Asus Zenbook Duo UX482 Headed to Kenya, Brings 11th Gen CPU and Improved Second Screen

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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:

Displays14 inch 1920 x 1080 non touch main display
12.6 inch 1920 x 515 touchscreen secondary display
ProcessorIntel Core i7 10510U
dGPUNVIDIA MX250
RAM16GB LPDDR3
Storage1TB Samsung PM981
Battery70Whr
Charger65W barrel plug
CameraIR webcam with Windows Hello support
ConnectivityWi-fi 6 with upto 2.4Gbps, Bleutooth 5.0
Ports1 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
AudioHarman Kardon certified
Array mic with Cortana and Alexa support
ColourCelestial Blue
Weight1.6kgs

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 UX482Specs
ColourCelestial Blue
SoftwareWindows 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)
GraphicsIntel® Iris Xe Graphics
Intel Iris Xe Graphics,NVIDIA® GeForce® MX450,2GB GDDR6
ScreenTouch 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 screenScreenPad™ Plus (12.65" 1920 x 515 IPS-level Panel Support Stylus)
Memory16GB 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
Storage1TB 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
Ports1x 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 touchpadBacklit Chiclet Keyboard
1.4mm Key-travel
WebcamHD camera with IR function to support Windows Hello
SoundBuilt-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
Battery70WHrs, 4S1P, 4-cell Li-ion
Power supplyTYPE-C, 65W AC Adapter, Output: 20V DC, 3.25A, 65W, Input: 100-240V AC 50/60GHz universal
Weight1.57 kg
1.62 kg
In the boxBackpack
Sleeve
Stand
Stylus
PriceTBA

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.

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Kenn Abuya is a friend of technology, with bias in enterprise and mobile tech. Share your thoughts, tips and hate mail at [email protected]