Asus ZenBook Pro Duo Review

The Asus ZenBook Duo 14 2022 advances on its predecessors with a thinner shape, updated technology, and useful functions, while certain sacrifices of the original concept remain.

The underlying premise and notion that dual laptops are superior to regular laptops haven’t altered much. As a result, the second-generation ZenBook Pro Duo is comparable to its forerunner, even though there are minor differences in terms of technique and appearance.

It has not been quite long since Asus launched their highly productive dual-screen laptop line-up in the market, the Zenbook duo series.

In general, most people appreciated that Asus tried to bring in some changes to the traditional laptop design, while some people didn’t like the laptop at first. However, as Asus likes to make things perfect, the Zenbook Duo lineup has improved over the past few years greatly. 

That said, if anyone out there wants to have a laptop that is thin, lightweight, and can serve the user with the advantage of two screens, the Asus Zenbook Pro Duo laptop is surely a good choice.

So, in this article, we will be reviewing the Zenbook Pro duo and Zenbook duo both, so that you can easily select the best choice according to your work needs.

Key Specifications

Processor and Graphics

Both the models of the Zenbook lineup are absolutely beast in terms of processing power, especially the pro model. While both the models offer you plenty of CPU options to choose from, the top-of-the-line model of Zenbook Pro Duo features the latest Intel Core i9-9980HK 2.40GHz Processor which has a max clock boost of up to 5GHz and has 8 super-efficient and powerful cores which are good enough to handle any heavy task you throw at it. Moreover, if you like playing games, the Nvidia RTX 2060 graphics card on the Pro Duo is quite forgiving and offers high performance in all games. 

On the other hand, the Zenbook Duo is not a bad option to choose either as it comes equipped with a powerful Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor that has a max clock speed of 4.7GHz and has 4 cores. That said, the pro model does have a little bit of advantage here on paper. However, the real-life performance of both the laptops feels pretty similar and amazingly fast.

But, as far as graphics are concerned, you can not use this laptop for heavy gaming, but for tasks like photo and video editing, the Intel Iris Xe graphics do a great job.

RAM and Storage

As you might know, RAM and Storage are some of the most crucial factors that play a major role in a laptop’s overall performance. Well, Asus very well knows about it and has paid really good attention to it on both models.

While the Zenbook Pro model is heavily equipped with massive 32GB DDR4 SODIMM RAM and 2TB PCIe NVMe SSD storage, this thin and light laptop is absolutely a power station that will never disappoint you, no matter how heavy tasks you do use it.

In fact, if we talk about the other laptop, the Zenbook Duo, you get to see a basic configuration of 8GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD storage. Although with a powerful processor like the one it has, this configuration is decent enough for heavy multitasking. And, a special thanks to its superiorly fast SSD, the computer boots within a few seconds, and the computing experience always feels quite snappy and smooth. 

Design and Structure

The Vital element hinge, designed by Asus, elevates the ScreenPad Plus and raises the keyboard surface at an inclination.

This enhances not just the screen resolution but also the ventilation. Aside from that, the new ZenBook Pro Duo, such as the classic, features two displays: the primary display and an additional display known as the ScreenPad Plus.

On the surface, the ZenBook Pro Duo appears to be similar to Asus’ famous ZenBook laptops. The concentric spheres on the top and the superior, beautiful design characterize an Asus ZenBook.

There are also several ways to use the ZenBook Pro Duo’s second screen and use such a ScreenPad Plus.

You may launch a browser that spans two displays, offering consumers more commercial property that a singular monitor cannot provide.  We won’t claim the ScreenPad Plus is flawless, but Asus gradually improves the secondary screen’s utility.

There seems to be a lot to appreciate about the ScreenPad Plus if you’re a professional graphic artist or an innovative person. The ScreenPad Plus now supports essential Adobe products such as Adobe, Fireworks, Multicolor Actions, and Photoshop.

When you start Photo editing software, the ScreenPad Plus will display configurable shortcuts.

There’s no doubt that the main attraction of the Asus Zenbook Duo and Pro Duo laptops is their display setups as they are quite unique as compared to other laptops. Talking about the Zenbook Duo, this laptop is fit for people who need a highly compact and lightweight laptop. Since it comes with a 14 inches FHD display, it has a smaller form-factor than the Pro Duo which comes with a 15.6 inches display instead. 

However, the screen resolution of the display on the Pro Duo model is 4K UHD which is definitely better than the latter in terms of visual quality. But since the other one has a smaller display, even the FHD resolution quality looks crisp and good. In both the Zenbook Duo and Pro Duo laptops, you will be getting a NanoEdge touch screen glossy main display, and a secondary matte touch screen, which is the most favorite feature for any artist out there.

Keyboard and Touchpad

ASUS had to move the keyboard to the base and the touchpad to the lower corner to enable a supplementary monitor. This is fine at a table. However, it’s difficult to be used on a lap, whether in a bed, a vehicle, or an aircraft chair.

So, because the keyboard and touchpad are almost at the lower board’s edge – and there is no arm support – you’ll just have to assume a strange T-rex-like position whilst using the tablet in your lap. To make matters worse, you’ll be sliding backwards and forth across, getting stuff accomplished because the touchpad is larger than it is broad.

Most people usually like to check the quality of the keyboard as not all laptops come with a great keyboard. However, in the case of the Asus Zenbook Pro Duo laptop, we can say the keyboard feel is quite good, and it offers an amazing typing experience. One thing that you will find different in its design is that the trackpad placement is on the right side of the keyboard which is basically done to make it feel like an actual desktop. Liking the design is your personal preference, but the fact that there is no palm rest, getting used to this design will be tough for some people.

Likewise, the Zephyrus Duo will have the same flaws, but that’s anticipated that you’ll even use it on a tabletop with a controller. In reality, if you’re okay with not even using the Duo as a laptop, the biomechanics will disturb you.

Battery performance

The ZenBook Pro Duo is not for the common user because it is designed for a graphic artist who performs professionally using high-resolution video material or a three-dimensional programmer.

The Asus ZenBook Pro Duo’s battery performance was close to three to four hours.

This type of laptop does not have a lengthy battery life, which you should be aware of it by now. The ZenBook Pro Duo can get hot, but that was expected for a laptop with that kind of capability.

Since both the Zenbook Duo and Pro Duo laptops are built for high productivity, the battery life of both laptops is quite good. In both cases, the laptops use an 8-cell battery which is good enough to offer a battery backup of around 8-10 hours on both laptops. However, considering the fact that the Zenbook Pro Duo has a dedicated graphics card, a bigger display, and a powerful processor, the battery life on the Pro model lasts for slightly less time than the Zenbook Duo. 

Connectivity Options

Although the Zenbook Duo lineup is great in every aspect since it already has all the features and hardware that an individual needs. Still, in case you want to use any external peripherals with both models, there are plenty of connectivity ports on offer.

On the Zenbook Pro Duo laptop, there are 2x USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports, 1x HDMI, 1x Thunderbolt 3 (Type-C) port, Headphone/Microphone Combo Jack which makes this laptop a completely versatile package for you. While the Zenbook Duo is not far behind as it comes with 1x MicroSD card slot, 1x USB 3.2 Type A, 1x HDMI, 2x Thunderbolt 4 USB (Type-C), Headphone/Microphone Combo Jack. Apart from that, both the laptops have support for WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 also. 

Software

The Duo includes a lot of Windows 10 bloatware and very few Content perspective applications. The only producer software is MyAsus, which lets you conduct system inspections, connect customer relations, monitor for software upgrades, and modify control panels, among many other features.

McAfee Professional Protection and Nvidia GeForce Performance, a package of applications designed to increase your gameplay experience, are 2 primary third-party applications.

However, it is not intended to be a gameplay computer, and the ZenBook Pro Duo checks almost all of the criteria with its powerful CPU and enough RAM.

Is the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo worth it?

It’s lavish, decadent, and, after you get the feel of it, quite practical. It’s a tremendous help to rapidly reach hot buttons, run many applications at once, and yet have enough processing power.

However, there are a few flies in the picture. As stunning as Amoled and 4K displays are, they may be draining on battery capacity, especially in combination with high-powered specifications.

Also, working on the Duo without even a palm rest might rapidly become painful. According to convenience, the audience would also like to change the height of the secondary screen.

Altogether, the ZenBook Pro Duo is a strong challenger for innovative and mobile businesses seeking a viable alternative to high-end brands.

Conclusion

As we have mentioned above, both laptops come with extremely powerful processors. However, choosing the right one is totally your decision. If you need a laptop on which you can edit high-quality videos, and even play games, the Zenbook Pro Duo is absolutely the best option to pick. On the other hand, in case you need a laptop just for casual tasks like photo editing, web surfing, the Zenbook Duo is good for you as it’s small, compact, and much easier to handle even while traveling. Although in terms of features, both the laptops come at different price ranges and have the absolute best features in their price segments.