The ASUS ROG Flow X13 is a premium-priced, high-performance laptop with a strong processor and advanced graphics capable of intensive tasks like 3D rendering, engineering applications, and gaming. It has a higher refresh rate display which is beneficial for fast-motion activities. However, it is heavier and has shorter battery life. The ASUS Zenbook 13, on the other hand, is much less expensive, lightweight, with an OLED screen for vibrant colors and longer battery life. It is suitable for general use and less demanding applications. Choose the Flow X13 for performance-intensive tasks or the Zenbook 13 for portability and everyday use. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Flow X13
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook 13
Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
8.1/10
7.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
511.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
378.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 is very good for general use, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 excels in general use due to its superior CPU and RAM, higher resolution touch-enabled display, and robust graphics capabilities, making it well-suited for both productivity and gaming, albeit with less portability and shorter battery life compared to the Zenbook. Conversely, the ASUS Zenbook 13, while offering a vivid OLED screen and greater portability with longer battery life, has less powerful CPU and RAM, making it a better fit for everyday tasks and on-the-go use without the need for high-performance computing.
Gaming and AI
7.8/10
6.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.5/10
7.1/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
7.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 stands out for engineering and design due to its higher-end CPU and GPU, more RAM, and higher-resolution screen, which are crucial for demanding tasks and detailed visuals. In contrast, the ASUS Zenbook 13, while still capable, offers less powerful hardware and a lower screen resolution, resulting in a performance gap for intensive engineering applications.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.6/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
8.0/10
7.3/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 is very good for software development, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
8.4/10
7.8/10
13.4in
SIZE
13.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
511.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
378.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook 13 for general use, gaming and AI, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the ASUS ROG Flow X13 and ASUS Zenbook 13 offer displays with high resolution and brightness that make text clear and vibrant for everyday tasks like browsing the web or working with documents. Both laptops have displays with wide color gamuts, ensuring accurate color representation that's crucial for engineering and design work where precision in color is key. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops' screens have low refresh rates, leading to less fluid motion and potentially more screen tearing, which can detract from the visual experience in fast-paced scenarios.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.4/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 has very good build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,500
$890
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 has a price of $2,500 and the ASUS Zenbook 13 costs $890.
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 has 8 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook 13 has 9 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
13.4in
SIZE
13.3in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
2.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Zenbook 13 to have excellent portability, while the ASUS ROG Flow X13 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the ASUS ROG Flow X13 and the ASUS Zenbook 13 compare to other laptops
"The Asus ROG Flow X13 is not an off-the-shelf convertible. This quickly becomes clear when you take a closer look at the technical specs. The AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS is a state-of-the-art SoC with 8 cores and 16 threads, which also makes the 2-in-1 interesting as a work device. With 32 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD, gamers are also well taken care of. The dedicated Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q fits well into the overall concept and ensures a solid 3D performance. With the eGPU dock, which is equipped with a GeForce RTX 3080, the small convertible transforms into a full-fledged desktop replacement in terms of performance."
"The Asus ZenBook 13 is a compact 13-inch laptop with a fast Ryzen 7 5800U and OLED display. The subnotebook is also light and the modern design is convincing. The selection of high-quality materials make the device not only light, but also very stable. In addition, the visuals and haptics of the device offers a high-quality impression. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U is a very good fit for the ZenBook 13, ensuring a high performance in the test. However, in terms of the 3D performance, we also notice that the Vega architecture is beginning to hit its limits."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Flow X13 or the ASUS Zenbook 13
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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