Anybody that has to do lots of work – and even gaming – on a pc is aware of the advantage of getting a number of shows. In any case, it makes multitasking simpler, with out having to depend on alt-tab going to the best window. That’s sort of what the Asus Zenbook Duo is trying to capitalize on, and in contrast to a number of the half-baked designs seen on this laptop computer line prior to now, Asus has really nailed the method this time round.
In a nutshell, the Asus Zenbook Duo is rather like another thin-and-light laptop computer. It’s powered by Intel’s new Panther Lake CPU – particularly the Core Extremely X9 388H – which is highly effective, however not the sort of desktop-class efficiency you’d anticipate in a heavier workstation or gaming laptop computer. Nonetheless, due to the enhancements Intel has made with this technology of cell processors, this laptop computer is definitely able to gaming at first rate high quality settings with a high-ish body price.
That mentioned, I wouldn’t advocate this for anybody in search of a strictly gaming laptop computer. However when you’re a artistic individual that wishes one thing skinny, gentle, and in a position to do some gaming on the aspect – whereas having an entire second show hooked up – the Asus Zenbook Duo has loads to like. That’s, if you will get previous the $2,299 price ticket.
Design and Options
The ZenBook Duo is ostensibly a ‘skinny and light-weight’ laptop computer, but it surely’s not really that skinny when every thing is folded up, measuring about 0.9 inches thick at its thickest level. However when you think about that thickness is 2 shows, a keyboard and an entire system, it’s really spectacular that Asus was in a position to match it into such a skinny package deal.
The additional show additionally makes the Zenbook Duo somewhat heavier than it’d in any other case be, coming in at 1.65kg, or 3.63 lb, with every thing included. That’s a lot lighter than one thing just like the Razer Blade, however contemplating it’s not packing the identical sort of {hardware}, that’s solely to be anticipated.
When the laptop computer is first opened, it appears like just about another 14-inch laptop computer. There’s a beautiful 16:10 OLED show, and a keyboard. However after I glanced along with the laptop computer I may instantly inform that the keyboard may be eliminated, simply by the distinction in tone between the keyboard and the remainder of the chassis. The distinction is refined, but it surely’s simply sufficient that they appear like two separate items.
Nonetheless, it’s not instantly clear how the keyboard ought to be eliminated. I imply, in idea, it’s not sophisticated, as a result of it’s simply magnetic, however the first time I opened the system I discovered myself gingerly pulling up on the keyboard in random locations ensuring I used to be eradicating it from the best place. It will have been good if Asus added somewhat grip of some sort to the top-right nook of the keyboard, simply to make pulling the keyboard off the underside show somewhat simpler – even when it’s not that sophisticated.
The keyboard itself attaches magnetically to a set of POGO pins on the backside of the second show. This serves two functions: it connects the keyboard to the PC with out counting on Bluetooth, and likewise retains it charged wirelessly.
If you pull the keyboard off of the underside show, the PC ought to mechanically allow the second display screen, and the keyboard itself will mechanically change to Bluetooth mode. The one time it didn’t do that for me was in the course of testing, and I used to be very upset till I found out that I had disabled Bluetooth for the battery check. Each different time, although, it simply labored.
On account of how skinny it must be, the keyboard doesn’t sport the deepest journey. It’s only a chiclet keyboard on the finish of the day, but it surely’s comfy sufficient to sort on. Nonetheless, what’s actually annoying is the gestures Asus constructed into the trackpad. For years now, Asus has had a fascination with making its trackpads as feature-packed as doable, however what really finally ends up taking place is that my palm is consistently turning up or down the brightness as I’m typing. It is a characteristic you possibly can fortunately disable within the MyAsus app, but it surely annoys me each time. What’s wild is that when the characteristic is disabled, the trackpad really has wonderful palm rejection. Make it make sense.
On the left aspect of the laptop computer, the ZenBook Duo sports activities an HDMI cable, a Thunderbolt 5 port and a headphone jack (they nonetheless make these). The keyboard additionally has a USB-C port on its left aspect, however that’s simply there for charging the keyboard. On the best, you’ll discover the facility button, one other Thunderbolt port and a singular USB-A port for legacy peripherals.
Across the again, there’s a kickstand. That appears bizarre at first look, but it surely’s really mandatory to make use of the Zenbook Duo in dual-display mode. It really works excellently when the shows are sitting horizontal, however for some cause the kickstand solely covers the middle of the system, which implies if you wish to flip the system sideways – which might be nice for engaged on paperwork or coding – it’s important to sort of angle the shows in a bizarre ebook configuration. And even then, it’s not very secure.
A Second Show?
Having a second show is at all times going to be helpful – that’s why transportable displays exist within the first place – however having one constructed into the laptop computer is a compelling concept. This isn’t the primary time Asus has made a tool like this, with the ZenBook Professional Duo UX581 debuting approach again at Computex 2019. Nonetheless, that laptop computer appears loads totally different than the brand new 2026 mannequin.
On that earlier mannequin, the second show was minimize in half and positioned above the keyboard deck. This instantly restricted its usefulness, as you couldn’t put full-sized apps on it. Plus, this was across the identical time that Asus was experimenting with the Screenpad idea, which embedded the numpad into the touchpad – and it’s by no means actually been executed on correctly.
In 2024, although, Asus debuted the Zenbook Duo with a full second show, which made it a way more usable system. Now, the corporate has adopted that up with a extra refined Zenbook Duo for 2026. For the primary time within the 7 years since I noticed that first ZenBook Professional Duo at Computex 2019, I’m bought on the idea.
Critically, the Zenbook Duo merely works like a traditional laptop computer in its one-screen-configuration. The second show is just there after I want it, which means I don’t must sacrifice a cushty keyboard like on the unique fashions. After which after I do wish to whip out that second show, it’s extremely helpful.
It was actually after I sat down to write down this evaluate that it began to click on for me. I put the laptop computer in its twin display screen mode with Asus’ evaluate information on the second show, whereas typing on the highest as regular. You see, I do most of my writing on a laptop computer, and I’ve gotten very good at utilizing touchpad gestures to swap between a number of shows to have a look at reference materials. That’s simply how I’m used to working lately, however this laptop computer makes it a lot simpler to reference or entry a second doc or different supply of data.
With the Zenbook Duo, I’ve Google Docs open on the highest show with the reference supplies proper beneath it. And, as a result of they’re each contact shows, I can simply scroll via paperwork with the contact display screen. It feels extremely pure.
It doesn’t damage that they’re each attractive shows, both. In my colorimeter checks, each shows hit 100% of the RGB and P3 shade gamuts, making just about any content material spring to life. That is additionally nice for picture and video modifying, as I can make sure that the edits I’m making are correct with out having to second guess something.
You may also simply take away the keyboard and summon an on-screen keyboard on the second show by utilizing a gesture by urgent 4 fingers from each of your fingers on the display screen on the identical time. You may even shrink the on-screen keyboard by urgent those self same fingers on the display screen, and dragging them down. With the latter, it’s virtually just like the Zenbook Duos of previous, even! Nonetheless, really typing this manner is a nightmare, so I wouldn’t advocate it as something greater than a celebration trick.
Despite the fact that I’m not the largest fan of the bodily keyboard and trackpad, the Zenbook Duo is shortly turning into one in every of my favourite laptops to work on. Even when I wouldn’t essentially advocate it for gaming.
Efficiency
The Zenbook Duo that Asus despatched for evaluate is powered by an Intel Core Extremely X9 388H, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. And regardless that it doesn’t have a discrete graphics chip, the built-in Intel Arc B390 isn’t any slouch.
Intel spent the months main as much as CES bragging about how good Panther Lake – the structure behind the 388H – is at gaming. So I did what any wise tech reviewer would do and ran it via the identical testing routine as another gaming laptop computer. And whereas it undoubtedly does wrestle at its native decision of 1800p, at 1200p you’ll be capable of play just about something, so long as you avoid the very best high quality settings.
Our commonplace benchmark suite for gaming laptops checks all of the video games at their max high quality settings, and as such, the built-in graphics within the Zenbook Duo do begin to wrestle. In Cyberpunk 2077, on the Ray Tracing Extremely preset at 1200p, this laptop computer will get 29 fps – not nice. Nonetheless, flip the settings all the way down to the Excessive preset and it will get 65 fps – and that’s earlier than body technology.
Oh, yeah, Panther Lake’s built-in GPU helps as much as 4x multi-frame technology, similar to DLSS or FSR Redstone. With body technology enabled, Cyberpunk on the Excessive preset goes as much as 103 fps at 2x FG and 165 fps at 4x FG. These numbers look good, however take into account that it additionally comes with a slight improve in latency, going from round 39-42ms with out body gen to 55-72ms with body gen maxed out.
Examine that to the Lenovo Legion Go 2 – additionally powered by a mobile-class built-in GPU – which will get 37 fps at 1200p with the identical settings. The 2 processors aren’t immediately suitable, because the Legion Go 2’s Z2 Excessive tops out at 35W, in comparison with about 54W for the ZenBook Duo, but it surely’s shut sufficient that I’m actually wanting ahead to seeing how this structure does in a handheld gaming PC.
Gaming efficiency does actually undergo while you play video games on the native 1800p decision, although. As an illustration, in Cyberpunk, the body price drops to 21 fps with the Ray Tracing Extremely preset and XeSS set to the efficiency setting. And, in Metro Exodus: Enhanced Version, the framerate goes from 20 fps with the Excessive Preset at 1200p all the way in which to a measly 13 fps at 1800p.
Even with the brand new Panther Lake structure, The Zenbook Duo is clearly nonetheless not a gaming laptop computer, but it surely does have ok gaming efficiency that it’s best to be capable of play some video games in your downtime.
Battery Life
When a laptop computer actually desires you to work all day on it, it really has to final many of the day. In any case, you don’t wish to be in the course of an essential challenge solely to have it die on you midway via. Fortunately, the Zenbook Duo does final fairly some time on battery.
Within the Procyon Workplace Productiveness Battery benchmark, the ZenBook Duo lasts a whopping 17 hours and 35 minutes on battery, which makes it one of many longest enduring laptops we’ve examined by loads – although admittedly we virtually by no means evaluate this class of laptop computer at IGN. The battery places the Zenbook Duo in the identical class because the MacBook Air. Solely, Apple’s laptops don’t have a second display screen hooked up to them.
Even exterior of the checks, within the week or so I’ve spent with the Zenbook Duo, I by no means needed to rush to plug it in, with it sitting on my desk for a few days of intermittent use earlier than needing to cost. That is undoubtedly the kind of laptop computer I’d wish to take with me to an occasion like CES, the place its artistic chops and lengthy battery life would assist me out immensely.
Jackie Thomas is the {Hardware} and Shopping for Guides Editor at IGN and the PC parts queen. You may comply with her @Jackiecobra