The Asus ROG Flow Z13 is a gaming laptop disguised as a hybrid tablet
PC performance, tablet proportions
Today’s super slates might have the power to rip through round after round of COD Mobile, but serious gamers will still scoff at the idea of playing on an iPad Pro. After all, hardcore Candy Crush requires the power of a proper gaming PC.
Want go-anywhere gaming without compromise? Asus has the answer: follow-up to the transforming Flow X13, the new ROG Flow Z13 is essentially a Windows 11 gaming laptop squeezed into a touchscreen tablet. And it’s got proper performance chops.
Available in a range of configurations, the chipset selection tops out with 12th Gen Intel Core i9 silicon. Paired with 4GB of GDDR6 RAM, the graphics hardware is punchier still: the top option is Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3050 Ti. Which is a laptop GPU. In a tablet.
And the show doesn’t stop there. Like the Flow X13, the Z13 supports XG Mobile – which means players can connect to an external GPU in a compatible caddy for a massive graphics boost. While that setup will set you back a fair few pennies, it could also serve up gaming PC speeds from a satchel-friendly package.
At 12mm slim and 1.1kg light, the Flow Z13 is properly portable, with an integrated kickstand and detachable keyboard providing useful hybrid flexibility. Connectivity is comprehensive as well, with Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, USB 2.0, microSD, HDMI 2.0 and headphone ports backing up the eGPU connector.
As for the 13.4in panel, gamers can spec the 16:10 touchscreen with a 4K resolution, or drop to 1080p to unlock smooth 120Hz refresh rates.
Announced at CES 2022 in Las Vegas, Asus hasn’t confirmed pricing for the rip-roaring ROG device – but given the Flow X13 started at £1500, the Flow Z13 won’t be making our list of affordable tablets when it arrives in the first half of the year.
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Chris Rowlands
Freelance contributor 
