Asus ROG Flow Z13 (2025) review: A gaming laptop and tablet with serious power

The Asus ROG Movement Z13 (2025) is a brand new gaming laptop computer 2-in-1 that continues the corporate’s Z13 lineup, and which remains to be making an attempt to persuade the world {that a} gaming pill pretending to be a gaming laptop computer is a profitable system. Serving to immensely with this newest addition is the inclusion of AMD’s model new Ryzen AI Max 300 lineup of CPUs, which have stunningly highly effective built-in GPUs that unlock new ranges of efficiency for such a compact machine.

Whether or not all of it provides as much as creating probably the greatest gaming laptop computer units round will largely rely on whether or not you see the potential within the hybrid pill/laptop computer kind issue that Asus has chosen. It’s definitely primed to be probably the greatest skinny and lightweight gaming laptop computer choices when it comes to energy, however a excessive value might imply it struggles in opposition to chunkier and extra standard laptops.

Nonetheless, with a 180Hz, 1600p show, and loads of ports, this transportable PC has extra going for it than only a new chip. To see if all of it comes collectively right into a profitable package deal, I’ve spent the final week placing this machine by way of its paces, operating gaming and productiveness benchmarks, in addition to gaming at dwelling and whereas touring. Learn on to learn the way it fares.

Specs

There’s just one place to begin in terms of the specs of the Asus ROG Movement Z13, and that’s its AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 processor. This chip (which was codenamed Strix Halo earlier than launch) is a model new AMD design that has an enormous built-in GPU, permitting it to ship true gaming laptop computer efficiency however with out an additional laptop computer GPU. This single-chip in principle saves on the house that might be taken up by a separate GPU and all of the circuitry it wants, reminiscent of VRAM chips, doubtlessly permitting for smaller, lighter machines.

The GPU a part of the Max 390 chip is called the Radeon 8050S (Radeon 8060S on the higher-spec Max+ 395 mannequin) and it accommodates 32 compute items based mostly on the corporate’s RDNA 3.5 graphics structure, with these cores operating at a really quick 2,800MHz. RDNA 3.5 is a barely tweaked model of the RDNA 3 structure that powers the Radeon RX 7000 sequence, such because the RX 7800 XT. So it’s not fairly as highly effective because the RDNA 4 structure that’s inside the corporate’s latest playing cards, which we examined for our 9070 XT overview.

Nonetheless, these 32 compute items (also called graphics cores) are the identical quantity housed within the desktop AMD Radeon RX 7600 graphics card. Whereas that’s definitely not a high-end graphics card, it’s nonetheless a full-fat, desktop-class card that may ship playable body charges in trendy video games at 1080p with excessive settings. For comparability, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 (Strix Level) CPU within the new Razer Blade 16 2025 additionally has an built-in GPU however with solely 16 graphics cores, and that GPU is already much more highly effective than most different built-in GPUs.

The Max 390 isn’t nearly GPU energy, although. It additionally hosts a succesful CPU with 12 cores (capable of course of two utility threads every, so it seems like a 24-core chip) that may run at as much as 5.1GHz. In our assessments, we might solely get it to hit 4.8GHz on a single core, whereas a full load on all cores noticed this drop to 2.75GHz, however that’s nonetheless very quick for a laptop computer chip. These cores are additionally based mostly on the corporate’s newest Zen 5 structure, which is what powers the undisputed greatest gaming CPU round, the 9800X3D.

There’s additionally a model of the Z13 Movement out there with the much more highly effective Max+ 395 processor, which has 16 CPU cores and 40 graphics cores. Nonetheless, it’s the Max 390 model we’re testing right here.

Backing up this highly effective CPU and GPU is a wholesome 32GB provide of 8,000MT/s LPDDR5X RAM. This RAM is definitely shared between the CPU and GPU, changing the devoted VRAM you usually get with a graphics card. Nonetheless, not solely does the Max 390 use a quad-channel connection to that RAM, to make sure a really quick 238MB/s of reminiscence bandwidth, however this sharing of the RAM means the GPU has a bigger pool of RAM out there to it than the VRAM on many entry-level graphics playing cards, such because the RTX 4060.

An important draw back of this RAM, although, is that it’s soldered to the board so can’t be upgraded at a later date. That’s a typical association today, notably for smaller programs like this one – the Razer Blade 16 2025 additionally makes use of this configuration – however some bigger gaming laptops have upgradeable RAM. General, although, 32GB is sufficient for a gaming pill such because the Z13.

Fortunately, the 1TB SSD that’s loaded into this laptop computer is upgradeable to one of the best gaming SSD you’ll be able to afford. It makes use of the tiny M.2 2230 normal that’s the identical one used within the Steam Deck OLED and unique Asus ROG Ally, and as much as 2TB drives are presently out there on this format. It may be accessed through a canopy on the surface of the machine, with only a single torx screw wanted to open it up.

Options

The Asus ROG Movement Z13’s intriguing pill/laptop computer hybrid design largely dictates what different options it provides. So, as an illustration,  an important addition to permit the display to face up – in lieu of getting a laptop computer display hinge – is a foldout kickstand that may maintain the pill at any angle between 70 levels (proven beneath – it’s very unstable at this angle) and 19 levels.

You additionally then get the keyboard/trackpad cowl part that attaches through magnets to the sting of the pill. The duvet can both fold flat onto the display to guard it or open up for use as a keyboard. It could actually then sit both fully flat in opposition to the desk. or magnets can maintain it up barely in opposition to the pill to boost its again edge (as proven above), simulating how keyboards may be raised through rear toes. Notably, the keyboard doesn’t have a battery in order that it may possibly work wirelessly, which looks as if fairly an oversight because it negates one potential huge advantage of a removable keyboard/trackpad.

Fortunately, although, the standard of the keyboard and trackpad is respectable. The keys have loads of journey and suggestions so it’s straightforward to the touch sort. They’re additionally backlit so that they’re straightforward to see at nighttime, although the lighting doesn’t get notably vibrant. In the meantime, the trackpad is massive, responsive, and has a satisfying bodily click on – there’s no haptics or touch-only response right here. The keyboard is a bit versatile, although, so it may possibly bounce round a bit when used on a lap.

What’s extra, the pill features a nice choice of ports round its edges. In addition to two USB C ports on its left edge, it has a full-size USB A port on its proper edge, making it fast and dongle-free to plug in any of the units many people nonetheless use which have an older-style USB plug. Likewise, there’s a full-size HDMI port on the left, so plugging it right into a monitor is a breeze. A microSD card slot can be out there for fast file transfers and storage growth, and there’s a combi audio jack for if you don’t wish to depend on audio system.

Talking of audio system, the pair of 2W drivers on this pill fireplace out of the edges and from two tiny slits on the decrease entrance fringe of the pill, and… they’re not nice. That is clearly a small machine with restricted house for audio system and it has successfully no bezel across the display from which to fireside the sound straight however, nonetheless, they sound notably shrill, with even my mid-range (~$300) 10-inch Samsung Android pill sounding smoother, if not as loud.

Fortunately, the display on this pill is significantly higher than its audio system. Its 2,560 x 1,600 decision is a good match for the display measurement, providing a excessive pixel density with out pushing to a 4K decision that might be wasted on a panel of this measurement. The additional display top can be notably helpful, as in comparison with the conventional 2,560 x 1,440 decision that you just get on lots of the greatest gaming screens. It provides you a little bit extra vertical room when utilizing the machine in a panorama orientation, and offers you extra width when it’s utilized in a portrait orientation too.

Its high quality is respectable too. Colours have loads of punch and it may possibly ship HDR ranges of shade depth. We measured the utmost brightness at 526cd/m² which is a lot to be used in vibrant out of doors circumstances. Distinction is powerful too, at 1,326:1. On a totally darkish display, you’ll be able to clearly see some backlight grayness shining by way of, however this display is nice for many makes use of. That mentioned, there’s no denying that an OLED panel appears like it could’ve been the perfect selection for a really costly pill reminiscent of this one.

Fortunately, with a 180Hz most refresh price, the show feels actually snappy in gaming – and the excessive refresh price makes for a stunning easy really feel whereas scrolling across the desktop too. Plus it provides a variable refresh price in order that Home windows can dynamically decrease the refresh price when not wanted, to avoid wasting battery life.

Design

There are two key facets to contemplating the design of this gaming laptop computer/pill. One is the general styling and construct high quality of the machine however the different is trying on the general pill format and the way this impacts the usability of the machine, and we’ll have a look at this facet first.

Put merely, this being a gaming pill fairly than a laptop computer feels actually bizarre. The pill itself is absolutely thick at practically 15mm, and though it’s impressively mild for a laptop computer at 1.2kg, it’s nonetheless fairly heavy for a pill – a Change 2, it isn’t. Plus, its measurement means you actually really feel that weight when holding it one-handed, because of the additional leverage. The web result’s that it feels very unwieldy to make use of as a standard pill, whether or not only for watching video and looking the online or making an attempt to do one thing extra demanding like reply to an e mail, not to mention play a sport. It solely actually works nicely when already on a flat, secure floor reminiscent of a gaming desk.

Not serving to is the truth that the pill runs Home windows, which nonetheless isn’t a very touch-friendly working system. Unintentionally rotate the pill if you choose it up and all of your home windows awkwardly resize and transfer about whereas video games may be interrupted.

Then there’s the truth that the keyboard attachment doesn’t assist assist the pill in any respect. You’ll be able to’t choose up the pill through the keyboard and it doesn’t forestall the pill tipping backwards. The kickstand can present assist however there are numerous conditions the place it simply isn’t a sensible or secure possibility, not least as a result of the dimensions and weight of the pill makes it fairly top-heavy.

In distinction, some 2-in-1 laptops, such because the Lenovo Yoga, nonetheless have the keyboard part hooked up like a standard laptop computer, whereas some non-keyboard covers for tablets may be tucked below the pill to supply assist, as proven within the picture beneath. Each these preparations really feel far safer than counting on a kickstand alone.

Moreover, the kickstand is just a bit bit too awkward to deploy. Most of its edge is hard to seize and there’s only one small tab on the underside proper edge that will help you pull the stand out. Even then it’s fairly stiff and awkward to drag out the stand whereas holding the pill.

This all provides as much as a state of affairs the place I used to be continuously craving the power to simply arrange this machine as a standard laptop computer. Sat on the couch gaming casually, plugged in and gaming on a desk – the place the very fact it’s a pill has no benefit anyway – or crammed right into a practice seat making an attempt to observe a video or do some writing, none of it felt prefer it benefited from being a pill. The one upside was that when used on a lap or resting on tender furnishings it didn’t undergo from overheating, as can so usually occur with laptops the place the air flow is on the underside. Right here the cooling is on the again and edges of the display.

As for styling, once more the apparent issue is the thickness of the pill, however this apart, many of the design has a reasonably sensible look with a plain black shade used all through and just some angular touches right here and there, such because the cooling vent shapes. Nonetheless, there are three extra seen design options to notice.

The primary is the entrance of the pill cowl (underside of the keyboard), which has half an Asus emblem and the phrases “for individuals who dare” written on it. In the meantime, around the again, two of the vents seem like the letters O and G whereas the large get together trick of this pill is its RGB-illuminated rear window. This slash of two-way mirrored plastic displays again at you when the pill is switched off, however then reveals the circuit board inside when its RGB lights are on. It’s in fact a gimmick however a fairly enjoyable one.

As for construct high quality, the pill physique is all produced from premium-feeling aluminum, with the kickstand particularly feeling actually strong. The keyboard part has a a lot softer really feel, with its outer face having a grippy rubbery end and the within having a barely cushioned soft-touch plastic that feels very nice below your palms.

Efficiency

I’ve run the ROG Movement Z13 2025 by way of a variety of benchmarks and normal gaming classes to see the way it performs, and it’s right here that this pill and its new AMD CPU actually shine. It’sstill an entry-level machine when it comes to general gaming laptop computer efficiency. however this machine will genuinely allow you to play even trendy video games at 1080p and even the show’s native 1600p decision, with a little bit assist from FSR upscaling. It could actually even do a little bit of ray tracing, should you don’t thoughts body charges that solely simply push previous 60fps.

Cyberpunk 2077

Regardless of being a number of years outdated, Cyberpunk 2077 stays a tricky problem for any graphics card and it actually hits lower-end GPUs exhausting when cranked up, with its ray tracing being notably demanding. Nonetheless, with assist for FSR 3 upscaling and body gen, it provides low-end GPUs reminiscent of this pill an opportunity.

I ran the sport at each 1,920 x 1,080 (1080p) and a couple of,560 x 1,600 (1600p) each with and with out upscaling, to get a way of how viable it’s to sport on the show’s native decision. Likewise, I examined with out ray tracing at each excessive and extremely settings and with ray tracing at extremely settings, to gauge the influence of enabling ray tracing.

Beginning at 1080p with extremely settings with no upscaling or ray tracing, this pill might hit a 45fps common with 1% lows of 22fps. That’s a way in need of really playable on this sport. It doesn’t want a lot above 60fps common to really feel playable however 45fps is pushing it, particularly with such a low 1% low.

Switching to excessive settings, the sport might hit a 50fps common, which is best however nonetheless in need of really playable. Nonetheless, including FSR upscaling set to Balanced noticed the common soar to 86fps, which is a lot for this sport, although picture high quality is noticeably worse than at native decision – Cyberpunk 2077 doesn’t natively assist the a lot better-looking FSR 4. Including FSR 3 body technology, in the meantime noticed the common leap to 154fps, making for a significantly easy expertise, even with the 1% low being a modes 54fps.

Leaping as much as 1600p with FSR upscaling set to Balanced and the sport set to Extremely resulted in a 38fps common and 22fps 1% low. Stepping all the way down to Excessive settings noticed the Movement Z13 was hitting a 71fps common, for a nearly playable expertise. Including body gen into the combination bumped this as much as a 99fps common. All instructed, these figures present us that Cyberpunk 2077 is legitimately playable on this machine at completely decent-looking settings.

Nonetheless, including ray tracing into the equation instructed a unique story. At 1080p with no upscaling or body gen and utilizing the Extremely ray tracing preset, the Movement Z13 hit only a 16fps common and an 11fps 1% low. With upscaling this jumped to 25fps common, then including body gen pushed this to 51fps common. That’s simply on the sting of playable, such that you might a minimum of expertise ray tracing for the sake of it, but it surely isn’t a setting we’d use to play by way of the sport.

Comparably, the Acer Nitro V15 is provided with an RTX 4060 devoted laptop computer GPU and it hits a 25fps common and 22fps 1% low when set to 1080p with ray tracing extremely settings. In the meantime, with DLSS upscaling and body technology enabled, that machine hits a 73fps common and a powerful 63fps 1% low.

As such, this built-in AMD GPU is soundly crushed, notably for these 1% lows, however the expertise is much from evening and day. Each are successfully unplayable with out upscaling and body technology in terms of ray tracing on this sport, whereas each are comfortably playable with out ray tracing.

Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle

Subsequent up on our gaming benchmark roster is Bethesda’s Indy journey, which forces you to make use of ray tracing at each setting, making a very good check to get a way of the way forward for AAA video games, now that increasingly titles require ray tracing. It additionally has a very brutal path tracing mode, and in our RTX 5070 overview, we discovered this 12GB GPU couldn’t run the sport at these settings, because it ran out of VRAM. Regardless of these daunting calls for, the ROG Movement Z13 really coped surprisingly nicely with this sport.

Beginning off at our ordinary 1080p Extremely setting, this pill does wrestle with only a 32fps common and 23fps 1% low. This can be a sluggish sport the place a really excessive body price isn’t essential, however solely simply over 30fps is correct on the restrict.

Nonetheless, dropping to excessive element settings noticed the sport hit a 46fps common, which was nearly playable when utilizing a controller for motion. In the meantime, at low settings, it hits a 57fps common. As we noticed with Cyberpunk 2077, the Achilles heel of this pill is its 1% lows being fairly low, which is a typical downside with built-in graphics. Nonetheless, I did nonetheless discover the above low settings to be playable.

Have interaction FSR 3 upscaling (high quality) and body technology and this sport actually opens up. At extremely settings, it hits a 65fps common whereas at medium you’re getting an 87fps common.

Bounce as much as 1600p with extremely settings and FSR 3 upscaling (balanced) and body gen and also you’re getting 58fps common and 37fps 1% low, whereas at medium settings these numbers soar to 76fps and 49fps respectively. At these settings you’re getting a really noticeable soar in sharpness over 1080p, and a giant step up from the expertise on most gaming handhelds.

I additionally tried the trail tracing mode with the sport set to 1080p with FSR 3 body gen and upscaling set to efficiency and the sport delivered a 22fps common and a 7fps 1% low. Effectively, it was price a strive…

Fortnite

Fortnite provides us a glimpse at the exact opposite finish of the gaming scale to video games reminiscent of Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle and Cyberpunk 2077. Even on high-end graphics playing cards, many players will flip down graphics settings in a sport like this, to maintain the body price and latency as little as doable.

To that finish, I ran the sport with out ray tracing and at simply two fundamental settings. One operating at 1600p and the opposite at 1200p. All upscaling, body technology, and different trickery was left off and the sport was set to medium element settings.

At these settings, the pill might obtain a playable body price, with a 64fps common at 1600p, whereas at 1200p it hit a 100fps common. The previous is okay for enjoying on a controller, whereas the latter was ample for enjoying with a mouse and keyboard. For video games reminiscent of Apex Legends and CS2, I’d wish to hit an excellent larger body price however that must be achievable by turning down the element settings a contact additional.

Cinebench

Cinebench is a good check of uncooked CPU energy, so it may possibly present simply what the CPU portion of the AMD Ryzen Ai Max 390 can do. It runs each a single-core and multi-core check, and in these assessments, each this chip and this pill excelled.

Within the single-core check, which is the yet one more related to gaming efficiency, it scored 114 factors. That’s comfortably forward of competing chips on smaller, slimmer, extra reasonably priced gaming laptops, such because the Acer Nitro V15, Lenovo Legion Slim 5, and Alienware M16 R2.

As for multi-core, the Max 390 wipes the ground with the competitors. Its  rating of 1,133 beat all earlier than it by a substantial distance. It struggles in opposition to really high-end gaming laptop computer CPUs, such because the one used within the Razer Blade 16, but it surely’s not unhealthy for a chip crammed into the tiny house of this pill.

Because of that uncooked efficiency, and the speedy RAM, SSD, and GPU, this pill does really feel usually quick. Simply navigating round Home windows, loading apps and video games, or looking graphically intense net pages are duties that it handles effortlessly.

What’s extra, its cooling system is fairly efficient with out being too loud. It could actually definitely get fairly loud occasionally, topping out at simply shy of 40dB from a distance of 20cm when below load. Nonetheless, on loads of events whereas gaming it could solely hit round 36dB, which is quiet sufficient that I might play utilizing the audio system for audio and never need to depend on one of the best gaming headset to drown out the fan noise.

Battery

Squeezed inside this compact gaming pill is a 70Whr battery, which is 14Whr bigger than the one used within the 2023 model of the ROG Movement Z13. This hints on the benefit of the house saved by solely utilizing a CPU with built-in graphics, because the older model of the pill additionally housed an RTX 4050 GPU.

Because of each its respectable capability and the power-sipping options of AMD’s new Strix Halo CPU, this pill has excellent battery life. It managed to final 10 hours and 6 minutes within the PCMark 10 Fashionable Workplace productiveness battery check. This was run with the display set to half brightness (208cd/m²) which is a wise degree for normal indoor use.

Understandably, in terms of gaming, you get far much less time to play with, although. The PCMark 10 Gaming battery check lasted only one hour and 28 minutes. That’s nonetheless forward of many opponents, and it will differ rather a lot from sport to sport however remains to be fairly a brief house of time. With some tweaking to your settings to restrict display refresh price and sport body price, together with dialing down element settings, you might doubtlessly lengthen this time, however realistically you’re unlikely to push a lot previous two or three hours of 3D gameplay.

Value

The Asus ROG Movement Z13 (2025) value begins at $2,099.99 / £2,199.99 on Asus’ net retailer. This makes it a really costly gaming laptop computer possibility for the efficiency it provides, with Asus’ personal Zephyrus G14 out there for below $1,500 with a notably extra highly effective RTX 4060 GPU. Though the Movement Z13’s efficiency and compact kind issue are spectacular from a design standpoint, there are only a few conditions we’d suggest shopping for this machine at this value.

Options

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 has lengthy been a favourite of ours in terms of compact, slim, trendy gaming laptops with an affordable quantity of energy, and for a lot of players, it stays a much more good selection than this pill. It’s extra highly effective but cheaper. We’d like to see a model of the G14 with a Strix Halo processor and an additional huge battery, although.

Learn our full Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 overview.

Acer Nitro V15

For below $1,000 whereas delivering gaming efficiency that comfortably outpaces this Asus gaming pill, the Acer Nitro V15 is an apparent various should you’re not after a very transportable possibility. It’s a a lot chunkier machine however for half the value it’s a strong selection.

Learn our full Acer Nitro V15 overview.

Verdict

For some individuals, the mixture on provide right here has each probability of constructing the Asus ROG Z13 Movement (2025) their ultimate transportable gaming machine. Its compact, tablet-like talents mixed with its highly effective AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 CPU are very spectacular, and if in case you have a selected use case in thoughts that would profit, there are few units that may compete with it – it’s clearly one of the best gaming pill round.

The standout issue is the AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 chip that powers the pill. It supplies implausible efficiency throughout the board whereas providing environment friendly energy consumption and resultantly lengthy battery life, all from a pill that’s tiny relative to most gaming laptops.

Nonetheless, the gaming pill with a keyboard kind issue used right here is one which many players will merely discover far much less helpful than a standard laptop computer, and even than various two-in-one laptop computer designs. As a pill, it’s too cumbersome, and as a laptop computer, it has successfully no benefits over a standard laptop computer whereas having a number of disadvantages.

When you consider its very excessive value, it’s exhausting to suggest this machine for many players. As a substitute, we recommend ready for different skinny and lightweight gaming laptops powered by the AMD Strix Halo processors to reach.

For extra transportable gaming concepts, take a look at our information to one of the best laptop computer video games, in addition to our information to one of the best handheld gaming PC, the place we take you thru all our suggestions at a variety of costs.