The ASUS ZenBook DUO 2024 is a Laptop to behold!
As a long-time MacBook Air user, I’ve gotten accustomed to the sleek, slim, and powerful performance Apple packs into their thin-and-light notebooks. However, after checking out the just-announced ASUS ZenBook Duo (2024) at CES 2024, I’m seriously excited at the prospects this innovative dual-screen Windows laptop brings for creative pros like myself.
Dual Display Bliss
The main highlight that has me enthused is the ZenBook Duo’s twin OLED touchscreen displays. The main 14-inch 2880 x 1800 screen delivers superb visuals with its slim bezels, 3K resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, 0.2ms response time, and VESA DisplayHDR 500 True Black certification. This will provide an excellent canvas for editing photos and videos.
Even more impressive is the secondary 14-inch touchscreen that sits just below the detachable keyboard. With the ability to extend or mirror the main display, this similarly-sized display opens up tremendous multitasking flexibility. I can envision editing footage on the top panel while tools and timelines run on the bottom display. Talk about productivity! The 100% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage and Pantone validation will also come in handy when color grading projects.
Serious Processing Power
I’m equally impressed by the processing capabilities ZenBook Duo packs. Configurable with up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H, this laptop promises silky smooth video editing and effects rendering, which can bog down lesser machines. Paired with the Intel Arc discrete GPU and up to 32GB of speedy LPDDR5X RAM, I can seamlessly edit multicam footage or grade RAW image sequences even when traveling.
The generous PCIe Gen 4 storage options up to 2TB also ensure ample capacity for large media files along with super fast loading/saving times.
We were, however, informed by ASUS Philippines that the configuration that they will bring to the country is the one packed with Intel Core Ultra 7/32GB LPDDR5X RAM and 1TB of storage.
Versatile by Design
Despite the extra display, the ZenBook Duo still retains a thin 1.46-inch profile and lightweight 3.64 lb chassis. This will make it easy to slide into my backpack for on-location shoots. I also appreciate the variety of I/O ports including dual Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, and USB 3.2 Gen 2. This ample connectivity allows me to plug into multiple accessories at once without needing dongles.
The included ASUS Pen stylus adds more flexibility for freehand drawing, annotations, or inputting complex keyframes. And the ability to instantly switch between laptop and tablet-style stand, presentation, or flat modes gives me control over how I choose to work. This degree of versatility is hard to find on standard clamshell designs like my MacBook Air M2.
Attractive Aesthetics
Even with its added screen, the ZenBook Duo retains an attractive, ultra-modern look. The “Inkwell Gray” hue looks better to hide smudges and scratches during my field work, especially now that MWC is just around the corner. This is something that I would like to really test out. The distinctive off-center keyboard and trackpad admittedly take some adjustment coming from a Mac layout. However, given time I think thisSetup could feel second nature. Especially given the added productivity from that bonus display!
Ideal for Creators
With its combination of processing muscle, gorgeous OLED imagery, expansive work area, and clever convertible design – the new ASUS ZenBook Duo 2024 seems purpose built for creative pros like myself. The ability to run intensive applications like DaVinci Resolve Studio smoothly whether deskbound or mobile is extremely appealing.
While I’ll always have fondness for Mac OS, the new Zenbook Duo represents an exciting opportunity to return to Windows on a laptop tailor made for visual creative tasks. I’m thrilled to get my hands on one soon and really put both screens through their paces!
Giancarlo Viterbo is a Filipino Technology Journalist, blogger and Editor of gadgetpilipinas.net, He is also a Geek, Dad and a Husband. He knows a lot about washing the dishes, doing some errands and following instructions from his boss on his day job. Follow him on twitter: @gianviterbo and @gadgetpilipinas.
