Between the Zenbook 17 Fold, Project Precog, and previous Zenbook Duo machines, Asus has been building true dual-screen laptops for years. Now, at CES 2024, that time has arrived, simply named Zenbook Duo.
Similar to Lenovo’s Yoga Book 9i, the Zenbook Duo features two separate screens and a detachable Bluetooth keyboard that can be hidden within the system for use while traveling. The difference is that Asus’ OLED panels look better, as they are slightly larger at 14 inches, while also offering 3K resolution, 120Hz update rate, and stylus support. Plus, it starts at $1,500, which is $500 cheaper than the Yoga Book and not much more than the average high-end ultraportable.
That alone is enough to make it interesting, but what really elevates the Zenbook Duo is the care Asus has taken to polish its appearance and functionality so that it looks and functions like a regular clamshell. At just 0.78 inches thick and weighing 3.64 pounds (including the detachable keyboard), it’s just a little larger and heavier than a typical 14-inch laptop. And it doesn’t give up anything in terms of performance, equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H CPU, up to 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD inside. The same goes for connectivity, where you get two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a USB-A 3.2 slot, a 3.5mm audio jack, and even a full-size HDMI 2.1 socket.
But the best thing about the Zenbook Duo is its build and appearance. Even though it was a pre-production model I got to mess around with, it felt pretty solid. When the keyboard is sandwiched between the two screens, there are no gaps or wasted space. Despite its ultra-shallow size, the detachable keyboard features full backlighting and enough travel to ensure your fingers don’t get sore while typing.
Asus also added something I wish Lenovo had included on the Yoga Book 9i: a built-in stand. By mounting one to the bottom of your laptop, you can avoid the need for a separate fold-out cover, simplifying the process every time you pack and leave. One minor drawback is that the orientation of the stand promotes a stacked setup, with one monitor on top of another. Although it doesn’t bother me that much since it’s my preference anyway. Technically, you can use the Zenbook Duo in vertical side-by-side mode, but since you can’t adjust the stand in this position, it’s less flexible.
As you’d expect from such a system, you can use it as a standard clamshell Zenbook Duo, which has hidden magnets that allow the keyboard to snap neatly into place. However, when you have more space to work with, you can place the keyboard in front of the system and instantly double the screen space. There’s also a responsive virtual keyboard and trackpad you can use in a pinch, as well as handy widgets for news, weather, and monitoring system performance. When you need to charge the detachable keyboard’s battery, there are some strategically placed pogo pins that allow for trickle charging while it’s inside the system.
Surprisingly, in terms of battery life, Asus managed to fit a 75-watt-hour power pack in the Zenbook Duo, which is slightly larger than the one in the new Zephryus G14 (73-watt-hour), which is an active A console with far fewer parts. Asus claims that the Zenbook Duo meets MIL-STD 810H testing standards, so it should be very durable, too.
Last year, the Yoga Book 9i was a revelation; Lenovo combined all the right components to create an attractive dual-screen laptop. But Asus has further refined the template by adding ports, moving to a bigger and better screen (including a built-in stand), and making it more portable. There’s also an astonishing starting price of $1,500. I’ve been waiting to switch to a dual-screen laptop for years, and the Zenbook Duo might actually convince me to finally make the jump.
The ASUS Zenbook Duo is expected to be available later in the first quarter of 2024.
We will provide live coverage of CES 2024, which will be held in Las Vegas from January 6th to 12th.Get all the latest news from the show here.
This article was originally published on Engadget: https://www.engadget.com/the-asus-zenbook-duo-is-a-stunning-dual-screen-laptop-with-seemingly-no-compromises-180017370.html?src= rss
Source link
