ASUS

Gorgeous OLED display and snappy Snapdragon performance in a detachable package, but the pen experience is a letdown for a ProArt device. Buy it for the screen, not the stylus.

The Snapdragon X Plus 8-core chip is no slouch. It sits in the 91st percentile for CPU performance, which means it handles everyday multitasking, photo editing, and general productivity without breaking a sweat. The 16GB of LPDDR5X keeps things snappy, and the 1TB SSD gives you room to breathe. What surprised us is how well this fanless-ish design handles sustained loads without turning into a hot plate. The integrated Adreno GPU is the weak link, landing in the 28th percentile, so don't expect to game on this thing. But for the creative and productivity workflows it's aimed at, the performance is solid.

The MacBook Pro MWP72LL/A is the obvious elephant in the room, and it beats the PZ13 on build quality, speaker output, and color accuracy out of the box. But it's also heavier and doesn't detach, so if you want a tablet-first experience, the PZ13 wins. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x is the closest Windows alternative with a similar Snapdragon chip, and it offers a more traditional laptop form factor with better keyboard travel. The HP OmniBook X Flip is another strong contender with a 2-in-1 design that doesn't sacrifice the typing experience. If you need a detachable specifically, the PZ13 is your best Windows option. If you just want a great Snapdragon laptop, the Yoga Slim 7x is the safer pick.

Pricing is all over the map right now. We're seeing listings from USD 312 to USD 1,325 across four US vendors, which is a wild spread. At the low end, this is an absolute steal. At the high end, you're paying MacBook Pro money for a device with a weaker GPU and a 60Hz panel. If you can find it under USD 800, it's a compelling buy. Above that, the value proposition gets shaky fast.

The ASUS ProArt PZ13 is a detachable 2-in-1 that gets the important stuff right and stumbles on the details. That OLED display is genuinely stunning, 2880x1800 with 500 nits of brightness and full NTSC coverage, and it lands in the 95th percentile for screen quality. But here's the thing: ASUS markets this as a creative companion, and the pen experience is where owners are most frustrated. For note-taking and media consumption, it's a joy. For serious digital art, the Windows pen quirks will drive you up a wall.

If you're a digital artist who needs reliable pen input, skip this. The palm rejection issues and Windows pen quirks will drive you crazy. Get an iPad Pro with Apple Pencil or a Surface Pro instead. If you're a gamer, this isn't your machine either. And if you need a color-accurate display for professional proofing right out of the box, you'll need to budget for a calibration tool or look elsewhere.

The ProArt PZ13 is a great device with one frustrating flaw. If you're buying it for note-taking, media consumption, and light creative work, you'll love it. The display alone is worth the price of admission at the lower end of that price range. But if you're a digital artist who needs reliable pen input, this isn't the tool for you. The palm rejection issues and Windows pen quirks are dealbreakers for serious illustration work. For everyone else, it's a solid buy, especially if you can snag it on sale.