Asus’ ROG Flow X13 is an impossibly portable convertible gaming laptop with a not-so-secret weapon

In the last few years we’ve seen an increasing number of gaming laptops that actually look like perfectly modest laptops, rather than the heavily armoured tanks that traditionally dominated the space. Asus’ ROG Flow X13 belongs to the former category, a lightweight 13in laptop that appears more like something a suited businessman might whip out in the airport than an on-the-go Warzone rig.

It’s also Asus’ first convertible gaming laptop, featuring a flippable 360-degree display that makes it as attractive for Netflix as it is for gaming. You can choose between either a 120Hz FHD touch panel or a 4K display, both with a 16:10 aspect ratio. The downside must be the graphics, you may well assume. And you’d be right, with only Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1650 graphics to pair with the AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS mobile CPU.

However, those wanting to do some more serious headshotting can bundle the X13 with the XG Mobile, an external GPU with Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 graphics, ostensibly making it comparably powerful to a specced up desktop rig.

All that added power predictably comes at a price, with the pair coming in at $3,000 in the US. But if you’re after the best of both worlds from your gaming lappy, the ROG Flow X13 might turn out to be one of the best options out there.

Matt Tate Contributor

About

I'm fascinated by all things tech, but if you were going to leave me on a desert island, I'd probably ask for my Nintendo Switch, a drone, and a pair of noise-cancelling cans to block out the relentless seagull racket. When I'm not on Stuff duty you'll probably find me subscribing to too many podcasts, playing too many video games, or telling anyone who will listen that Spurs are going to win a trophy this season.

Areas of expertise

Video games, VR, smartwatches, headphones, smart speakers, bizarre Kickstarter campaigns