Asus ROG Flow Z3 (2025) review: Powerful, polarizing, worth it?

Price When Reviewed

$2,299.99

Best Prices Today: Asus ROG Flow Z13 (2025) (GZ302)

I’ve by no means discovered a “gaming tablet” that left a robust impression on me, and the 2025 Asus ROG Flow Z13 hasn’t modified that.

What I used to be actually wanting ahead to was the debut of the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ (Strix Halo)–a novel processor that mixes a robust CPU with an NPU, a killer built-in GPU, and an enormous cache, all for what I hoped can be a bacchanal of gaming and AI purposes. Could it maintain up? I found that it may, however the competition is still better.

Asus has a historical past of making use of progressive options to gaming on the go. AMD ought to actually have fun what’s been completed right here, I simply don’t assume it really works. Yes, the Flow is maybe the lightest gaming resolution exterior of a handheld, with a chip inside that has the very best built-in graphics ever made. But all of it boils right down to a very good product that falls wanting greatness and for a value that ought to ship rather more.

Asus ROG Flow Z13: Specifications

We’ve seen the Z13 earlier than. Back in 2022, the Flow Z13 paired an Intel Core i9-12900H processor with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti for $1,899 whereas the 2023 Asus Flow Z13 mixed a Core i7-13900H with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU. In 2025, AMD satisfied Asus that its highly effective Ryzen AI Max, counting on built-in graphics alone, may measure up.

Asus sells the ROG Flow in three totally different configurations. There’s the $2,099 mannequin with a Ryzen AI Max 390 (12 cores, 3.2GHz) and the $2,299 mannequin with a Ryzen AI Max+ 395 (16 cores, 3.0GHz). Both embrace 32GB of LPDDR5X 8000 reminiscence. (We’re reviewing this second configuration, recognized formally because the ROG Flow Z13 (2025) GZ302EA-XS96.) For those that want to maximize the obtainable RAM for unified body buffer reminiscence to be used with video games and particularly AI, there’s a $2,799 possibility with the Max+ 395 processor and a whopping 128GB of RAM.

All will be directly purchased via Asus or at different retailers.

• Model quantity: GZ302EA-XS96
• CPU: AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 processor (3.0GHz)
• Memory: 32GB LPDDR5X RAM
• Graphics/GPU: Radeon 8060S Graphics (built-in)
• Display: 13.4-inch (2560×1600) IPS touchscreen with 180Hz refresh price, HDR and stylus assist
• Storage: 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe PCIe stable state drive
• Webcam: 13MP (rear) 5MP/1440p (user-facing, Windows Hello)
• Connectivity:  2 USB4, USB-A (10Gbps), HDMI 2.1, microSD (UHS-II), 3.5mm audio jack
• Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
• Biometrics: Windows Hello facial login
• Battery capability: 70Wh (71.5Wh as examined)
• Dimensions: 11.81 (W) x 8.03 (D) x 0.51 (H) inches 
• Weight: 2.65 kilos
• Operating system: Windows 11 Pro
• Price as reviewed: $2,229

ROG Flow Z13: Design, construct high quality

I’ve to be sincere. I audibly groaned after I opened up the Asus packaging supplies and unfolded the pill. I’ve all the time been a bit skeptical of gaming tablets anyway, partially as a result of to me, a pill is light-weight and moveable — the Asus ROG Flow actually isn’t. Anything that places two and a half kilos onto a kickstand implies that you’ll actually have to position it on a desk.

That’s to not say that I dislike the ROG Flow Z13’s design. At a most thickness of 0.59 inches and a pair of.65 kilos, the pill continues to be gentle sufficient to drop right into a backpack or carry round the home, though the restricted gaming time (extra on that later) implies that I’d fairly watch films until it’s related by way of the facility adapter. That adapter makes use of a proprietary design to hold the 200 watts, which is greater than the AMD chip requires, although the pill can even settle for energy by means of its Thunderbolt ports.

Again, the pill has its limitations. Can you prop it in your lap? Not actually. Placing it in a mattress is possible. Yet once more, a handheld PC simply outclasses it when it comes to comfort. And sure, the pill has already plummeted off my lap and onto the ground, because the keyboard’s flimsy magnetic connector couldn’t put it aside.

Aesthetically, although, the Flow Z13 does fulfill the gamer aesthetic. Like the Flow Z13s earlier than it, Asus changed a small chunk of the backplate with a mirrored window that turns into clear below the suitable lighting situations, exposing a portion of the motherboard, which is lit by way of RGB. (Well, type of — whereas I attempted to make use of both Windows or the Asus Armoury Crate software program to allow the lighting, it solely labored randomly.) Even when totally operational, the RGB lighting by means of that backplate and beneath the keyboard doesn’t really feel obtrusive.

Mattias Inghe

The grillwork is aggressive, extra just like the 2023 backing than the 2022 version. So is the cooling, although Asus does a pleasant job operating what appears like a considerable quantity of air by means of it with out resorting to coil whine. With gaming laptops, the highly effective hiss that many followers produce actually overshadows the laptop computer’s audio system, forcing me to make use of headphones. The ROG Flow sounds considerably quieter below load.

I used the default “Performance” settings that the pill shipped with, which adjusts the followers to the workload. An further “Turbo” setting turns the followers to most always. There’s additionally a “Silent” mode that spins down these followers, a “Windows” mode that lets Windows’ personal energy settings take management, and a handbook possibility.

ROG Flow Z13: Display and ports

The Flow Z13 consists of what Asus calls its “Nebula” show, a 13.4-inch, 2560×1600 panel that places out 508 nits in response to my gentle meter, about double what we take into account to be the required gentle output. Some of that will probably be utilized by the Dolby Vision HDR, which pushes extra gentle to scenes of vivid solar, explosions, and the like. Combine that with the 180Hz refresh price and this is without doubt one of the higher shows I’ve seen on a laptop computer, interval.

Mark Hachman / Foundry

The one disadvantage? I’m undecided that the Ryzen AI Max’s GPU can sustain. You’ll see the vast majority of my efficiency exams specializing in 1080p decision and perhaps 1440p. Playing video games on the panel’s 1600p decision is actually attainable, relying upon the sport, however newer graphics-intensive video games most likely received’t be capable of sustain with a 1600p panel at 180Hz refresh charges. On the opposite hand, future generations may.

Asus additionally has to string the needle between serving as a pill whereas offering an enormous, stunning display screen for players. As a pill, you recognize a broad bezel as “dead space,” a impartial zone to carry the pill with out triggering something. The bezel is comparatively small. Yet, considered from the attitude of the person, the keyboard blocks out a lot of the backside bezel, making the display screen seem bigger. It works for me.

Gamers anticipate numerous ports and the pill delivers on that entrance. There’s a 10Gbps USB-A port on the suitable hand facet of the pill. On the left, there are two USB4 ports (the equal of Thunderbolt 4), together with an HDMI 2.1 port, and a UHS-II microSD card reader and a 3.5mm audio jack. The Asus energy plug plugs in right here, too.

On the right-hand facet of the pill is a brand new, devoted shortcut button, which, when depressed, launches the popout ScreenXpert utility. This doesn’t govern the show. Instead, the app supplies contact shortcuts to the Armoury Crate gaming utility in addition to different features like turning the mic on and off.

Mark Hachman / Foundry

The two USB4 ports (versus a single USB-C port on earlier fashions) represents an improve over earlier variations of the Z13, although they’re frequent on different gadgets. The 2025 mannequin additionally upgrades customers to Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. Another important inside improve, apart from the processor, is the inner battery, which has been elevated from 56Wh to 70Wh.

The Asus product web page signifies that the Z13 pill must be accompanied by a ROG Fusion II 300 set of headphones, a SA203H pen with MPP 2.0 assist, and a ROG Impact Gaming Mouse, however my overview unit didn’t embrace these. An Asus consultant didn’t reply to a query on whether or not this was a mistake or not.

ROG Flow Z13: Keyboard and typing

The Asus keyboard stays hit and miss. The ROG Flow Z13 works greatest on a desk, because the magnetic connector holding the keyboard to the pill isn’t robust sufficient to be trusted. The bodily connection isn’t the one factor that’s weak, both. I seen that the keyboard would merely cease occasionally, seemingly randomly, requiring me to detach and reconnect it to re-establish the connection.

Mark Hachman / IDG

The keyboard makes use of single-zone RGB backlighting to light up the keys, that are surprisingly comfy to sort upon, with stable, springy motion. The rubbery keyboard tray doesn’t actually sag, both, although there may be some noticeable give. That’s a change from earlier variations of the Flow Z13, the place our evaluations complained that the keyboard tray sagged and bounced.

The giant trackpad responds to clicks and gestures as anticipated, save for a finger’s breadth price of area alongside the highest. Overall, I’d grade the keyboard and typing expertise a stable “B.”

None of the keys seem out of the bizarre, although there’s a devoted key to cycle by means of the Asus efficiency modes, from Silent to Turbo.

ROG Flow Z13: Webcam and audio

I used to be mildly impressed with each the entrance and rear cameras, sufficient that I needed to double-check the specs. By default, the user-facing digital camera was arrange for 1080p 30 FPS recording, although a fast change within the app’s settings pushed it as much as 1440p 30 FPS, its rated most. There’s no bodily digital camera shutter, both.

As I usually do, I took a fast selfie with the webcam simply to see when you may use it or when you’d want to exchange it with certainly one of our high advisable webcams. I feel it does a fairly good job, all in all. The rear digital camera is superb, too, although does anybody use a rear-facing digital camera on a pill for something as of late?

Mark Hachman / Foundry

The pill’s audio is simply good. It hides a pair of 2W audio system inside it, although the shortage of distinct woofers and tweeters is noticeable. I’d describe the sound as rather a lot flatter than rival tablets. I’ve reviewed most of the Microsoft Surface Pro pill lineup, most of which function loud, clear audio system that ring out clearly. The Flow Z13’s sound is extra like drumming on a mattress.

To its credit score, the pill’s sound high quality is evident as the quantity is raised and lowered — rival tablets can generally devolve right into a muddy mess at peak quantity. That is perhaps as a result of Dolby Atmos audio enhancement.

Some other Asus laptops that I’ve reviewed include some stellar noise-cancelling options, particularly microphones that may filter out rock music or white noise taking part in in the identical room. The ROG Flow Z13 simply has an AI noise-cancelling mic with no different choices. The greatest noise-cancelling mics filter out noise from the facet and background, and “know” the way to filter out the background noise whenever you start talking. The Flow Z13 did nice in choosing up my voice and likewise filtering out the background noise after I paused. But it conflated the background noise (a rock tune) with my voice as soon as I resumed talking, which isn’t superb.

ROG Flow Z13: Performance

Evaluating the efficiency of the Asus ROG Flow Z13 and its AMD Ryzen AI Max chip inside presents a problem. Should it’s in comparison with different tablets? To gaming laptops? Or do its distinctive mixture of AI capabilities and graphics efficiency put it in a category by itself?

Many gaming laptops can run AI workloads, particularly when offloaded to the GPU. AMD finally ends up at a drawback right here, as its NPU — able to 50 TOPS, technically qualifying as a Copilot+ PC — simply isn’t put to good use by, effectively, something. Instead, nearly each “AI” software faucets the GPU. That consists of apps like Windows Photos and Paint, which merely don’t have the options (comparable to Cocreator) {that a} pill just like the 2024 Surface Pro (11th Edition) does. So sure, that is (simply) a gaming PC.

As a gaming PC, it’s okay. Recent occasions have rekindled my love of capturing Nazis within the face, so I spent some glad occasions taking part in the current Sniper Elite video games on the pill. The 2022 Rebellion “Asura” graphics engine isn’t overwhelmingly advanced, although there are photorealistic textures and lighting results. As you’ll see from our gaming benchmark exams, body charges of about 60 to 100 FPS are fairly frequent relying upon the settings and the sport.

I’d clearly like somewhat extra and conventional gaming laptops will ship extra. The Radeon 8060S and its 40 graphics cores is a wonderful graphics engine, however you may solely reward it for thus lengthy.

Mark Hachman / Foundry

By the identical token, ROG Flow Z13 does run AI purposes like AI artwork technology and LLMs. The situation right here is the scale of the UMA body buffer and the way AMD lets you alter it.

For AI duties, the pill makes use of video RAM (VRAM), which features like conventional system RAM. While bigger LLM fashions will be extra correct and really feel extra pure, they will balk if the video RAM isn’t giant sufficient — a lot the best way a traditional PC software received’t run with out sufficient reminiscence. Dedicated graphics playing cards use RAM chips which might be soldered down, generally known as VRAM. In a laptop computer, nonetheless, VRAM could not exist.

Instead, the PC’s typical reminiscence is shared between the working system and the GPU, in any other case generally known as the Unified Memory Architecture (UMA) body buffer. In an Intel Core laptop computer, Intel mainly divides the obtainable RAM pool in half between the system reminiscence and the body buffer. AMD lets you alter it your self, permitting for some fascinating efficiency tweaks.

As it seems, increasing the available UMA frame buffer can dial up performance — fairly considerably, the truth is. Asus shipped the ROG Flow Z13 with simply 4GB of body buffer and requested us (and presumably different reviewers) to bump it to 8GB. We did so and our exams mirror that setting.

I ran all of our benchmarks on the default Windows “Performance” settings, plugged in. On battery, the Windows settings shift to “Balanced.” However, the Asus Armoury Vault software seems to override them, setting the facility to “Performance” by default and to “Silent” when unplugged. Not all of my exams had been carried out on battery, however those who had been present a steep drop in efficiency. The overwhelming majority of customers will need to hold this pill plugged in anyway.

I appreciated this facet. Most laptops and tablets will throttle or sluggish themselves down to stop overheating. The Z13 didn’t, neither on a protracted CPU take a look at or a GPU stress take a look at. Bravo to each Asus and AMD right here.

For the needs of this testing, I in contrast the Asus ROG Flow 13 to a number of gaming laptops just like the $1,249 Acer Nitro 14, the $2,299 Asus ProArt P16, the $1,699 Acer Swift X 14, the $1,949 Gigabyte Aorus 16X, the $1,399 Lenovo Legion 5i, and the $3,199 Dell Alienware x16 R2. These laptops aren’t tablets, however they need to carry out equally to the Flow Z13. They’re cheaper than what Asus prices, too.

Our gaming laptop computer exams are primarily based on a number of customary benchmarks. Our exams cowl artificial and sensible exams of the CPU and GPU. One situation is that, to this point, gaming laptops aren’t examined with AI in thoughts.

Our productiveness benchmarks use UL’s PCMark 10 as a superb total take a look at. The app combines a number of purposes — video calling, picture and video enhancing, CA, and extra — into one total benchmark with a single rating. We’d anticipate any gaming PC to have the ability to simply deal with most productiveness apps and the ROG Flow Z13 does so with ease. You won’t have anticipated it to return out on high, although.

Mark Hachman / Foundry

We’ve historically used artificial benchmarks like Cinebench R20 and Cinebench R24 to guage the efficiency of the CPUs used within the laptop computer. The R20 benchmark is the oldest, with extra entries in our database of laptop computer evaluations. The Cinebench 2024 launch is newer, however with fewer comparatives. In both take a look at, the 16 cores and 32 threads throughout the AI Max+ chip made fast work of each benchmarks.

You’ll discover the efficiency on battery falling at or near the underside of the competitors. This is a pattern that repeats itself all through our exams.

Mark Hachman / Foundry

Mark Hachman / Foundry

Handbrake is a real-world software that transcodes a video stream into both a downscaled, smaller file that may match on a pill or it might probably upscale it into a better decision format. In our case, we use the take a look at as a protracted workload, which signifies how effectively the CPU can deal with an extended job. It’s additionally helpful to indicate off how effectively the pill cools itself.

I used to be fairly shocked to see this pill beat out the competitors. Anecdotally, ROG’s pill appears effectively suited to cooling off the AI Max+ chip.

It’s additionally price noting that I stress examined the CPU itself utilizing a protracted 10-minute Cinebench run. Frequently, a laptop computer or pill will sluggish the processor right down to keep away from overheating. To decide whether or not that occurs, we evaluate the rating of a single run with the results of a second run, examined on the finish of the 10 minute exercise. Surprisingly, the scores had been practically equivalent, indicating that the CPU isn’t being throttled right here.

Mark Hachman / Foundry

We now transfer into the benchmarks that stress the GPU. Here, we use 3DMark’s TimeSpy take a look at. Though we take a look at with precise video games as effectively, the UL benchmarks attempt to point out how effectively a pill just like the ROG Flow will carry out in most video games.

One of the questions surrounding the AI Max+ was how effectively its built-in graphics would evaluate with the discrete graphics utilized in different laptops. Historically, built-in graphics efficiency has been effectively beneath a discrete GPU. Here, the Radeon iGPU performs higher than you may anticipate, although the a discrete GPU is best.

The undeniable fact that the Ryzen AI Max+ outperforms the primary technology Core Ultra doesn’t shock me, as Intel designed that chip with AI and lengthy battery life as high priorities.

Mark Hachman / Foundry

ROG Flow Z13 efficiency: Games and AI

Games, although, are the true take a look at of this Asus pill and its Ryzen CPU. Unlike the artificial 3DMark take a look at, video games reap the benefits of AMD’s image-enhancement applied sciences, together with FSR 3 and its upscaling and body technology applied sciences. These could make all of the distinction between an iffy, 60 FPS body price (usually thought of the decrease restrict of a playable recreation) and the 90+ FPS {that a} clean recreation expertise delivers. However, not all video games assist these.

When I first began testing the pill, I noticed some hitches or stutters when testing 3DMark. But these disappeared in subsequent runs and didn’t seem whereas gaming.

Our first take a look at is the Eidos recreation Shadow of the Tomb Raider, relationship again to 2018. At the time, this was a top-tier, demanding AAA recreation with each motion and puzzle-solving. We run this take a look at at 1080p utilizing the Highest graphics setting.

AMD’s built-in GPU doesn’t blow away the competitors, however at 104 FPS this recreation is exceptionally playable. It’s additionally operating with out AMD’s newest graphics enhancements, together with FSR 3.

Mark Hachman / Foundry

Metro: Exodus is an much more fashionable shooter, launched in 2019. While the sport helps fashionable graphics options like ray tracing, our legacy testing turns off these options. Unfortunately, these options would decrease the body price even additional. In this case, the pill can’t fairly deal with Metro Exodus by itself.

While 1080p appears ample when it comes to decision, the Extreme setting is just too a lot. You’ll should dial this recreation right down to one thing like Medium settings to get the very best expertise. You can see, too, that the native 2560×1600 decision of the pill is way out of attain for this recreation operating on the Asus ROG Flow Z13.

Mark Hachman / Foundry

We’ve lately added Cyberpunk 2077 to our checklist of take a look at benchmarks, however not one of the laptops that I’m evaluating the pill to used the sport as a take a look at benchmark. Is Cyberpunk playable on the ROG Flow Z13? Yes, however solely below sure situations.

Cyberpunk presents tons of configuration choices, from the normal Low/Medium/High graphics settings on as much as devoted ray-tracing modes. At 1080p Ultra settings, the sport is playable on the 60 FPS most players take into account the minimal threshold. If you’ve been following our protection of discrete GPUs just like the Nvidia GeForce 5090 and AMD’s newest GPUs, there’s one massive takeaway. The newest {hardware} leans laborious on upscaling and body technology methods. Cyberpunk helps AMD’s FSR 3 and it makes an infinite distinction.

Here’s a abstract of what I discovered, additionally factoring within the changes I made in body buffer. (The closest decision to 1440p that the pill and recreation provide is 2048×1536. On Ultra with FSR 3 enabled, the sport ran at a really playable 106 FPS.) You can see that the efficiency can differ wildly! Click the picture to increase it.

Mark Hachman / Foundry

Again, AMD’s AI enhancements make an enormous distinction. Marvel Rivals felt polished and clean at 1440p with Medium graphics. Even within the warmth of battle, the pill rendered the sport at about 130 FPS. (Marvel Rivals additionally explicitly helps FSR 3.) Sniper: Elite, a stealth motion recreation, was additionally completely playable on the default decision (2560×1600) with Medium graphics.

But video games aren’t the one motive to purchase this pill. With LLMs (AI chatbots) and AI artwork packages choosing up steam, AMD designed the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ chip with each in thoughts.

Again, the quantity of body buffer reminiscence makes a big distinction and adjusting it might probably imply the distinction between operating a selected mannequin or in no way. Apps don’t all the time sense the obtainable reminiscence, both, which means you could possibly run an AI program or mannequin that it insists you may’t. AMD additionally suffers considerably on the event facet. Apps that may be capable of reap the benefits of the NPU on an Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processor won’t be coded to reap the benefits of AMD’s NPU.

Fortunately, AMD’s built-in GPU makes up for it. While we haven’t run AI purposes on high of a gaming laptop computer previously, I did have a couple of gadgets readily available to match to.

All of the beneath comparisons include skinny and lightweight laptops, which showcases battery-sipping processors like Intel’s Core Ultra. What this chart signifies is that these laptops aren’t unhealthy for AI, both. The ROG Flow Z13 is superior, however provided that it’s configured correctly. The AI Max+ processor will get stomped by the competitors until the shared UMA body buffer is adjusted accordingly.

Mark Hachman / Foundry

So for AI duties, how does the ROG Flow Z13 evaluate to beefier gaming laptops? Again, I didn’t have quite a lot of exams to choose from. I went with MLCommons’ consumer benchmark, which makes use of the Llama 2 7B benchmark. The take a look at is simple. The outcomes present how responsive the CPU/GPU is (measured in time to first token) and the output in tokens-per-second.

Here’s how they match up:

• MSI Raider (Core i9-14900HX/RTX 4090): 0.34s TTFs, 74.2 tokens/s
• Asus ROG Flow Z13 (Ryzen AI Max+ 395, Radeon 8060S): 1.16s TTFS, 44.4 tokens/s
• Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio (Core i7-13700H, RTX 4060): 0.93 TTFS, 28.2 tokens/s

The ROG Flow finally ends up proper within the center. Not excellent, however once more, built-in graphics!

The laptop computer’s AI artwork efficiency isn’t unhealthy, both. Using the comparatively ungainly Stable Diffusion XL mannequin (fp16), the laptop computer took 95.7 seconds per 1024×1024 picture. For the much less advanced 512×512 pictures, efficiency climbed to 12.1 seconds per picture.

Finally, there’s battery life. Battery life measured on a gaming laptop computer is way totally different than on a productiveness machine. Gamers prioritize efficiency whereas an workplace employee could need to lengthen their enterprise day into the wee hours.

While gaming on the ROG Flow Z13, battery life was fairly paltry, simply an hour and 33 minutes. But when operating our conventional video rundown take a look at that loops a 4K video again and again, I noticed productivity-like efficiency of 754 minutes or roughly 12.5 hours. Those are spectacular numbers, although much less so from a gaming perspective.

Mark Hachman / Foundry

Asus ROG Flow Z13: Conclusion

I wouldn’t, no. I’m simply not in love with this Asus gaming pill as a result of I needed to haul out an exterior keyboard or controller simply to play with it.

Don’t get me fallacious. The Asus ROG Flow Z13 is a good pill with a very good processor inside. But a lot of our comparative laptops outperform the Z13 for a whole lot much less and people are at MSRP costs. You’re paying an terrible lot to shave kilos off a gaming pill that runs a bit quieter than the competitors. From a efficiency perspective, a standard gaming laptop computer makes extra sense.

I’m rather more enthusiastic in regards to the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ processor, regardless that I’ve some reservations. I couldn’t assist however consider the 2022 version of the ROG Z13 Flow, which may connect with a extra highly effective XG Mobile eGPU module as a (alternative?) for the built-in GeForce RTX 3050 Ti. The AI Max+ GPU felt massive and beefy, particularly with the AI enhancements turned on. Other occasions, it felt like I used to be taking part in with AMD’s model of the GeForce MX. For the value, the efficiency, and the development, the 2025 version of the ROG Flow Z13 wasn’t fairly what I used to be searching for.

What am I searching for? A conventional clamshell priced at about $1,799 with both a couple of extra GPU compute models or the clock frequency dialed up a bit. Maybe that’s unreachable in an period of wildly unpredictable tariffs.