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The ROG Zephyrus Duo efficiently brings the dual-screen design of the Asus ZenBook Duo to a gaming laptop computer, although at a excessive value.
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Do you want having a display screen in your laptop computer? Good information! The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo has two of them! More is healthier, proper?
Well, on this case… sure. More is unquestionably higher. While most video games don’t readily help show throughout a number of screens concurrently, further show house is all the time appreciated, particularly in case you usually want to observe a information or discuss with exterior web sites whereas enjoying (Path of Exile gamers, I’m taking a look at you).
The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo isn’t only a gimmick, both. Instead, it’s a strong, enticing, and well-executed dual-screen laptop computer, although it does have a notable drawback.
The first trace of the issue could be discovered within the specification sheet.
This laptop computer has Intel’s Core Ultra 9 386H. While that is a part of Intel’s newest Panther Lake silicon, the CPU has solely 16 cores, simply 4 that are Performance cores. The laptop computer additionally has 32GB of RAM and a 1TB PCIe 5.0 strong state drive. Nvidia’s RTX 5090 graphics rounds out the configuration.
The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo that I examined was the premium configuration, which is priced at an eyebrow-raising $5,499.99 MSRP. I’ve reviewed laptops above $5,000 earlier than, however they usually had 64GB of RAM and 2TB of storage (or extra).
Asus additionally provides a $4,499.99 configuration with an Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti as a substitute of the RTX 5090. The two configurations are in any other case similar.
Foundry / Matthew Smith
The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo is a dual-screen laptop computer with two 16-inch shows. One is within the typical location, whereas the second is positioned the place you’d usually discover the keyboard.
The laptop computer keyboard isn’t connected however as a substitute detachable. You can place it on high of the second show, wherein case the ROG Zephyrus Duo will appear like a traditional laptop computer. Alternatively, you may detach the keyboard and use it wirelessly.
In that case, the ROG Zephyrus Duo is mainly two OLED shows with a hinge within the center, and works extra like an all-in-one PC than a laptop computer. It even has a built-in kickstand that may help the shows as if the laptop computer is a big moveable monitor. The shows can be utilized in a stacked configuration (vertically, one above the opposite) or in a side-by-side configuration (horizontally, one show to the left and the opposite to the fitting).
But is it any good? The reply is an easy sure.
Indeed, you’d be hard-pressed to note it’s a dual-screen laptop computer when the keyboard is positioned over the second show. It seems to be and seems like a typical 16-inch gaming laptop computer. Once the keyboard is indifferent, although, the additional display screen actual property is helpful. The whole show actual property is much like a 24-inch or 25-inch monitor, albeit one with a everlasting division down the center.
This shouldn’t be fairly as useful for gaming as for productiveness, as most video games should not designed to be displayed on a number of screens directly. With that stated, I believe a whole lot of avid gamers will prefer to play within the stacked configuration, with one show positioned above the opposite. A recreation could be performed on one show whereas a written information or YouTube video is seen on the opposite. Many fashionable video games profit from fast entry to on-line guides, and the ROG Zephyrus is right for these titles.
Unique dual-screen design apart, the ROG Zephyrus Duo could be a well-built laptop computer even when it didn’t have a second display screen. It really feels extra inflexible and premium than most premium 16-inch gaming laptops. The laptop computer is a bit thick at eight-tenths of an inch, and it ideas the scales at 6.22 kilos, however these figures aren’t a lot totally different from 16-inch laptops that lack a second show.
Foundry / Matthew Smith
The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo ships with a removable keyboard and touchpad. It’s a single unit constructed to precisely match the laptop computer’s inside dimensions, and it succeeds. In reality, individuals who don’t know the keyboard is detachable in all probability received’t suppose to attempt it. The keyboard is stored firmly in place with magnets; it doesn’t budge or wobble when typing on the laptop computer or choosing it up.
Perhaps the one giveaway is the keyboard’s really feel. It provides a superb quantity of key journey (1.7 millimeters), and keys activate with a easy motion, however the keys have much less tactile really feel than I’d favor. I’m choosing nits right here, although. It’s an gratifying keyboard general and I didn’t have any drawback typing precisely.
The keyboard is wi-fi and subsequently has a battery. Charging can occur over USB-C or by way of a connector on the bezel of the second show, which robotically expenses the keyboard each time it’s connected to the ROG Zephyrus Duo. Though meant to be used with the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo, the keyboard makes use of Bluetooth, and it’s attainable to pair it with different units. RGB-LED keyboard backlighting is included and the backlight could be personalized via Asus’ built-in software program.
The included touchpad measures nearly six inches extensive and practically 4 inches deep. It additionally gives a bodily click on motion which, although shallow, is noticeable. While opponents just like the Razer Blade 16 have an ever-so-slightly bigger touchpad, the ROG Zephyrus Duo’s touchpad is giant and ranks among the many laptop computer’s greatest options. It feels responsive and gives a whole lot of house for executing multi-touch gestures.
Foundry / Matthew Smith
As talked about, the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo has not one however two 16-inch shows. Both are OLED touchscreens with 2880×1800 decision, a refresh price of as much as 120Hz, and HDR help.
They’re stunning. OLED show know-how gives excellent distinction, vivid colour, and deep black ranges, all of which makes for a tremendously alluring picture. And whereas the shows lack 4K decision, they nonetheless present an ultra-sharp pixel density of 212 pixels per inch. That’s a lot sharper than a 27-inch 4K monitor, which has about 163 pixels per inch.
It’s not fairly as useful for gaming as for productiveness, however having a second display screen obtainable is helpful if you have to reference a information or video whereas enjoying.
Brightness generally is a drawback for some OLED laptops, nevertheless it’s much less of a problem right here. The shows can exceed 400 nits in SDR. They’re additionally VESA DisplayHDR True Black 1000 Certified, which implies they’ll exceed 1,000 nits in HDR, although solely in particular circumstances, corresponding to when displaying small shiny objects in a darkish scene.
G-Sync is supported, although solely on the “main” show, which is the show that’s seen when utilizing the laptop computer in conventional clamshell mode. That’s good, however I might’ve preferred to see G-Sync obtainable on each shows.
Foundry / Matthew Smith
The shows are additionally very shiny. That in flip could make the shows troublesome to view in shiny rooms or outdoor, even with the show brightness turned as much as its most. This, nonetheless, can be true of most laptops with an OLED show.
Audio is delivered by a six-speaker system with two tweeters and 4 woofers, and it has the products. The laptop computer gives loads of quantity and a transparent sound stage that by no means appears overwhelmed or slowed down by bass-heavy tracks or explosions in motion scenes. While high-quality exterior audio system will nonetheless be preferable, the audio system are higher than common, and I count on some homeowners will suppose the included audio is nice sufficient.
A 1080p webcam lurks within the skinny bezel above the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo’s higher show. The digicam field-of-view is extraordinarily extensive by default, so that you’ll in all probability need to crop the video or use an auto-framing function (which successfully reduces the decision).
Audio is recorded by way of a dual-microphone array additionally crammed into the higher show’s high bezel. It has nice audio seize, although it nonetheless suffers the hole high quality frequent to a laptop computer microphone.
Biometric login is offered because of an IR digicam that helps Windows Hello facial recognition. This methodology of login is fast, dependable, and works even in a darkish room.
While the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo’s webcam and microphone setup is strong, it’s nothing particular. Most fashionable Windows laptops now provide a 1080p webcam and twin array microphone.
The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo has two Thunderbolt 4 ports. Each of those additionally help DisplayPort 2.1 for video output and Power Delivery 3.0 as much as 100 watts. That means the ports can be utilized to cost the laptop computer, or to offer small quantities of energy to different units. Note, although, that the ports don’t present sufficient energy to totally energy the laptop computer, which ships with a 300-watt energy adapter.
The laptop computer additionally has two USB-A ports with help for USB 3.2 and information speeds as much as 10Gbps. Additional connectivity consists of HDMI 2.1, an SD card reader, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack.
One port that’s notably absent is wired Ethernet. Although it’s changing into much less frequent with every passing 12 months, Ethernet continues to be obtainable on many 16-inch gaming laptops, together with funds machines.
The ROG Zephyrus Duo’s connectivity provides a variety of choices, however all of the ports are discovered on the machine’s flanks. This is a consequence of the dual-screen design, as there’s no technique to place ports on the laptop computer’s rear with out blocking them in some use instances. Asus locations the ports on the rear of every flank, at the very least, which mitigates cable muddle as a lot as attainable.
Wireless connectivity is powerful, because the ROG Zephyrus Duo has Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0. These are the most recent variations of every commonplace. These requirements aren’t unusual amongst high-end gaming laptops nevertheless it’s good to see them included.
The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo is fairly attention-grabbing from a {hardware} perspective. That’s as a result of it pairs Intel’s Core Ultra 9 386H with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090.
The Nvidia GPU is in fact a recognized amount at this level, however the Core Ultra 9 386H is a brand new chip. It gives 16 CPU cores (4 efficiency cores, eight environment friendly cores, and 4 low-power environment friendly cores). However, it has a miserly most Turbo energy draw of 80 watts, and a most Turbo clock velocity of 4.9GHz. For comparability, an Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX has a most Turbo energy draw of 160 watts and may clock as much as 5.5GHz.
Asus helps the CPU and GPU with 32GB of LPDDR5X-8533 of RAM and a 1TB PCIe 5.0 strong state drive. If 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage appears a bit slim for a laptop computer with an MSRP north of $5,000, I agree. In 2024 I reviewed an MSI Titan 18 HX that had 128GB of RAM and 4TB of storage at $5,399! While it’s tempting in charge this on the ROG Zephyrus Duo’s uncommon dual-screen design, the broader RAM and storage pricing disaster little question contributes to the issue.
Note: I examined the laptop computer in Turbo mode for efficiency benchmarks, and Silent mode in battery benchmarks, with the Hybrid GPU mode engaged in all instances. Asus does embrace a handbook mode that enables some extra customization, together with extra graphics energy.
Foundry / Matthew Smith
First up is PCMark 10, a holistic system benchmark, and it proves to be favorable for the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo. While the CPU isn’t outstanding by way of its multi-core efficiency, it nonetheless has a whole lot of cores and good clock speeds. More importantly, it’s paired with quick RAM, a quick strong state drive, and a quick GPU, all of which assist the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo high a PCMark 10 rating of 9,123.
Foundry / Matthew Smith
Moving on to Cinebench 2024, a closely multi-threaded CPU benchmark, we see the narrative take a much less favorable flip for the ROG Zephyrus Duo.
While the Intel Core Ultra 9 386H has 16 cores, solely 4 of these are Performance cores. That places the Zephyrus Duo in an uncomfortable place, as a result of comparably priced gaming laptops often have Intel Core Ultra 9 285 or 290H processors—or AMD’s Ryzen AI 9. All of these have extra CPU cores and/or extra high-performance cores. The finish result’s that the Intel Core Ultra 9 386H can’t sustain.
Foundry / Matthew Smith
It’s a considerably comparable story in Handbrake, one other closely multi-threaded CPU benchmark. In this case, nonetheless, the hole between the ROG Zephyrus Duo and its opponents is far tighter. The ROG Zephyrus Duo with Intel Core Ultra 9 386H even managed a tiny win over the Razer Blade 16 with an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370.
These benchmarks level out the ROG Zephyrus Duo’s largest flaw. The Intel Core Ultra 9 386H can’t sustain with the kinds of CPUs usually present in comparably priced gaming laptops, together with Intel’s personal Core Ultra 275HX/285HX/290HX {hardware}.
Foundry / Matthew Smith
Now we transfer on to 3DMark, the place we see the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo with Nvidia RTX 5090 publish a Time Spy rating of 18,970 and a Port Royale rating of 13,844. As the graph exhibits, these are excessive scores however in the direction of the decrease finish of what must be anticipated from an Nvidia RTX 5090.
Once once more, obtainable energy is a priority, because the RTX 5090 within the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo has a most graphics energy of 150 watts. Some high-end gaming laptops ship as much as 175 watts.
Foundry / Matthew Smith
Shadow of the Tomb Raider additionally exhibits the boundaries of efficiency. The recreation hit a mean of 165 frames per second at 1080p decision and Highest element. That’s not a nasty outcome, and mainly ties the Razer Blade 16 with Nvidia RTX 5090. However, gaming laptops with extra highly effective CPUs, in addition to extra obtainable graphics energy for the RTX 5090 GPU, can obtain higher outcomes. Even the Lenovo Legion 9i averaged the next framerate, although it “only” has an RTX 5080.
Foundry / Matthew Smith
It’s an identical although barely worse story in Metro Exodus, which we take a look at at 1080p and Extreme element, although with ray tracing turned off. This is a CPU heavy graphics take a look at, so it’s not a shock to see the ROG Zephyrus Duo lag the sector.
Foundry / Matthew Smith
The story is barely higher in Cyberpunk 2077, which we take a look at at 1080p at each the Ultra preset and the Overdrive ray-traced preset. This benchmark sees the efficiency of the ROG Zephyrus Duo return to competitors with the Razer Blade 16 (2025). However, the Lenovo Legion 9i and MSI Raider 16 Max HX nonetheless have a major benefit.
This makes for a transparent verdict. The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo shouldn’t be as fast appropriately given its $5,000+ MSRP. Asus clearly leaned in the direction of a extra moveable, energy environment friendly machine as a substitute of 1 that goes all-out on efficiency, and that has penalties.
This is to not say the ROG Zephyrus Duo is gradual—its poor solely compared to laptops just like the MSI Raider 16 Max HX and Lenovo Legion 9i, which rank among the many quickest we’ve examined. Still, if performance-per-dollar is your precedence, the ROG Zephyrus Duo won’t be for you.
The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo has a 90 watt-hour battery. That’s giant, however a bit lower than the 99 watt-hour most battery dimension that’s allowed on passenger flights, and is the standard efficient cap for a laptop computer. Asus combats that with efficient battery administration, and the outcomes are spectacular.
Foundry / Matthew Smith
To my shock, the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo was in a position to endure PCWorld’s commonplace battery take a look at, which loops a 4K clip of the brief movie Tears of Steel, for nearly 13 hours. This determine was produced with one show lively and the discrete GPU in hybrid mode, which means it may be used however is turned off when not required.
Asus’ software program deserves a whole lot of credit score for this outcome. I obtained notifications after I was on battery energy and an software was utilizing the GPU within the background. Asus’ software program additionally gives a button to terminate all purposes utilizing the GPU. That made it apparent which apps must be closed to stop extreme battery drain.
Using each shows has solely a average influence on battery life. Repeating the battery take a look at with each screens lively drained the battery dry in simply over 11 hours. The precise battery life discount was 100 minutes for the dual-screen mode vs. the single-screen mode. That nonetheless leaves the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo with above-average battery life for its class.
Though these outcomes are wonderful, potential homeowners ought to do not forget that it’s attainable to empty the battery rather more rapidly. Battery life of 1 to 2 hours must be anticipated in case you attempt to play a recreation with the laptop computer in a high-performance profile. My testing was carried out in Silent mode with the Hybrid GPU mode.
That’s true for all laptops with a strong CPU and GPU, nonetheless, and the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo’s general battery life efficiency is excellent for a laptop computer in its class.
The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo efficiently brings the dual-screen system that works for its mid-range ZenBook Duo to a high-end gaming laptop computer. It’s not fairly as helpful for gaming as it’s for productiveness, however having a second display screen obtainable is helpful if you have to reference a information or video whereas enjoying. And whereas the ROG Zephyrus Duo is primarily a gaming laptop computer, it’s additionally a strong selection for basic productiveness, wherein case the dual-screen design is a serious benefit.
There is a trade-off, nonetheless, and that’s the performance-per-dollar Asus can provide. The ROG Zephyrus Duo makes use of an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H processor with 16 cores. Only 4 of these are efficiency cores, and that has penalties for the laptop computer’s multi-core CPU efficiency. While it’s hardly gradual, the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo is behind a laptop computer just like the MSI Raider 16 Max HX, which has the 24-core Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus.
Fortunately for Asus, the ROG Zephyrus Duo strikes again with a number of wonderful options. It has a big touchpad, an important sound system, two beautiful OLED shows, and lengthy battery life (as long as the discrete GPU shouldn’t be engaged). These perks will assist some customers overlook the Core Ultra 9 386H’s modest scores in multi-threaded benchmarks.
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