STACK #227 September 2023

GAMING FEATURE

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GET THE COOL All that power could make for a lot of heat, but the Flow Z13 is ready for it, with larger fans than traditional gaming laptops, liquid metal CPU cooling, and a sizeable vapour chamber to dissipate excess warmth. Remarkably, the noise level will stick to a silent 0dB while computing lightly, with a max of less than 40dB under full load.

When is a gaming laptop not a gaming laptop? When it’s also a super-powerful gaming tablet! Prepare to be wowed by the ROG Flow Z13 from Asus. Words Bec Summer R epublic of Gamers are style leaders when it comes to gaming gear, and their designers can rightfully sit back GET THE POWER Nobody will ever accuse the Flow Z13 of being “all show and no go” with the GO WITH THE FLOW!

even in brighter places, as does the glare-free Gorilla Glass DXC screen. Sonically, the Flow Z13 wows with its dual Smart Amp speakers that support Hi-Res Audio and Dolby Atmos. Comms-wise, a High SNR three-mic array with AI noise cancellation works a treat to keep your voice loud and clear, even in noisy locations. GET THE CONNECTIONS The Flow Z13 packs in Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth v5.2, and its versatile USB-C 130W adapter allows a 50% charge in just 30 minutes if the six hours of typical use battery life isn’t quite enough to see your current project through. Meanwhile, the Flow Z13 packs a 3DNR +IR 5M webcam as well as a 13M front camera. GET THE VERSATILITY The ability to operate your Flow Z13 purely in laptop or tablet mode (via touchscreen or stylus) is huge, and opens up several further possibilities. Easily connect a wireless controller and engage the kickstand for top tablet gaming on the go, have the full desktop experience by adding a mouse, and even a mechanical keyboard if that’s your gaming or typing preference. Hook up an extra screen – or screens – in your homebase, or use it as the nucleus of a music creation or streaming studio. Your imagination is the limit!

with satisfied smiles after coming up with the Windows 11-based Flow Z13. It brings their futuristic aesthetic to a full-spec portable gaming rig that can be used as a laptop or a tablet. GET THE LOOKS Look at those sleek lines. The chassis of the Flow Z13 has undergone a specialist manufacturing process called CNC milling, allowing for the intricate design work that adorns the back of the tablet/screen area. The attention to detail continues with a window into the internals, and how the kickstand and keyboard cover seamlessly integrate with the tablet component. And all in a device that weighs just 1.18kg.

superpowered specs it delivers. At its heart beats the latest Intel Core i9-13900H 14-core processor, delivering between 2.6-5.4GHz of oomph for the most demanding games, for productivity, or anything that you do! This is coupled with either an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 8GB GDDR6 or RTX 2050 4GB GDDR6 laptop graphics processing unit, which includes MUX Switch and Advanced Optimus for a 5-10% increase in performance, plus 16GB of ultra-fast, energy efficient LPDDR5 memory for fuss-free multitasking, and a 512GB or a huge 1TB SSD drive for ample storage (depending upon model). GET THE SOUND

CNC – OI?

AND VISION The Flow Z13 packs

What exactly is CNC milling? It’s a process in manufacture that utilises a cutting tool mounted upon a rotating spindle that selectively – and accurately – removes parts of a block of raw material. In the case of the Flow Z13, this allows

a 13.3-inch WQXGA (that’s 2560 x 1600 resolution) 16:10 aspect ratio touchscreen display that’s capable of running at up to 165Hz,

for the intricate design work that makes the rear of the unit look so unique.

and with a nippy 3ms response time to keep

you on the competitive edge when gaming. An impressive 500 nits of brightness lets you play

12 SEPTEMBER 2023

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