ZenBook Pro Duo: A More Successful Take On The Duo-Screen Concept

Asus’s 30^th anniversary saw the company celebrate the launch of several innovative computing devices at Computex, many of them are what the company imagines dual-screen products should be.

Some popular notebooks, like Zenbook and VivoBook, got a refresh; but what attracts most attention was the ZenBook Pro Duo, the device that has boosted the ScreenPad concept of ZenBook Pro 15 to a whole new level.

The ZenBook Pro Duo is created in a way that facilitates content creating. The outer shell is made out of aluminum, and the screen is 4K OLED HDR NanoEdge display that users can control with touches, and measuring 15.6 inches. With the contrast ratio if 100,000:1 and the ability to reproduce 100% of DCI-P3 color space, ZenBook Pro Duo is a solid alternative to Apple’s MacBook Pro.

ScreenPad Plus

One of the ZenBook Pro Duo’s highlights is the secondary ScreenPad Plus measuring 14 inches, which can work seamlessly with the larger display in showing content, running apps, and other utilities.

While the ScreenPad on ZenBook Pro 15 is integrated into the trackpad, this year’s ScreenPad Plus has for it a 4K, high-resolution, aspect ratio of 32:9, and full-width display situated right over the keyboard, with a screen size of 14 inches.

To help avoid desktop clutter, users can drag some apps from the main display to the ScreenPad Plus of the ZenBook Pro Duo. Users can also ink or draw on the second screen by a digital pen. Much as the ZenBook 14 released last year, the trackpad is integrated with a LED-illuminated NumberPad.

Under the hood, the ZenBook Pro Duo is powered by Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 2060 for graphics and Intel’s ninth-generation Core i9 processors. The device also has support for Wi-Fi 6 Gig Plus standard. For storage, you have 1TB of PCIe solid-state storage and RAM of 32GB.

The laptop has support for Thunderbolt 3 over USB-C, so if they feel needed, users can connect the device with an eGPU for a boost in graphics.

For people who need the device to be compact, the laptop also has a 14-inch variant with the same functionality of the ScreenPlus. This smaller offer has the power of GeForce MX250 graphics and Intel Core i7 processor. The primary and secondary displays are an FHD NanoEdge screen and FHD ScreenPad Plus panel respectively.

Updated ScreenPad 2.0

If a large notebook with ScreenPad Plus is more than you need, another choice is the updated VivoBook S14, VivoBook S15, and ZenBook series, all of which come equipped with an enhanced version of the ScreenPad concept. Just like the original, the ScreenPad 2.0 is integrated into the trackpad, enabling more flexibility when you work.

ScreenPad 2.0 measures 5.56 inches and can be used as a number pad or a tool for handwriting input. Asus said that the devices releasing this year has greater durability as well as battery life 2.5 times more durable than that of earlier models.

The ERgoLifty hinge on the VivoBook series can lift the back of the device up a bit so that users have a more comfortable typing experience. They also share the almost bezel-free NanoEdge display with the ZenBook Duo Pro. Under the hood, VivoBook series sports Nvidia’s GeForce MX250, Intel’s Core i7 processor, Wi-Fi 6, RAM of 16GB, and 1TB of solid-state PCIe storage. Users can acquire the device in gunmetal, moss green, cobalt blue, punk pink, and transparent silver.

Another series that gets an update from Asus is the Zenbook lineup, including the ZenBook 13, 14, and 15. To celebrate the company’s 30^th anniversary, there is also a ZenBook Edition 30 edition, which has an eye-appealing lid made out of hand-crafted genuine Italian leather. With the screen-to-body ratios of 95%, Asus claimed that its NanoEdge displays had made these models the world’s most compact notebooks.

While the ZenBook and VivoBook share the same Nvidia’s GeForce MX250 graphics and s eighth-generation Core i7 processors, the ZenBook Edition 30 edition has GeForce GTX 1650.

The VivoBook lineup does not have Wi-Fi 6, but instead, it features gigabit-class Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5. Asus claimed that these laptops are capable of operating for 17 hours for the larger models and 14 hours for the smaller ones.

The ZenBook Edition 30’s premium look is further complemented by the 18-karat rose gold-plated logo, rose gold anodized diamond-cut edges, genuine leather sleeve, a faux leather mouse pad and box, and a pearl white mouse.

Mobile Displays

Asus also offers a mobile display called the ZenScreen Touch, measuring 15.6 inches, and has its own 7,800 mAh battery to draw power from. The display has a micro-HDMI and USB-C port so that it can be connected to anything, from phones, tablets, to laptops. ZenScreen Touch sports 10-point multitouch display with gesture supports.

Another mobile display is the ROG Strix XG17, made with supports for gamers in mind. This display has a quite similar design but with a folio that can double as a stand.

In the same event, Asus also introduce some new monitors and ROG Swift PG27UQX desktop display.