Asus Zenbook Duo evaluation: A laptop computer with dual-screen desktop power

Laptop computers are definitely more portable than a desktop system, however you need to compromise a great deal of computational may for a computer system that insinuates your bag. The Asus Zenbook Duo offers you a few of that power back with a 2nd integrated screen under the keyboard. And behind that 2nd screen is a few of the very best hardware you’ll discover in a 2025 laptop computer.

With double the screen property of the majority of laptop computers, this maker can assist you get more done on the go, and the style is remarkably well-thought-out. It’s still a heavy, pricey laptop computer that you must just think about if you require the most from your PC experience, even on the roadway.

Asus Zenbook Duo: Specs and functions

This is the second-generation variation of the Asus dual-screen Zenbook. The initial Zenbook Duo delivered with Intel Meteor Lake processors, however the maker has actually now been upgraded with the current Lunar Lake chips.

The design I’ve been screening has 2 similar 2880 × 1800 OLEDs, however there is another design with 1200p OLED panels and two times the storage that will be offered at Costco for the very same $1,699.99. There is one less expensive design coming at a later date, including the 1200p OLED and a Core Ultra 7 265H rather of the Core Ultra 9 in the other SKUs. It’s just $100 more affordable. For my cash, the design included in this evaluation (UX8406CA-PS99T) is the one to get.

• Design number: UX8406
• CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 285H
• Memory: 32GB LPDDR5X
• Graphics: Intel Arc 140T
• Show: 14-inch 2880 x 1800 OLED
• Storage: 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD
• Web Cam: 1080p IR Webcam
• Connection: 2x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4, 40Gbps), 1x USB-A (5Gbps), 3.5 mm audio jack, HDMI 2.1
• Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
• Battery capability: 75Whr, 65W charging
• Measurements: 12.34 (W) x 8.58 (D) x 0.57-0.78 (H) inches
• Weight: 3.64 pounds (1.65 kg)
• MSRP as checked: $1,699.99

The 2025 Asus Zenbook Duo is an undoubtedly cool laptop computer. It’s a quick maker with 2 beautiful OLED screens. In addition to the smart detachable keyboard, this maker uses unrivaled multitasking abilities on the go.

Asus Zenbook Duo: Design and develop quality

Taking a look at the Zenbook Duo, you may not instantly recognize it’s far from your typical laptop computer. The aluminum-magnesium chassis is a bit chunky however inadequate that it stands apart. The body is robust enough that there’s extremely little noticeable flex. Even the fan grilles on the bottom feel tough.

The Zenbook has a brilliant 14-inch OLED touchscreen and what seems a basic laptop computer keyboard. The keyboard is held in location by magnets, making it fast to get rid of. Under that is a 2nd OLED touchscreen with a lot of alternatives for broadening your mobile computing experience.

The keyboard feels strong when connected– not like something you can pull complimentary with one finger. It links to a cluster of pogo pins on the device when connected, however it has Bluetooth to remain linked when gotten rid of. There’s likewise a USB-C port on the keyboard for charging (no information), in addition to an on/off switch.

The device’s real ports are on the left and ideal edges on the lower screen part. There’s a full-sized HDMI and USB-C on one side, and reverse that is another USB-C, and USB-A, and the 3.5 mm jack. I value that the USB-C ports are broken up, enabling you to connect a battery charger to either side.

With the keyboard eliminated, you have a number of choices to utilize the Zenbook’s double screens. There’s a custom-made on-screen keyboard that can take in half or all of the lower screen, offering you a virtual trackpad to manage the mouse. You can utilize handwriting input with the consisted of Asus stylus. I didn’t discover the handwriting input to be extremely precise.

Typing on the screen isn’t perfect, either, however it’s great for tapping out a brief e-mail or social networks post. If you mean to get more writing done, you ought to use the Bluetooth-enabled keyboard.

There’s a 1080p cam above the primary OLED screen. It has appropriate video quality and is proficient at keeping you in the frame. Given that this is a Copilot+ device, it likewise has AI-assisted video impacts. The cam likewise supports IR for Windows Hello biometric login. That’s excellent as there’s no finger print sensing unit on this computer system.

Around back, the second-gen Zenbook Duo has an aluminum kickstand that can prop it up vertically, making the 2 screens much easier to see. This “stacked” mode, integrated with the cordless keyboard, was the most engaging method to utilize both of the Zenbook Duo’s screens in my screening.

You can likewise turn the maker sideways to utilize the panels vertically. No matter orientation, the dual-screen setup is terrific for multitasking, which is normally challenging on laptop computers that do not have screen realty.

Undoubtedly, the Asus Zenbook Duo isn’t the most useful device. It’s significantly much heavier than other 14-inch laptop computers, and utilizing both screens will drain your battery rapidly. No other laptop computer can match its multitasking and efficiency chops.

Asus Zenbook Duo: Displays and speakers

Both of the 2880 × 1800 OLED panels on this device appearance exceptional. The resolution provides a crystal clear image, together with the best blacks and lively colors of OLED. The brightness is exceptional, clocking in at 500 nits for both panels. That’s brilliant enough to show HDR material (which is supported) the method it’s indicated to be seen. The touch action on both screens is exact.

The only concern with the screens is the incredibly reflective glass cover. You’ll require every bit of that high brightness to make the Zenbook Duo legible outdoors or under really intense lights. Asus brands its OLEDs as “Lumina,” which ensures a set of abilities and functions; the screens are licensed for Dolby Vision, Pantone Color, and more.

Lumina screens likewise get Asus’ OLED Care functions, which revitalize and move pixels with time to minimize image perseverance and burn-in, which is an issue for any OLED that will show the exact same UI components (like the Windows taskbar) day after day. I have not utilized the laptop computer enough time to understand if these functions make a distinction, however it’s great that Asus is cognizant of this possible concern.

The Zenbook Duo does not double up on speakers like it does screens. You get 2 speakers on the bottom with Dolby Atmos assistance. If you’re wishing for home cinema-level Atmos audio, reconsider– there’s just a lot you can do with down-facing laptop computer speakers. That stated, the speakers get really loud, and audio is crisp even if it’s turned nearly all the method up. The speakers are above average for a non-gaming device.

Asus Zenbook Duo: Keyboard and trackpad

The Zenbook Duo’s keyboard feels remarkably comparable to other Asus laptop computers in spite of being a detachable Bluetooth-enabled slate. There’s a little USB-C port on the left edge to charge the board, however it likewise gets power from the laptop computer when linked. Beside the port is an on/off switch for the Bluetooth performance.

There’s really little crucial travel, which is anticipated offered the thin type aspect, however the bottom of each press is at least rather strong and not mushy. There’s no backlight in the detachable keyboard. The design is at least beautiful requirement, so touch typists will not require the LEDs. The only element of the design I do not like is the arrow cluster, which utilizes half-sized secrets despite the fact that there’s a lot of lost area.

The trackpad is incorporated with the keyboard. Like the secrets, the trackpad feels remarkably tough for something temporarily connected to the laptop computer. It’s fairly big– larger than the trackpad on business-oriented makers like the ThinkPad X1 CarbonThe click system is peaceful and constant, and touch action has actually been ideal. The only problem I discovered was a little lag for a couple of seconds after changing from connected to cordless modes.

Asus Zenbook Duo: Software and efficiency

The Asus Zenbook Duo runs the very same underlying Windows 11 software application as every other 2025 Windows laptop computer. Asus has actually consisted of a suite of tools to assist you take benefit of its unique type aspect. You can immediately move windows in between the screens, open and close the customized on-screen keyboard with a drifting icon, and launch adjustable control user interfaces particular to your apps.

The majority of these functions are available from the Asus ScreenXpert software application. These functions aren’t extremely visible. There’s no tutorial when you launch the computer system for the very first time, and the consisted of handbook had absolutely nothing to state about the software application. It’s not the best software application experience, however with some tinkering, you’ll have the ability to maximize the double screens.

There’s likewise an Asus app that consists of system settings and updates. This app does fire off some alerts wanting to upsell you on the premium variation of the Asus GlideX cross-device software application, which is likewise pre-installed. After silencing these pop-ups, you can neglect the Asus app till you require it.

With 32GB of RAM and the state-of-the-art Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, the Zenbook Duo is a really quick laptop computer. I never ever seemed like I was waiting on the maker to capture up, even when running numerous apps throughout both screens. While this is a Copilot+ device, Asus didn’t head out of its method to include generative AI tools. Those have actually been more miss out on than struck on other AI PCs, so that’s no fantastic loss.

To offer you a much better concept of how the laptop computer carries out, here are our basic criteria tests.

PCMark 10 is developed to evaluate a maker throughout a range of metrics like web surfing, video chat, and picture modifying to produce ratings for numerous jobs in addition to a total rating. The Asus Zenbook Duo handled a really remarkable general rating of 7,261, topping the charts for Intel-powered laptop computers. The most recent high-end chips from AMD are a couple of hundred points ahead, however the Core Ultra 9 is adept.

Cinebench is a CPU-focused test that demonstrates how a PC manages heavy however short multi-core work. More CPU cores give greater ratings in Cinebench and cooling does not matter quite. Intel’s Lunar Lake chips have a hard time a bit more in Cinebench due to the fact that they absence hyperthreadingAs an outcome, the AMD-powered HP Omnibook Ultra 14 takes the lead. The Core Ultra 9 285H does reveal a significant enhancement over other Intel CPUs.

The Handbrake test resembles Cinebench because it demonstrates how a computer system deals with multithreaded jobs, however this is a longer-duration test where thermals matter more. It’s the exact same story here, with the Ryzen 9 and its gaggle of processing threads escape in front. The Zenbook Duo is king amongst Intel laptop computers.

Our primary video gaming test is 3DMark Time Spy, a visual standard that concentrates on GPU efficiency. This isn’t a video gaming laptop computer, however Intel’s newest iGPUs are rather great, and the Core Ultra 9 285H has the very best variation of Intel’s Arc graphics. The Arc 140T iGPU vanquishes all the other Lunar Lake variations, along with the most recent from AMD. Intel’s most current chips suffice to play easier modern-day video games or premium titles that are a couple of years of ages.

Asus Zenbook Duo: Battery life

The 2025 Asus Zenbook Duo has a healthy 75Whr battery, a little bigger than the majority of 14-inch laptop computers. Its power needs are considerable with double OLEDs and a Core Ultra 9. The maker features a large 65W USB-C battery charger, however I’ve evaluated it with a range of more compact third-party USB-C battery chargers that struck the very same 65W peak charging speed.

In the basic PCWorld battery rundown test, the Zenbook Duo tracks other just recently launched laptop computers by an hour or more. It’s still a functional laptop computer for a complete workday, however you will not have as much buffer as a few of the competitors.

That’s simply in single-screen “laptop computer” mode. If you have both screens running, the battery life takes a foreseeable dive of a little bit more than one-third. It may be difficult to get a complete workday out of the Zenbook Duo in dual-screen mode, specifically as the battery ages. This criteria was run in the default 60Hz mode, so changing to 120Hz will likewise decrease its durability.

Asus Zenbook Duo: Conclusion

The 2025 Asus Zenbook Duo is an unquestionably cool laptop computer. It’s a quick device with 2 beautiful OLED display screens. Together with the smart detachable keyboard, this device uses exceptional multitasking abilities on the go. And the Core Ultra 9 is more than quickly sufficient to maintain. The battery life is simply all right.

Windows 11 is still not a really engaging touch OS, however Asus has actually consisted of numerous functions that enhance matters rather. The on-screen keyboard is much better than the default Windows variation, and the personalized control board work. I likewise value that the Zenbook Duo features a stylus, even if handwriting input is struck and miss out on.

For individuals who desire all this dual-screen power, they will not be dissatisfied. The Zenbook Duo is a bit much heavier and thicker than contending laptop computers. The rate, while sensible for a device with 2 1800p OLEDs, is still objectively a great deal of cash for a laptop computer. There are devices that are simply as proficient at being a laptop computer while likewise providing a thinner, lighter frame and a lower cost. You must just choose up the Zenbook Duo if you plan to release the dual-screen power.

Author: Ryan WhitwamContributor, PCWorld