I'm giving up my MacBook and my iPad for the new Asus ProArt PZ13

I've been a longtime Apple fan in the computing stakes, but that looks set to change

The Asus ProArt PZ13 on show at Computex 2024
(Image credit: Sam Cross)

In the world of tech, there have long been two camps: Apple, and the rest. While the Cupertino-based company has earned legions of dedicated fans thanks to their familiar feeling devices, others are quick to find frustration with them.

Personally, I'm sitting somewhere in the middle. I've been an Apple fan for a while, enjoying the uniformity and general ease of use of my iPhone, and loving the way it interacts with my iPad. The piece de resistance, though, is the MacBook. It's art in every sense of the word, and just works better than anything else.

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The keyboard of the Asus ProArt PZ13, shot at Computex 2024

(Image credit: Sam Cross)

The new ProArt range contains three laptops, with this sitting at the bottom of the range in a particularly hybrid role. It's a tablet, effectively, with a magnetic keyboard attaching to give it some laptop credentials, too.

It's an incredibly sleek device, sitting just 9mm thick and weighing a featherlight 0.85kg. That makes it the perfect accompaniment to a busy, on-the-go lifestyle.

Being built for creators, you can expect a top notch viewing experience, too. The Asus Lumina OLED display is bright and offers seriously good colour reproduction. Oh, and as a creators device, there's even an SD card slot on the side. Neat, right?

Of course, as part of the modern generation of Windows 11 laptops, it also features Copilot+ capability built-in. You'll find a dedicated Copilot key on the keyboard itself – the first change to that design in around 30 years.

The Asus ProArt PZ13 keyboard, featuring the Copilot key

(Image credit: Sam Cross)

That's an incredibly appealing prospect. There's a lot of talk around AI right now, with many different manufacturers heralding the potential of the new technology. Talk is cheap, though, and real world use cases are harder to come by.

Copilot+ changes that. Granted, I've only had a short opportunity to test the features here at the show, but it's the first instance of AI which has convinced me I would actually use it.

But the real reason why I'm finally being tempted to make the switch is because these devices can finally rival the MacBook for battery life. With the efficiency of the Snapdragon X Plus chipset inside – and a 70 Wh battery life – the PZ13 is certain to offer some absolutely staggering performance stats.

Priced from just £1,199, the Asus ProArt PZ13 is certainly a top value for money offering. It should appeal to creators, but I'd also expect a wide array of different users to enjoy its feature-set.

Sam Cross
Senior Staff Writer

Sam Cross is an award-winning journalist, with nine years of experience in the media industry. His work can be found in publications as diverse as Oracle Time, Metro and Last Word on Sports.

Here at T3, Sam is best known as the brand’s go-to guy for all things luxurious – from exquisite watches to fine fragrances; the latest performance vehicles to intricate audio equipment, and more.

He’s often found travelling around the world to test new launches, complete with high-end backpacks and suitcases in tow. And when he’s not adding to his air miles, Sam can be found in front of a video camera, bringing his distinctive brand of storytelling to T3’s social media channels.

Sam also loves all things analogue including listening to music on vinyl or cassette, and photography on vintage film cameras.