Dual-screen laptops are here to stay, and the new Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 is adding some more viewing area and fancy features to what was already the best twin-display gaming machine on the market.
We reviewed the first 15.6-inch Zephyrus Duo in 2020 and an updated version in February 2021, and were impressed by the system’s portability and performance, as well as the angled secondary display between the keyboard and the main screen. Now Asus is bringing a larger main display, some design tweaks, and refresh rates that change with resolution to the new Duo 16. We were able to check it out in a private pre-CES meeting.
The video below shows off the new laptop, which fits a larger 16-inch primary display into the same base design. Watch our discussion and read the details below to find what’s new in this model.
Double the Fun: New Layout Emphasizes Extra Screen Space
The main draw for the Zephyrus Duo line, if you couldn’t tell by now, is the smaller second screen, dubbed “ScreenPad Plus,” below the first. You can drag-and-drop applications, files, folders, and videos from the primary panel to the second as you like, for reference or for use while working or gaming.
The ScreenPad Plus tilts up from the keyboard deck to angle toward you when you lift the laptop lid. That also allows for additional airflow into the chassis for CPU and GPU cooling. Now, on to what’s new.
The chassis is roughly the same size as the Duo 15’s, but it makes room for a new 16-inch, 16:10-aspect-ratio main display via a placement and bezel readjustment. For a laptop already juggling two screens, fitting even more real estate into the same form factor is a big plus.
The two screens are now placed slightly differently, so the lower bezel of the main display is essentially hidden behind its smaller sibling, in practice losing the bezel entirely. This reduces how much of the screen border you see. That’s nice on its own, but it also makes for a more seamless two-display setup, like two thin-bezel desktop monitors placed edge-to-edge.
The effect is a bit different when the screens are vertically aligned, but you get the idea. The secondary screen’s new placement also leaves an even bigger gap for airflow to the components, which rest right under the lifted panel.
Even More Advanced Displays
The main panel is not just bigger, but it’s more advanced, too. The video clip includes a more in-depth explanation from Asus, but the most intriguing display option really ups the ante: In addition to conventional 1080p and 4K displays, you can opt for a proprietary “dual spec” panel that runs at two resolutions and refresh rates: full HD (1,920 by 1,080 pixels) at 240Hz, or 4K (3,840 by 2,160 pixels) at 120Hz.
Combining 4K resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate would overwhelm the GPU, so display technology ties the max refresh rate to the lower resolution. As for the ScreenPad Plus, it’s a mini LED panel with an extremely high contrast ratio and 1,100-nit brightness.
Components and Other Tweaks
Inside, the new Duo 16 sports the latest AMD processors and newest Nvidia mobile GPUs, both just announced at CES. Also new is DDR5 memory, the high-speed RAM being added to many premium laptops this year. Like Asus’ other new systems, the laptop uses liquid-metal thermal material to keep temperatures down and performance up.
The keyboard has also been improved with more key travel (Asus says it’s now 1.7mm). The Duo 15’s keyboard had a fairly flat typing feel, so this will hopefully make the feedback a bit more satisfying.
As a result of the design, there’s no palm or wrist rest, and the touchpad is still relocated to the right edge, which definitely takes some getting used to. (As you can see in the photos, however, the touchpad can double as an LED numeric keypad at the press of a button.) Like the new Zephyrus G14, the Duo 16 has a webcam embedded in the top bezel, which was missing from the previous edition.
The laptop’s connectivity wraps around the sides to the rear edge…
Check back for a review of the ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 when production units become available.
