If you believed the Steam Deck was large, not to mention Acer’s Nitro Blaze 11, prepare to gaze upon this monstrous hybrid of a portable PC gaming device I have assembled. This is a pre-production iteration of Asus’s forthcoming ROG Flow Z13 tablet, paired with a GameSir G8 Plus attachable mobile controller; the Z13’s AMD Strix Halo processor renders it potentially the most potent handheld gaming gadget currently available. That is, naturally, until your hands protest under its heft.
It’s completely absurd, I adore it, and I am starting to contemplate that larger displays may be the way forward.
I’m not the pioneer of this extravagant undertaking, having drawn inspiration from Reddit users who attempted something quite similar with an earlier model of the same tablet. However, after engaging in the experience myself, I am starting to re-evaluate the potential futures for gaming handhelds. The recently announced Nintendo Switch 2 reportedly extends its display to eight inches, while Acer’s device cranks it up to 11; perhaps portability is not as crucial as a massive influx of pixels straight before my eyes?
Let’s clarify one aspect: pairing this precise controller and tablet as I did is likely a mistake. The Z13 wasn’t truly intended to be gripped by a dual set of controllers, and I had to overly stretch the GameSir G8 Plus to accommodate it — it’s not made for anything larger than an iPad Mini, and the overly extended springs can swiftly snap shut if you inadvertently dislodge the gamepad in action. The one occasion it occurred to me, it narrowly avoided my fingers, but it was a shockingly near miss. Consider this a warning.
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Why jeopardize my delicate, easily bruised hands with such a configuration? When I experienced the Acer Nitro Blaze 11 at CES and contrasted it with the Steam Deck, I found myself torn. The angel on one shoulder cautioned me “This is unquestionably too large and, frankly, a bit vulgar” while the devil on the other shoulder exclaimed “Absolutely! Set me on the couch as I typically do with my Steam Deck and let me devastate my vision with as much display as I can manage!”
Once a few of you wonderful commenters appeared to concur with my wide-eyed perception of the latter, it struck me that the ROG Flow Z13 I’d been hauling around the exhibition floor could satisfy my devilish craving.
Clearly, this is not a critique — since the Flow Z13 is a pre-production prototype — but the AMD Ryzen AI Max Plus 395 “Strix Halo” processor, boasting 40 incredible graphics cores, danced circles around current gaming handhelds. I managed to engage in Helldivers 2 and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle with a combination of low and mid settings while using the tablet’s native 2560 x 1600 resolution, effortlessly maintaining 50+ or 60+ fps in each, respectively. Is this achievable with a laptop? Certainly! Yet, I accomplished it with an entire computer wedged between two game controller halves.
I’ve spread a considerable amount of “Managed Democracy” in Helldivers 2 on the Steam Deck, and while it’s certainly feasible, one must not mind that this game resembles something from the PlayStation 3 generation. Comparatively, it flourishes on the Z13 — at least until it’s overshadowed by low battery alerts. I couldn’t position myself too far from the power cord, as the Z13’s battery plummeted from 100 to 10 percent in about 90 minutes. However, to be honest, that’s not too bad when compared to the original Steam Deck, and perhaps scaling down to a more modest 1920 x 1200 resolution or reducing the chip’s TDP could improve the situation.
What astonished me the most was how comfortable I felt utilizing Windows on this “handheld.” The oversized screen made touch targets in Windows 11 genuinely bearable. For the first occasion in the PC handheld arena I didn’t immediately ponder, “Gee, does this device require SteamOS or Bazzite.” I might still lean towards those, but in this configuration, I can adapt to Windows, particularly since a tablet that also operates as a laptop and a handheld is a fascinating trifecta. (It’s something I currently only observe OneXPlayer attempting with its unconventional X1 series.)
Regarding portability, well… this combination is undoubtedly an acquired taste, as it tips the scales at a substantial 3.6 pounds according to my kitchen measurements, approximately 1.3 pounds heavier than Acer’s robust Blaze 11 and a complete 2.2 pounds more than a Steam Deck. It feels like holding two Steam Decks and a Nintendo Switch with attached Joy-Cons all packaged together.
Do not even fantasize about gaming in bed unless you’re prepared to drift into slumber via a concussion if the hefty tablet happens to slip out from its controller bookends. Gravity doesn’t even need to work against you to create a risk of the tablet slipping out, as the excessively stretched-out GameSir controllers can rotate and move around the side rails of the Z13 during operation.
The sizable, robust kickstand of the Z13 significantly alleviates the burden of this weight, allowing you to stabilize it on your lap or a table for added support. However, if you intend to carry this apparatus anywhere other than the couch, the clamp-on controllers aren’t entirely practical; you’ll need to determine if your interpretation of “portability” includes a setup and teardown procedure every time you change locations.
I’ll admit that although it’s been enjoyable to experiment with the Z13 in this manner, it makes considerably more sense to simply set the tablet on a table or desk and utilize a conventional controller. The GameSir is not designed to support this much weight, and after a few hours of gameplay, I experienced some discomfort in both hands that likely wouldn’t occur with a larger gamepad specifically made for this configuration.
However, this absurd little trial revealed that there’s undoubtedly something appealing about oversized handhelds. Perhaps Acer’s Blaze 11 will merely be the initial entry point into a broader trend of home-based handhelds, a market where Sony’s PlayStation Portal has already established itself. Should Asus ever introduce proper controller attachments for its Z13, designed and adjusted to counterbalance its heft, perhaps the company could even market it as a 13-inch handheld gaming PC.
I previously believed that the Switch or the Steam Deck represented the perfect size, but after engaging with this oversized trial and learning that the Switch 2 will also be larger than its predecessor, I feel comfortable asserting that there is no ideal size for these devices. I’m eager to observe various sizes of handhelds entering the market, even if they are enormous.
Photography by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge