ASUS has been pushing the boundaries and hasn’t shied away from experimenting in the laptop space. It’s clearly a good time to innovate; laptop sales are on a high with WFH lifestyles giving the category a shot in the arm. We’ve also seen niches emerge within this category thanks to evolving consumer needs. ASUS’ ROG Zephyrus G14 and ZenBook Flip S were among the laptops that we enjoyed checking out over the last 10 months. The new ASUS ROG Flow X13 might be a happy meeting ground. It’s ultra-light with a flexible form factor and yet packs the firepower of a serious gaming laptop. Has ASUS found this delicate balance?
It’s tough to imagine a space for a gaming laptop in the boardroom. The Flow X13 is a notable exception. We dig the textured lines in the all-black finish; it’s very refined for a gaming laptop with a tiny Republic of Gamers (ROG is ASUS’ dedicated gaming line) logo that’s easy to ignore. It doesn’t just look premium but is also remarkably light for a gaming laptop. It weighs just 1.3 kg and is slim enough (15.6 mm) to slip into your slimmest messenger bags.
ASUS’ proprietary Ergo lift hinge allows the Flow X13 to swing from tablet to laptop mode in a flash. You can also opt for Tent mode to catch videos or for video calls. This flexible form factor combined with its lightweight frame, allows you to snuggle up with this device on your couch or type from your work desk. The backlit keyboard is fun to use, I just wish the trackpad was slightly larger.
If your laptop is your primary binge-watching screen, then the Flow X13 might be just what you need. The 13.4-inch WQUXGA display with a 16:10 aspect ratio is easily one of the laptop’s headline features. This touchscreen boasts of a 60Hz refresh rate and 300 nits of brightness. I streamed a couple of episodes of Ragnarok on this laptop and it was very immersive. ASUS has kitted this device with Virtual 5.1.2-channel surround sound powered by Dolby Atmos. There’s also Two-Way AI Noise cancelation that enhances the audio experience. While sound quality is refined, it could use an extra thump. I found myself reaching out for my headphones while watching a dialogue-driven drama.
While flaunting this laptop at a meeting or a virtual meeting, it’s easy to forget that at its core, the X13 is a hardware powerhouse. This is after all an ROG laptop that is aimed to please hardcore gamers. ASUS has packed this with an all-new intelligent cooling system; it keeps CPU and GPU temperatures under control even when you push it hard. The X13 is powered by an AMD Ryzen 9 Octa-Core processor that combines with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of onboard storage. It’s insanely quick whether you’re working on creative solutions like Adobe Photoshop or on games like Asphalt 9 that we tried during our tests. Battery life varied depending on our usage but averaged around 4 to 5 hours even with heavy duty usage.
ASUS has positioned the ROG Flow X13 as the world’s first convertible gaming laptop. This one’s perfect for the everyday corporate executive who needs a stylish, light-weight laptop by day that can morph into a gaming beast after hours.
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 costs Rs 139,990
