Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 (2022) Review: A Dual Screen Laptop That Can Do It All
© computer worldFrom the first look
expert judgment
strength
・This laptop has enough high-end CPU and GPU power to run AAA games and creative programs smoothly.
・ The main screen displays images with rich, vivid colors and deep blacks.
・New dual-screen design provides better visual continuity between screens.
worries
・The trackpad is small and still a bit difficult to place with your right hand.
・When you are not using the keyboard, your hands cannot be placed on the laptop body.
・ This laptop is not cheap.
Our opinion
ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 is the most powerful dual-screen laptop for gamers and content creators we've used to date, excelling in games and creative applications, and delivering stunning graphics hard to find anywhere else.
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The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 is an excellent laptop that offers not only an upgraded chipset that makes it faster and more powerful than its predecessor, but also an improved design that offers twice the new screen viewing experience.
What's even more impressive is that Asus managed to fit all of this into a body that's no bigger or thicker than a single-screen laptop. Of course you don't mind a small keyboard, the Duo 16 is the kind of laptop that will delight you with its looks and impress you with its fast performance in games and productivity applications.
Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16: specifications and features
Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 comes with a CPU configuration up to AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX. The specifications of our test device are as follows:
Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX
RAM: 32 GB DDR5 / 4800 MHz
Graphics card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080Ti
・Display: Main screen: MiniLED 16 inch QHD (2560 x 1600), 165 Hz refresh rate, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut. Secondary: 14.09-inch UHD (3840 x 1110), 60 Hz refresh rate, IPS level, touchscreen
・Storage space: 1 TB PCIe 4 SSD
・Port : 2 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (DisplayPort), 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (DisplayPort and 100W shipping), HDMI 2.1, microSD card reader, Audio 3. Port 5mm, RJ-45 Ethernet port
・Network: Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.2
・Dimensions: 0.81 x 13.98 x 10.47 inches
・Weight: 2.6 kg
・Color: Dark Technology (Black)
Battery capacity: 90 Wh
Price: $3999.99
Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16: Design and build
Even though it is a dual-screen laptop, the Duo 16 is still stylish like other Asus ROG gaming laptops. From the thin bezels to the ROG bevels and the logo and matrix pattern on the top cover, it looks very stylish.
This design certainly helps differentiate it from dual-screen laptops that are more capable in the Asus enclosure, such as the Asus ROG Zephyrus Pro Duo 14 – The Duo 16's closest relative is the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 SE which is more focused on games. But it also provides an elegant look that will make you want to display it proudly anywhere, whether it's in your playhouse or your den.
© PC World The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 looks like a high-performance gaming laptop thanks to the ROG styling on its top cover.asus
Asus deserves credit for packing two panels into a light and thin chassis. The Duo 16 measures just 0.81 x 13.98 x 10.47 inches, which surprisingly puts it on par with some single-screen laptops like the HP Victus 16. It also weighs just 5.73 pounds, which means it's never going to be a burden to carry.
While the Duo 15 SE is in a class of its own, Asus has gone a step further by building on this premium design to make the Duo 16 a far superior option.
First, the main screen is now bigger, bringing the graphics to life on a more satisfying 16-inch screen. It's also taller and has slimmer bezels (4.3mm) framing it in a 16:10 aspect ratio instead of a 16:9 aspect ratio, which makes the Duo 15 SE look a little dated now.
The main benefits of this change are obvious: if you're a gamer, you'll definitely notice a lot more action on the edges of the Duo 16's screen. Developers, meanwhile, will appreciate how easy it is to compare spreadsheets and run apps side-by-side or display multiple windows, all so much easier. Now.
Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16: keyboards and keyboards
Putting two pretty screens on the Duo 16 means the keyboard footprint is quite small - even though Asus increases the size every year. It's also located on the right side of the laptop chassis, which feels a bit odd.
Despite these minor flaws, the keyboard is very comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. There are wide keys that aren't too pushy or springy, with a generous 1.7mm of travel between them.
© PC World Keyboard Duo 16 takes up every ounce of space.Dominic Bailey/IDG
The RGB backlit keyboard, where every key is illuminated, is also a joy to look at and looks beautiful at any time of day. You won't get an ugly halo around the keys, even at the brightest setting. RGB lighting can also be easily adjusted using the Aura Sync tool within the Armory Crate software application.
Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16: two screens
ROG Nebula HDR flagship QHD (2560 x 1600 pixels) panel with 165 Hz refresh rate produces highly detailed images and smooth sequential frames that make gaming and watching videos extraordinary. The 14.09-inch UHD ScreenPad Plus is equally as impressive and saved me a lot of time with its touch capabilities. I can only move files and icons with my finger.
The main screen is powered by MiniLED with 512 lighting zones, making it much brighter than traditional LED screens. I measured 1,039 nits with my light meter, which beat some competitors by nearly 600 nits of brightness. It also has a 1000:1 contrast ratio.
If this sounds like an exaggeration, just wait until you see the color and the darkness it creates; It displays some of the richest tones and deepest blacks I've seen at this resolution, making it perfect for creative photography or shadow work. The color accuracy of this DCI-P3 and VESA certified DisplayHDR 1000 panel is also excellent and perfect for comparing images.
© computer worldasus
While I haven't been able to test it, Asus also gives you a choice of dual-spec main displays. This lets you switch between capable UHD resolution at 120Hz refresh rate or eSports-focused FHD resolution at 240Hz refresh rate. It's a great choice if you intend to use the Duo 16 for both work and competitive gaming.
Compared to the Duo 15 SE, the visual continuity between screens is much better. This is due to the new positioning of ScreenPad Plus.
Similar to the Duo 15 SE, it tilts up at a 13-degree angle, but its new housing is 25mm closer and slightly below the main screen, making the bottom panel almost invisible, giving you a fuller view of both panels. direct.
To say it makes multitasking easier than the Duo 15 SE is an understatement. For example, while it took me a full second to traverse a game map or read my Discord chat, the Duo 16 only took milliseconds.
What impact this will have on gaming or user performance is unclear. Suffice it to say, it will make the experience a lot more enjoyable overall.
Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16: I/O and audio options
With game and video content now being shared between my devices on a daily basis, my laptop needs to have a variety of ports that I can connect to. Luckily, the Duo 16 had what I needed, including two USB-A and two USB-C ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a microSD card slot for quick file sharing.
© PC World Duo 16 offers a useful selection of ports for gamers and creative professionals alike.Dominic Bailey/IDG
The Duo 16 also features next-generation Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity, which uses an additional 1200 MHz in the 6G frequency band compared to standard Wi-Fi 6. This is important for players who want the fastest possible delay at high frequencies. delay network. Game performance, but also great for content creators manipulating large files in the cloud.
With not two or four, but six speakers installed, including a dual-canceling woofer, the Duo 16's sound is surprisingly resonant for such a thin laptop. It also sounds very clear. Dolby Atmos support also helps deliver cinema-like surround sound, making watching movies with dramatic storylines a true pleasure.
Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16: CPU performance
The Duo 16 is powered by an AMD 8-core, 16-thread 6000-series Ryzen 9 6900HX mobile processor.
AMD claims its 6000 series processors are 1.3 times faster than the previous generation 5000 series mobile processors, meaning the Duo 16 gets a nice speed boost over the Duo 15 SE. In addition, the chip is more energy efficient and uses around 50 built-in power management functions, including fans and laptop cooling systems.
While we don't have benchmark results for the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 SE, we do have results from a variety of high-performance laptops to benchmark and compare the performance of the Duo 16. This includes laptops with the closest Intel CPU equivalent, a Core i7-12700H, such as the Razer Blade 17 2022.
The first test is the single-threaded Maxon Cinebench R20 test, which only tests a single core from the Ryzen 9 6900HX CPU. Our graphs below show that the Duo 16's performance is only average compared to comparator devices.
© computer worldDominic Bailey/IDG
This result was not very unexpected; AMD's own benchmarks only show a modest advantage of Ryzen 6000 CPUs over previous generation CPUs in single-threaded tasks, but an even bigger advantage in multi-threaded tasks. However, Duo 16 will still have no problems running light programs or applications.
Back at Cinebench R20, we ran a multi-threaded test. Here, each of our laptop's processor cores is activated to display a detailed image on the main screen. At the end of the test, it scored 5398 points, a score that proves it can easily handle AAA games or demanding productivity programs.
© computer worldDominic Bailey/IDG
The free HandBrake service is the next place to call. This is our go-to program for testing a laptop's ability to stay on track in CPU-intensive tasks before they overheat and have to slow down.
© computer worldDominic Bailey/IDG
As you can see from our chart, the Duo 16 recorded the fastest time of 1018 seconds. Serious gamers or developers involved in encoding or editing video are encouraged by these results, which show that the Duo 16's processor can stay cool and spinning even when some competing laptops are plugged in.
Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16: GPU performance
Our Duo 16 review unit features the Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti discrete GPU, a very powerful RTX 30 series card popular with gamers and content creators for its high frame rates.
This near premium mobile GPU has many powerful cores, including 232 tensor cores and 53 ray tracing cores. It also offers support for Nvidia's latest software, including DLSS AI rendering and Dynamic Boost technology. Let's see how the Duo 16 RTX 3080 Ti performs in our graphics test...
The 3DMark Time Spy 1.2 test as a whole provided a good insight into the capabilities of our laptop's component GPU. In this test, the Duo 16 ranked second in our benchmark range, more than confirming its ability to deliver high-fidelity graphics in games and video applications.
© computer worldDominic Bailey/IDG
In our initial Rise of the Tomb Raider game test, the Duo 16 outperformed the Asus ROG Strix G15 Advantage Edition, but was beaten by two of the most powerful gaming laptops to come out in the last 12 months, the Razer Blade 17 and Alienware. X15, moved. R2.
© computer worldDominic Bailey/IDG
Finally, we put Shadow of the Tomb Raider to the test. As you can see from the graph, the results are very similar to our previous results: The Duo 16 can't quite deliver the same high frame rates as the Razer Blade 17 or Alienware X15 R2, but it's still way ahead. . another powerful laptop. .
© computer worldDominic Bailey/IDG
So what's the verdict? While it doesn't top our rankings, these results show that the Duo 16 does surprisingly well in graphics tasks, which isn't bad for a laptop with not one but two screens. With consistent frame rates, we can safely say that the Duo 16 fulfills the task it was designed for.
Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16: battery life
To test the Duo 16's battery, we charged the laptop to 100% and then put it to sleep while playing a 4K Hollywood movie. After that, we took a look at the battery usage report, which showed that the Duo 16 lasted just under six hours.
© computer worldDominic Bailey/IDG
This isn't surprising and isn't a bad result for a gaming laptop. Gaming laptop battery life is average at best, as they tend to have the most power hungry hardware. However, in an unplugged gaming scenario, the Duo 16's battery will likely drain twice as much, so you can expect about three hours of unplugged gaming.
Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16: Verdict
Dual-screen laptops have always been the go-to for enthusiasts, and to get one you have to sell a dual-screen laptop for $4,000. The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 doesn't change that, but it does make the upgrade offering very attractive. Gamers and content creators alike will appreciate the extreme performance, stunning graphics, and incredible portability of this laptop.
