For those who can never have enough screens, the Asus ZenBook Duo with Intel Core Ultra X9 388H delivers strong battery life and powerful integrated graphics, though you'll spend some setup time uninstalling software.
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Intel's most anticipated CPU launch in quite some time is a laptop CPU — Core Ultra Series 3, formerly known as "Panther Lake." The top-end Core Ultra X9 388H packs a powerful iGPU and is made on Intel's 18A process. Our first look at this chip comes through the Asus ZenBook Duo (UX407).
This laptop ($2,299.99 as tested) is Asus' latest take on a dual-screen machine, with smaller bezels than before, lovely OLED panels, and surprisingly good battery life. Most of the best ultrabooks are standard clamshell laptops, but Asus is finally starting to refine this dual-screen laptop, even if there are still a few growing pains.
That new processor might not entice you into upgrading based on productivity performance alone (though there are gains), but if you do anything using integrated graphics, you'll likely be impressed.Once you get past the sheer amount of software and bloatware on board, Asus's design and Intel's new processors mostly impress.
Design on the Asus ZenBook Duo (UX8407)
The Asus Zenbook Duo is 5% smaller than previous models, which may not sound like a lot, but is quite noticeable. Once you open the gray "ceraluminum" lid with the Asus Zenbook wordmark, I noticed that the system is thinner, and that there is far less space between the two screens, which are stacked on top of each other.
The lack of bezels between the screens is noticeable. It still looks like two screens, but the new hinge keeps them more flush, and the design feels more purposeful this time around. The bezel on the top of the top screen, however, is very thick compared to other high-end laptops.
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The ceraluminum material is aluminum with a ceramic-like texture. It feels great and I like how it looks. Asus claims that it's "smudge-free" and can withstand light scratches and wear.
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