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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe 2025 ASUS ROG Flow Z13’s Radeon 8060S makes demanding PC games viable on a compact 13-inch detachable, but its results depend on the game, resolution, settings and the use of upscaling. In HotHardware’s February 18, 2025 review, it kept pace with some mobile GeForce RTX 4070 systems in selected benchmarks—not as a universal match, since laptop power and thermal limits vary. Read the HotHardware gaming tests.
How the review tested gaming performance
HotHardware tested the Flow Z13 with a Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 and integrated Radeon 8060S graphics. Its 3DMark suite covered different graphics workloads, from a lightweight mobile test to demanding native 4K rendering. The comparisons are useful context, not a promise that every Flow Z13 or every mobile RTX 4070 will perform alike: laptop makers set different power and thermal limits.
3DMark results: strong, with workload-dependent comparisons
- Night Raid: The 8060S led the comparison, though the field included few recent discrete GPUs, limiting what that result says about competition with modern gaming laptops.
- Wild Life Extreme: This test renders at native 4K, putting substantial pressure on memory bandwidth. The Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 nearly tripled the next-highest x86 result in HotHardware’s comparison.
- Fire Strike Extreme: In this DirectX 11 test, the 8060S roughly kept pace with some mobile RTX 4070 and Radeon RX 6800S results.
- Time Spy: The DirectX 12 result landed near mobile RTX 4070 results and within reach of an RTX 3070 Ti result.
These results are notable for integrated graphics in a small hybrid system, but benchmark rank alone does not establish how a game will look or feel. Resolution, ray tracing, upscaling and frame-time consistency all matter.
How the Flow Z13 performs in games
The review found substantial variation by title. Some games ran quickly or smoothly, while others needed reduced settings or upscaling—or performed poorly in the test. The figures below are HotHardware’s results and observations from its February 2025 review, not guarantees for later game patches, drivers or other system configurations.
#1 Best Overall
- THE ULTIMATE 2-IN-1 – Stay in the zone with a larger touchpad, up to 10 hrs of battery life, and a flexible 170° kickstand that adapts effortlessly to create, game and work on the go.
- POWER MEETS PORTABILITY – Equipped with a brand-new one stop shop chipset experience in the AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 processor with 16 cores, up to 50 tops NPU power and RDNA 3.5 graphics in a 13-inch chassis, the Flow Z13 is designed for next generation portable power.
- GAME CHANGING AI ASSISTANT – Experience productivity boosts and improved power efficiency curtesy of ROG Intelligent Assistance with Copilot + PC powered by AMD Ryzen AI.
- SEAMLESS PERFORMANCE – The LPDDR5X 8000MHz quad-channel memory dynamically balances the integrated CPU and GPU. With 32GB of low-latency memory, it ensures smooth gaming.
- ROG NEBULA DISPLAY, BRILLANCE UNLEASHED – Experience brilliance with the 16:10 WQXGA 180 Hz/3ms PANTONE Validated touchscreen, covering DCI-P3 color space.
Games with strong or playable results
- F1 22: At 1080p High, the game ran very quickly in the review’s test.
- Middle-earth: Shadow of War: At High settings and 2560×1440, HotHardware reported 105 FPS and placed the system among RTX 4070 laptops in that comparison.
- Fortnite (DirectX 12): The reviewer reported high frame rates and less stutter than expected. Hogwarts Legacy, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Rocket League were also described as running well.
- Cyberpunk 2077, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Dragon’s Dogma 2: The reviewer described these as playable. Cyberpunk at Ultra needed considerable upscaling to sustain playable performance.
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: It ran well with upscaling from 1080p.
Games where settings or frame consistency matter
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider: HotHardware tested the highest preset at 1080p and 2560×1440. Performance was consistent, but the Flow Z13 finished last among the comparison systems at 1440p.
- Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: The game was playable with ray tracing, but ray tracing hurt frame-time stability and minimum FPS. The reviewer recommended disabling it for better minimums.
- Black Myth: Wukong: It performed poorly in the reviewer’s test, a reminder that results from other games do not predict every demanding title.
Ray tracing did not have the same cost in every game
In the pre-release Monster Hunter Wilds benchmark, enabling ray tracing reduced performance by about 5% in HotHardware’s test. In Dragon’s Dogma 2, the reviewer observed no performance effect from ray tracing in that test, while ambient occlusion improved. Those observations apply to the tested games and builds; they do not establish a general ray-tracing performance penalty for the 8060S.
Why resolution and upscaling can change the result
The review identifies memory bandwidth as a constraint for the 8060S, as with integrated graphics generally. Rendering fewer pixels by lowering resolution, or using a game’s upscaling option, can help ease that pressure. Upscaling can make a demanding game more playable, but it changes image quality; it is a trade-off rather than a free performance gain.
Rank #2
- THE ULTIMATE 2-IN-1 – Stay in the zone with a larger touchpad, up to 10 hrs of battery life, and a flexible 170° kickstand that adapts effortlessly to create, game and work on the go.
- POWER MEETS PORTABILITY – Equipped with a brand-new one stop shop chipset experience in the AMD Ryzen AI MAX 390 processor with 12 cores, up to 50 TOPs NPU power and RDNA 3.5 graphics in a 13-inch chassis. The Flow Z13 is designed for the next generation of portable power.
- GAME CHANGING AI ASSISTANT – Experience productivity boosts and improved power efficiency curtesy of ROG Intelligent Assistance with Copilot + PC powered by AMD Ryzen AI.
- SEAMLESS PERFORMANCE – The LPDDR5X 8000MHz quad-channel memory dynamically balances the integrated CPU and GPU. With 32GB of low-latency memory, it ensures smooth gaming.
- ROG NEBULA DISPLAY, BRILLANCE UNLEASHED – Experience brilliance with the 16:10, WQXGA, 180Hz, 3ms, PANTONE Validated touchscreen, covering 100% DCI-P3 color space.
Variable-refresh support can also make lower frame rates feel smoother, according to the reviewer, but it does not reduce the work a game demands or remove image-quality compromises. For a fair comparison between laptops, look beyond average FPS: compare the same game, settings and resolution, and consider frame-time consistency, ray tracing and upscaling.
What the reviewed system is—and is not
The tested graphics are Radeon 8060S integrated into the Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 processor, not a separate graphics card. HotHardware’s page-one configuration had 32GB of LPDDR5X memory at 8000 MT/s and a 1TB NVMe SSD; other Flow Z13 configurations exist, so a GZ302 listing should not be assumed to match the review unit. ASUS’s product page lists the Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 with 16 Zen 5 CPU cores and 40 GPU compute units, along with unified quad-channel memory that can be reallocated between system RAM and VRAM with a reboot. Those are manufacturer specifications, not independent gaming measurements.
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- [High-Refresh Touch Display for Creators & Gamers] 13.4" WQXGA (2560×1600) touchscreen with ultra-smooth 180Hz refresh rate delivers sharp visuals and fluid motion for content creation, gaming, and everyday use. Compact 2-in-1 design offers tablet flexibility with laptop performance.
- [Next-Gen AMD Ryzen AI Performance] Powered by AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 processor (16 cores, 32 threads, up to 5.1GHz) built on Zen 5 architecture for fast multitasking, AI-driven workflows, and demanding creative or productivity tasks.
- [Fast Memory & Storage for Seamless Multitasking] 32GB LPDDR5X RAM ensures smooth performance across heavy apps, while 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD provides fast boot times, quick file access, and ample storage for large projects and media.
- [Advanced Connectivity & Modern Features] Equipped with WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, HDMI, microSD card reader, and combo audio jack for fast wireless speeds and versatile connectivity. Built-in webcam and RGB keyboard enhance usability for work and play.
- [Portable Power with Bonus USB Hub Included] Lightweight design with 4-cell 70WHr battery for on-the-go productivity. Includes Dockztorm USB hub with up to 5Gbps data transfer for expanded connectivity.1 Year Manufacturer warranty from GreatPriceTech (Professionally upgraded by GreatPriceTech)
ASUS also lists a 13-inch CNC aluminum chassis, a 70Wh battery, a 2.5K 180Hz display and a kickstand adjustable to 170 degrees. These features help explain the appeal of a compact gaming hybrid, but they do not establish battery life while gaming or guarantee a particular game’s frame rate.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Who should consider the Flow Z13 for gaming?
The 8060S is unusually capable integrated graphics for a 13-inch detachable, and the review shows it can handle a range of demanding games. It is a better fit for someone willing to adjust resolution and settings than for someone expecting every new game to run at maximum settings without upscaling.
- Assess your own game library: HotHardware’s results range from strong performance in some titles to poor performance in Black Myth: Wukong.
- Decide how much image-quality adjustment you accept: Some demanding games were playable with upscaling or reduced resolution, while ray tracing affected frame stability in Guardians of the Galaxy.
- Compare specific laptop configurations: A mobile RTX 4070’s performance varies with its laptop’s power and thermal limits, so the GPU label alone is not a complete comparison.
The review is dated February 18, 2025. Later game updates and drivers may change performance; for a purchase decision, check current regional configurations and availability as well as results for the specific games you play. ASUS specifications describe the product, while HotHardware’s benchmarks describe its tested unit and conditions.
Quick Recap
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