The Zenbook Duo was one of ASUS’s first notebooks featuring Intel’s new Panther Lake processors, also known as the Core 3 Ultra Series. This year’s model is an updated version of the original Zenbook Duo released in 2024. I didn’t get a chance to play with the original version back then, but it intrigued me enough to ask ASUS for a review unit of the updated model. The chip inside my test model is Intel’s fastest Core Ultra 9 Processor 386H, with 16 CPU cores and Intel’s fastest B390 integrated graphics.
Zenbook Duo’s Specs Are Impressive
What makes the Zenbook Duo unique is its dual-screen display, with a keyboard that magnetically attaches or detaches, allowing for both single- and dual-screen use. Each of these displays is a 14-inch, 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED panel with 100% DCI-P3 color accuracy, meaning that they are clearly targeted towards creative work. Interestingly, this laptop ships with 32GB of RAM; this is probably the maximum configuration that makes sense given the industry-wide memory crunch, but I could see a 64GB option being attractive to many users. Storage is 1TB, which is decent, but unfortunately it comes only in the form of a last-generation M2 2280 NVMe Gen4 SSD. While this design choice was likely driven by cost considerations, the lower speed of this Gen4 SSD could impact creative workload performance.
The I/O on this laptop is impressive, especially given that it serves two screens and is fairly thin when unfolded. It features two Thunderbolt 4 ports via USB-C, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port (10Gbps), and a 3.5 mm combo headphone jack. There’s also a full HDMI port, which could come in handy when connecting external displays to further expand the workspace or share with others. ASUS also opted for Wi-Fi 7, which has become fairly standard nowadays, especially on Panther Lake platforms. All of this is powered by an absolutely colossal 99 Wh battery, which is just about the largest battery you can legally ship globally.
Zenbook Duo Delivers Peak Productivity and Performance
I found myself gravitating towards this laptop while traveling, despite its bulkier size at up to 23.4 mm when folded (compared to the Zenbook A16 at 16.5 mm). I don’t think people particularly care about a small amount of extra thickness if there is a productivity benefit from it. I also love that you can use this laptop as a standard single-display laptop without ever worrying about battery life; it performs just like any other Panther Lake laptop, but with a much bigger all-day battery. Once you unfold the laptop and remove the keyboard, you can still get a good amount of productivity out of it, but you’re looking at more like four or five hours of battery life rather than nine or more. That makes sense when you consider that you’re doubling the amount of active display in use, and the display tends to be the highest-power-consumption component on a PC.
I mostly used the dual-display mode when working from my hotel room, where power was easily accessible, then switched to single-display mode when I was in meetings or outside of my room. This dual-use scenario is what this machine was built for. I have used many dual-display laptops in the past, but none of them have so seamlessly integrated the two experiences. The keyboard is an important contributor to this, and ASUS really nailed it with a good keyboard that’s easily detachable and can be placed on a desk, in your lap, or just about anywhere.
I also enjoyed that ASUS didn’t compromise on connectivity with this laptop, giving it a full-size HDMI port and Thunderbolt 4 ports on both sides. This is a small but essential detail that I often talk about, because being able to access power from either side of the laptop helps avoid awkward setups in tight spaces such as coffee shops, hotels, and airplane seats. That said, with this laptop’s design, if you have the laptop unfolded and in use, you do lose the bottom USB-C port, and if you’re charging while in use, you lose the other USB-C port to the charger. So, more USB-C ports would be beneficial, because as it is you can be stuck with only a single USB-A port available.
While the dual displays are great, they aren’t perfect. I had some issues at times when the displays’ automatic brightness would dim aggressively and then return to the proper level. This persisted through multiple firmware and Windows updates. Also, because each display is 1800 x 2800, it can be an awkward aspect ratio for some websites and applications, feeling a bit narrow at times. When the dual displays are in full action, you are also limited to a single viewing angle because of the kickstand the displays sit on — there’s no way to adjust that angle.
The Evolution of Foldable Laptops Continues
I don’t think that the Zenbook Duo’s dual-display design is the final form of the foldable laptop. If anything, I think we may still see a foldable single-display design once the technology catches up with cost and scale. But until then, these dual-display devices seem to be doing quite a good job overall. The current Zenbook Duo sells for $2,700, which isn’t cheap, but before the memory crunch, it probably would’ve sold for closer to $1,500. Heck, even this specific laptop was sold for $2,300 at launch during CES and has since increased to its current price. But even at those prices, the productivity benefits of having the latest Intel processor, a huge battery, and a dual-screen setup are hard to ignore, especially if it means not having to lug around another display. I am glad to see PC OEMs continuing to explore what a PC could be with form factors like the Zenbook Duo, but the price of entry may be too high for some.
