First Look: The Asus ROG Z13 Flow Is a True Detachable Gaming Tablet

Asus has announced a follow-up to the unique ROG Flow X13 gaming convertible it launched last year. The ROG Flow Z13 (which now officially makes the Flow line a product series) flips the script as a tablet that converts to a laptop, rather than the other way around. Nevertheless, it's fully ready for gaming, and looks like it will pack an impressive punch, considering its size.

We were able to get a closer look at the Flow Z13 in a private pre-CES 2022 meeting, so check out the video below for details on its design and components.

A Sleek, Surface-Like Design

While the Flow X13 is a convertible with a fixed, 360-degree-hinge keyboard that folds back for tablet mode, the Flow Z13 is a detachable tablet-and-keyboard combo. Unlike the Microsoft Surface Pro 8, the Z13 keyboard cover comes standard in the box, instead of an extra-cost accessory. Since you can jettison the keyboard, the new device is lighter than the X13, at around 2.4 pounds and just 0.47 inch thick.

The keyboard can be clipped on magnetically with ease, folded up to protect the screen, or pulled away with a tug.

The back of the tablet, meanwhile, has a built-in kickstand that can be adjusted to almost flat (170 degrees). Also unlike the Surface, the keys are backlit with RGB lighting.

Beneath the kickstand, in addition to a small window that lets you peek at a few interior components, is a hatch to swap out the PCI Express 4.0 M.2 solid-state drive. The SSD uses the squarish Type-2230 (30mm) form factor instead of the longer stick-of-gum design used in most desktop motherboards, but alternative drives are readily available at retailers.

There's also the design work that went in to making a device this thin suitable for gaming. Such a svelte PC needs advanced cooling, so like other Asus gaming products, the Flow Z13 employs both an advanced, edge-to-edge vapor chamber and a liquid-metal thermal solution to keep core temperatures as low as possible. That's especially necessary when you see what this tablet is packing.

True Gaming-Grade Components

Design comparisons to Microsoft's Surface Pro aside, the Flow is a gaming rig, so the real difference is on the inside. The components are very much out of the ordinary for a tablet, including a 12th Generation Intel Core i9 H-series processor. That's the type of 45-watt CPU you'd find in a full-fledged 15- or 17-inch gaming laptop, rather than the less potent U-series chips usually employed in thin and light designs. We'll benchmark the Z13 ourselves when a review unit is available, but that's some serious power on paper.

Joining the high-end CPU is an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics processor, which is the same as the Flow X13's. So the Z13 will deliver a sizable jump in processing, but its graphics performance should remain roughly the same. There is also a lower configuration available with no discrete GPU, for users who want a tablet with extreme processing power but don't play games or use 3D graphic apps.

Amp Things Up With an eGPU

On top of that, the ROG Flow Z13 pairs with Asus' XG Mobile external GPU (eGPU) enclosure, so you can hook up a more potent graphics card to your system (spending a pretty penny for the privilege). The XG Mobile box itself is also updated this year, with an AMD Radeon model joining the GeForce RTX 3070 and 3080 versions. (See our review of the original XG Mobile.) The XG Mobile uses a proprietary connector with more PCI Express lanes than a Thunderbolt eGPU can offer, though the Z13 is compatible with those as well.

Given the variety of components, and some features that are unseen up to now in a tablet, we're looking forward to testing this gaming detachable. We'll run it through its paces when production units arrive, so stay tuned for a full review.