The dual-screen ASUS Zenbook Duo might be the best laptop of 2024 — here's why it's worth $2,199
I'm a shopping editor and this laptop is one of the best of the year.
If you have been trying to get your hands on the ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024) UX8406 since its release earlier this year, chances are you've been met with several out-of-stock notifications. The laptop, with its revolutionary dual 14" full-size 3K OLED touchscreens and detachable full-sized Bluetooth keyboard, offers plenty of power and generous screen real estate, making it a dream come true for multitaskers.
I had the chance to try out the ASUS Zenbook Duo, and trust me, there's a good reason why so many retailers have the device waitlisted. To read my honest review of the laptop and see if I'd pay $2,199 for the ASUS Zenbook Duo, check out my thoughts below.
This dual-screen laptop comes with two full-size touchscreens, a detachable keyboard, and an integrated kickstand.
- Incredible for multitasking
- Responsive touchscreen displays
- Includes 2 crystal clear 14" OLED displays
- Everything looks and feels top-notch
- Generous screen real estate
- Accessories vary by region
- Significantly more expensive in Canada
- Speakers are a bit muddy
- Some find the keyboard slippery
What is it: The 2024 ASUS Zenbook Duo is a dual-screen laptop with two full-size 14" 3K OLED touchscreens and a detachable Bluetooth magnetic keyboard.
What's included: Accessories vary by region. At Best Buy Canada, shoppers only receive a laptop and an ultra mini adaptor.
Who it's good for: If multitasking and peak productivity are your tech love languages, then the ASUS Zenbook Duo is for you.
What it's lacking: If you've seen reviewer videos that paraded cool accessories like a laptop sleeve, backpack and stylus, you will be disappointed. Accessories vary by region, and Canadian shoppers certainly get the short end of the stick.
The details
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14" OLED touchscreen laptop is a dream come true for multitaskers and has even been dubbed one of the best laptops of 2024 by Tom's Guide.
While the Zenbook Duo looks and functions like a regular laptop, it goes above and beyond traditional models. When you remove the detachable keyboard, you're presented with two 14" 120hz OLED displays. These screens can be used in several different modes: laptop mode with one screen and the keyboard attached, dual screen mode using a virtual keyboard, dual screen mode with the physical keyboard, desktop mode with both screens in a portrait configuration and sharing mode with the screens laying flat like a tablet.
The keyboard easily snaps on and, in theory, will never run out of battery as it's continuously charging while connected. If you detach the keyboard to access both screens, it has a USB type C port for charging. If you're in the mood to work without the physical keyboard, you can use the virtual keyboard and virtual touchpad on the screen.
When you want to access any of its dual-screen modes, the back has an adjustable built-in kickstand that keeps the screens steady. When fully extended, the ASUS Zenbook Duo provides up to 19.8" of workspace — more than enough room for creative projects, presentations and more.
The perfect laptop for digital nomads, the Zenbook Duo weighs 1.65 kg (3.6 lbs) and is 2 cm thin. Its 75Wh lithium-ion battery offers hours of video play in both laptop and dual-screen modes, though users can opt to save battery in traditional laptop mode.
- Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor and 16GB LPDDR5X RAM
- 1TB solid state drive
- Two full-size 14" OLED touchscreen displays with 1920 x 1200 resolution
- Integrated Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) (dual band) 2x2 and Bluetooth 5.3 wireless card
- Lithium-ion battery with 75Wh capacity
- Meets MIL-STD 810H military standards
- Preinstalled with Windows 11 Home operating system
- 1x audio jack, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A, 2x Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, and 1x USB Type-C on detachable keyboard provide multiple options for connecting external devices
- Full HD IR webcam with ASUS AiSense technology allows for quick face login
What it does well
My first impressions of the ASUS Zenbook Duo can be summarized as such: it is a really cool laptop. By no means am I a tech expert, but I found the setup to be super simple. Off the jump, the two 14" 3K OLED displays give a major wow factor. These screens are made for multitasking. The two screens, plus the detachable keyboard, make it the best work-from-home laptop I've come across. It takes the convenience of your office's two-monitor display and packs it into a compact laptop form.
The ASUS Zenbook Duo has a ton of different configurations that you can play with. I've used its dual-screen mode to read a recipe and watch a show simultaneously and the desktop mode to create full-screen presentations with all my sources and photos fully accessible on the other screen.
At 3.6 lbs, the laptop is a tad heftier than some of its competitors, but when you consider everything it's packing, the weight is next to nothing.
The first time I extended the screens to full capacity, there were definitely nerves involved. One screen essentially looks like it's floating on another, but thanks to its strong stand and hinge, you don't have to worry that the second screen will topple. The laptop also meets the ultra-demanding MIL-STD 810H military standards for reliability and durability, so it's passed multiple high and low temperature, shock, vibration and altitude tests.
Overall, it's a laptop you want to work from home with. If, like me, your days involve a lot of multitasking and dozens of open tabs, the ASUS Zenbook Duo will be a joy to work on.
Room for improvement
While the ASUS Zenbook Duo is close to perfect, there are a few downsides to note.
First: the battery life. Considering this device has two 14" OLED panels, you shouldn't be surprised that you might not get the double-digit battery life of other laptops. In dual-screen mode, the battery life sits around eight hours. Of course, it's not the worst, but if you're looking to use Photoshop, listen to music, watch a show and have dozens of tabs open, you'll want to park near a power source.
Another con of the Zenbook Duo is its lacklustre audio. The speakers were a bit muddy, in my experience, but not enough to deter you unless audio quality is your top priority.
Lastly, and perhaps my biggest gripe, is the lack of accessories given to Canadian customers. In the US and several other countries, the Zenbook Duo comes with a backpack, an ASUS Pen 2.0 SA203H with MPP 2.0 support, and a 65W USB-C charger. In Canada, you get the charger. ASUS notes that accessories vary by region; however, I was less than pleased to realize they're short-changing Canadians what is freely given to other markets. The laptop is already $2,200 CAD versus $1,500 USD, so the lack of accessories feels almost rude — or impolite, as we Canadians would say.
Is the ASUS Zenbook Duo worth buying?
Despite a few minor qualms, the ASUS Zenbook Duo deserves its near-perfect rating. The laptop's dual-screen display is a dream come true for anyone requiring extra screen space and device versatility. The Zenbook Duo is an extremely handy laptop and, despite the lack of accessories for Canadian consumers, well worth its $2,199 price tag.
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