASUS is not shying away from innovation and the Flow Z13 is a testament to the same. In my books, the 2-in-1, gaming tablet is a home run for ASUS and for a first-gen product, the device has undoubtedly made its mark in the gaming space. It is undeniably one of the most unique computing products on the market today and the device is flush with high-end hardware, including the latest Intel 12th-gen H-series processors, DDR5 memory and even discrete GPU options from Nvidia. Despite that, the device is but a slightly chunkier Surface Pro and it’s mind-boggling to think of all the hardware that is crammed inside the machine. Performance is excellent, and the hardware met my expectations. It isn’t a full-blown gaming laptop, but considering the form factor, it would be absolutely unfair to compare the unit to decked-out, beefy gaming machines. If you are a fan of the 2-in-1 detachable tablet form factor and need all the performance that you can get, this is the perfect fit. Should you buy one? Well, the device is quite expensive, with the base variant with Core i5 processor retailing for Rs 1,36,990, and the unit sent to me for review costing Rs 1,81,990 in India. For the price, you can undoubtedly get your hands on better-equipped gaming laptops. That said, buyers looking to stand out and make a splash at the next LAN party will find plenty to like about the Flow Z13 too.
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