I'm leaning back in my chair. A keyboard and touchpad, familiar beneath my fingers, are in my lap, but the rest of the laptop is sitting propped up on the sill of my office window.

Am I slacking off? Just the opposite. Unfolded in front of me are two 14-inch screens, stacked one atop the other. The top screen is where I'm typing, and the bottom screen holds my messaging apps, photo editor, notes and testing results, and web browser. This is the Asus Zenbook Duo, and it's changing the way I work.

I'll admit that I'm a bit taken by this PC. I remained skeptical even after XDA Editor-in-Chief Rich Woods' positive hands-on at CES 2024, but after using the Zenbook Duo for a couple of weeks, I can confirm that it has converted me into a dual-screen believer.

Want to work as you would normally, with a laptop on a desk or in your lap? No problem. The keyboard attaches firmly to the bottom screen, and you're presented with a standard — if not a bit chunky — 14-inch laptop with OLED display and reliable Intel Core Ultra performance.

Need a larger work area with two screens for easier vision or collaboration? That's where the laptop really starts to flex. Peel the keyboard away from the bottom display, flip out the stand on the back of the PC, and prop the laptop up horizontally or vertically. It's no hassle at all, and when you're done, the whole thing fits together and closes down tightly for easy transportation.

This is the laptop for anyone who has ever wished for a second screen wherever they go, and I'm truly impressed at how well the product comes together as a whole.

About this review: Asus supplied XDA with a review unit of its Zenbook Duo 14 (2024). It had no input on the contents of this article.

Asus Zenbook Duo (2024): Price, availability, and specs

The Zenbook Duo for 2024 starts at $1,500 for a model with Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor (CPU), integrated Intel Arc graphics, 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, dual 14-inch FHD+ OLED touch displays, and Windows 11 Home.

Bumping the specs up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H CPU with 32GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and dual 2.8K OLED touch displays adds about $200, bringing the total to $1,700. My review unit uses this configuration.

To compare, Lenovo's Yoga Book 9i (2024) starts at $1,980 for a model with Intel Core Ultra 7 155U CPU — note it's a U-series chip rather than the more powerful H-series — 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD, and dual 13.3-inch 2.8K OLED touch displays. There's no Core Ultra 9 option, but you can go up to 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD for a total of $2,067. The Yoga Book 9i excels in some areas where the Zenbook Duo is lacking, but that's still a sizable price difference.

You can, at the time of writing, find the Asus Zenbook Duo (2024) listed at the official Asus website and at Amazon. It's currently sold out at the Asus website, but the Core Ultra 7 is available at Amazon. The Core Ultra 9 option is sold out at the third-party retailer.

Here's a look at the specs available in the Zenbook Duo (2024).

Design and features

A dual-screen laptop that's surprisingly easy to deploy and use

The Zenbook Duo (2024) is a sleeper. Sitting closed, it looks like any other 14-inch laptop, though its thickness is more in line with a mobile gaming laptop than a modern Ultrabook. Even when you open the lid, it's not immediately apparent that it's a dual-screen PC; the keyboard attaches so seamlessly that you can use the device without knowing that there's a second screen hiding below.

Things really get interesting when you pull the keyboard away from the rest of the PC. The second screen comes to life, immediately doubling the amount of space with which you can work. You can keep it set up this way, using the bottom screen for inking or for a digital keyboard and touchpad, but it gets so much better.

Instead of a separate stand that is transported apart from the rest of the laptop, the bottom of the Zenbook Duo has an attached fold-out panel. It's fairly unobtrusive when closed, and the rubber feet on the laptop are large enough to keep it from causing any instability. It would be nice to have the stand more embedded into the laptop's bottom panel in future models, but it's still better than having a completely separate piece.

In any case, the fold-out stand operates on two firm hinges with a rigid hold. It's designed to accommodate either a stacked or side-by-side display setup, with angled corners to sit flat for the latter. I used the laptop mostly in the stacked orientation, with either one window encompassing both displays from top to bottom or with apps open in each. The Zenbook Duo is a multitasker's dream come true. It's even great for collaboration, as you can mirror the displays facing away from each other for you and a colleague.

The Zenbook Duo is a multitasker's dream come true.

The stacked setup feels a lot more natural, no doubt owing in part to how the laptop splits in the middle. Because the keyboard fits between the two panels, there's an uneven break between the screens. It's not really noticeable if you have the screens stacked one above the other, but it's definitely noticeable when you have the screens sitting vertically next to each other. This isn't as streamlined as the Yoga Book 9i's soundbar hinge design, but it's hardly a dealbreaker.

How you use the laptop will ultimately come down to personal preference; it really does work as well from a horizontal or vertical setup, at least mechanically. Screen switching and window snapping are boosted beyond Windows 11's own capabilities by the Asus ScreenXpert app. It runs in the background, offering smooth window transitions no matter how I was trying to use the laptop. It's a lot more streamlined than I imagined, and there were no frustrations when laying out my workspace across two screens. This held true whether I was using touch functionality or a mouse.

Port selection doesn't take much of a hit compared to a lot of other modern 14-inch laptops. You get two Thunderbolt 4 ports, one USB-A 3.2 (Gen 1), HDMI 2.1 for native video out, and a 3.5mm audio jack. It's easy to connect to a Thunderbolt 4 dock if you're using the Zenbook Duo like a notebook, but setting it up in any other orientation will result in a dongle (literally) hanging off the side. Why not more ports? A lot of space along the sides of the chassis is reserved for exhaust venting.

Above the main display is a 1080p webcam with IR sensor for Windows Hello. Picture quality is hard to praise despite the FHD resolution; it sometimes struggles with exposure, resulting in a grainy picture. The dual speakers are in a similar situation, where they're just average. Dolby Atmos tuning does a lot of work keeping them from dipping them below average, but overall I'd describe audio as flimsy rather than robust.

Overall, the Asus Zenbook Duo (2024) is an impressive piece of hardware that was clearly designed with incredibly careful attention to detail. Something with so many moving parts could go very wrong, but the laptop is built to a premium standard throughout with MIL-STD-810H certification. I was very impressed upon initial inspection, and I've remained impressed even after a couple weeks of trying to discover the laptop's pain points.

Keyboard and touchpad

No compromises

The keyboard attaches magnetically to the laptop, covering the entire bottom screen. The attachment is strong enough that the keyboard doesn't slide around on the glossy finish, and you could fool a lot of people into thinking that it's permanently built into the laptop. It aligns automatically, to the point where you can basically throw it at the screen and have it click into place perfectly.

A line of POGO pins along the bottom provides charging power for the keyboard; it has its own built-in battery, and it can communicate with the laptop either through the pins, through a USB-C connection (the keyboard has its own port), or with Bluetooth. A Bluetooth toggle switch on the side of the keyboard can help save battery or prevent interference if you're using a bunch of other wireless accessories.

Typing is far better than I was expecting. Asus managed 1.4mm key travel for each key, which is more generous than a lot of modern Ultrabooks on the market today. Even the ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 12) we reviewed has just marginally better 1.5mm travel. Key presses feel firm, the keycaps are spaced to my liking and large enough to prevent inaccuracies, and — perhaps best of all — there's a backlight to help with work in low-light situations. If I'm nitpicking, a larger font on some keys would be nice to have in the next generation.

Removing the keyboard from the rest of the laptop results in a slim piece of hardware that can be comfortably used in your lap. There's understandably some flex, but not enough that it becomes a problem if you aren't working on a flat surface. The touchpad, too, is a quality pointer with lots of space for gestures. The click is firm, and there's no rattle whatsoever even if you're tapping.

It's an above-average keyboard and touchpad combination for any laptop, never mind a dual-screen PC.

Altogether, I didn't find it difficult to use the keyboard and touchpad separated from the rest of the laptop. This is an area that Asus had to perfect, as having a sub-par typing experience when the laptop is in dual-screen mode would seriously interrupt the overall flow. It's an above-average keyboard and touchpad combination for any laptop, never mind a dual-screen PC.

Displays

Twice as much fun

The Asus Zenbook Duo (2024) is set up to offer no compromises across the two displays. This is a true dual-screen laptop, with two full-size 14-inch touch displays with OLED panels. They're visually and functionally identical, with the only difference being that one is covered part-time by the keyboard and touchpad.

My review unit has the upgraded configuration with 2880x1800 (2.8K) resolution and 120Hz refresh rate, though models with a Core Ultra 7 have an FHD+ resolution and 60Hz refresh rate; beyond the pixels and refresh rate, there's really not any more sacrifices to be made.

HDR content is, unsurprisingly, stunning when viewed on these displays.

Both screen resolution options come with the OLED panel for gorgeous color and contrast, they support VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500, they're Pantone-validated for color fidelity, they support Dolby Vision, and they come with MPP 2.0 active pen support (with a pen included for inking). The pen offers 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, and it charges with a hidden slide-out USB-C port. It does not attach to the laptop in any way, but the included folio sleeve does have a spot for safekeeping.

I tested the 2.8K OLED screens with my SpyderX Pro colorimeter, coming back with 100% sRGB, 96% AdobeRGB, and 100% DCI-P3 color reproduction for both. As for brightness, the screens topped out at 403 nits without HDR enabled, going as low as 0.2 nits. At 25% brightness, they hit about 30 nits.

HDR content is, unsurprisingly, stunning when viewed on these displays. In the case of my review unit, the 120Hz refresh rate is easier on the eyes, and the extra resolution makes everything pop. Even with standard IPS screens the laptop would be impressive, but the extra OLED tech should be a serious selling point.

Performance and battery

Intel Core Ultra 9 185H isn't hitting its full potential

Not only did Asus manage to engineer Intel's Core Ultra H-series chips into the Zenbook Duo, offering more performance compared to U-series alternatives, it also opted for a Core Ultra 9 185H for the high-end configuration. Unfortunately, the Core Ultra 9 doesn't provide the performance leap you might be expecting when compared to Core Ultra 7 laptops we've recently tested.

These findings are not a complete shock; the dual-screen design certainly poses some challenges for cooling methods. The laptop relies on two fans with a limited intake on the bottom panel and another between the displays, with exhaust venting on the sides.

Asus offers a few cooling options in its own app, with a balanced method set by default. I ran a bunch of tests using the default setup and the performance option (which allows the fans to run faster). Performance is certainly better in the latter case, but there is some extra fan noise. The system has a lot going on behind the scenes, especially in dual-screen mode, but performance was stable even when working from battery power. In my experience, the laptop can edit photos, handle heavy web browsing, and run multiple apps in the background without stuttering.

Here's a look at synthetic benchmark test results compared to the other laptops we've recently reviewed. I used Performance modes within Windows 11 and Asus settings.

You can see how much of a difference having more room for cooling makes by looking at the XPS 16 (2024) results above. Even with a Core Ultra 7 155H CPU, it hit higher multi-core scores than the Core Ultra 9 in the Zenbook Duo in a bunch of tests.

Considering Asus is only charging about $200 more for twice as much RAM, 2.8K resolution, and the Core Ultra 9 CPU, the lack of a major performance improvement between chips shouldn't be as serious. I wish I could have tested the Core Ultra 7 as well to check performance between the two chips in the same PC.

If you are looking at the Core Ultra 9 config just for the extra screen resolution, know that battery life is still quite respectable. In my testing with PCMark 10's Modern Office rundown, the Zenbook Duo lasted 11 hours and 58 minutes with one screen enabled and with brightness set at about 50%. That runtime dropped by about three hours and 15 minutes with both screens enabled.

A real-world translation comes out to about five or six hours of runtime if you're using both displays at the same time. If you're instead using the device like a more traditional notebook with one screen enabled, you should be able to get through most of an eight-hour workday without needing to plug in.

Should you buy the Asus Zenbook Duo (2024)?

You should buy the Asus Zenbook Duo (2024) if:

• You're not afraid to try out an unconventional laptop design.
• You're a multitasker who can benefit from a dual-display setup anytime you want.
• You want a quality typing and pointing experience no matter how you're using the laptop.

You should NOT buy the Asus Zenbook Duo (2024) if:

• You don't see a need for two displays.
• You need strong GPU performance, whether discrete or integrated.
• You want a laptop that's as thin and light as possible.

Asus has been experimenting with dual-screen laptops for awhile. We've seen screens in the touchpad, half-screens above the keyboard, and now a full dual-screen build. The experimentation has evidently paid off. The Zenbook Duo (2024) feels like a product that's been refined over the course of a few generations, and it should be considered one of the best laptops on the market today.

The Zenbook Duo (2024) feels like a product that's been refined over the course of a few generations, and it should be considered one of the best laptops on the market today.

There really aren't any major flaws or blind spots — save maybe the camera or audio quality not being particularly impressive — and the full package packs down so well that the average person would never know that there's a second OLED display hiding beneath the keyboard. I'm amazed at how well it works, ScreenXpert software included, causing practically no frustrations during my two weeks of fairly heavy use.

The Zenbook Duo (2024) is going to appeal to any professionals or creators who crave a second display wherever they go. It's incredibly useful for remote work, bringing respectable performance and battery life on top of the mechanical prowess. Although the review unit is being returned to Asus, I'm seriously considering buying one for myself. With prices starting at $1,500, Asus has created something that's very easy to recommend to multitaskers, professionals, and creators.