My ongoing quest to find a good multi-purpose laptop ASUS ROG Flow X16 (2022)I previously took a look at the 2022 Lenovo Legion 5i Pro to evaluate how it played graphically demanding PC games while at the same time being sensible enough in terms of looks, build and longevity, and comfortable to carry around. The goal was to make it something that you can work with. remotely.
The reason is to build custom high-end desktop computers for PC gaming. When Having a separate laptop for work is something I used to do a lot in the past, but it’s becoming a more expensive move today. Rising manufacturing costs are plaguing the computer industry’s production and shipping chains. But with the rapid advancement of technology, I became more sympathetic to the idea of an all-in-one machine, and was particularly interested in gaming laptops.Versatility When Power is ideal.
The Lenovo Legion 5i Pro hit a lot in terms of build and performance, setting the bar for the power we can expect from a gaming laptop in 2022, making it a great workhorse of laptops. ASUS ROG Flow X16 We share comparable performance over the long term with the X16. What I appreciated most was a feature of the physical build that I don’t usually find relevant.
ASUS ROG Flow X16 review: build and design
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is billed as an ultra-thin laptop and weighs 2 kilograms. That’s pretty much the gold standard for modern laptops in this power class and screen size (16 inches). But the key to X16 identity is hybrid laptop The screen can also be folded with a hinge that rotates 360 degrees. all Here’s how to turn it into a touchscreen tablet PC.
This is by no means a new idea, but I have never personally considered it a must-have feature, let alone the ability to play video games. But given that we’re in the age of the Nintendo Switch and versatile gaming devices, I have nothing but good things to say about it.
There were two specific use cases that I enjoyed very much. The first is to treat the X16 as a touchscreen tablet PC and use it specifically for playing turn-based strategy and point-and-click adventure games.
If you like playing strategy games like Civilization VI When XCOMor adventure games like Return from Monkey Island When Excavating a hob barrow, this is a great way to play in a more relaxed way. It doesn’t sacrifice screen real estate or visual fidelity like handheld game consoles and mobile tablet devices do.
The second use case is tent mode. With the screen flipped over at a 270-degree angle, the X16 can be placed in an upside-down “V” shape for easy placement on your desk or coffee table.
You can also position your laptop with the keyboard facing down and the screen at an angle of 270 degrees or more, giving you more flexibility in setting the screen angle. Personally, I was a little wary of scratching the surface of the keyboard. Regardless of how you set up your screen-only experience, whether you use it to watch YouTube, streaming services, or play games, this is a great option.
Playing games with the controller in tent mode on the X16 is novel and very nice. While using the unit, I fully played some new release games for review purposes (contempt When Plague Story: Requiem – both graphically demanding games). The X16 props up quickly and easily on any surface. Touchscreens (and the Windows 11 user interface) eliminate the need to access a physical mouse and keyboard in most cases. It’s basically like having a giant Nintendo Switch. Just play PC. game.
All these options are very useful. I was actually amazed at how useful these seemingly harmless options were. To be honest, I would have said it was a silly idea at first. The X16 definitely lives up to that building philosophy.
The chassis is also sleek and simple, very welcoming and minimally decorated. A small branding badge in the corner of the grooved lid is the only highlight, and that’s a good thing, no nonsense. Of course the keyboard features RGB lighting, but you can customize it to turn it off entirely Power packs are bulky, but unfortunately, that’s a common complaint with PC gaming laptops. (My next goal is to see if there’s any weight behind Apple’s move to promote gaming on his MacBook, which is always stylish and minimal.)
One thing is worth noting. Several Despite its advantages, the disadvantages of having a 360 degree hinge.There are times when the tension on the screen worries me a little that too Loose – When working or writing on my laptop remotely, I often found the screen shaking when I moved the device with my laptop. You have to constantly readjust your view. Other than this gripe, the tapered edges of the already thin unit made it very comfortable to work at odd angles.
ASUS ROG Flow X16 review: Gaming performance
The main drawback leads to discussions about our experience using the X16 as a gaming laptop. It also concerns all other models of PC gaming laptops. fan noise is insane, It’s clearly noticeable in tents and other hybrid modes, as the hot air gushes out of the hinge at the top of the “V” shape. It’s fine if you have good noise-cancelling headphones, but it’s inevitable that you’ll get complaints from people around you.
Typical noise complaints aside, though, it’s hard to fault how well this laptop performed in our experimental tests. GeForce RTX 3070Ti Laptop The graphics processing unit (GPU) is indeed high-end, AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS (CPU).
Play newer released games like those mentioned above contempt When Plague Story: Requiem 1600p (slightly wider than the widescreen 16:10 ratio (2560 x 1600), common in current generation gaming laptops) is a great experience, and frame rate performance is more or less consistent at 60 frames per second. had reached No complaints here.
demanding boot Cyberpunk 2077 In our tougher tests, we got a fairly solid and typical experience of achieving frame rates of around 45 frames per second on the high graphics settings preset. Adaptive variable refresh rate synchronization also helps smooth out constant small jumps. Personally, I’m very happy with his constant 30 frames per second performance rate to allow for more detailed visuals (depending on the game, of course).
Unfortunately, I can’t speak to the performance of the X16 models with lower-end GPUs. There are also versions with GeForce RTX 3050 and RTX 3060, which are hundreds of dollars cheaper than the RTX 3070 model.
At first glance, the X16 appears to sell for a slightly higher price than other 16-inch gaming laptops, as models are in the AU$2,600-3,300 range. Of course, pre-assembled PC prices often fluctuate throughout the year.
Note that the X16 is also compatible with the Asus XG Mobile external GPU box. This can give laptops significantly more GPU power and improve performance when driving higher resolution screens. Internal and external GPUs. This unit also costs over AU$1,500, but it’s worth considering as a long-term investment later if you opt for the bottom-end model.
ASUS ROG Flow X16 review: Overall impression
The ASUS ROG Flow X16’s flexibility is certainly an unexpected and compelling X-factor, a trait that many of its competitors on the market today have not replicated. From a lifestyle standpoint, I didn’t find those aspects to be an issue at all, but after a month of serious use, I definitely miss their absence.
Versatility is an important factor when thinking about a laptop powerful enough to double as a portable workstation and play PC games wherever you are in the office during the day. The hybrid nature of the X16’s build and design, coupled with its strong gaming performance, makes it a very attractive long-term investment.
Depending on your personal budget, the higher-than-average price point might deter you from the deal, but nevertheless, this is a great yardstick by which all other gaming laptops are measured.
4 stars: ★★★★
ASUS ROG Flow X16 (2022) Gaming Laptop Review
Year of release: 2022
Price: From AU $2,899.00
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