In context: CES 2024 is officially underway in Las Vegas with a variety of ready-to-launch tech products and prototype concept devices. Many interesting laptops and monitors have been unveiled at the event, with brands like Lenovo, Samsung, MSI, and Alienware showcasing some of the coolest notebooks and displays we have seen in recent times.
Asus also joined the party by unveiling a slew of fascinating new products at the event. The most notable new laptop in the company's portfolio is the Zenbook Duo UX8406, which comes with a dual-screen form factor that's similar to some of the existing devices on the market. However, unlike previous Zenbook Duo models, the new laptop has two 14-inch OLED touchscreen displays held together by a 180-degree hinge down the middle.
The two displays have the exact same specifications, including a 16:10 aspect ratio, 3K (2880 x 1800) resolution, up to 500 nits of peak brightness, and a 120Hz refresh rate. In addition to the two screens, the device also comes with a detachable Bluetooth keyboard with a built-in trackpad.
The Zenbook Duo can either be used as a standard laptop where the bottom screen is covered entirely by the keyboard, or as a regular dual-screen laptop with the two screens arranged vertically. It can also be used in desktop mode, with the two screens arranged horizontally.
The Zenbook Duo will be available in a number of configurations, with the top-end model sporting an Intel Core Ultra 9 H-series processor, 32GB of LPDDR5X memory, 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, and a 75Wh battery. It should also be fairly durable, as denoted by its US MIL-STD-810H certification. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, 2x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x HDMI 2.1, and a 3.5mm audio socket.
The Zenbook Duo will be available later this month starting at £1,699 (around $2,163) in the UK, but there's no official word on its US pricing and availability as of now.
Another interesting device unveiled by Asus is the ZenScreen Fold OLED (MQ17QH) monitor that features a 17.3-inch foldable OLED panel with a 2560 x 1920 resolution. The display covers 100 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut, weighs 1.17 kg, and is 9.7 mm thick. It is VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 certified and has a two-way kickstand that allows it to be used in either landscape or portrait mode.
While the ZenScreen Fold looks like a compelling device, there's no word on whether you'll be able to buy it any time soon. Asus hasn't announced pricing or availability details, so there's no way to tell if it is ready for a commercial launch.
