It looks like dual-screen laptops are going to be the new trend for the coming year, so I’ll have to dedicate at least one post to them. To be honest, I’ve always liked one large screen better than two medium-sized ones. All attempts to use a laptop with a large monitor ended up with me displaying the image only on my 32-inch Alienware. Turning my head or looking to the side to read a message in the messenger was simply uncomfortable for me. For a similar reason, widescreen monitors didn’t work for me, and this year I returned to the good old 16:9 aspect ratio. More information vertically — easier to perceive.
The new dual-screen laptops offer us an alternative option — an intermediate solution between a standard laptop and a laptop connected to a large monitor. Like, you don’t need a second monitor, we already have everything, and in a mobile version. Plus, the screens are located one above the other.
Let’s take a closer look at this type of device, using the example of a new ASUS Zenbook DUO. ASUS has been working on this concept for seven long years, since the first dual-screen laptop concept was shown at Computex. Then there were several models with screens inside the touchpad and a keyboard combined with the screen, until finally in 2024 the first version of the Zenbook DUO was released. In 2025, ASUS finalized the hardware and software for it, and introduced the second version of the Zenbook DUO, improved and updated in terms of hardware.
Zenbook DUO — a laptop with two screens, where the second screen is located in the usual place for the keyboard. When the laptop is folded — the keyboard is attached to the magnetic clips between the screens, in this assembly it is as thin and weightless as possible, and practically does not add any weight or thickness to the device. In general, the company’s engineers did a great job on ergonomics, and I would say that the new ASUS is comparable in thickness to a MacBook Pro M3, and it doesn’t feel heavy either.
The heart of the laptop is a series of new energy-efficient Intel processors, up to Core Ultra 9 285H. Intel Arc Graphics is responsible for graphics. There is also up to 32 GB of RAM, a PCIe 4.0 drive up to 2 TB (again, no PCIe 5.0, unfortunately, but, as I wrote earlier, it has not yet been adequately used), and Bluetooth 5.4 and Wi-Fi 7 are the network interfaces. There are not so many ports on the sides of the device, but there is something: two Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports, one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A and one HDMI 2.1. Webcam — mid-range, with FullHD resolution and an infrared sensor. Weight — 1.35 kg without keyboard, 1.65 kg with keyboard.
The keyboard is detachable from the laptop, so there’s no need to keep it connected all the time. The battery lasts for a long time, and it discharges much slower than a laptop. Unfortunately, due to the presence of two screens, you shouldn’t expect such devices to have battery life on par with Snapdragon laptops. We tested last year’s model of the same laptop, and with the two displays turned on at 100%, the laptop lasted 7 hours and 50 minutes in Word mode. With one screen open and the other running YouTube, the battery lasted 4 hours and 10 minutes. If you turn the screen down to 50%, you can theoretically expect results that are about one and a half times as good.
In my opinion, the manufacturer compromised in some places in the internal filling for the sake of two, I would even say three things. Low weight — 1.35 kg for a device with two screens, which is very cool, an adequate price, which I will mention at the end, and, most importantly, two luxurious OLED panels of 14 inches each with a resolution of 2880×1800, HDR support, and a screen refresh rate of up to 120 Hz. In this configuration, it’s a pleasure to look at the screen — colors are rich and vivid, and OLED + HDR in compatible games and videos produce a rich color palette. With the latest generation Intel Arc on board, you can expect the latest AAA games to run on the laptop, albeit at modest settings.
How does one work with such a device? If the laptop is placed in the classic — position on a table, then looking down while working is absolutely uncomfortable. But if the laptop is placed on a stand so that the two screens are in front of you, it’s a completely different matter. There are two installation options here — two screens vertically, and two screens horizontally. I liked the second option, I like having a lot of space horizontally, but maybe developers will like the first option.
On the lower screen, you can open a text, image or video editor, and on the upper screen, you can display messengers, mail, and other related windows. In the demo build, the display mode was set so that the screens complement each other. The ASUS ScreenXpert 3 proprietary application is responsible for the smooth operation of applications and the overall synchronization of two screens. With its help, you can expand programs to both screens, drag windows using gestures, and switch between applications on the fly.
In the review of the previous version of the device, we noticed some freezing of the interface during the operation of ScreenXpert 3. Now, during the short demo, I had no complaints about the application, but to be honest, I wish such things were part of Windows, and third-party developers didn’t have to bother solving problems that Microsoft should be solving.
During a short test, I didn’t feel like the second screen was superfluous, as in cases where the laptop is next to the monitor. Rather, I wanted to come up with a useful use for it — to display additional windows that you constantly switch to while working. For example, Telegram. Or a dashboard with ITC traffic for the last day.
I’d say that those who like multiple screens and all-in-one solutions will definitely like this device. The novelty will definitely appeal to people in creative professions, perhaps developers and people who work with texts. It’s great that interesting concepts, like the Zenbook DUO, grow into real solutions that can replace the technology we are used to.
And the best part is the price. From $1499 in the US market! This is finally the price that seems adequate for a new device. In this price category, the laptop will compete with mid-range business laptops, and does not come close to overpriced models when the price exceeds $2000-3000. In Ukraine, the price tag of ASUS Zenbook DUO in the maximum configuration starts from 105,999 UAH.
For fans of classic form factors, I’d like to mention another device from ASUS (I don’t plan to return to laptops in the coming articles) — a new Zenbook A14 made of ceramic, which I wrote about earlier. This time, the entire body is made of a new material, looks absolutely stunning, weighs less than a kilogram, and, according to the developer, works up to 32 hours in video viewing mode and up to 19 hours in office tasks. ASUS Zenbook A14 will go on sale on February 1 at a price of UAH 72,499 in the maximum configuration.
That’s all I have to say about laptops from CES 2025. Would you try a dual-screen version, or are traditional options more familiar?