Asus ROG Flow X13 (2023)
The Asus ROG Flow X13 is set to arrive in the second quarter of 2023, with prices starting at £1,899 in the U.K. (around $2,266). This is for a model with an RTX 4050 and AMD R9-HS, meaning higher-spec models will likely go well beyond $2,000/£2,000. The 2023 ROG Flow X13 chassis has had a complete redesign, shrinking its footprint by 10mm (0.4 inches) while keeping its 15-inch keyboard layout and increasing battery capacity from 62Wh to 75Wh. That’s not all, as the hinge allows for more airflow, while the aluminum lid now sports “gravitational waves” that adds more grip for carrying. Plus, it weighs a light 1.4kg (3 pounds). You can also expect an FHD (1920 x 1080) IR camera with Windows Hello support and a larger touchpad. Plus, the Flow X13 now boasts a new 13.4-inch QHD+ (2560 x 1600) ROG Nebula Display touchscreen with a 165Hz refresh rate and 7ms response time, along with 100% DCI-P3 coverage and Corning Gorilla Glass DXC. There’s also a FHD+ (1920 x 1200) display configuration available, which offers a 120 Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time. In fact, all 2023 ROG Flow machines feature Corning Gorilla Glass DXC, which increases hardness by 40% while significantly reducing surface reflections, making the Flow family more scratch resistant and useable in brighter environments. As for what’s under the hood, this 13-inch gaming laptop packs a punch. You can expect an AMD Ryzen 9 Zen 4 processor, up to a Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU with 8GB GDDR6 video memory, up to 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and up to 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD for storage. As for ports, expect a USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports, a USB-C 4.0 with DisplayPort 1.4 and Power Delivery 3.0, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 also with DisplayPort 1.4 and Power Delivery 3.0, HDMI 2.1b, a MicroSD card reader (SD 4.0), and a 3.5mm audio jack. Other noticeable features include a 1-zone RGB backlit Chiclet-style keyboard, Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity, and two speakers with Smart Amp Technology and Dolby Atmos.
Asus ROG Flow X16 (2023)
The Asus ROG Flow X16 is also getting an upgrade, and it’s expected to arrive in the second quarter of 2023 with prices starting at £2,199 (around $2,622). While we can expect a similar design to its predecessor, there are a few major internal upgrades the 2023 Flow X16 model boasts. This includes up to a 13th Gen Intel Core i9 13900H CPU, up to a Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU with 8GB GDDR6 video memory, up to 64GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and up to 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD for storage. The Flow X16 also delivers two touch display options: an IPS panel and mini-LED panel. Expect a 16-inch ROG Nebula HDR QHD+ (2560 x 1600) display with a 240Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time, along with 100% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage. It shares similar features with the ROG Flow X13, including a 1-zone RGB backlit Chiclet-style keyboard, along with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity, but it boasts four speakers with Smart Amp Technology and Dolby Atmos. Ports-wise, it’s fitted with two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports, a USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 and DisplayPort 1.4 and Power Delivery 3.0, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 also with DisplayPort 1.4 and Power Delivery 3.0, HDMI 2.1, and a 3.5mm audio jack. What’s more, you can also expect a MUX Switch and Nvidia Advanced Optimus.
Asus ROG Flow Z13 (2023)
Finally, the Asus ROG Flow Z13 gets Nvidia’s RTX 40 Series treatment, too. Like the X13 and X16, the Z13 will arrive in the second quarter of 2023, with prices starting at £1,999 (around $2,380). Excitingly, there’s a Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU with a 13th Gen Intel Core i9 13900H CPU under the hood, with a TGP of up to 65W — a 62% increase compared to the previous generation Z13. For a detachable 2-in-1 gaming laptop, that’s impressive, and Asus states that it’s made possible thanks to its liquid metal and vapor chamber technology. It isn’t just the internals that impress, as the ROG Flow Z13 also sports a 13.4-inch ROG Nebula Display QHD+ (2560 x 1600) IPS touch panel with a 165Hz refresh rate and 7ms response time, along with 100% DCI-P3 gamut coverage and G-SYNC support. You can also expect up to 16GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD to boost its performance, along with the usual 1-zone RGB backlit Chiclet-style keyboard, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity. It’s also packed with ports, such as a USB-A 3.0 port, a USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 and DisplayPort 1.4 and Power Delivery 3.0, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 also with DisplayPort 1.4 and Power Delivery 3.0, a MicroSD card reader, and a 3.5mm audio jack. Weighing just 1.1kg (2.4 pounds) and boasting a detachable keyboard (340g), Asus’ small yet powerful machine has a lot to boast about. What makes it even more impressive is its ability to hook up to a new ROG XG Mobile (2023) GPU. Plug this in and it will be able to handle a RTX 4090 GPU with GDDR6 16GB video memory. We’re excited to check out each of Asus’ new ROG Flow gaming laptops, especially now that they boast Intel, AMD, and Nvidia’s latest chips. Will the make it onto our list of best gaming laptops? Only time will tell. In the meantime, check out what you need to know about CES 2023.
