Asus ROG Flow X16 review: The perfect 2-in-1 gaming laptop

• The Asus ROG Flow X16 is the company’s latest laptop that combines high-end gaming hardware with a hybrid form factor.
• Starting at ₹1,71,990, the ROG Flow X16 is tailor-made for gamers, professional users and creative creators who seek performance and portability.
• If you are looking for a 2-in-1 gaming laptop with a gorgeous display along with high-end gaming hardware, ROG Flow X16 is worth considering.

The gaming laptop design concentrates on cramming hardware inside a laptop, but with ROG Flow X16, Asus has taken a different approach. The ROG Flow X16 combines high-end gaming hardware with a hybrid form factor. It gets a touchscreen that can rotate through a full 360 degrees, and that’s a smart move from Asus because it means X16 Flow can work as a colossal tablet and can be used in tent mode or stand mode along with a gaming controller.
The ROG has been a top recommendation from my side for users who engage in heavy-duty gaming, video editing, and multitasking. After using ROG Flow X16 for a month, it looks like this 2-in-1 gaming laptop is worth recommending. But do note that this tech doesn’t come at an affordable price, it’s priced on the premium side.
Read my review as I make it easier for you to decide if this is the machine you need.

Asus ROG Flow X16: Price and availability

The ROG Flow X16 are available in Black and Gray colour options. The price of Flow X16 starts from ₹1,71,990, powered by AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti. The price goes up by ₹1,91,990, powered by AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS Mobile processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, and AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS Mobile powered ROG Flow X16 is available for ₹2,61,990.

Spec sheet - 2022 ASUS ROG Flow X16

Asus ROG Flow X16 build design and display

Being a gaming laptop Asus ROG Flow X16 is sleek given the fact that it packs, a massive 16-inch display. The dimensions are impressive at 35.5 x 24.3 x 1.94cm with a weight of 2.10Kg making it one of the thinnest gaming laptops available in the market. The Asus ROG Flow X16 is a much more portable option than ASUS ROG Strix G17 and other competing gaming laptops with the same feature set. However, the laptop is not very useful without a massive 240W charger that comes alongside. So if you want to game on the go at its full potential, you will need to carry the heft anyway. But if you commute daily to the office, you can do away with the heavy charger.
In terms of build quality, the ROG Flow X16 doesn’t comprise, the exterior of the laptop uses a mix of aluminium and magnesium alloy. The lid has a nice ribbed texture that feels smooth and premium to the touch. The ROG Flow X16 has a solid metal hinge design that allows you to open the lid smoothly and flip the screen 360 degrees.
Asus has given a textured carbon-like finish behind the lid and on the palm rest, along with premium branding on the lid, which looks pretty cool, in my opinion. The laptop also has a smooth and premium finish surrounding the keyboard with a textured finish.
The 16- inch ROG Nebula HDR Display, with a QHD resolution and 165Hz refresh rate, is a visual delight no matter what you are doing. I tried everything, from gaming to watching movies and office work that included editing documents and editing photos, and the display never failed to impress me. Also, the colour accuracy is pretty amazing in ROG X16 Flow. The display supports HDR and Dolby Vision and, at 1,100 nits of peak brightness, gives decent viewing and gaming experience in average daylight. The ROG Flow X16 also comes with a 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut that aims to enhance colour grading, accuracy and tone, which is visible while gaming. It’s among the best displays on a gaming laptop.
The 360-degree hinge design allows you to use the ROG Flow X16 in different orientations, including tablet, stand, and tent modes. Also, the convertible mechanism comes in handy for many gamers: flip the lid, set it up in a tent or stand position, and use it like a portable screen with a gaming controller.
In my opinion, the ROG Flow X16 strikes the perfect balance between work and play, thanks to the touchscreen and 360-degree hinge design.

Keyboard and trackpad

The keyboard on the Flow X16 are pretty much similar to what we saw on the ASUS ROG Strix G17. The keyboard is decent for gaming and typing as the keys are spaced out evenly, reducing the travel time, but it lacks a dedicated numpad. The keyboard also features a single-zone RGB backlit keyboard with different preset modes and levels of brightness. Volume controls and ASUS Armoury crate hotkeys are placed separately above the keyboard for ease of functionality.
The trackpad is fast and responsive, and it supports multi-touch gestures. But while gaming, I would recommend attaching an external mouse.

Asus ROG Flow X16 performance

The ROG Flow X16 is available in three variants, and the one I was using sports AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS Mobile processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti graphic card. Given the specification, ROG Flow X16 is a gaming powerhouse. I have played graphically demanding games like Sniper Elite 5, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands, Halo and many more, and Ryzen 9 has done a good job so far.
Further, I tested a bunch of AAA titles like Red Dead Redemption 2, Ghost of Tsushima, Watch Dogs: Legion and Far Cry 6 at the ultra setting with HDR on, and the result was commendable.
Besides gaming, I have thrown almost everything at the Asus ROG Flow X16, which include opening documents in Office and Chrome along with multiple tabs and apps running in the background, photo editing and ROG Flow X16 didn’t disappoint me.

Thermal performance

I used ROG Flow X16 for prolonged gaming hours, and in my usage, I felt that the laptop got warm, but thanks to ROG's cooling-frost force technology, there was no lag. Also, the keyboard doesn’t get unbearably hot.
Asus has placed the exhaust fans behind the lid to maintain the airflow and keep the cool during prolonged usage, and it works well as intended.

Audio and battery

The Asus ROG Flow X16 features a 4-speaker system with Smart Amplifier Technology and Dolby Atmos technology, and they deliver decent sound under most scenarios. Also, Dolby Atmos gives you a preset equaliser setting that can be customised according to your preference. But, if you want to enjoy the true sound while gaming, I recommend using headphones because of the daunting fan noise.
The Asus ROG Flow X16 packs 90WHrs, 4S1P, 4-cell Li-ion battery. I used the laptop for casual browsing, including sending emails and using Slack, along with a cranked-up refresh rate, which lasted for two hours. Without 240W charging brick, don’t think about gaming on Asus ROG Flow X16.

Final verdict

After using it for months and knowing the high specs it offers, Asus ROG Flow X16 doesn’t seem overpriced. It is tailor-made for gamers, professional users and creative creators who seek performance and portability.
The stunning 16- inch ROG Nebula HDR Display, and the thin and light profile make it highly portable. Also, the touch screen is ideal for creative developers as it comes with stylus support.
SEE ALSO:
Asus ROG Strix G17 (2022) review — a good-looking gaming laptop with flagship performance
Realme Buds Air 3 review: Impressive noise cancellation on a budget