AI PC Zenbook Duo 14-inch laptop released by ASUS./Reporter Jeon Byeong-su
When I opened the laptop screen, two monitor screens appeared before my eyes, befitting the name ‘ASUS Zenbook Duo’. Like a foldable phone that can be used as a large screen with two screens, you could play a movie on one screen and search news on the other. The sharing mode, which switches the screen 180 degrees to match the angle of the person sitting across from you, was also impressive. The monitors, installed one at a time on the top and bottom, have 14-inch organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels. The OLED screen displayed clear images even near a sunny window, and even sports videos with a lot of dynamic movement were played without disruption.
A feature of ASUS’ first artificial intelligence (AI) PC, the ASUS ZenBook Duo 14-inch, released last month, is that it is equipped with a dual monitor. ZenBook Duo consists of two OLED touch screens and a Bluetooth keyboard. Intel’s next-generation AI processor ‘Core Ultra’ is also installed, allowing you to utilize AI functions.
◇ Increased usability with two OLED monitors
If you remove the Bluetooth keyboard attached to the bottom monitor of ZenBook Duo, you can use it in dual screen mode to use two screens at the same time. If you tilt the screen to the side, it switches to desktop mode where you can use the screen as spaciously as a regular desktop. You can use it as wide as one screen, or by using both screens, you can stream video on the left screen and work on documents on the right at the same time.
OLED monitors are equipped with a touch screen function, so you can operate the screen with your hands without a mouse. A touch pen is also provided, so it can be used as a notepad function. ASUS’ ‘GlideX’ app connects a laptop and a mobile device, and allows screen expansion, duplication, and remote control between devices. OLED displays also generate less heat. The temperature of the screen remained constant even when the video was continuously shown for about 3 hours. According to Asus, the display temperature is maintained below 45 degrees Celsius using a heat spreader behind the OLED panel.
Another feature of this product is that it has advanced AI functions based on Intel’s Core Ultra processor equipped with a neural network processing unit (NPU). When you turn on the camera for a video conference, AI automatically blurs the user’s background to minimize exposure of private spaces. In addition, it recognizes a moving user in real time and adjusts the processing of the user’s gaze.
When I turned on the camera function and used it, the background was naturally blurred as I moved my body left and right. The built-in microphone and speaker are equipped with an AI-based noise reduction function in video conferences, etc.
Asus Zenbook Duo’s camera AI function. Background blur is applied by recognizing the user’s movements in real time. / Reporter Jeon Byeong-su
◇ Disadvantages of weight and thickness… The price is around 2.4 million won.
According to Asus’ official website, the price of ZenBook Duo is around 2.4 million won (based on model equipped with Core Ultra 7 processor). Although it is the cheapest price among ‘AI PCs’, it is burdensome compared to general laptop products from competitors such as Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.
Portability is also poor. The laptop weighs 1.65 kg including the keyboard. Based on the 14-inch screen, Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Book 4 weighs 1.2 kg, and LG Electronics’ LG Gram weighs 1.1 kg, which is heavier than other products. The thickness is also 16.9 mm, which is about 3 to 5 mm thicker than Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics products. Even if I put the Asus Zenbook Duo in my laptop bag and moved around for about 20 minutes, I could feel the weight on my shoulders. This may be somewhat inconvenient for office workers who move frequently or college students who have a long commute to school.
