Asus has been bringing many of its laptops to Kenya. While the brand has been known as a budget option for locals, the Taiwanese company decided to go all-in in terms of what it brings here. This meant that Kenyans, for the first time, could enjoy the company’s high-end laptop line, including the Zephyrus and the Zenbook Duo line.
Last year, we played with the Zenbook Duo (UX481) for some time, and we loved what it brought to the table. As a reminder, here are its specs:
| Displays | 14 inch 1920 x 1080 non touch main display 12.6 inch 1920 x 515 touchscreen secondary display |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core i7 10510U |
| dGPU | NVIDIA MX250 |
| RAM | 16GB LPDDR3 |
| Storage | 1TB Samsung PM981 |
| Battery | 70Whr |
| Charger | 65W barrel plug |
| Camera | IR webcam with Windows Hello support |
| Connectivity | Wi-fi 6 with upto 2.4Gbps, Bleutooth 5.0 |
| Ports | 1 USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C 1 USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type A 1USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type A HDMI Audio jack MicroSD card reader DC in |
| Audio | Harman Kardon certified Array mic with Cortana and Alexa support |
| Colour | Celestial Blue |
| Weight | 1.6kgs |
As seen, Asus did not skip on anything in terms of raw power and features.
And lest we forget, the Duo has, as its name suggests, two screens to boost productivity for professionals or even basic users who can afford it. The laptop is still available for sale at KES 251K, which is a substantial amount of money, but just look at the product’s specs and sheer power, and you would see why it costs that much.
But we are not talking about the UX481 Duo today because it has a successor that will make an appearance in the Kenyan market very soon.
It goes by the same name, the Zenbook Duo, but the unit number is UX482. It bumps up a lot of specs, including a newer 11th Gen CPU and an improved duo screen.
Here are its specifications:
| ZenBook Duo 14 UX482 | Specs |
|---|---|
| Colour | Celestial Blue |
| Software | Windows 10 Home - ASUS recommends Windows 10 Pro for business Windows 10 Pro - ASUS recommends Windows 10 Pro for business |
| Processor | Intel Core™ i7-1165G7 Processor 2.8 GHz (12M Cache, up to 4.7 GHz, 4 cores) Intel Core™ i5-1135G7 Processor 2.4 GHz (8M Cache, up to 4.2 GHz, 4 cores) |
| Graphics | Intel® Iris Xe Graphics Intel Iris Xe Graphics,NVIDIA® GeForce® MX450,2GB GDDR6 |
| Screen | Touch screen,14.0-inch,FHD (1920 x 1080) 16:9,IPS-level Panel,Anti-glare display,LED Backlit,400nits,sRGB: 100%,Pantone Validated,Screen-to-body ratio: 93 %,With stylus support Touch screen,14.0-inch,FHD (1920 x 1080) 16:9,IPS-level Panel,Anti-glare display,LED Backlit,400nits,sRGB: 100%,Pantone Validated, Screen-to-body ratio: 93 ％,With stylus support |
| Additional screen | ScreenPad™ Plus (12.65" 1920 x 515 IPS-level Panel Support Stylus) |
| Memory | 16GB LPDDR4X on board,Memory Max Up to:32GB 32GB LPDDR4X on board,Memory Max Up to:32GB 8GB LPDDR4X on board, Memory Max Up to:32GB |
| Storage | 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD 512GB M.2 NVMe™ PCIe 3.0 SSD 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 Performance SSD 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD with 32GB Intel Optane Memory |
| Ports | 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A 2x Thunderbolt 4 supports display / power delivery 1x HDMI 1.4 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack Micro SD card reader |
| Keyboard and touchpad | Backlit Chiclet Keyboard 1.4mm Key-travel |
| Webcam | HD camera with IR function to support Windows Hello |
| Sound | Built-in speaker Built-in array microphone harman/kardon (Premium) with Cortana and Alexa voice-recognition support |
| Network and Communication | Wi-Fi 6(802.11ax)+Bluetooth 5.0 (Dual band) 2*2 |
| Battery | 70WHrs, 4S1P, 4-cell Li-ion |
| Power supply | TYPE-C, 65W AC Adapter, Output: 20V DC, 3.25A, 65W, Input: 100-240V AC 50/60GHz universal |
| Weight | 1.57 kg 1.62 kg |
| In the box | Backpack Sleeve Stand Stylus |
| Price | TBA |
Impressive numbers, right?
Unfortunately, we do not have a unit for testing, yet, but Asus has revealed some key details about the product to us.
First, the company says that the Duo’s 14” screen is now better in terms of colour accuracy and brightness, which is what many creators look for. And it doesn’t hurt that any consumer actually enjoys watching content on a display that is punchy.
The secondary display, which Asus calls the ScreenPad Plus, is of course here, and is one of the laptop’s distinguishing features. No other machine rolls like this. Asus says that the display works best especially when the computer is placed on a desk. The screen unlocks a ton of functionality for people who like to do more than one thing at a go. What better way than having two screens for such tasks, and sufficient power to boot?
The second screen, which is on the keyboard deck, means that the keyboard is pushed to the edges and the touchpad to the extreme end. Many people, including yours truly, wouldn’t be comfortable with this arrangement, but it is something you can get used to. Else, a mouse would do for that matter. Nevertheless, the arrangement is unique to the Duo, which some people may like.
The raw numbers also reveal that the computer is speedy, bearing in mind that the UX481 exceeded our expectations. Expectations are positive, and we know that users will not have issues in terms of how the laptop performs.
Other things are challenging to tell without having the unit in the house, and they include webcam performance (there is one here, unlike the Zephyrus G14), heat management, and battery life.
Asus is yet to bring the maxed-out Zephyrus Duo in Kenya, but we believe that the UX482 is a compelling offering that can fill the gap for enthusiast users who want two screens on their laptops, with enough power to complete their demanding tasks.
We will update you about pricing and availability soon.
