Like many earlier than it, the Asus ROG Flow X13 units out to gain cell gaming nirvana. This time though, there is a twist. While most laptops attempt to do it all in one frequently far-too-thin-chassis, Asus has long gone for a specific method with the Flow X13 via releasing it with a effective dock that homes an exterior snap shots card, an eGPU that Asus refers to as the ROG XG Mobile.
It's no longer a new idea, however it feels like Asus has received nearer than most. Particularly due to the fact when docked the Flow X13 can name on the uncooked electricity of a cell GeForce RTX 3080 to pressure its vivid panel. Oh yeah, and the laptop computer in query additionally occurs to be a 2-in-1, so can double as a tablet. While it isn't always going to be spot on for everyone, for these desiring such flexibility this has the makings of being the best machine.
As the identify suggests, the Flow X13 is a 13-incher, which is a wonderful measurement for taking on the street with you, whilst additionally giving you adequate room to see what you are surely doing. Asus has modified matters up a little right here too, as the Flow X13 boasts a 16:10 issue ratio, as hostile to the extra everyday 16:9. This is incredible in Windows as it offers you a bit greater vertical area to work with.
The native decision of 1920 x 1200 isn't always lots greater exacting than 1080p either, so it is now not like you are all of sudden asking a lot greater from the GPU. Which is a accurate aspect when you are away from the eGPU, as the Flow X13 solely has a GeForce GTX 1650 interior its skinny chassis to name its own. Which is not precisely a powerhouse.
In fact, it is truthful to say that the GTX 1650 is the weakest phase of the entire Asus ROG Flow X13 proposition. It isn't always a vain GPU, certainly it is succesful of serving up masses of video games at the native resolution. I noticed an common of 34fps in Horizon Zero Dawn and Shadow of the Tomb Raider at the perfect settings at the screen's native decision the usage of the GTX 1650. Don't fear you may get a lot greater when the use of the XG Mobile eGPU, however I'll get to that overall performance shortly.
Even so, I would not commonly advise going somewhere close to a laptop computer that price as a great deal as this does when it solely lays declare to an entry-level last-gen GPU—on its personal the laptop computer charges $1,500 (£1,500). In fact, I'd go as some distance as to say this is not a gaming laptop computer well worth thinking about on its own. It's the entire package deal of the Flow X13 and XG Mobile that makes feel for gamers, which retails for round $3,000 (£3,000).
$3,000 is undeniably a lot of cash for a gaming laptop, however it truly is the ballpark you are searching at for this variety of hardware. And whilst you can purchase a laptop computer for less, such a laptop would not be portable. This is, and even the eGPU dock does not weigh too a lot at simply 1kg. It's handy to slide in your bag subsequent to the laptop computer and take the total element with you.
External GPUs have been tried before, however one of the troubles they've confronted is inadequate bandwidth between the exterior GPU and the computing device itself. Asus's reply to this is to use a PCIe three x8 interface. This presents up adequate bandwidth for gaming, as nicely as for different tasks, such as file transfers between the dock and the laptop—the XG Mobile has 4x USB 3.2 ports, an RJ-45 for networking as properly as HDMI and DisplayPort connectors.
If there may be a hassle with the Asus answer it is that the brief connector between the dock and the laptop computer is unwieldy. Despite assisting off-vertical and horizontal placement, it in no way feels like it is certainly in the proper place. The facts cable and energy wire come out of both cease of the unit that means it ends up war for desk space. Its lightness works in opposition to it incredibly right here as well.
The connector itself is large, and whilst a wise combo of a widespread USB Type-C port and the PCIe three x8 interface, it is a chunky answer the place the entirety else is brilliantly glossy and minimalistic. Unclipping the connector is not handy either, which can be irritating if you are in a rush. It does furnish the bandwidth wished though, and in that necessary respect, it works well.
Gaming performance
As ever, it is the overall performance that makes or breaks a high-end presenting like this, and on the whole, the ROG Flow X13 with XG Mobile makes for a mighty combo for dealing with cutting-edge games. While it isn't always a easy sweep throughout all our benchmarks, it is normally jostling for function with the different 3080 machines we've got appeared at lately.
The opposition right here is the chunky however effective Asus ROG Strix Scar 17, and the new MSI GS66 Stealth, which can get loud in use, however is an in any other case first rate traditional gaming laptop. There is not a lot between them in phrases of pricing either, which truly capability your preference is going to come down to whichever structure thing works pleasant for you.
You're searching at 115fps in the likes of Horizon Zero Dawn, 144fps in Hitman 3, and 80fps in Metro Exodus. These are all appropriate rankings for annoying titles and every one additionally takes place to seem to be incredible too.
Essentially the take away right here is that this combo of eGPU and versatile 2-in-1 laptop/tablet works well, and Asus's connection does not preserve performance back. At least now not on average, some of the minimal framerates are decrease than the different machines, and this may want to nicely be to do with the exterior nature of the pix card.
Asus has used AMD's high-end Ryzen 9 5980HS for the brains of the operation here, which is a effective 8-core, 16-thread processor with a inventory frequency of 3.1GHz and max improve of 4.5GHz. With the cellular Ryzen 5000 generation, AMD delivered the HX series, which ability there is greater overall performance to be had in larger machines. The Scar 17 for occasion uses the 5900HX and performs a whole lot higher in CPU-intensive tasks.
The battery lifestyles isn't always specifically impressive, draining the battery in 1 hour 21 minutes when gaming, however given the dimension of the chassis that isn't always specially surprising. You'll get a lot extra out of it when doing greater mundane tasks, and realistically this is a desktop that you are going to prefer to have connected to the eGPU for gaming. And to do that you are going to want to be close to a strength outlet.
Overall, the Flow X13 with XG Mobile makes for a tempting, if truly uncommon transportable gaming powerhouse. It's versatile in approaches that very few gaming machines are. It's proper now not anyone will want or even choose to use it as a tablet, however the choice of doing so is there, and the use of the bundled pen is satisfied and straightforward.
Forget the notion of enjoying video games or looking at films on it in so-called tent mode though, as this is virtually simply a gimmick. This is a laptop you may basically use as a laptop computer or a tablet, no longer some bizarre in-between state.
The largest win right here is the XG Mobile eGPU dock. The cable can also be awkward, however it does what it units out to do well—it permits you to get right of entry to the electricity of an exterior photographs card on a laptop. That potential you can revel in the modern day video games at the absolute best settings, both the use of the laptop's display or linked to an anchored monitor.
It's nonetheless a very pricey solution, and no longer for everyone, however if the thinking of taking a laptop computer to work and then coming domestic to plug it in for some serious gaming appeals, then the right information is this is no longer some ridiculous fantasy. Asus has made the eGPU thinking a first rate reality. If you simply desire a significantly effective gaming laptop, then there are higher selections out there, like the Asus Strix Scar 17, however if you favor some thing a bit different, then this should nicely be it. Alternatively, take a look at out our information to the exceptional gaming laptops.
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