Asus Makes Keyboards Entirely Optional With Swappable Dual-Screen Laptop

Image via Edge Up - Asus

Asus is turning heads—and screens!—with its latest laptop marvel, the new Zenbook Duo, unveiled at CES 2024. This dual-screen dynamo rethinks the one-note, one-display notebook sphere with an expanded workspace that promises to boost productivity and creativity.

The Zenbook Duo 2024—a blended evolution of the original Zenbook Duo and the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED—features two 14-inch, 3K OLED displays, connected via a high-durability hinge. Together, they offer a staggering 20 inches of total screen space.

The dual setup with equally-sized displays and a built-in kickstand transforms this laptop into a multitasking hub, allowing users to run different apps on each screen simultaneously for work and play. The twin screens bring forth impressive resolutions of up to 2,880 x 1,800, 16:10 aspect ratios, a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, and 500 nits of peak brightness.

Image via Edge Up - Asus

Despite packing two screens, the Zenbook Duo maintains a sleek, portable form. When folded, it measures just 0.78 inches thin. Weighing in at only 3.3 lbs, it serves as a multifunctional tool that’s also travel-friendly.

For added flexibility, these features are complemented by a detachable keyboard and touchpad, pushing all the right buttons for the modern, mobile user. You could, instead, choose to work with a virtual keyboard on the second display.

Various modes cater to different needs at any time of the day, converting the device from a desktop-like setup to a large, powerful tablet.

Image via Edge Up - Asus

In ‘Dual Screen Mode’, the Zenbook Duo presents the equivalent of a 20.5-inch display with a 20:16 aspect ratio. Envisioned as a versatile workstation, this setup is for those needing multiple screens for their work. The physical keyboard, used in conjunction with the kickstand, allows the screens to be elevated for comfortable viewing, replicating a desktop experience in a portable format.

‘Laptop Mode’ provides the traditional clamshell notebook experience with a twist, with the detachable keyboard and touchpad snapping onto the Zenbook Duo via integrated magnets. This configuration is perfect for users seeking the familiarity of a standard laptop while still enjoying the benefits of dual screens.

Image via Edge Up - Asus

Then there’s ‘Presentation Mode’, where both screens are lying flat. Here, the Zenbook Duo turns into a tablet with two displays, making it well-suited for small group presentations or collaborative work.

Image via Edge Up - Asus

The laptop houses intuitive software to serve different usage scenarios, whether you’re at home, in the office, or on the go. The virtual keyboard and touchpad provide quick access to familiar inputs, while a simple gesture system pulls up utilities like a handwriting panel and Quick Key.

Image via Edge Up - Asus

A 75Wh battery fitted into the lightweight model “[lets] you do more when you’re away from the outlet,” notes Asus.

Connectivity options on the Zenbook Duo include Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, a 3.5 mm audio jack, Wi-Fi 6e, and Bluetooth 5.3. The laptop also supports the Asus Pen 2 stylus for those who want to get creative with their input.

Under the hood, the Zenbook Duo packs a punch with up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU, supported by up to 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM and a 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD. Asus has also embraced sustainability with the laptop’s construction, using 90% post-industrial-recycled materials and FSC Mix-certified packaging.

Image via Edge Up - Asus

Set to hit the market in Q1 of 2024, the Asus Zenbook Duo 2024 is poised to offer value with a starting price of around US$1,400, making the multitasking experience more accessible.

[via PCMag, Engadget, Edge Up - Asus, images via Edge Up - Asus]