Before Computex 2019 officially kicks off tomorrow (March 28), ASUS revealed lots of new laptops, monitors, peripherals, and all kinds of PC tech. One new announcement stands well above the rest, and that is the ZenBook Pro Duo!
Revealed alongside its smaller sibling (the ZenBook Duo), the ZenBook Pro Duo is a groundbreaking laptop that comes with a ScreenPad Plus — basically a second display!
ASUS actually teased a dual-display laptop during last year’s Computex, but it’s only now that we finally have an actual consumer laptop (not just a concept model) with two screens. The main display is a 15.6-inch 4K UHD OLED touch panel, while the secondary display is a 14-inch “ScreenPad Plus” touch screen which also has a 4K resolution (3840×1100) but with a wider aspect ratio.
It also has a number pad on the touchpad.
Having the ScreenPad Plus is a god-send for content creators and gamers, given that users of the ZenBook Pro Duo can multi-task easily with the second screen. How it works is that up to three programs can be pinned on the ScreenPad Plus, or it can be used as an extension of the main display through the use of the built-in ScreenXpert control software which simplifies multi-screen app management. Users can also opt to use the ScreenPad Plus much like any secondary display through the Windows settings.
Given the unique aspect ratio of the ScreenPad Plus, ASUS has partnered with developers such as Corel to create adaptive ScreenPad apps. Don’t worry though, all Windows programs work with the secondary screen.
Given that it has to power two 4K touch displays, the ZenBook Pro Duo is packed with powerful hardware. Inside the ZenBook Pro Duo is an Intel Core i9 processor, an RTX 2060 GPU (6GB GDDR6 VRAM), up to 32GB of RAM, and up to a 1TB SSD. To help with cooling, the ZenBook Pro Duo is also outfitted with ASUS’ signature ErgoLift hinge.
Other features of the ZenBook Pro Duo include a Thunderbolt 3-enabled USB Type-C port and Wi-Fi 6 support. Finally, the laptop comes with a stylus, as well as a wrist rest inside the box.
ZenBook Duo
Complementing the ZenBook Pro Duo is the ZenBook Duo, an ultrabook version of ASUS’ new dual-display laptop. As a smaller device, the ZenBook Duo packs a 14-inch FHD display (non-touch) along with a 12.6-inch FHD ScreenPad Plus touch screen. While it’s smaller, the ZenBook Duo’s ScreenPad Plus has the same functionality as the Pro version secondary screen.
Powering the ZenBook Duo is an Intel Core i7 processor, a GeForce MX250 GPU, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to a 1TB SSD.
The ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo and the ZenBook Duo will be available sometime in Q3 2019. No word yet on the pricing and release schedule for the Philippines though.