Last year at Computex, ASUS unveiled the ScreenPad for their premium ZenBook line of laptops, replacing the traditional touchpad with a smartphone-like touch display. This year, ASUS is taking its innovation a step further with the unveiling of the ZenBook Duo and ZenBook Pro Duo, which feature a secondary 14-inch ScreenPad Plus touch display positioned above the keyboard.
Unlike the original ScreenPad, which is an independent touch display with it’s own independent set of functions and features while also acting as the laptop’s touchpad, the secondary screen on the ZenBook Duo and Pro Duo is an actual secondary display that not only extends your desktop but also comes with several dedicated features via the ScreenXpert controls software to make using it easy.
Some of these features include the ability to easily dock application windows to the secondary display, switch the contents of the primary and secondary displays, save layouts, simultaneously launch several programs and automatically have them docked to the primary and secondary displays, and more. ASUS is also working with several application developers to integrate their interfaces with the Duo and Pro Duo’s primary and secondary displays.
The primary display on the ZenBook Pro Duo features a 15.6-inch 4K OLED HDR panel while its ScreenPad Plus secondary display is a 14-inch 4K full-width screen. On the other hand, the smaller ZenBook Duo comes with a 14-inch full HD primary display and a 12.6-inch full HD secondary display.
As with desktop dual monitor setups, ASUS expects the ZenBook Duo and Pro Duo to not only help users multitask but also make the workflows of creative professionals more streamlined thanks to the additional screen real estate.
To achieve the dual display design of the ZenBook Duo and Pro Duo, ASUS utilized the design of its ROG Zephyrus S gaming laptop which places the keyboard on the bottom of the laptop and the touchpad on the right of the keyboard. While the design means that the laptop lacks a wristrest, the ZenBook Pro Duo will be bundled with a wrist rest to help typing more comfortable. Sadly, the smaller ZenBook Duo won’t come with a bundled wrist rest.
ASUS is also bundling a stylus with the ZenBook Pro Duo to give users, especially creative professionals, another level of interactivity with the new laptop.
Powering the ZenBook Pro Duo is either an Intel Core i9-9980HK or Intel Core i7-9750H processor, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM, up to 1TB of PCIe x4 SSD storage, and a 71Wh 4-cell lithium-polymer battery. Connectivity-wise, the ZenBook Pro Duo is equipped with Intel Wi-Fi 6 with Gig+ (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.0 as well as one Thunderbolt 3 USB-C port, two USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A ports, one HDMI port, and one audio combo jack.
On the other hand, the ZenBook Duo comes with an Intel Core i7 processor, an NVIDIA GeForce MX250, up to 16GB of DDR4 2133MHz RAM, up to a 1TB PCIe x4 SSD, and a 70Wh 4-cell battery. It also comes with the same wireless connectivity options as well as a USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C port, one USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A port, one USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A port, a microSD card slot, one HDMI port, and an audio combo jack.
Local pricing and availability for the ZenBook Duo and Pro Duo have yet to be announced but both devices should release sometime in the third quarter of this year.