Test tablet ASUS ROG Flow Z13 (2025) - this is the best gaming tablet

I really didn't expect to be so excited when I got my hands on the new ASUS ROG Flow Z13 gaming tablet for testing. I thought it was just another tablet that could play certain games at decent fps and nothing more. Oh my god, how wrong I was.

It starts and ends with the new AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 chip, which defies its silly name with sensational performance and efficiency. 90 % of my euphoria is due to the new chip, and ASUS also spices it up nicely with a great display and a design that can handle the burden of the new chip.

When I get to the price, my heart aches, and I think it will be too much of a hurdle for many.

ASUS ROG Flow Z13 price?

• ASUS ROG Flow Z13 32GB/1TB (Ryzen AI Max+ 395): about €3100

There are also less powerful versions, and the test version is sold for a good €500 less at the neighbors.

ASUS ROG Flow Z13 – will dedicated graphics cards even be necessary?

You came for the chip, and you'll get the chip. The new AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 has 16 cores and 32 threads. But that's not even the most important information. Since it's an APU (the chip and graphics are on the same board), the integrated Radeon 8060S graphics card has an incredible 40 (RDNA 3.5) compute units for graphics tasks. For comparison, the integrated Radeon 890M graphics card that I tested in the ASUS Zenbook S 16 has 16 compute units. And it was already able to run new games with decent graphics.

To help the processor cores access data faster, the new chip has 80MB of cache. AMD says the new chip can draw up to 120W of power, but in practice this is around 60W most of the time. System memory is available in configurations up to 128GB (for around €3,000), the version I tested has 32GB of LPDDR5X 8000 MT/s. This time it's a unified memory (similar to Apple devices), meaning the graphics card and the processor (and NPU) access the same memory.

By default, the graphics card can only allocate 4GB of the 32GB of available memory, which is a strange setting for a tablet designed for gaming. I recommend changing this to at least 8GB, and even better, 16GB if you plan to play more demanding games at the default resolution.

First, I ran a series of performance and efficiency tests, as usual, so that I could then start playing games without distractions.

• Geekbench 6: 3006 (single-core), 20,754 (multi-core)
• Cinebench 2024: 115 (single-core), 1639 (multi-core)
• 3DMark: 10,177 (Time Spy), 22,085 (Fire Strike), 1882 (Steel Nomad)
• PCMark 10: 8943
• CrystalDiskMark: 6056 MB/s (read), 5369 MB/s (write)

For testing purposes and while gaming, I selected Turbo mode in the Armoury Crate settings, which, along with Manual mode (you can play with the settings and fan curve yourself), is not available when running on battery power.

Then came the games. The settings were adjusted to the default resolution (2560 x 1600), Ultra profile (i.e. the highest settings) and without ray tracing, DLSS and FSR technologies.

• Cyberpunk 2077: 46 fps
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider: 69 fps
• The Witcher 3: 61 fps
• Kingdom Come Deliverance 2: 46 fps
• Counter-Strike 2: 82 fps
• Forza Horizon: 77 fps
• Hogwarts Legacy: 56 fps

Numbers speak louder than words. I was able to play every game I launched at its default resolution and highest settings. If I wanted a really smooth experience, like Cyberpunk, where I wanted more than 60 fps, I would simply lower the resolution and some graphics settings. I played Cyberpunk 2077 at almost 90 frames per second on medium settings. The integrated Radeon 8060S graphics card trades blows with the dedicated RTX 4060 or RTX 3070 graphics cards. Sometimes it even beats them, which is an incredible result. It didn't earn the title of the most powerful integrated graphics card for nothing.

The performance we have available gives me hope that even if the prices of dedicated graphics cards continue to soar, we mere mortals have a good alternative in integrated graphics.

Why didn't I turn on ray tracing? Unfortunately, the red team doesn't do well here. The performance drop in games is immediately noticeable and is rarely recommended, or only by using the appropriate features (FSR ...).

In turbo mode, you'll have a hard time completely drowning out the fan noise with just the tablet's speakers. The noise isn't excessive (up to 50 dB), but it's still enough for me to be bothered while gaming. And the overall speaker quality isn't that great (especially the bass), so I doubly recommend good headphones.

You don't have to worry about overheating. The temperature rarely rose above 80°C, which is quite acceptable for this configuration and the games we played. The slots at the top of the screen ensure that hot air is always blown away from us and our hands. That's why you never feel this heat and the keyboard is never hot to the touch. The back side gets warm, which again is not a big deal since you won't be touching it.

The battery has a capacity of 70 Wh and together with the more efficient chip this means that the autonomy is very good. For just watching videos it should be enough for you for up to 12 hours, but when playing games this understandably drops to around 2-3 hours (depending on the game and settings).

The keyboard (and the screen cover) is okay, among the best when it comes to detachable keyboards on two-in-one tablets. The key travel (1.7 mm) is deeper than I'm used to from such keyboards, but the typing feel is pleasant. The keyboard is slightly raised from the floor, which at least helps with ergonomics a little, but I didn't leave the test with my wrists resting. When you're going to use the tablet at home, I recommend connecting your own mechanical keyboard. The included keyboard can be easily removed (it attaches with magnets) and it won't get in your way.

Since you'll also need to connect a mouse, you'll quickly find that the single USB-A port isn't enough to connect additional equipment. You can either buy a hub, use Bluetooth, buy a USB-C peripheral, or connect a keyboard and mouse using the same USB adapter, provided that your equipment allows it. It's a shame they didn't add another USB-A port. They're clearly convinced that users will be happy with the included keyboard and will only use the port to connect a mouse.

I haven't been able to test this, but at least according to official data, the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 will also be useful as a working tablet for graphic design, rendering, etc. With the included pen, you can also use the ROG Flow Z13 as a graphics tablet for modeling, sketching, and more.

I'm still not a fan of using a touchscreen in Windows. Until you're forced to get used to it, controlling the system with touch feels awkward and slow. The trackpad is a much better choice. It's responsive and has a generous surface area. The clicks are annoyingly loud and take some getting used to.

It's immediately clear to you that it's intended for gaming.

You won't notice it from the front. But if you look at the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 tablet from the side, it's immediately clear from the thickness and sharp features that this is a classic ROG product. They even added a window on the back through which you can see part of the innards, and on top of that, it can also be illuminated. If that's not the best trademark a gaming tablet can have, then I really don't know what is.

The case is made of aluminum and, together with the ROG design, gives the tablet an industrial touch. A good kilogram (1.2 kg) doesn't sound like much. And if this were a classic laptop, it would even be in the lightweight category. But for a tablet, it's a lot, and if you add a 200-W charger to the equation, you get a set that won't do you any favors when it comes to carrying it. The packaging includes a handy pouch, but it doesn't have a dedicated space where you could store the charger.

I had a hard time using it like a regular tablet. I couldn't just pick it up and start browsing the web. At least not for long. It has to be laid flat for normal use, or it has to be on its stand, which is very rigid and allows for use at up to 170 degrees. There's also a slot under the stand for an SSD drive if you want to upgrade it. It's also the only component you can upgrade.

The IPS screen is phenomenal

13 inches, 2.5K resolution, 180-Hz refresh rate, Pantone certification, 500 nits of brightness... What the numbers and labels don't tell you, the feeling you get when you first use the screen tells you. This IPS panel is top-notch. It won't just impress you when you play Cyberpunk 2077, but also when you need it for work tasks. It's protected by Corning Gorilla Victus and also has a special anti-glare coating, which, however, can't eliminate all reflections in a bright room. This is also the only "disadvantage" of this screen.

The front and rear cameras are very average. The colors are completely off and even in a normally lit room you immediately notice a grainy image.

On the right side of the screen you have the power button, volume and a special key with which you can access quick shortcuts for Armoury Crate, display settings, programs that you have grouped for ease of use and the like. If you hold the key, Copilot is activated. Considering that the keyboard already has a dedicated Copilot key, I find this unnecessary. Maybe you can change this in the settings, but I couldn't find it. USB-A is already mentioned on this page.

On the other side, there are two USB-C ports (USB4) with the ability to charge up to 100 W. A charger that supports this is included in the box, in addition to a 200-W charger, which uses ASUS's proprietary power connector. Then you have HDMI 2.1, an SD card reader, and a headphone jack. For connectivity, Bluetooth 5.4 and Wi-Fi 7 are also available.

The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 is the best gaming tablet, but...

...but I can't deny that the price-performance ratio is not on the consumer's side. What it does manage to do is impressive and really gives me hope that one day we won't even need dedicated graphics cards. But still, many people will raise their eyebrows when they see the price. Especially since after a quick browse you can find an equivalent laptop with an RTX 4060 (or something similar) for much less money.

Don't let this concern stop you. If you're looking for a tablet that you can use for work, design (and even AI tasks) in addition to gaming, then you'll be hard-pressed to find a better candidate. You can find out where it's sold here.