I wouldnвЂ™t have minded if it were slightly wider, but it has smooth surface and the tracking feels accurate. There are three levels of backlighting control, which is the minimum IвЂ™d expect to see in a laptop. Some might find that refreshing, though individually backlit keys is certainly a cost-saving measure. ThereвЂ™s no rainbow of colors anywhere on this laptop. Interestingly, the ROG Flow X13 doesnвЂ™t include RGB backlighting. The long travel makes for fast, precise typing that I instantly enjoyed. More than that, the keys feature a chunky 1.7mm of travel, which is basically unheard of these days. ItвЂ™s a large, luxurious layout - the same size that youвЂ™ll find on a 15-inch laptop. I might not love the aesthetic of the ROG keyboard used here, but I canвЂ™t deny its typing pleasures. This button, though, is extremely sensitive, leading to many accidental presses while searching for a port or even just readjusting the laptop on my desk. Like many convertible 2-in-1s, itвЂ™s located on the side of the device, right next to a USB port. Because of the need for vents, the ports are located further down along the side.ДЄnother slight annoyance? The position of the power button. YouвЂ™ll find yourself fighting over space with your mouse and the cable sticking out if the single USB-A port. The placement of the USB ports in the right side is annoying, especially for right-handed people. Then thereвЂ™s the most original thing about the ROG Flow X13,: Its proprietary PCIe interface found on the left side of the laptop under a flap. On the left, itвЂ™s a headphone jack, HDMI, and one more USB-C. On the right, it has a USB-C port for charging and USB-A. In terms of ports, the ROG Flow X13 has the bare minimum for a gaming laptop. Still, they represent a solid alternative to the ROG Flow X13. Each is around an inch or so larger in either direction depending on the laptop, and most are heavier. It certainly has a smaller overall print than laptops like the Razer Blade 14, ROG Zephyrus G14, or Predator Triton 300 SE - but not by as much as you might assume. There are also a few 14-inch gaming laptops that are only marginally larger than the ROG Flow X13. In terms of raw portability, IвЂ™m happy to call it a draw, making the Flow X13 one of the very smallest gaming laptops you can buy. The ROG Flow X13 is lighter at just 2.87 pounds.

The taller 16:10 shape of the Flow X13 makes it slightly longer on the table, while the 16:9 Razer Blade Stealth 13 is wider. RazerвЂ™s 13-inch gaming laptop is 0.2 inches thinner than the Flow X13 and has a different shape due to the aspect of the screen. The Razer Blade Stealth 13 is almost identical in dimensions. A laptop with these dimensions just shouldnвЂ™t be able to handle an 8-core CPU and discrete RTX graphics card - and yet, here it is. I canвЂ™t overstate how impressively small this thing is. Of course, the size of the Flow X13 is its calling card. ThereвЂ™s very slight give in the keyboard, but overall, itвЂ™s a rigid-feeling laptop. ThatвЂ™s a common weak point, especially for laptops with a 360-degree hinge - which is another unique aspect of this laptop.

The weakest point of the laptop is on the lid along the hinge. The lid doesnвЂ™t bend very much, especially near the top. Whether or not itвЂ™s true, the Flow X13 feels very sturdy. ItвЂ™s a fairly minimalist design, so long as you can look past the typical gamer font used on the keycaps.ДЄsus claims the textured lines also bring added strength to the structure. A more subtle version of that texture is found on the palm rests. The lid features textured diagonal lines across the front and a small nameplate in the bottom corner for the logo. The simple, all-black exterior resembles the other gaming laptops in the ROG lineup, including the Zephyrus G15 or some of the older M-series laptops. Judging by its size, the ROG Flow X13 is what used to be called an вЂњUltrabook.вЂќ Thanks to a 360-hinge and a touchscreen, itвЂ™s also a convertible 2-in-1.Д«ut with its styling and performance, itвЂ™s unabashedly a gaming laptop.

Despite some smaller issues I had, the ROG Flow X13 delivers on the promise of gaming on the go in the smallest possible package. ThatвЂ™s not a bad price for a premium gaming laptop. But my review unit is a stand-alone model, sold exclusively at Best Buy for $1,500. Most configurations come with the interesting XG Mobile external graphics enclosure. With up to an RTX 3050 Ti GPU and Ryzen 9 5900HS processor, you can rest assured that these are the most powerful components you could possibly stuff into a laptop of this size. ItвЂ™s the second 13-inch gaming laptop you can buy right now, but in some ways, it takes things even further.

Small gaming laptop 13