Hardware

Published on January 6th, 2022 | by Adrian Gunning

ASUS presents “Incredible Unfolds” laptops

ASUS today announced the latest lineup of innovations at the Incredible Unfolds virtual launch event, continuing the brand’s legacy of pushing the PC industry into new territory with the breakthrough foldable design of Zenbook 17 Fold OLED and the commemorative Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition. In addition, the launch event showcased Zenbook 14 OLED, ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 and ExpertBook B5 series laptops for empowering consumers and enterprises alike; ProArt Display PA169CDV with Wacom EMR technology for giving interactive experiences to professional creators via ASUS ProArt Pen; and ASUS TUF Gaming F15 and TUF Dash F15 gaming laptops for bringing excellent performance to a broad range of gamers. 

“ASUS has always been about the incredible. And we are proud of our ability to offer brilliant solutions to people everywhere, from business users to creators, gamers and more,” noted ASUS co-CEO Samson Hu as he kicked off the launch event. 

ASUS is evolving the PC for a hybrid world, where computing is ubiquitous and everyone is always-on, always-mobile, and always moving across devices and contexts. The new Zenbook lineup has been created for increasingly tech-savvy users who need ever-faster and more powerful devices. With the latest 12th Generation Intel® Core™ processors, these new solutions empower users with a blend of ultimate performance, innovative features and exquisite designs, all housed in highly portable, thin and light form factors.

“12th Gen Intel Core processors and the Intel Evo platform deliver leadership performance, connectivity and PC innovations, enabling the verified experiences people want across various segments,” said Michelle Johnston Holthaus, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Sales, Marketing and Communications Group, Intel. “Our joint platform effort with ASUS to partner on this innovation elevates the laptop experience with infinite possibilities.”

During the launch event, ASUS also announced new designs on Zenbook 17 Fold OLED, Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition and Zenbook 14 OLED. In particular, select new laptops from the Zenbook family, such as Zenbook 17 Fold OLED and Zenbook 14 OLED, will feature a refreshed ASUS Monogram that is based on the visual concept of the ASUS 30th anniversary emblem. The modernised Monogram represents everything that Zenbook espouses: world-class innovation, an ascending spirit, user-centricity and dedication to joyful experiences.

Onstage innovations

Zenbook 17 Fold OLED (UX9702)

Incredible unfolds: ASUS has worked closely with Intel and BOE Technology Group to unleash Zenbook 17 Fold OLED, the world’s first 17.3-inch foldable OLED laptop. The boundary-pushing design offers two sizes of OLED display in one device: a large 4:3 17.3-inch 2.5K touchscreen that folds in the middle to create two seamless 3:2 12.5-inch 1920 x 1280 displays. Combined with the full-size ASUS ErgoSense Bluetooth® keyboard and touchpad, the folding design provides the versatility of multiple modes — PC, Laptop, Tablet, On-Screen Keyboard, Book and Extend. 

For immersive entertainment, the PANTONE® Validated, foldable OLED touchscreen — which is also TÜV Rheinland-certified for eye care and has a 100% DCI-P3 gamut — is accompanied by Dolby Vision® HDR for ultra-vivid picture quality along with Dolby Atmos®1 immersive audio and a powerful quad-speaker Harman Kardon-certified sound system.

For next-generation smart capabilities, an HD IR camera works together with Windows Hello and the new Intel Visual Sensing Controller chip to enable several new AI-powered features, including user-presence detection; an integrated colour sensor for automatic adjustment of screen brightness and colour temperature; and a 5 MP webcam with ASUS 3D Noise Reduction technology for clearer video calls. 

To ensure effortless performance and connectivity, the laptop delivers the latest 12th Generation Intel Core i7 U-Series processors, Intel Iris® Xe graphics and two USB-C® Thunderbolt™ 4 ports, which support fast charging of the 75 Wh battery and connections to external displays. 

Co-engineered with Intel, the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED design will meet the requirements of an Intel Evo™ laptop through Intel’s hardware specifications and key experience targets for responsiveness, instant wake, battery life, fast charge and intelligent collaboration. Zenbook 17 Fold OLED will be available for purchase in mid-year 2022.

Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition (UX5401)

The exclusive Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition is a prestigious special-edition laptop built to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the ASUS P6300 laptop’s 600-day space mission and to represent the ASUS ‘In Search of Incredible’ brand spirit.

Featuring unique space-themed design details and finished in a special Zero-G Titanium colour, Zenbook 14X OLED Space Edition celebrates a key milestone in the history of ASUS laptops and encourages users to start their voyage of discovery and explore beyond the limits.

Exclusive to the Space Edition is its futuristic ZenVision, a 3.5-inch OLED companion display mounted externally on the lid that can show customizable messages and animations.

Built to withstand the rigors of space travel, the Space Edition complies with the ultra-tough US Space Systems Command Standard SMC-S-016A testing protocols, so it is capable of withstanding extreme temperatures (-24 to 61° C) when operational and vibration (20 – 2000 Hz).

This out-of-this-world laptop is built to deliver stellar performance, powered by up to 12th Generation Intel Core i9 H-Series processors, Intel Iris Xe graphics, 32 GB RAM, a PCIe® 4.0 x4 SSD and Intel WiFi 6E. The expansive 16:10 2.8K 90 Hz OLED HDR PANTONE Validated touchscreen delivers ultra-realistic DisplayHDR™ True Black 500-certified visuals, with a 100% DCI-P3 gamut and TÜV Rheinland-certified eye care. 

Zenbook 14 OLED (UX3402)

The all-new Zenbook 14 OLED is a powerful, sleek and lightweight 14-inch laptop that sets a new benchmark for portable perfection. This latest generation introduces a modern look and feel to the Zenbook series, with a bold new lid design and two elegant new colour options: Aqua Celadon and Ponder Blue.

The laptop blends the best visuals and audio to deliver immersive experiences: an expansive 16:10 2.8K 90 Hz OLED NanoEdge 550-nit PANTONE Validated display with a 100% DCI-P3 gamut, Dolby Atmos1 and a Harman Kardon-certified sound system with a smart amplifier for powerful spatial sound. Visuals are further enhanced by DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification for deep blacks and TÜV Rheinland certification for eye care. 

Despite its compact size — a mere 16.9 mm thin and 1.39 kg light — the all-aluminum chassis houses the latest 12th Generation Intel Core processors with Intel Iris Xe graphics, up to 16 GB of RAM, ultrafast PCIe 4.0 SSDs, a long-lasting 75 Wh battery and the latest Intel WiFi 6E, delivering excellent performance and connectivity. It also features a full set of I/O ports, including two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports. 

Co-engineered with Intel, the Zenbook 14 OLED design will meet the requirements of an Intel Evo laptop through Intel’s hardware specifications and key experience targets for responsiveness, instant wake, battery life, fast charge and intelligent collaboration. 

ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 (CX5601)

Blending expansive visuals with powerful performance, ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 empowers modern work, learning and entertainment. Its 360° ErgoLift hinge can adjust the three-sided 16-inch NanoEdge display to any angle, delivering remarkable versatility. The panel offers a 16:10 aspect ratio for a boost in vertical space compared with 16:9 panels, and an 87% screen-to-body ratio further augments immersive viewing. 

For ultimate productivity, ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 features up to a 12th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, Intel Iris Xe graphics and 16 GB of memory, while dual-band Intel WiFi 6E (802.11ax) — including a new 6 GHz band for strong, stable signals and superfast speeds — and ASUS WiFi Master for Chrome OS deliver excellent connectivity. Cloud-first workflows and lessons can be further optimised and customised with Chrome Enterprise, Chrome Education Upgrade and the Intel vPro® platform versions that are available. 

For supreme sound to match stunning visuals, an innovative Harman Kardon-certified audio system offers four built-in high-quality speakers that have extra-large resonant chambers, generating high-fidelity audio on par with much larger laptops. To enhance videoconferencing and picture taking, an FHD webcam ensures high-quality visuals and can be easily hidden behind a retractable cover for privacy when not in use. With robust performance, connectivity, visuals and audio, ASUS Chromebook Flip CX5 brings incredible experiences to cloud-based work and entertainment.

ASUS ExpertBook B5 series (B5402C and B5402F)

ASUS ExpertBook B5 is an ultralight laptop series available in both traditional clamshell and 360° convertible forms for the ultimate in portability, flexibility and clarity. The new ExpertBook B5 (B5402C) and ExpertBook B5 Flip (B5402F) models feature expansive 14-inch displays — complementing the existing popular 13-inch B5 models to deliver a comprehensive lineup for business.

The precision-crafted, minimalist chassis is hewn from pure aluminum and magnesium-aluminum alloy to push the limits of lightness. An Intel Core i7 processor with Intel Iris Xe graphics delivers serious computing power, supported by 48 GB of RAM and the latest Intel WiFi 6E.

B5 Flip’s 360°-flippable hinge enables it to be used from Tent to Tablet mode for instant collaboration, sharing content or presentations. An optional garaged stylus is always within reach.

The new B5 series also offers all-day battery life and is engineered with many cutting-edge technologies to improve on-the-go work efficiency. These include AI noise cancellation for clear calls and conferencing, dual-SSD RAID support for versatile high-speed storage and ASUS NumberPad for rapid data entry.

User privacy, business security protection and everyday resilience are also cornerstones of the B5 series, with a built-in fingerprint sensor, optional face-login IR camera, TPM 2.0 chip and durability that adheres to the exacting MIL-STD 810H US military standard.

ASUS ProArt Display PA169CDV

ASUS ProArt Display PA169CDV is a 15.6-inch 4K UHD IPS display that includes Wacom EMR technology for compatibility with the bundled ProArt Pen. Built for professional creatives, it offers stunning 4K resolution and targets the specifications for DisplayHDR 400 certification. Its innovative design includes two kickstands for versatile use — the upper kickstand tilts PA169CDV slightly for drawing and sketching, while the lower kickstand props it up to an ideal angle for use as a secondary display.

PA169CDV is PANTONE Validated and Calman Verified, making it the first portable monitor that is dual certified. It is factory pre-calibrated to Delta E < 2 colour difference, and features 10-bit colour, 100% sRGB and 100% Rec.709 colour gamut. 

ProArt Pen uses Wacom EMR technology to provide a natural handwriting feel. The lightweight pen is battery-free and is compatible with ASUS Dial, giving users shortcuts when working with supported Adobe software for a smoother workflow. 

ASUS TUF Gaming F15 and F17

TUF Gaming F15 and F17 laptops offer the 12th Generation Intel Core i7-12700H processor and up to an NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3070 Laptop GPU with 140 W max TGP — a potent combination that delivers incredible gaming performance. For added power and control, a hardware MUX Switch gets around a performance drawback of gaming laptops, which tend to route the GPU’s frames via the CPU’s integrated graphics to the display. Gamers can use Armoury Crate to fire up a direct GPU mode that reduces latency and improves performance by 5-10% on average. To match these performance gains, the laptops’ Arc Flow Fans have an updated 84-blade design. Each individual fan blade has varying thickness and a 0.1 mm tip, which reduces turbulence while improving airflow. The overall design is quieter yet offers 13% more airflow than the last generation. For gaming-grade visuals, all 2022 TUF laptops are equipped with high-refresh-rate display options, including up to FHD at 300 Hz for the fastest FPS gameplay or QHD at 165 Hz for more immersive experiences. To top it all off, F15 and F17 feature new mecha anime-inspired designs and meet MIL-STD-810H specification to ensure their durability on the go.

TUF Dash F15

Originally launched in 2021, TUF Dash was created to present a thin and light form factor that was infused with TUF Gaming DNA. Continuing this legacy, TUF Dash F15 — the 2022 model — has been updated and upgraded with the latest hardware, while keeping the thickness of the chassis under 20 mm.

Featuring a 12th Generation Intel Core i7-12650H processor and up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU with MUX Switch, TUF Dash F15 is an exceptionally capable gaming machine in a thin, light chassis. Brand-new DDR5 memory running at 4800 MHz easily breezes through even the most intense multitasking, and dual PCIe 4.0-capable SSD slots enable more than enough high-speed storage while on the go. For stunning visuals, a QHD 165 Hz panel with 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 colour space keeps gamers immersed and provides a colour-accurate space for content creation. With Thunderbolt 4 support, adding an external dock or a high-speed storage drive is simple and straightforward. Plus, for peace of mind while on the move, TUF Dash F15 also supports USB Type-C Power Delivery up to 100 W, enabling top-ups through a wide variety of compatible chargers and battery packs. 


About the Author

agun@impulsegamer.com'

Adrian lives in Melbourne Australia and has a huge passion for gaming, technology and pop culture. He recently finished his a Bachelor of Journalism and is currently focusing on games journalism. When not writing and playing video games, Adrian can be found in Comics 'R' Us debating the pros of the DC Universe and cons of the Marvel Universe.



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