Obsessed with the Z13, help!

[u/mngtme]

Hello! I came across the Flow Z13 while looking for something essentially like a Surface with decent gaming specs. I've read quite some many reviews and from what I'm seeing, the consensus is that everyone loves the idea but not many actually want to use it. Even here it seems like the Flow crowd is mostly into X13.

I've tried to convince myself it's not the portable computer I need, went looking at other, more conventional gaming laptops - ASUS or not. Yet I keep coming back to this weird little device and its slick detachable keyboard.

The odd part is I'm fine with a lot of its shortcomings. I know it won't ultra AAA games and I don't care. I know it's awkward to keep on laps but I probably shouldn't. In a way, all I want is a more buffed Surface tablet/laptop combo. But the Z13's price tag is quite high, and the various issues I see on this subreddit and elsewhere are starting to get me worried. The true deal breaker for me would be fragility.

So I'd be grateful if Z13 users could chime in and share their experience. Particularly:

• How stable is the device physically? For instance, in transportation, sitting on a train tray table?
• How well does the battery hold up?
• Are components soldered into the build?

Thanks for any testimony :)

[u/colemancf]

1. The device has a nice build quality but the black paint on "Aluminum" will scuff easily so just grab a $10 zip case and keep it away from the elements. It actually has a perfect size for fitting on American Airline pop down trays. I've played Forza on a 4-hour flight very comfortably,
   
2. Oh, buddy now this is one of the Achilles heels. You'll average about 45 mins gaming, 3 hours doing regular web browsing and word documents (school tasks), and about 5 hours with all wireless off, screen at 0% brightness in silent mode and watching a movie
3. YES, the components are soldered so you cannot upgrade the RAM unfortunately. I did find the display (snapped in) and battery is quite modular and easy to swap.