ASUS leads the way when it comes to introducing the second screen on a laptop. And once again the company has outsmarted itself with the latest ZenBook Pro Duo. It is an ultimate powerhouse for creative professionals that has put two different screens together. Powerful hardware, unique design and dual-screen display make it a laptop of tomorrow.
ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo carries some serious specs, including a 9th generation Core i9 CPU, NVIDIA graphics, a massive 32GB memory and a colossal 1TB storage. Not to mention its 4K ultra HD touchscreen, which you can’t stop ogling and touching. This is a multitasking monster that has both the power and beauty to inspire you.
Let’s see how the 15-inch ZenBook Pro Duo performs in the real world. Can it handle tough tasks and heavy media software and more importantly, how that dual-screen works?
Specs sheet
Processor: Intel Octa-Core i9-9980HK (9th Gen.) / 2.4GHz Max. Turbo Speed 5GHz
Display: 15.6-inch 4K Touchscreen Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) Resolution
RAM: 32GB Storage: 1TB PCI-e SSD
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Dedicated (6GB GDDR6)
Weight: Around 5.51lbs (2.5kg)
Operating System: Windows 10 Home
ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo has more than what an IT professional would want on a laptop. This is an ideal choice for developers, creative designers and gamers at the same time.
Design
The ZenBook Pro Duo presents an undeniably innovative and timeless design and comes in alluring Celestial Blue colour. It is made of durable aluminum and at the right of center, its lid features the glossy ASUS logo. The company has deploy ErgoLift hinge which gently lifts the keyboard deck upon opening the lid.
The first thing you’ll notice after opening the lid is its marvelous ScreenPad. This is a huge secondary display that is present at the top across the deck. It is a visual marvel that you can use separately or together with the main display. Although it is beautifully designed, we found it a fingerprint magnet despite its matte panel.
The main drawback of the ZenBook Pro Duo is its thick profile hefty weight. It weighs around 5.51lbs (2.5kg) with a profile of 24mm, which is above industry standards. This might be an issue if you are a professional who is looking for a slim on the go working laptop.
Display
Display on this Core i9 laptop is a visual treat, thanks to 4K Ultra HD touchscreen. ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo features a glossy 15.6-inch OLED display that comes with a screen resolution of 3840 x 2160. The OLED and 4K together deliver lavish hues with lively colours and sharp details.
The second display is also 4K but comes with a screen resolution of 3840 x 1100p. Even though it isn’t OLED, the ScreenPad offers sharp visuals and we found the colours to be bright and lively. Plus, the matte finish severe reflection and you can easily focus on details while working on a design.
However, the ScreenPad lacks behind in some features, such as resolution and length of the display. We played “Joker” on it and while the colours were rich, it left 3 inches of black space on both sides.
Keyboard
The ErgoLift hinge design tilts that keyboard deck for a better viewing experience. It is lifted to a 4.5-degree angle which offers a more relaxed and comfortable typing position. This is a chiclet-style keyboard which feels bouncy and we also found the travel a bit mushy. Also, we hit the laptop edge a few times when we were trying to hit the Space key. This because the keys are leveled slightly lower than the front edge which created confusion.
Presence of the ScreenPad Plus has pushed the touchpad to the bottom-right corner. Moreover, the dual-display not only has replaced it position but has also shortened the surface area. You may find it difficult to get used to the 2.4 x 3.4-inch touchpad on your right hand.
Once you get used to the position of the touchpad, you’ll find it receptive and responsive. ASUS has also turned the touchpad into a Num Pad that you can activate by pressing the icon present on the top-right corner.
Connectivity
The ZenBook Pro Duo has somewhat skimpy port selection despite of its heavy chassis and thick profile. There is one Type-C USB (Thunderbolt 3) port, two Type-A USB 3.1 port, a 3.5mm audio jack and an HDMI 2.0 output. Additionally, ASUS has added Bluetooth 5.0 and WiFi 6 Gig Plus for wireless connectivity.
Nevertheless, this is a satisfactory port selection that includes all types of ports. You can attach an additional monitor and transfer data quickly, thanks to Type-C port.
Performance
Let’s look at the specs of ZenBook Pro Duo once again before we evaluate its performance. ASUS has armed it with a 9th generation Core i9 CPU, GeForce RTX 2060 GPU, a gigantic 32GB RAM and an enormous 1TB SSD storage. The octa-core processor runs on the Windows 10 Home and could offer a maximum clock speed of 5GHz.
This is a colossal combination of hardware that indicated that ASUS is engaging the enthusiast customers. We tested the ZenBook Pro Duo by running designing, media editing software along with everyday office programs. The laptop worked perfectly and delivered a fine experience while we were working on Adobe Photoshop. There was no lagging when we switch between apps and started working on video editing.
Gaming
With a 6GB VRAM, ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo is perfectly capable of playing heavy games, thanks to NVIDIA GPU. We played PUBG, Grand Theft Auto V and Shadow of the Tomb Raider on it, and the laptop provided crisp visuals with satisfactory frame rates per screen.
Battery life
ASUS has loaded the ZenBook Pro Duo with a 71Wh (LiPo) which we found unsatisfactory. We were able to extract around 4 hours of battery life on a single charge. Although this is a meager battery performance, we weren’t astonished by this performance. The dual display and the powerful NVIDIA GPU take a toll on its battery life.
Verdict
Overall, ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo is a perfect laptop for both creative professionals and avid gamers. Powerful hardware, dual display and dedicated graphics make it a next-generation future laptop. This is an ideal laptop for those who need more power and love the idea of having an additional screen on their device.
