Can the ASUS ProArt PZ13 3-in-1 Tablet Revolutionize Your Workflow?
September 11, 2024 | by Smith Elsie
Hey everybody! Here we have ETA Prime once more! Today, we’re going in-depth with the brand-new ASUS ProArt PZ13, a 3-in-1 gadget that has the potential to completely change the way creatives work and play. Even though ASUS bills it as a 3-in-1 device, at first look you might be inclined to refer to it as a tablet. However, upon closer inspection, the ProArt PZ13 reveals itself to be a productivity powerhouse, complete with an eye-popping Lumina OLED display, a high-end Snapdragon processor, and a detachable keyboard.
Key Features and Build Quality
The Snapdragon X+, an ARM-based CPU built to handle high-performance activities like artificial intelligence (AI) processing, powers the ASUS ProArt PZ13. The display is a gorgeous 13.3-inch Lumina OLED panel with a maximum brightness of 500 nits and a 3K resolution, making it ideal for anyone who require precise color and precision.
Additionally, ASUS has updated the ProArt line with a new logo and a Nano Black coating that reduces smudges and fingerprints. Because of this, the PZ13 is not only stylish but also incredibly useful for everyday use. The military-grade durability—which has an IP52 rating and can withstand harsh temperatures, vibration tests, and dust and water—is one of the design’s most notable qualities. When throwing it in your luggage and heading out, you can rest easy knowing that it is resilient enough to withstand a range of challenging conditions.
Versatile, Durable Design
The ProArt PZ13 has several helpful additions right out of the box because it is a 3-in-1. It’s simple to switch between tablet and laptop mode thanks to the detachable backlit keyboard and protected magnetic rear cover. It also doubles as a kickstand. For a tablet this small, the keyboard’s roomy trackpad is a noteworthy accomplishment. It even has a co-pilot button, which uses artificial intelligence to boost output.
With a weight of only 1.87 pounds, the PZ13 is lightweight and portable without compromising on functionality for individuals who are worried about portability. In addition to an SD card reader and an adapter for microSD cards, it has two USB4 Type-C connections. Additionally, there is a 13MP rear camera that is helpful for taking fast pictures while on the road or scanning documents.
Snapdragon Powerhouse with AI Capabilities
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X+ chip, an 8-core, 8-thread CPU with a maximum clock speed of 3.4 GHz, powers the PZ13. The Adreno GPU handles graphics processing. With Qualcomm’s integrated MPU, the ProArt PZ13 offers up to 45 TOPS of AI performance, making it suitable for AI tasks in addition to speed. For those starting out in machine learning, film editing, or other creative endeavors, this makes it a wise option.
With a 1TB NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD and 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM operating at a scorching 8,448 MHz, the PZ13 offers fast read and write performance. This 3-in-1 can handle handling heavy file editing and multitasking between creative apps without missing a beat.
Display: A Creative’s Dream
The 13.3-inch 3K Lumina OLED display on the PZ13 is among its most striking features; it was created to satisfy the exacting requirements of color experts. With its 100% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage and HDR True Black 500 certification, it is the perfect choice for designers, photographers, and video editors that require accuracy in color. Additionally, ASUS’s flicker-free and burn-in prevention technologies help the OLED display maintain its brilliant appearance even after extended periods of use.
Productivity Meets Flexibility
The smooth transition between modes of the ProArt PZ13 is one of its main selling points. This gadget is really versatile; it may be used as a tablet for drawing or taking notes, or you can attach the keyboard to compose documents and emails. Additionally, ASUS has included their ProArt Creator Hub, which functions similarly to an Armory Crate for artists. Depending on the activity at hand—whether it’s photo editing, video playback, or more complex tasks—you can modify performance profiles.
With the PZ13’s customization options for DCI-P3 and sRGB modes, creatives who depend on particular color profiles can precisely tailor your display to the demands of your project. To further streamline your workflow, you can utilize the performance optimization suite to assign resources a higher priority for particular programs.
Hardware and Performance
The Snapdragon X+ chip, which powers the PZ13, is the true star of the show. With its 3K resolution and 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, the 13-inch Lumina OLED display is yet another impressive feature. Its ultra-deep blacks and vibrant colors make it ideal for photo and video editing. For content creation, this panel is ideal, even though some consumers might prefer a 120Hz monitor. It operates at 60Hz.
Together with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 1TB of NVMe SSD storage, the Snapdragon X+ has eight cores. The PZ13 does well at general tasks like as emailing, web browsing, and even Photoshop photo editing, matching the performance of x86 CPUs such as the Intel Core Ultra 185H.
However, the Snapdragon X+ began to exhibit certain shortcomings when it comes to editing 4K 60 frames per second videos. Using Premiere Pro, I conducted benchmarks to compare the Snapdragon X+ with Intel Core Ultra 185H. In Photoshop benchmarks, they were tied, but in video editing, the 185H outperformed the other one by a wide margin. The PZ13 felt slow when dealing with huge files in Premiere Pro, since it was unable to keep up with high-bitrate footage.
That being said, the Snapdragon X+ offers a seamless experience for a lot of regular chores like photo editing. Video playback is fluid, especially with 4K HDR content. Hades 2 and Cuphead are two examples of well-performing casual games.
Gaming and Benchmarks
Even though the PZ13 is primarily intended for creators, I had to test a few titles. With FidelityFX, games like Shadow of the Tomb Raider may be played at the lowest settings, averaging 39 frames per second. Sadly, more demanding games, such as Forza Horizon 5, only managed to attain 24 frames per second at low settings, and struggled to maintain playable frame rates.
I also ran Geekbench 6 benchmarks to get a clearer picture:
- Single-core: 2,394
- Multi-core: 11,412
Although these are good results for a device running on Snapdragon, they are still not as good as high-performance x86 processors.
Battery Life
The ASUS ProArt PZ13’s battery life is one of its best features. With the screen brightness set to 50%, the PZ13 took 20 hours and 6 minutes to complete the PCMark video playback test. This type of battery life is amazing for a productivity-focused gadget, especially for creators who are constantly on the road.
The Verdict: Can It Revolutionize Your Workflow?
The ASUS ProArt PZ13 shines in a number of areas, including remarkable display quality, outstanding battery life, and a potent chipset for most applications, including media consumption and photo editing. PZ13 is a great choice for creators that value portability and durability.
However, power users may look for alternatives due to its limits when handling 4K video editing and demanding gaming, particularly when using Premiere Pro’s high-bitrate video files or playing heavier games. You might want to wait for ARM-optimized video editing software like DaVinci Resolve or think about getting an x86-based device if video editing is a crucial component of your process.
With its amazing screen and adaptability, the ProArt PZ13 might completely change your everyday workflow for most users searching for a versatile, all-in-one tablet that can tackle creative jobs.
As always, thanks for reading, and feel free to ask any questions in the comments section!
Video review of ASUS ProArt PZ13 Review: Powerful Snapdragon X+ Performance in a 3-in-1 Tablet!
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