Sporting a similarly unorthodox dual-display form factor to the ZenBook Pro Duo, this new Zephyrus laptop is geared towards high-intensity gaming and creative work, with room to spare. The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo is also one of a series of new machines from Asus sporting the latest GeForce RTX cards from Nvidia.
Big numbers, more power, more speed
With regards to the spec ceiling, it picks up where the Pro Duo left off, offering up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super graphics with ‘ROG Boost’ (the Pro Duo topped out at an RTX 2060), while the processor can be maxed out to the fresh-faced i9-10980HK Comet Lake mobile chip, which in its own right boasts a theoretical maximum single-core peak clock speed of 5.3GHz.
Other spec highlights include up to 48GB (16GB integrated + 1x 32GB SODIMM) of DDR4 RAM, up to 2TB of storage by way of dual NVMe SSDs in RAID 0 and a powered Thunderbolt 3-compliant USB-C port (among others).
Seeing double
Of course, being able to apply all that power is what’s really important here and Asus has worked to capitalise on the Zephyrus Duo’s dual-display setup. Up top, you’re presented with a 15.6in Pantone-approved (non-touch) panel, configurable as either a 60Hz, 4K UHD IPS Adobe 100% display or, following the company’s first showcase of the technology in late 2019, a 300Hz Full HD IPS sRGB 100% panel with a 3ms response time.
The choice will likely to fall to what purpose you’re picking up the Zephyrus Duo for – creative work will better benefit from the 4K SKU, while gamers will want that extra-high refresh rate and low response time. There’s also the matter of the machine’s secondary display, dubbed the ‘ROG ScreenPad Plus’ – a 14.09in 60Hz 4K UHD (3840×1100) IPS touchscreen that also supports stylus input.
Focussing that power
In our initial time with the Zephyrus Duo, Asus showcased numerous multi-window workflows that might benefit from this second screen. On the creative side, it could be used to show toolbars of shaders and assets whilst 3D modelling, feature a timeline view for video production or virtual sliders for music production.
On the gaming side, meanwhile, streamers might want to set applications like OBS, Streamdeck and their Twitch chat across the ScreenPad simultaneously.
Conversely, Asus confirmed that it’s working with developers to enrich existing gaming experiences. Developers like Overwolf allow Zephyrus Duo owners to download apps for games including League of Legends, Fortnite and CS:GO, in order to view real-time statistics and the like.
Keeping cool
Naturally, when you do decide to leverage the Zephyrus Duo’s power, it’s going to get hot and you’re going to need to keep that substantial heat build-up in check. Thankfully, this machine has a few tricks up its sleeve when it’s under pressure. Tricks like the company’s liquid-crystal polymer ‘n-Blade’ fans, paired with liquid metal in place of traditional thermal paste in contact with the CPU, which Asus says results in a temperature reduction of up to 8 degrees, when under full load. The Zephyrus line has also made a name for itself thanks to the integration of an ‘Active Aerodynamic System’ or ‘AAS’. The Zephyrus Duo offers a standout interpretation, called ‘AAS Plus’ which not only sees the entire machine elevated when you open it up, but also raises and angles that secondary display.
This creates a 28.5mm air intake behind the ScreenPad Plus, while also making it easier to see and interact with. The company says this design results in a 30% increase in airflow (over previous AAS implementations) and should ensure the Zephyrus Duo can operate more quietly (below 46dB in Turbo mode and 43dB in Performance mode).
Price and availability
The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo is set to arrive in July 2020, starting at £2999.99 for the i7/RTX 2070 Super build, making it a machine for enthusiasts first and foremost.
If you don’t want to wait until July, check out our current list of the Best Gaming Laptops right now.
