The ROG Flow Z13 is one of the strangest, most clever things ASUS has ever shipped: a slate tablet barely thicker than a paperback that hides desktop-class gaming silicon behind its kickstand. New, it has always carried a premium for that engineering. Bought refurbished, that premium softens dramatically while the machine that earns it stays exactly the same. This guide walks an Australian buyer through getting a Flow Z13 second-hand with eyes wide open.
The numbers that change the conversation
Top refurbished asus rog flow z13s on eBay right now
These are live listings pulled in real time, so you can see what a Flow Z13 actually trades for today rather than guessing.
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Why second-hand is not “second best”
The Flow Z13’s appeal was never about being a fragile fashion piece. Its chassis is CNC-milled aluminium, its hinge and kickstand are mechanical parts that simply do not “wear out” in ordinary use, and the keyboard is a detachable cover that takes the daily abuse instead of the screen. That matters enormously second-hand: the components most likely to look tired on a used laptop, the lid corner and the palm rest, barely exist on this device. The tablet itself tends to age gracefully.
There is also a quieter advantage. Because the Z13 is a niche enthusiast machine rather than a mass-market commuter laptop, the units that reach the resale market were usually bought by people who knew exactly what they were getting and looked after it. A well-kept Flow Z13 with a clean screen and a healthy battery is, for practical purposes, indistinguishable from new, minus the box and the GST-inflated sticker.
The engineering that justified the original price tag does not depreciate. Only the price does.
The savings are real
Refurbished and used gear in Australia typically runs 20 to 60 per cent below new. On a machine like the Flow Z13, where a chunk of the new price paid for cutting-edge thermals and a vapour chamber crammed into a tablet, that discount is not a reflection of lower quality, it is simply the new-versus-used gap on a flagship. A discount that size on a premium device frees up real budget, enough to add an external GPU dock, a second USB-C drive, or a proper carry sleeve and still spend less than a brand-new unit alone.
New vs used, side by side
| Brand new | Used / refurbished | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Full flagship premium | Roughly 20-60% less |
| Chassis & hinge | Pristine | Aluminium ages very well |
| Battery | 100% health | Check cycle count first |
| Keyboard cover & stylus | Included | Confirm both are present |
| Warranty | Full manufacturer term | Seller/ACL cover, varies |
| Environmental cost | New manufacturing CO2 | Reuses ~80% already spent |
The five-minute checklist before you pay
- The detachable keyboard cover. The Z13 ships with a folio keyboard, and it is the single part most likely to be lost or sold separately. Confirm in writing it is included, and check the magnetic pogo connector and trackpad both work.
- The kickstand and its hinge. Open it fully and feel for stiffness. The kickstand holds the whole tablet upright on a desk, so any wobble or looseness is the one mechanical fault to take seriously.
- The screen, edge to edge. This is a tablet you touch constantly. Look for hairline cracks at the corners, dead or stuck pixels on a white background, and grease or pressure marks. The glass is the device’s most exposed surface.
- Battery cycle count and behaviour. A compact tablet runs its battery hard under thermal load. Ask for the cycle count or watch how fast the charge drops during a quick gaming test.
- Fans and thermals. Run something demanding for a few minutes. The Z13’s vapour chamber and twin fans should ramp up audibly but evenly, with no grinding, rattle, or sudden thermal shutdown.
- Ports and the stylus. Test the USB-C ports, the ROG XG Mobile connector if the listing mentions one, the microSD slot, and the bundled pen’s pressure and buttons.
You have more protection than you think
When you buy from a business in Australia, even a refurbisher or a commercial eBay store, the Australian Consumer Law gives you automatic consumer guarantees that no listing can sign away. A Flow Z13 sold as working must actually work, be of acceptable quality, and match its description. If the kickstand fails a week in or the machine was misdescribed, you have a right to a repair, replacement or refund regardless of what the ad said. That protection sits on top of any seller warranty, not instead of it. Private one-on-one sales carry less cover, which is one more reason to favour established sellers.
Ready to find yours?
Browse current refurbished Flow Z13 deals and compare conditions and prices side by side.
Red flags to walk away from
- “Tablet only” buried in the description. If the keyboard cover and stylus are not pictured or named, assume they are missing and price accordingly, or move on.
- No power-on photo. A genuine seller can show the desktop and the ROG software. Stock images with no real shots are a warning.
- Vague answers about thermals. A seller who dodges questions about fan noise or throttling may be hiding a unit that overheats.
- Cracked glass played down as “minor”. On a touchscreen-first device, a corner crack spreads. Treat it as a major fault, not cosmetic.
- Prices far below the live listings above. A flagship at a throwaway price is usually a faulty unit, a missing accessory, or a scam.
Frequently asked questions
Does a refurbished Flow Z13 still come with the keyboard and pen? It should, but always confirm. Both are detachable accessories that occasionally go missing in resale, so insist the listing names and pictures them before you commit.
Can I still use the XG Mobile external GPU with a used unit? Yes, provided the model has the proprietary side connector, which most Flow Z13 variants do. The dock is sold separately, so a used tablet does not need to include one to work with it later.
Is the battery a problem on a second-hand Z13? It is the part most affected by age and heat in any compact gaming device. A unit with a low cycle count and steady charge under load is fine; one that drains in under an hour while gaming has been worked hard.
Will I get software and driver updates? Yes. ASUS distributes ROG and Armoury Crate updates by model, not by who owns the device, so a refurbished unit receives the same support as a new one.
The bottom line
The Flow Z13 is a device whose value lives in its aluminium shell, its thermals and its silicon, none of which fade with a second owner. The things that do age, the battery and the accessories, are exactly the things you can inspect in five minutes. Buy from a business so the Australian Consumer Law has your back, confirm the keyboard and stylus are in the box, and a refurbished Z13 gives you one of the most distinctive machines in gaming for a price that finally matches its sense.
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