One of the better former accounting entry in Microsoft’sCopilot+ PCinitiative , which is aimed at build on the AI hype of the last class or so , is Microsoft’sSurface Pro 11 . It was the onlydetachable tablet 2 - in-1running Windows on limb on theQualcomm Snapdragon Xchipset , and it ’s a very strong machine . But the Asus ProArt PZ13 has maltreat in to offer up an option .
in good order off the squash racquet , the ProArt PZ13 competes with a very attractive price , which include its detachable keyboard . It also offer honest performance , great battery life , and an excellent OLED video display . The Surface Pro 11 has a few standout feature , but the ProArt PZ13 evidence that it belong to in the discussion .
Specs and configurations
Right now , there ’s just one configuration of the ProArt PZ13 usable . It offer up a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus chipset , 16 GB of RAM , a 1 TB SSD , and a 13.3 - in 2.8 atomic number 19 OLED display . It comes with a magnetically sequester kickstand and a detachable keyboard , and there ’s an optionalAsus Pen 2.0available for $ 100 .
The most direct competitor is theMicrosoft Surface Pro 11 , which start up $ 1,000 for a Snapdragon X Plus , 16 GB of RAM , a 256 GB SSD , and a 13.0 - inch 2.8 K IPS display . But if you want to gibe the Asus straight , with a 1 TB SSD and an OLED exhibit , you ’ll drop $ 1,700 on a Surface Pro 11 . That make the ProArt PZ13 very attractive from a pure price perspective . The non - Windows competitor , Apple’siPad Pro 13 , starts at $ 1,300 and goes up from there . It ’s a lot more expensive .
And then , conceive that the ProArt PZ13 includes its detachable keyboard . That ’s at least a $ 130 option with the Surface Pro 11 , and Leontyne Price vary for the many keyboard options for the iPad Pro 13 — include Apple ’s excellent Magic Keyboard casing combo that ’s $ 299 . participating pens are optional with each tablet , and cost around $ 100 for each manufacturer ’s variant .
Design
The ProArt PZ13 is a detachable pill 2 - in-1 , and as mentioned above , its most important competition is the Surface Pro 11 . There are n’t many of these tablets that merge into laptop being produced today , as the convertible 2 - in-1 with a 360 - degree hinge has take over . The last detachable pad 2 - in-1 that I reviewed was theAsus ROG Flow Z13 , a very different gaming - orient laptop computer .
Probably the most important stipulation for a pad of paper is its size and weight . In that respect , the ProArt PZ13 is very closely match with the Surface Pro 11 . The Asus has a wider 13.3 - inch 16:10 display compared to Microsoft ’s lozenge with a taller 13.0 - inch 3:2 display , and their exhibit bezels are about the same size . The Surface Pro 11 is slightly narrower and taller , while the ProArt PZ13 is just somewhat thinner and lighter .
They ’re both extremely portable tablet that are pretty well-to-do to hold in hand . It ’s relevant to compare to the most popular tablet overall , Apple ’s iPad Pro , and the 13 - inch example is around the same sizing in breadth and depth , but it ’s devilishly thin at just 0.20 inches and very visible light at 1.28 pound . It ’s the easiest to use with an combat-ready pencil .
However , it ’s not exactly that simple . The ProArt PZ13 does n’t have a kickstand built in like the Surface Pro 11 . Instead , it includes a magnetic cover that double as a kickstand , which adds thickness and weight . So in that sense , Microsoft ’s design is more convenient and refined . The iPad Pro 13 also require an fastening , but you may bribe various choice that are still equally tenuous and unaccented as the Surface Pro 11 .
esthetically , these tab all wait the same from the front — they ’re uncomplicated smutty slating . The ProArt PZ13 come in just one version that ’s disgraceful all around , while the Surface Pro 11 comes in four colour with usable matching keyboards . The iPad Pro 11 is uncommitted in flatware and opprobrious .
Keyboard, touchpad, and pen
The ProArt PZ13 includes its detachable tablet , which create its depressed Mary Leontyne Price even more attractive . And it ’s a passably unspoiled keyboard , with a spacious layout , comfy keycaps , and snappy , accurate switches . It does n’t prop up up at an angle like the Surface Pro 11 ’s Flex Keyboard , and it does n’t have a station to store and charge a playpen like Microsoft ’s interpretation . And Apple ’s Magic Keyboard that doubles as a stand and cover enjoys that company ’s first-class switch . The Asus keyboard is n’t quite as dear overall .
One job I lead into is that the ProArt PZ13 ’s keyboard is n’t recognized by Windows . So , all the usual tablet feature of speech like option checkboxes and a skid taskbar remain even when the keyboard is connected . It ’s a minor quibble and presumably Asus will get it assort in a succeeding firmware update .
Then , the Asus touchpad is mechanically skillful , and while it ’s great , it does n’t have the same reactivity as the tactual touchpads on the Microsoft and Apple keyboard . That ’s another downside .
Asus did n’t include its Active Pen 2.0 with my review unit , so I could n’t test it . I can say , though , that it does n’t volunteer the haptic feedback that the Microsoft Pen 2 provides that makes writing and drawing on the display feel more lifelike . And it does n’t have the tactual feedback when squeeze like Apple ’s latest Pencil Pro . So , again , the Asus solution falls a bit short .
Connectivity and webcam
There are two cameras on the ProArt PZ13 , which is common to tablets , include a front - front 5MP webcam with an infrared camera for Windows 11 on Arm facial recognition and a 13MP rear camera . Like the Surface Pro 11 , the ProArt PZ13 support Microsoft ’s enhanced Studio Effects software as part of the Copilot+ PC initiate , with a hardware help by the Qualcomm chipset ’s neural processing unit ( NPU ) .
Like virtually all tablets , the ProArt PZ13 ’s connectivity is limited . There are two USB4 ports , which equate the Surface Pro 11 and doubles the bit of Thunderbolt 4 interface on the iPad Pro 13 . It lacks the NanoSIM expansion slot and cellular connectivity option of Microsoft ’s lozenge , and the iPad Pro also has a 5 G cellular version . But local wireless connectivity is fully up - to - date with Wi - Fi 7 .
Performance
The ProArt PZ13 uses a version of the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus , released in September and a couple of months after the original lineup . The X1P-42 - 100 has eight core compared to the X1P-64 - 100 with 10 core that we tested . Both chipsets run at up to 3.4GHz , while the X1P-42 - 100 has a importantly slow Adreno GPU rated at up to 1.7 teraflops ( TFLOPS ) compared to the debauched variation at 3.8 TFLOPS . The Snapdragon X Elite is a much flying chipset than all of the Plus versions . It ’s important to remark that these Qualcomm laptop computer run Windows on Arm , which will run covering in emulation when they ’re not write natively for the chipset . Thus , your overall mileage may vary — and that include potential incompatibility with both software and hardware .
Interestingly , though , the ProArt PZ13 was n’t significantly slower at processor - intensive tasks than the Surface Pro 11 with the 12 - core Snapdragon X1E-80 - 100 . The Inspiron 14 Plus 7441 was much slower with the faster Snapdragon X Plus , demonstrating a a chipset alone is n’t a guarantee of a give level of performance . In terms of its GPU performance , the ProArt PZ13 ( and the Asus Vivobook S 15 ) was in line with anticipation .
at long last , the ProArt PZ13 is a very fast laptop for demand productivity substance abuser . Asus seems to have wedge out good C.P.U. performance than Microsoft did with the theoretically much faster Surface Pro 11 . And none of these machine are practiced for gaming or for originative tasks that can utilize the GPU . And , the MacBook Air M3 carry its own , and it ’s meaningfully quicker for creative task like video redaction thanks to various central processing unit optimizations .
I ’d be remiss if I fail to mention AI performance . The Qualcomm chipsets were the first to support Microsoft ’s AI - centricCopilot+ PCinitiative , primarily due to their having a loyal NPU than early Intel chipsets . It boasts up to 45 tera operations per second ( TOPS ) compare to Intel Meteor Lake ’s 10 top . Since the insertion of the Qualcomm chipsets , though , a couple of new contender are making their way out to the market — AMD ’s Ryzen AI 9andIntel ’s Lunar Lake , both of which outdo Microsoft ’s CoPilot+ requirement of 40 TOPS and will experience updates to become official members of the platform .
But , we do n’t have benchmark to appraise NPU public presentation , and it ’s likely that they ’ll be in the first place aspire at efficiency rather than gauzy performance , where distinct GPUs will continue to be fast . Asus includes several creative apps , like its StoryCube and Creator Hub utilities , that might benefit from the faster NPU .
Battery life
The Qualcomm chipsets and Windows on Arm are sanely debauched chipsets , but their swell claim to fame has been a promise of better efficiency . That ’s to differentiate not only from Intel but perhaps more importantly from Apple ’s very efficient M3 chipset .
In my testing , the ProArt PZ13 did well , lasting a little longer in our video looping tryout and not quite as long as the Surface Pro 11 in our WWW browsing examination . We did n’t test the Microsoft pill in running the require Cinebench 2024 multi - core run while on electric battery , but the ProArt PZ13 did better than we ’ve see from the Snapdragon X elect chipsets . That promises better carrying into action when doing work , where overall , the Qualcomm machines have done better with less - demand tasks .
TheMacBook Air M3still leads , particularly when doing more than just looping television . But the ProArt PZ13 is still a long - hold up machine that will get you through a sidereal day ’s work and then some .
Display and audio
Like passably much every insurance premium Asus laptop computer , the ProArt PZ13 features a high - quality organic light-emitting diode display . It ’s a 13.3 - inch instrument panel at a 16:10 expression ratio that ’s not quite as close to a piece of paper ’s property ’s as the Surface Pro 11 ’s 13 - column inch 3:2 show . The iPad Pro 13 ’s display is also more comfortable for ink and drawing . Subjectively , the ProArt PZ13 ’s display is prominent , with bright , dynamic colors and ink-black blacks . It ’s easily as well as the Surface Pro 11 ’s OLED choice , although Microsoft ’s IPS choice will in all probability get good battery life .
According to my colorimeter , the ProArt PZ13 ’s color are wider at 100 % of sRGB , 95 % of AdobeRGB , and 100 % of DCI - P3 compared to the Surface Pro 11 ’s 100 % , 85 % , and 97 % at its best . colour accuracy is similar at a DeltaE of 0.98 versus 0.74 , and both tablets are excellent . The Surface Pro 11 ’s display is brighter at 532 nits versus 394 , and both have gross blacks and insanely eminent contrast .
The iPad Pro 13 ca n’t be essay with our colorimeter , but it also has bright , accurate colouring material and it ’s a tandem bicycle OLED panel with much higher brightness level . That means it will allow well mellow dynamic image ( HDR ) performance than the Windows tablets .
Ultimately , you ’ll find the ProArt PZ13 ’s exhibit excellent for productivity use , creativity , and sensitive consumption .
Audio is nothing particular , with two side - fire speakers that provide just - OK audio recording . The Surface Pro 11 is similar , while the iPad Pro 13 has four speaker system that provide louder and deeper auditory sensation .
The ProArt PZ13 is an excellent, long-lasting Windows tablet alternative
The Surface Pro 11 offers a more elegant design and some tactual feedback advantage . It ’s promiscuous to fence that overall , it ’s a more refined Copilot+ detachable tablet . But that does n’t intend the ProArt PZ13 is n’t also a keen Windows on Arm tablet .
The Asus car is just as fast , even when using a Qualcomm chipset that ’s dull on paper , and it get the same form of battery life . The ProArt PZ13 ’s display is more coloured but not as bright . But for many people , its gloomy price will be the determine broker .
