ASUS ZenBook Duo evaluation: A dual-screen ultraportable with compromises

As you’d picture, the ZenBook Duo right away stands out from every other notebook when it’s open. But it is an additional story if you might be not basically on the lookout at the screens. ASUS is however relying on its metallic ZenBook scenario structure, which is sleek and easy to the touch. Its matte finish presents off an air of subtle refinement — definitely much more than the shinier instances from earlier ZenBooks. ASUS also consists of an array of beneficial ports, like two USB Form A connections, just one USB C, HDMI and a microSD card slot. Regrettably, it will not assist Intel’s rapidly Thunderbolt 3 regular, which is technically four periods speedier than conventional USB 3.1.

Beneath the hood, the ZenBook Duo capabilities Intel’s quad-main i7-10510U, 16GB of RAM and NVIDIA’s GeForce MX 250 GPU. ASUS possible opted for that NVIDIA GPU to improved take care of dual shows. It isn’t going to seriously guide to considerably far more general performance in comparison to the XPS 13’s integrated Iris As well as graphics nevertheless. Both notebooks ended up scoring virtually the similar in the 3DMark Sky Diver benchmark, though the ZenBook Duo edged out a victory in the newer Evening Raid take a look at. And Overwatch was a bit much more playable in 720p and even 1080p with decrease graphics configurations, many thanks to extra regular body prices.

Unsurprisingly, provided all of its horsepower, the ZenBook Duo dealt with all of my productivity desires without having challenge. But I definitely appreciated obtaining 16GB of RAM when working with dozens and browser tabs and other applications jogging on the secondary monitor. This is a equipment intended for multitasking, right after all. The additional memory, the improved. It also lasted a shocking 11 hours and 55 minutes on our battery check, even with both screens on. The ZenBook Professional Duo, had a tricky time achieving 4 several hours. 

If you are contemplating the ZenBook Duo, the genuine issue you want to question by yourself is how substantially do you really have to have two screens on a $1,499 ultraportable. ASUS did a good task of fitting in a 2nd exhibit, but it potential customers to plenty of compromises. I would not go so significantly as to get in touch with the ScreenPad Furthermore a gimmick, but it truly is not anything most individuals actually have to have — not when you can get a thinner, lighter and more affordable machine like the XPS 13. Even now, it truly is a noble experiment — the ZenBook Duo stands by yourself in a sea of ever-very similar ultraportables.