Asus is known for its ZenBook laptops with dual screens, that are either integrated into the trackpad or, as in the latest ZenBook Duo 14 (UX482), deployed full-width, forcing the keyboard down into the wrist-rest area. The Duo 14 (UX482) improves on the previous model in terms of hardware and software, but is it more functional than its predecessor, and provides decent value for its premium price tag (£1,399 inc. VAT with 16GB RAM in the UK, $1,299.99 with 8GB in the US).
The ZenBook Duo 14 (UX482) appears unremarkable from the outside. The blue/grey clamshell system is traditional enough, with its signature concentric circles on the lid radiating out from a silver Asus marquee. The desktop footprint for a 14-inch laptop is rational at 32.40cm wide by 22.20cm deep, and it’s an adequate 1.69-1.73cm thick.
The core specifications of this Intel Evo-verified laptop show a capable system: my review unit included an 11th generation Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. However, if you lift this computer to bring it around, you’ll notice a difference: at 1.62kg, it’s very heavy for a 14-inch laptop. When you lift the cover, you’ll notice that a full-width second screen sits in the position usually occupied by the upper rows of the keyboard, pulling the keyboard down so that there’s no wrist rest area. The touchpad has been shifted to the right side of the keyboard as well.
The Asus ZenBook Duo 14 will be made or broken by this ScreenPad plus (UX482). It’s a touch-responsive IPS screen with a resolution of 1,920 by 515 pixels, that measures 12.65 inches across the diagonal and around 3.25 inches wide (157.1ppi). When you open the lid, the ScreenPad Plus hinges up to rest at a slight angle. The screen was flat when I last looked at this configuration in the 15.6-inch ZenBook Pro Duo (UX581). This slight improvement has a significant impact on usability, making it much easier to see what the computer is showing while sitting at a desk or table.
The ScreenPad Plus serves as a companion to the main screen and is incredibly useful, due to its size and versatility. Asus worked on the programme, and both, flexibility and capabilities have been enhanced from the previous model, quickly allows you to touch access to options within applications: for example, if you often perform a series of screen taps or menu choices to complete a task, you can automate them into a single one-tap on-screen key.
Given that artistic types may be drawn to the ZenBook Duo 14 (UX482), there’s also a Control Panel app that offers controls for a variety of graphics-related applications. It is compatible with Photoshop, Lightroom Classic, Premiere Pro, and After Effects. Finally, you can build what Asus refers to as “workgroups,” which are groups of up to seven applications that can be launched by tapping an icon. The secondary screen can accommodate up to three apps, while the main screen can accommodate up to four.
The Intel Core i7-1165G7 processor powers the ZenBook Duo 14 (UX482). While discrete Nvidia GeForce MX450 graphics are available, my review unit relied on Intel’s integrated Iris Xe graphics. There is 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD hard drive. With all going on, it’s a little odd that the operating system is Windows 10. There is no fingerprint sensor for biometric login, presumably due to a lack of space around the keyboard region – though it is possible that it may have been embedded in the power button above the touchpad. Instead, Windows Hello facial recognition through the IR-equipped webcam handles biometric authentication, which unfortunately does not benefit from a privacy shutter.
On the right side, Asus has made space for a MicroSD card reader, which is a useful function for creators who might need to move stills or footage from a digital camera. On this side, there’s also a USB 3.2 port and a 3.5mm audio jack, while the left side has a full-size HDMI port and two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports. When the battery is being charged, you charge the laptop via USB-C, leaving only one of these ports open.
Asus estimates up to 17 hours of battery life for the 70Wh battery, which is very impressive, given that two screens are powered. In my test, I left the second screen turned on and worked across both devices, running mainstream workloads involving web apps and media streaming, with social feeds or other apps in the ScreenPad Plus throughout. Under these conditions, the battery usually fell from 100% to 67% in three hours, implying a battery life of about 9 hours – a full working day, but nowhere near Asus’s assertion.
The Asus ZenBook Duo 14 (UX482second)’s screen is its distinguishing feature, and the extra viewing area and software features provided by the ScreenPad Plus may be appealing, especially to creative users. However, these advantages are outweighed by a cramped keyboard, the lack of a wrist rest, and the right-aligned, portrait-mode touchpad, all of which impair usability. The ZenBook Duo 14 (UX482) is a capable laptop, but its unique features come with trade-offs, and prospective buyers must determine if those trade-offs are acceptable to them.
