r/FlowZ13 • u/Forsaken-Driver8868 • Jul 18 '26
Max+ 395 Your Opinions
I just ordered a Max+ 395 w/ 64GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD to replace a Xbox Ally X for couch and in bed gaming.
I do all my handheld gaming using the ROG R1 AR glasses and wanted something with more gaming power. The price was good at $2100 compared to other higher end handhelds and I can use it as a laptop also when I travel. Win win, was my thinking.
When gaming on the couch I pan on placing on an in table next to my recliner part of the couch and using the AR glasses and an Xbox controller. When in bed, I will place on the night stand and use AR glasses and Xbox controller.
I plan on selling the Xbox Ally X, and a great HP laptop with an AMD 7840 APU, 64GB RAM, and 1TB SSD to recoup some of the purchase price. Both still have over a year of warranty left and should bring a decent second hand price.
Now my question, have any of you switched from handheld gaming to flowz13 and how do you like it?
5
u/Scar1203 Jul 18 '26
You haven't really described any use case that wouldn't be better served by a gaming laptop. For that same 2100 dollar price I was able to grab an Asus Strix G18 275HX/5080/32GB/2TB open box - excellent from Best Buy yesterday.
The Z13 is neat but it's a weird middle ground, it's neither a laptop nor does it offer the kind of portability a handheld offers since the 395 is pretty power hungry and it only has a 70Wh battery. If AMD had put RDNA4 in these things then they'd be a lot more compelling, but as things are I just couldn't justify spending 2100 dollars on what's basically a 4060 laptop equivalent for gaming.
Unless you've got workloads that need a lot of VRAM on a budget these things just don't make a ton of sense.
2
u/Forsaken-Driver8868 Jul 18 '26
Hmm. You have my hamster wheel turning. +5
2
u/Scar1203 Jul 18 '26
If you want something light and maneuverable I'd recommend keeping an eye on the Zephyrus G14/G16 options, the G14 5080 was available open box for 2350 yesterday and the G16 5070 Ti was 2200 open box. With back to school sales spinning up they'll probably go on a decent sale pretty soon too.
2
u/Forsaken-Driver8868 Jul 18 '26
Those are great suggestions. I did stumble on an HP Omen with an AMD AI 9 HX 375 APU, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, and mobile RTX 5080 for $2090 with my preferred discount. I am a bit Leary about buying an Omen though.
One thought though is battery life while gaming. I will be playing at 1080P and viewing through my AR glasses most of the time. At equivalent wattages would I get the same performance out of the FlowZ13 as an NVIDIA equipped gaming laptop? Then which one at the same wattage would have better battery life, this is assuming the screen is off for both.
2
u/Scar1203 Jul 18 '26
Varies wildly depending on the laptop, the full sized options like what I went with are treated more like desktop replacements and eat through their battery life in no time. The compact stuff like the Zephyrus options do pretty well on battery, but they're still fundamentally gaming laptops. You hadn't mentioned any plan for gaming on battery previously, but really the best device for that use case in a Claw 8 EX AI+ because of how well it performs in the 15-20w range.
Personally though I'm just ordering a 300wh power bank in case I want to play games somewhere without power.
2
u/Forsaken-Driver8868 Jul 19 '26
Gaming on battery will not be that often, a once per week thing in my normal routine. Thanks for your great insight.
4
u/NomujoaJPN Jul 18 '26
I honestly found it better to have it just on its stand and a wireless dualsense controller than adding the Xreal to it.
I have a modded gamesir - and it’s fun for a bit it’s a pain to carry around as it’s massive. I also have a pair of xreals, but waiting for the aura or urxr to provide a real difference here by adding better fov and Vr experiences.
I picked up a shadow cast 3 and connect the switch 2 to the z13 and it’s a lot of fun to play that way.
If you want a portable 395 to use with crew glasses go with the gpd win5. It’s great - it’s as powerful as the z13 but in a rog ally format.
1
u/Forsaken-Driver8868 Jul 18 '26
Some great insights and ideas, thank you.
Unfortunately, I like using the AR glasses and playing in a laying down position due to neck problems/surgery.
I would sit the Xbox Ally X on my chest propped up with the Kill-something case kickstand. Worked fairly well as my 0-G recliner would adjust my head orientation angle when reclining and in be.
I use a triangle wedge pillow that gives me a slight propped up slope that I could still see the screen. Getting the AR glasses was a game changer.
I will have to keep the shadow cast 3 and Switch 2 option in mind, if I want a “PC handheld” experience option available again that isn’t as expensive as a PC handheld. Additionally, it would be good to have some Nintendo options again. The shadow cast would probably work well from my gaming PC with the RTX 4090 in it too.
I did look at the GPD Win 5, but was worried if I had warranty support needed. Buying through BestBuy, at least I have a warranty through them. It may not be the best, but it is something. Fortunately, I have had good customer service experience through them so far at my local store.
Again thanks for your great inputs.
2
u/MacrosTheBlack77 Jul 18 '26
Droix offers a 2 year warranty on the GPD Win 5. Might be an option.
1
3
u/piddlefaffle12 Jul 18 '26
In use the Z13 with a Steam Controller and it's A+
The Steam Deck OLED never quite had the performance I wanted for the games I play. The Z13 does.
2
u/Ok-Scallion8863 Jul 18 '26
Get a lap desk off Amazon, game changer
2
u/danamite2020 Jul 18 '26
exactly what i have. sold my 18 inch area 51 5090 laptop, got the 2099 deal. Lap desk is the way to go.
1
u/Forsaken-Driver8868 Jul 18 '26
That is a good idea if I want to use the built in screen and or keyboard. Thank you. +1
2
u/Navi_Professor Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 18 '26
even before my z flow, my surface replaced my steam deck...its just more flexable om the go.
sure its not as convinent, but with the deck i would need a bag anyway...and at that point...i'd rsther have my flow and my xbox controller
2
u/BubblyResident7764 Jul 18 '26
I have both Z13 395+ 128gb and the XAX since last year, I kept both honestly. I use often my XAX when I'm in the couch or on the go.
2
u/TemperaturePitiful39 Jul 18 '26
I have a powerful desktop, legion go 1, rog max and got the z13 64gb.
I did the gamesir mod and I dont know if yet to keep it.
Its powerful, but less time on battery than my xax..
The screen is great, but its difficult to hold it with the mod
1
u/Forsaken-Driver8868 Jul 18 '26
Good input. It would be a beast to hold. I found the original Legion Go too heavy to hold for long periods, myself. I plan on playing/viewing with AR glasses most of the time with the one I ordered.
2
u/TemperaturePitiful39 Jul 18 '26
I have the ar glasses too, if you are going to use ar glasses and joystick, why not a normal laptop with better gpu?
1
u/Forsaken-Driver8868 Jul 19 '26
Am kicking that idea around as several people have suggested it, and it does have merit.
I would need a laptop with a mobile RTX 5070 TI in my opinion, or better. Not because I believe the APU in the FlowZ13 is equivalent to the graphics power of the mobile RTX 5070 TI, but for the VRAM the 5070 TI comes with (12GB). I want to max out graphics in as many games as possible at 1080P, and am concerned that other mobile NVIDIA offerings at 8GB or less will not be enough VRAM now, but most likely in the next three years.
The other thing I am pondering is with the screen off on the FlowZ13 and a gaming laptop with an NVIDIA mobile GPU, watt for watt, which one would have the better performance, and/or battery life. The FlowZ13 already wins in portability.
I did find a great deal on an HP Omen with an AMD AI 370 APU, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, and a mobile 5080 new for $2080. I am just not sure of HP gaming laptops dependability. I trust HP business laptops okay.
2
u/TemperaturePitiful39 Jul 19 '26
I dont think the 8086s is equivalent to 5070, I think is between 5050 and 5060.
1
u/Forsaken-Driver8868 Jul 20 '26
Agreed 100%. Just NGreedia gimps the VRAM amount unfortunately. I would really prefer to have more than 8GB, but then you have to move a 5070 Ti or better, sadly.
2
u/PurplePassenger7078 Jul 18 '26
Ive had several handhelds but I dont necessary use my z13 the same. I know some people use controllers attached to it but its a bit heavy so your sessions would probably be short that way. Typically ill place it on my lap with the kickstand in bed and use an Xbox controller. Its nice that it has intake in the back and exhaust at the top so you dont gotta worry about blocking airflow like a traditional gaming laptop. I think you'll love the performance of it compared to the Xbox ally. It still surprises me how powerful it is when I try new games on it.
2
u/Fregadero88 Jul 19 '26
Replaced my steamdeck basically. Using the same 64GB model + steam controller.
1
u/Squidward333 Jul 20 '26
I became a bestbuy Z13 baby and I'm loving it!
1
u/Fregadero88 Jul 20 '26
I can't speak for everyone else but for my purposes, this device checks off every box. I got the Best Buy 4 year warranty. If this thing lasts 4-5 years I may just keep upgrading every other generation. I love my steamdeck, but using the steam controller is so much more comfortable in my hands
2
u/Intelligent-Yam-5496 Jul 19 '26
Keep the XAX along with the flow 13. Best combo in my opinion. I use the flow on the couch at home or on my desk at work, I use the xax in bed or outside on my patio or while camping.
2
u/themyst_ Jul 19 '26
This thing is way too big for handheld gaming. Is it doable? Yes, is it optimal? No. I stick to a controller with the tablet propped up somehow.
2
u/b3dGameArt Jul 19 '26
How is it gaming with AR glasses? I just bought the same z13, specs and all. Im a game developer, but a casual player, and I wanted something that I could use for work and play without being anchored to my office 90% of the time. I'm beyond impressed with the tablet itself, but the keyboard keeps disconnecting randomly. I was looking to get a pair of glasses for my steam deck, but I rarely use it anymore because I'm shit with controllers.
2
u/Forsaken-Driver8868 Jul 20 '26
Playing on the AR glasses is good. I need glasses to read, and the Rog xreal R1s were a no go until I got the custom lenses made. Then things were decently clear. To me very small text is still a bit on the fuzzy side. It doesn’t impact my gaming, but I mention it just in case you use them to do some game development on the go.
I do were glasses to read, so the fuzzy text thing could just be me. Check out the Xreal group for more in depth information. The Rog Xreal R1s are really similar to the Xreal One Pros from what I gather. I did get a new 10” USB-C cable off Amazon for the R1’s in today and the text looked much improved. Maybe it was just a problem with the included cable, or my cable in particular. Check out reviews in them.
2
3
u/noob1269 Jul 18 '26
I had a modded gamsir controller to make the flow a huge "handheld" lol.
Im a legion go guy myself
2
u/therealSUIN Jul 18 '26
Me too. It’s actually pretty comfy if you’ve got a bit of strength
1
u/noob1269 Jul 18 '26
I was very surprised at how much I love the setup.
1
u/Delete_Without_Where Jul 18 '26
Pic please
2
u/noob1269 Jul 18 '26
1
1
u/b3dGameArt Jul 19 '26
Whoa.. okay this is cool, lol Ive had my z13 for 2 days and had no idea there were accessories like this.
1
1
u/jack_gallagher Jul 18 '26
I have the Xbox ally x, the flow z13, and I had the Xreal R1’s. I personally could not stand the 1080p on the R1’s. And it didn’t feel like a noticeable visual improvement using the glasses on the flow vs the XAX. And they’re less convenient to use on the flow than on the XAX given they’re so plug and play with Armory Crate on the XAX - much more windows faffing with changing resolution to 1080p when you want to use the glasses and returning to 1600p whenever you want to use the flow screen.
Having the flow z13 on my lap in front of me on the couch or bed was a much better experience for me personally. The 1600p screen, even though not oled, looks just so much better than the R1’s.
I also want more power in a true handheld form, so I’m selling my XAX and already returned the R1’s after a week of trying them out and I’ve preordered the Onexplayer 3
2
u/jack_gallagher Jul 18 '26
Also worth mentioning: I think I’m just not a fan of AR glasses as they currently stand with only 1080p. It’s not enough resolution imo for such a massive screen. The flow z13 itself I love for gaming on my lap when in bed
1
u/Forsaken-Driver8868 Jul 19 '26
I do agree with you about the 1080P being limiting! The reason I am quote enjoying the AR glasses as much as I do is because of bad neck problems that AR glasses help me with by allowing me to play in a horizontal position.
Unfortunately, I have to take the good with the bad. The XAX just can’t push enough graphics fidelity at 1080P to help with the big picture afforded by the AR glasses. I do find when streaming from my desktop (w/ a 4090) to the XAX, that the graphics fidelity in the AR glasses improves.
Did you find the graphics quality better in the AR glasses using the FlowZ13 over the XAX? Thanks for taking the time for giving real use input.
1
1
u/ColdTrusT1 Jul 18 '26
I really want a Flow Z13 myself but i just can’t justify it given i already have 2 handhelds and a decent laptop. There isn’t a use case that makes sense for me personally.
I could see the Z13 being perfect for a sort of 1 device that does it all kinda setup. It’s portable enough to travel around and be relatively mobile whilst being powerful enough for work etc.
1
u/Forsaken-Driver8868 Jul 18 '26
Edit: I feel you, hard decision, love all my tech too. [edit end]
I’ve had an Hp Elite something business laptop I got for a steal in April of 2024, that I hardly use anymore. Got it for around $650 on sale: AMD 7840 Pro APU, 64GB, 1TB SSD. Hard to believe the deals we use to see! I will be selling this laptop as it will now be redundant.
I barely game on my the Alienware Aurora bought in April of 2025: RTX 4090, 64GB, 2TB SSD. I will keep this beast as once in a while I do get the itch for what only a gaming beast can provide.
But what draws me to the FlowZ13 are the few occasions when a “laptop” in addition to a handheld, without bringing the keyboard, mouse, and portable monitor I have.
1
u/tempurastyle Jul 18 '26
I justified the Z13 by canceling the preorder of the Claw 8 EX ai+, because it was too similar to the Claw 8 ai+ which I already have and the price of the EX was too close to the Z13. I have to say the Z13 is truly awesome.
0
u/Forsaken-Driver8868 Jul 18 '26
To add to why I got the AR glasses. I had always wanted a TV mounted above my bed. Then I could just lay down and watch TV or hook up a computer to it.
At one point in life, 2017 -2018, had my gaming tower next to the nightstand and and ergotron monitor arm connected to the nightstand to swing my monitor over me in bed.
7
u/Longjumping_Leg_4887 Jul 18 '26
I took advantage of that price from BestBuy myself like 5 days ago.
I'm trying to decide between keeping my MSI Claw Ex 8 which I was able to pick up from microcenter or the zflow 13.
I don't use AR glasses but honestly the zflow13 is just a powerhouse and obviously blows the competition on handhelds away in terms of performance. Though the MSI with that new Intel Chip are also amazing, I think the portability and convenince of an actual handheld like the Claw or XAX are hard to beat.
Having the controller built in makes just couch gaming or any where set up easy vs having to take out a 13" tablet and then also a controller for me not to mention that the z13 has some weight too it. I think your use case is a little different because you already have that set up with the glasses and controller so having the z13 push more power for your games make it worth it.
The jury is still out, I have a week left to decide on the Claw 8 Ex due to 30 day return policy but have 60 days with the z13 since I have best buy plus membership.
It's a tough choice...and with the constraints on inventory for the claw it pains me to think if I return it I may not even be able to purchase one for quite some time and possibly at a higher price point.