Asus ProArt PX13 Review: A Creative Powerhouse for 2024
The Asus ProArt PX13 stands out as a compact 2-in-1 laptop aimed at content creators, designers, and professionals who need powerful hardware in a portable form factor. This device blends performance with versatility, leveraging the latest in AMD and Nvidia technologies. It offers AI-enhanced processing capabilities, making it ideal for creative workflows and light gaming.
Design and Build Quality
The Asus ProArt PX13 comes with a 13.3-inch OLED touchscreen (2880 x 1800 resolution), delivering deep contrasts and vibrant colors. It supports 100% DCI-P3 color coverage, which ensures color accuracy, making it suitable for photo and video editing. The 2-in-1 form factor allows it to function as a tablet or laptop, and the included stylus further enhances creative applications.
Weighing around 1.38 kg, the PX13 maintains a portable design, though thicker than tablets due to the chassis depth. This added depth benefits its keyboard, offering better tactile feedback and making it comfortable for extended use. However, some reviewers note that Windows 11’s touch interface feels a bit clunky at times, especially compared to dedicated tablets.
Performance Overview
The PX13 is powered by the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, equipped with 12 cores (four Zen 5 cores and eight Zen 5c cores) and a boost clock speed of 5.1 GHz. This chip integrates an XDNA neural processing unit (NPU), giving it 80 TOPS of AI performance—enhancing applications like background blur in video calls and object detection in creative tools.
With 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM and a 2TB SSD, the PX13 handles demanding tasks efficiently. Creative professionals benefit from faster rendering and smoother workflows in apps like Adobe Premiere Pro and Photoshop. Benchmark scores place the Ryzen AI 9 chip ahead of Intel’s Core i7 competitors, confirming its prowess in multitasking and AI-driven tasks.
Graphics Capabilities and Gaming Performance
The device features an Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU, a mid-range option well-suited for creative applications. It supports CUDA acceleration for video editing and rendering, making it appealing to professionals. In gaming benchmarks, the PX13 averaged 115 fps in Civilization VI and 44 fps in Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla on high settings. While not designed as a gaming laptop, it can run modern titles effectively if game-ready drivers replace the studio drivers.
Despite its potential in gaming, the 60 Hz OLED screen limits the display performance. Gamers might prefer higher refresh rate displays, but the PX13 prioritizes color fidelity over raw frame rates.
Unique Features: The DialPad
One standout feature is the DialPad integrated into the touchpad. This control wheel enables precise adjustments in creative software such as Photoshop or Premiere Pro, allowing users to change brush sizes or timeline positions smoothly. The DialPad can also control system functions like brightness and volume, providing additional versatility for everyday use.
Connectivity and I/O Ports
The PX13 offers robust connectivity options, including Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, two USB 4.0 ports, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, HDMI 2.1, and a microSD slot. These connections ensure compatibility with modern peripherals and external displays, making it suitable for both remote work and professional presentations.
Battery Life and Portability
Battery life is one of the device’s weaker points. Tests show the PX13 lasting around 3 hours and 34 minutes under intensive use. While switching to integrated graphics can extend battery life, this remains a limitation for professionals who need longer, unplugged sessions.
However, the laptop’s portability and versatile modes compensate for this drawback. Users can flip the display into tent mode for presentations or video watching, and the lightweight design makes it easy to carry on the go.
Audio Performance
The speakers offer balanced audio output, though the bass performance falls short. They are bottom-firing, but placing the laptop in tent mode improves the sound projection, making it suitable for watching movies or playing games.
Who Should Buy the Asus ProArt PX13?
The Asus ProArt PX13 targets creative professionals and content creators who need powerful hardware in a compact form factor. It excels in photo and video editing while also handling AI workloads efficiently. The 2-in-1 flexibility makes it suitable for sketching, designing, and remote work.
While it supports casual gaming, it does not replace dedicated gaming laptops. If higher refresh rates or longer battery life are priorities, other options may suit better. However, for users focused on AI-enhanced applications and content creation, the PX13 offers exceptional value.
Conclusion
The Asus ProArt PX13 is a feature-packed, AI-powered laptop designed to meet the needs of modern creatives. Its OLED display, Ryzen AI 9 chip, and Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU provide an ideal balance of performance and portability. Although its battery life could improve, the compact design, DialPad functionality, and accurate display make it an excellent choice for professionals.
With a price tag of around $2,000, the PX13 competes with high-end laptops like the MacBook Pro and Lenovo Yoga series. It stands out by combining AI capabilities with creative features, delivering top-tier performance for content creators on the go.
