Hardware

Published on January 29th, 2024 | by Adrian Gunning

ASUS Zenbook DUO, the World’s First 14″ Dual-Screen OLED Laptop Powered by AI, is now available

ASUS today announced the revolutionary new Zenbook DUO (2024) UX8406, the world’s first ultraportable OLED laptop equipped with two 14-inch 3K 120 Hz OLED touchscreens is available for pre-order via the ASUS e-Shop. It also announced the device will launch in participating Australian retailers on 14th February 2024. With its detachable full-size Bluetooth® ASUS ErgoSense keyboard and touchpad, this device has been designed to rewrite the rulebook for on-the-go versatility.

Say hello to revolutionary design

The Intel® Evo™ Edition Zenbook DUO expertly combines multitasking versatility with superb mobility in a 1.35 kg-light package. The dual full-size 3K 120 Hz ASUS Lumina OLED 16:10 displays are joined by a lay-flat 180° hinge to instantly expand the visual workspace to up to a massive 19.8 inches, which can be used in vertical or horizontal orientations for a number of versatile user modes — Laptop, Dual Screen, Desktop, or Sharing — controlled by intuitive ASUS ScreenXpert software.

With this device, ASUS seeks to maximise users’ productivity and play throughout the day with up to an Intel Core™ Ultra 9 processor with an integrated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for AI acceleration, up to 32 GB of LPDDR5x memory, up to a 1 TB PCIe® 4.0 SSD, a long-lifespan 75 Wh battery, and a Harman Kardon-certified Dolby Atmos® audio system.

The premium ASUS Lumina OLED displays provide Dolby Vision® certified, Pantone® Validated and have a cinema-grade 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut to ensure vivid, accurate colour rendering. They are also VESA DisplayHDR™ True Black 500 certified for the deepest black levels and have 12Hz Motion Clarity for more frames per second, improving the display for fast-moving and smooth visuals.

Lumina OLED displays are T6UV Rheinland certified, which provides precision and accuracy for users when creating and consuming content. This technology also reduces blue-light by up to 70%, making them the ideal display for prolonged screen time interaction. Blue light is known to cause visual discomfort. By calibrating the spectrum, ASUS Lumina OLED laptops emit 70% less blue light. Unlike traditional blue-light filters, shifting the spectrum means colour accuracy is uncompromised.

The device’s ambient light colour sensor auto-adjusts for changes in the environment’s brightness and colour temperature. The touchscreen supports high-precision stylus input using the optional 4096 pressure-level ASUS Pen, and the built-in ScreenXpert software enables smartphone-like multitouch gesture support for intuitive operation: users can summon a virtual keyboard with two-fingers to maximise a window and more with simple multi-finger gestures.

The rechargeable keyboard can be detached to allow full use of the visual workspace or be placed on the lower display for a traditional clamshell laptop experience. This design enhances portability and convenience, allowing users to seamlessly use or charge the keyboard at any time without extra settings. The pogo-pin connectors on the edge of the lower screen ensure hassle-free docking, with auto-positioning magnets on the pogo pins and corners of the second screen to further enhance the overall user experience.

Multiple modes, effortlessly versatile

ASUS laptops feature user-centric designs for a customisable experience that is designed to meet the needs of the individual. The ScreenXpert software is intuitive and allows easy control of the display contents in all modes:

  • Dual Screen mode: When used with the wireless keyboard, this mode provides 19.8 inches of screen real estate, which can be used as a single expansive screen via the ViewMax feature. Alternatively, the twin 16:10 displays can be used independently, with easy window management via the App Switcher feature that puts users in full fingertip control of app windows, reducing interruptions and helping users maintain focus on the task at hand.
  • Desktop mode: The laptop can be used with the hinge aligned vertically for side-by-side portrait screens. Combined with the wireless keyboard, this makes it perfect for programmers, researchers, writers, and those who need access to large data worksheets for things like financial analysis — and many more. Users can display productivity apps on one screen while the other shows reference materials, documentation, or research sources. Alternatively, using the ViewMax feature they can display content across the entire screen width, giving them a massive 19.8-inch display.
  • Laptop mode: Users can place the ASUS ErgoSense Bluetooth keyboard and touchpad onto the lower display for a traditional laptop-style experience, replete with a 14-inch display and tall 16:10 aspect ratio. A pogo-pin connector automatically recharges the keyboard. Alternatively, the lower screen can be configured as a full-size virtual keyboard if required, so users don’t have to travel with the keyboard if space is tight.
  • Sharing mode: Allows easy content sharing in meetings and business presentations. The 180° hinge allows the screens to lay flat so everyone can view the screen without having to huddle around, fostering better engagement and discussion. Additionally, content on the upper screen can be rotated by 180° if needed.

Supremely capable

Despite its ultra-compact form factor, ASUS’s goal in creating the Zenbook DUO was to not sacrifice performance or functionality. It seeks to be a productive device as it includes the latest generation of Intel processors — up to the all-new Core Ultra 9 H-series — combined with up to 32 GB of LPDDR5x RAM and up to a 1 TB PCIe 4.0 SSD.

The Zenbook DUO’s long-lasting 75 Wh battery can keep users productive for up to 8 hours. In 49 minutes of charging, the DUO can reach a 60% charge level. The redesigned 75 Wh high-capacity battery has an eco-friendly extended lifespan that supports up to 20% more charging cycles than the previous generation. As an Intel Evo Edition laptop, Zenbook DUO wakes instantly, charges fast, and delivers all-day battery life so users can confidently travel without their chargers.

The Zenbook DUO adds a heat spreader between the motherboard and the OLED panel as part of the advanced cooling system, which allows the CPU and GPU to run at up to a 35 W combined TDP, without the need to throttle.

The 14.6 mm-thin chassis has no compromises in I/O capabilities, either, with two Thunderbolt™ 4 ports, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port, an HDMI® 2.1 (TMDS) port, and a convenient 3.5 mm audio jack, so users don’t need to carry a bulky docking station or multiple adapters when travelling. The two ultrafast Thunderbolt™ 4 USB-C ports support fast charging, two 4K 60 Hz or one 8K 60Hz external displays, and up to 40 Gbps data transfers.

Privacy is also a priority with the Zenbook DUO. It allows the user to be more secure with its camera privacy shield and fast, password-free face login. Windows Hello Infrared (IR) camera allows the user to unlock their laptop quickly and securely.

AI enhancing the user experience

ASUS recognises that AI technology is becoming more integrated into our everyday lives and so the DUO seeks to offer functionality and performance to aid consumers as they increasingly rely on AI technology, whether they are in the early stages of discovery or are already using it day to day.

With that in mind, the device’s Intel Core Ultra processors feature Intel’s first integrated Neural Processing Unit (NPU), which delivers a dedicated engine to help unlock AI experiences on the PC, the next level in immersive graphics, and high-performance low-power processing, so users can work, game, and create without worrying about battery life. This is designed to support shifting workloads from the CPU and providing power-efficient AI acceleration for modern AI-enabled applications.

The NPU delivers low-latency AI computing, accelerating multitasking to make Zenbook DUO highly efficient for work, creativity, and entertainment. All this enables users to seamlessly manage complex workloads and enhance productivity.

To support video calling, the ASUS AiSense camera with Windows Studio Effects ensures the user looks their best during virtual conferences. This is made possible because of features such as background blur, eye contact correction, automatic framing and ASUS 3DNR.

For business travellers and other remote employees, videoconferencing is increasingly common, showing voice quality is important for efficient and clear communication. The new Zenbook DUO features ASUS AI Noise Cancellation, which ensures that users can hear and be heard clearly in any scenario. Two-way AI Noise Cancellation leverages a deep-learning database to reduce background noise for the microphone and audio.

Sustainable & durable at its core

The Zenbook DUO is designed with sustainability and durability in mind. It incorporates a variety of recycled materials and is durability tested to US MIL-STD-810H standards to maximise the device’s lifespan, and features Corning® Gorilla® Glass. The laptop also meets the ultra-demanding MIL-STD 810H military standard for reliability and durability, improving the laptop’s longevity and sustainability.

ASUS is committed to minimising its impact on the environment, and Zenbook DUO is constructed from 90% post-industrial recycled magnesium aluminium alloy. It exceeds ENERGY STAR® power-efficiency requirements by up to 47.6%, and all paper packaging is made from 100 %-recyclable FSC™ Mix-certified paper.

Availability & Pricing

The ASUS Zenbook DUO (2024) UX8406 is available for Australian pre-orders now, 29th January 2024, via ASUS e-Shop and JB Hi-Fi.

The ASUS Zenbook DUO (2024) UX8406 will be available in Australia from 14th February 2024 at participating retailers.

The device is available at RRP $3,999 AUD.

Please contact your local ASUS representative for further information.


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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