Foldables are becoming a norm in the smartphone world, but the same technology is slowly trickling down to laptops as well.
Many laptop makers have had some form of foldable portable computer, but most of these devices have been released on a test basis.
Even those that hit store shelves are only available in limited quantities. This technology is also a challenge to develop, which is why any foldable device that goes on sale is very expensive and reserved for the few.
In the last couple of months, we have known that Asus, the Taiwanese company that makes a bunch of devices, including computers, was prepping the launch of the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED.
The device is here now and has just been revealed a couple of minutes ago.
As its name suggests, this is a laptop that can fold, the same way we have seen devices such as the Galaxy Fold and Flip series do.
The display can fold into a small package that stretches to just 12.5” at 3:2 aspect ratio.
The display becomes even bigger when opened fully at 17.3” at 4:3 aspect ratio, making it one of the biggest displays out there that you can get on a laptop.
Asus adds that its hinges are built to last for an extended period.
The hinges allow the display to be propped at 180 degrees and can endure at least 30,000 open/close cycles.
It also has a 75 Wh battery that can last a whole day.
The display, by the way, is a 2.5K OLED with touch screen support. There is no high refresh rate here, just the normal 60 Hz.
The device is also equipped with Harman Kardon quad-speakers alongside Dolby Atmos.
Under the hood is a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU (1250U), and Iris Xe graphics. Other specs include 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB of SSD storage.
It also has 2 USB C ports that support Thunderbolt 4.
The display weighs under 1.5 kgs but goes up to 1.8 kgs with a Bluetooth keyboard attachment. The full-size ErgoSense Bluetooth keyboard and touchpad increase its versatility, allowing use in Desktop mode, Laptop mode (with Bluetooth keyboard), Laptop mode (with virtual keyboard), Tablet mode, Reader mode, or Extended mode.
In each mode, the easy-to-use window management tools — such as Mode Switcher — in the ScreenXpert 3 app allow multiple split-display configurations and flexible app layouts for enhanced productivity.
Local availability has not been revealed. Pricing details have also not been shared.
