ASUS ProArt PZ13 HT5306 Review

The new ASUS ProArt PZ13 is the latest range from the tech brand to jump into the Qualcomm Snapdragon bandwagon. If there was ever a device where this made sense, it would be these portable hybrid notebooks. That’s because these convertible tablet notebooks cater to users who want decent performance and all-day battery life as they usually use the device throughout the day.

Watch the ASUS ProArt PZ13 HT5306 Review

Essentially, this ProArt is now like having an iPad Pro around that runs Windows because the move to the Snapdragon silicone provides similar battery life and performance. Of course, this device does fall into the iPad Pro’s price range too because it starts at R33,000, making it one of the more expensive productivity notebooks on the market. Definitely not targeted towards students at that price.

The ASUS ProArt PZ13 HT5306 comes packed with some great specs. It has a 13-inch OLED screen with a resolution of 2880 x 1800 and a refresh rate of 60Hz. This OLED promises 500 nits of peak brightness and a 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut. It is touch screen, of course, and also supports the ASUS Stylus add-on accessory.

Inside, the device comes with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and a 1TB SSD. The unit then comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P CPU. This includes the Qualcomm Adreno GPU and the Qualcomm Hexagon NPU. No Intel or AMD in this model.

The unit includes a 70Wh battery charged by the included 65W USB charger. There are two cameras on the tablet. A 5MP front-facing camera with 1440p video recording and a back-facing 13MP 4K camera. It has included speakers, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4.

ASUS has also certified this device with IP56, meaning it is splash and dust proof. This is great for those who need a bit more protection when travelling to crazy locations for photography. I can also see this coming in handy for builders and on-site engineers who need a tablet hybrid that offers some protection from the harmful surroundings.

Speaking of portability. The unit itself weighs around 800g. When you attach the cover and keyboard, it weighs 1.5Kgs. The tablet itself is only 9mm thick, and when you attach the back cover and keyboard, it then gets thicker at 1.7cm.

When it comes to the design of the ASUS ProArt PZ13 HT5306, you’re getting a hybrid device. The unit comes in three parts. There’s the detachable keyboard that connects to the unit magnetically. Then there’s a back cover that protects the back while also acting as a kickstand to keep it upright. Of course, there’s the main unit. Keep in mind that the covers protect only the front and back of the tablet. You’ll still want to get a pouch to protect the sides.

The cover is made from a pleather-like material that gives it some decent grip. This fabric is found across the back and front as well as around the keyboard. Speaking of the keyboard, it is a nice half-sized keyboard that feels great to type on. I usually hate these tablet keyboards. They often don’t provide tactile feedback and feel cramped, but this layout was okay. Would I enjoy using it myself? Not really because I have large hands, but it is definitely one of the better tablet keyboards I have tested.

The keyboard sounds good to type on, and the white backlights are bright enough to keep the keys lit up in the dark. The trackpad is quite large and feels good to use too. It is smooth, meaning your finger will easily travel across it. The large size helps with gestures.

All the ports on the ASUS ProArt PZ13 HT5306 are then found in one spot. They are hidden away under a removable flap on the left-hand side. This flap helps with the IP rating, and you’ll want to keep it closed as much as possible to prevent dust from going in. There are two USB-C ports and an SD card reader. One of the USB-C ports is kind of a pain to use because of the stylus holder nearby. You can access these ports with the stylus attached. You’ll just need two hands to push the holder back while accessing the ports.

The display on the unit is great. It is as perfect as OLED can get. The brightness measured 351 nits and looks good across all content. Be it photo editing or just watching videos, the panel performs very well. The display is complemented by the tablet’s speakers, which perform fairly well too. It makes watching content quite enjoyable. Given this tablet design, I suspect people will use it to watch more videos thanks to the ability to prop it up next to them. I could personally see myself using it in the kitchen while cooking or even on the couch next to me while gaming.

Overall, I thought the device looked great. It was on the heavier side compared to other tablets, but the performance and Windows-based system make up for it. The display is gorgeous, and everything I did on it was a joy. When I used the tablet in notebook mode, I kind of got used to the smaller keyboard and position of the screen. Sure, the whole experience here might have some getting used to, but once mastered, this is a fantastic hybrid unit.

Performance on this ASUS ProArt PZ13 HT5306 was also great. But before I share how great, I need to make things clear. This is an ARM device, so not everything is going to work as well as you expect. ARM is relatively new, so some apps might wonk out, and some programs might not work as expected. Things are getting better, but don’t be surprised if you encounter a few bugs. The same goes for drivers and accessories. Some design-orientated accessories might not install properly here, and your favourite scanner might give you hassles. Again, it is improving day by day.

With that being said, the overall performance here was fast and snappy. The tablet lasted all day and more, and working around Windows was a dream. This is a designer’s tablet, so it is important to praise the display, and it lives up to its name. Combined with the ASUS Stylus, designer tools were easy to use. The screen detects the pressure on harder presses of the pen, and it feels fluid to use. I am no artist, but sketching and the whole digital drawing experience was okay.

I also ran some benchmarks for those who want scores. I ran tests across all current and valid performance tools. I also ran a gaming benchmark for fun.

You can see from the scores that the ASUS ProArt PZ13 HT5306 holds up quite well. For a notebook, it isn’t the best, but for a tablet hybrid, it is great. To make this device even more appealing, it has an impressive battery. It reminded me a lot of my iPad Pro. That tablet sits around, and I feel like it always has battery life. When it dies, I charge it up, and it lasts what feels like weeks. This tablet was the same. You can use it for a few hours a day, close it up, and pick it up two days later on what you were doing. If you are a heavy user, you’ll get a good full day of work out of it. But casual work will see you go into the week with a few hours a day here and there.

The thermals on the device were decent too. It can get warm under heavy load, but it holds up. I seldom heard the fan, and when I did, it was deathly quiet. Maybe around 20dBA at the most. Crazy to think this performance is slapped into a tablet that barely needs a fan. You’ll feel the heat on this unit when charging and using it at the same time, especially. The display, metal body, and large battery do cause some heat.

Overall, I think the ASUS ProArt PZ13 is an excellent tablet. Windows 11 felt polished for the touch screen and tablet design. The display performs very well across all content, and it makes for a rather incredible creator device. I did find the case and cover a bit cumbersome to use. It is bulky and thick. It requires a bit of elbow grease to set up and get going. But you’ll get used to that in time. Apart from that, this is a great product that should be on your wishlist if you’re in the market for a new notebook hybrid.

This ASUS ProArt PZ13 HT5306 review is based on a review unit sent to us by ASUS. Visit the official web page here for more information on the device. The ProArt PZ13 is now available in South Africa starting at R33,999.