While the cookie-cutter cinematic universe of Marvel has received multiple tech collaborations over the year, the dark and gritty DC universe has been in the backseat. Much like box office, Marvel also dominates mainstream collaborations with multiple consumer products around the world, But that does not mean that the grey superheroes from the DC universe do not deserve the same treatment. Be it breakfast cereal or hybrid cars, superhero collaborations have been one way to gain the attention of the market of potential buyers. Now, it looks like DC is finally catching up to the trend by collaborating with ASUS for the ASUS ROG Phone 6 Batman Edition.
ASUS ROG Phone 6 Batman Edition leaks:
Tipster Evan Blass in collaboration with 91 Mobiles recently leaked render of the ASUS ROG Phone 6 Batman Edition. The new device is rumored to have multiple themes tailored to Batman’s dark aesthetics. However, there won’t be much of an upgrade when it comes to the design aspect as it will only feature a simple ‘Batman’ tag at the back of the device coupled with Blue and Purple shades. The ‘ROG Phone 6 Batman Edition’ branding is also placed on the right side of the rear panel, thus confirming the edition’s name. Besides this, the device looks similar to the standard ASUS ROG Phone 6.
It is expected that the device will come with similar specifications as the ROG Phone 6. Users can expect the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC coupled with Adreno 730 GPU, up to 12GB LPDDR5 RAM, and a max storage of 256GB USF 3.1. The device is likely to feature the 6.78-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display which offers a high 165Hz refresh rate and 720Hz touch sampling rate. The display will be backed by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. The camera setup of the device includes 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 main camera, a 5-megapixel macro unit, and a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera.
The superhero-themed special editions of popular smartphones are not a new direction to explore. Previously, OnePlus delivered an Avengers-themed OnePlus 6 which featured an Iron Man back. Oppo had also offered an Avengers-themed Reno 5 Marvel edition device back in 2021.
Buying a 16-inch budget laptop seems to be a cynical question these days and to answer just that, ASUS has launched the 2022 variant of its most preferred series of Vivobook laptops. Starting at only ₹54,990, this is by far the most affordable 16-inch laptop in the market with more than decent specs and clearly targets a demography which prefers bigger screens but don’t want to end up spending a lot.
These new ASUS Vivobook laptops which are updated for 2022 now do pack in considerate performance while still being affordable which we feel is a great stint by the Taiwanese giant.
Powered by the last-gen AMD Ryzen 5000H processors, which even in 2022, we feel is a good one to use on budgeted Windows laptops and here it’s the 45W drawing powerful Ryzen 5 5600H variant. The model we tested is the ₹59,990 version with 16GB RAM.
Design and Formfactor
At a first glance, the Vivobook 16X will give you a premium vibe even though it’s made up of plastic. The blue color used on the surface makes it look a bit more upmarket than its price range. Even though it weighs almost 1.8Kg, it doesn’t feel bulky enough to carry along with you.
However, ASUS has made this laptop very solid from the outside and the body has very little flex even though it’s a plastic one.
It doesn’t use a metal lid but it’s better than a lot of other laptops you see on the market for the same price and the 16-inch chassis. The hinge is also strong enough to hold this big display, which can even lay flat at 180 degrees, and the body’s build quality is adequate enough to get through your entire day of work or play. Overall, considering the price range and being a 16-inch laptop, the design is clean & minimalistic while the build quality is decent, cannot ask for more honestly.
Performance
On the performance front, the ASUS Vivobook 16X is powered by the 6-core AMD Ryzen 5 5600H processor that does give significant performance bumps thanks to the increased TDP. In this price range though, having this APU does help in giving out a good performance on a daily usage basis.
This AMD processor is coupled with a 16GB RAM which is undoubtedly great for light office use, educational purpose or even casual light gaming as the iGPU is capable enough to handle 720p triple-A gaming and 1080p battle royal games. The bigger screen size ensures the utilization of most of its performance.
Display
The most prominent USP of the ASUS Vivobook 16X has to be its large 16-inch display which enables a bigger & better 16:10 aspect ratio. With its ultra-slim bezels, it is more of a 15.6-inch chassis which has a 16-inch display being neatly packed into it.
Previously, at this price getting a 16-inch FHD+ display was never heard about, obviously, there are certain 14-inch and 15-inch displays to compete with but we feel this one has a special appeal for those who always prefer a larger display. The matte finish screen does eliminate a lot of reflection but again, being a budget friendly laptop you cannot ask for everything and so the ASUS Vivobook 16X’s display is not the best out there and if you are looking for a more colour-accurate one refer to the OLED displays from ASUS. However, the specs offered by this display are ok but always that 16-inch form factor along with a 16:10 aspect ratio is a highlight of the laptop.
I/O & Connectivity
Coming to the I/O and connectivity features of the Vivobook 16X, there are actually a lot of ports because of a bigger shell of the laptop which opens up the horizon to accommodate a lot of them. You get one USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port on the right-hand side where you will see the maximum number of the ports. Two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports – one on the left and one on the right, along with a USB 2.0 port, HDMI output, and an audio combo jack. It isn’t surprising enough to see ASUS use the latest connectivity options on the Vivobook 16X as you have both the latest Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. Connectivity is seamless and we didn’t face any trouble while connecting the laptop to the internet or connecting other devices to it.
Keyboard & Trackpad
Having a bigger chassis means you do get a bigger full-size backlit keyboard with a numeric pad which is indeed a big deal for a laptop at this price range to have. Obviously, these are plastic keycaps, but the overall rigidity is confidence inspiring to type. The tactility is on-spot with the kind of feedback it delivers while typing fast. The large trackpad provides a larger surface area for you to fiddle around with the scroller.
Audio & Webcam
ASUS boasts to have great speakers on the Vivobook 16X, however, it isn’t the best in the market. Not to complain, but the loudness is decent looking at the price point you’re getting this laptop for. While the webcam is a 720p one making it usable enough for the pricing and it’s good to see ASUS using a privacy shutter so that you can block your webcam when not in use. Something which for students is a boon.
Battery Life
ASUS claims that the 50WHrs battery used inside this Vivobook 16X will last up to 8 hours which isn’t deceiving at all. As we noticed in the actual usage, one can expect around 6-7 hours of battery life while light working, which again is very respectable for the price and can stretch up to 8 hours with smart usage.
Verdict
This is a very well-balanced all-rounder laptop by ASUS and at a starting price point of only ₹54,990, it can be summed up to be a revolutionary product which should not be neglected while choosing one. However, the target audience for this big laptop is people who love bigger displays and do use them for work or play and even for students who love the 16-inch form factor yet aren’t willing to spend a lot.
We should learn how to balance elegance and versatility from Asus, the company that always introduces us to something extraordinary every time they launch a product, especially laptops. Recently, the brand launched a lineup of new laptops in the Indian market, Zenbook 14 Flip OLED, Vivobook S 14 Flip, and Vivobook 15 (touch).
Zenbook 14 Flip OLED
The price of the slim, light and ultra-versatile convertible Zenbook 14 Flip OLED starts from Rs 99,990, and it is equipped with a stunning 16:10 2.8K OLED HDR NanoEdge touchscreen. The display of the laptop has 550 nits of brightness with a 4-sided NanoEdge design and an 88% screen-to-body ratio.
The laptop that will shine your productivity anywhere is equipped with the latest gaming-grade intel 12th Gen H-series processors and is paired with 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM on all models. It has a 360˚ ErgoLift hinge which supports a 4096-pressure-level stylus, while the ASUS NumberPad 2.0 offers efficient multitasking.
Vivobook S 14 Flip
The super-versatile convertible with a 360° hinge laptop features a 14-inch IPS panel with a Full HD+ resolution and 16:10 aspect ratio. The Vivobook S 14 Flip starts from Rs 66,990 and is available for sale online and offline. The touchscreen panel of the laptop has a brightness of 300 nits and has plenty of ports, including the latest Thunderbolt™ 4. The laptop will be available in both Intel and AMD variants in India.
Vivobook 15 (touch) (X1502)
The laptop is sleek and lighter than its predecessors and is priced at Rs 49,990. It has a 15.6-inch full HD screen with slim bezels and an 82% screen-to-body ratio. The laptop comes with a better screen, a bigger battery, and improved computing capabilities; the company also claims it has better battery life.
ASUS India, Republic of Gamers (ROG) today strengthened its Zephyrus and Flow lineup with the launch of the ROG Zephyrus Duo 16, Zephyrus G14, and Flow X16 alongside the refreshed editions of Zephyrus G15, and Flow X13, packed with power and upgraded performance. The laptops feature AMD Ryzen 6000 series mobile processors and a MUX Switch to deliver uncompromising, powerful gaming performance. The laptops are an addition to ASUS’ extensive gaming portfolio and are designed to uplift the competitive edge of the gamers with state-of-the-art technology. Resonating the philosophy of ‘Compact is the new Impact’, the latest gaming lineup offers versatility to the gamers by bolstering the gaming experience. The product pricing for Zephyrus Duo 16 starts from INR 249,990, Zephyrus G14 – INR 146,990, and Zephyrus G15 – INR 157,990 and will go on sale online and offline. While the pricing for ROG Flow X16 starts from INR 171,990 and Flow X13 – INR 121,990 onwards and will be available online and offline.
In conjunction with the launch, ASUS ROG also introduced the #BeYouWithROG campaign, which encourages users to explore their creative side by staying true to their authentic selves. The brand’s objective with this campaign is to inspire consumers to believe in themselves, be brave and fearless, and follow their passion, no matter what!
ASUS ROG introduced the powerful Flow X16, which is a 16-inch ultra slim device with XG Mobile compatibility that fits in an ultra-compact 15-inch chassis and speeds through most demanding tasks, thanks to cutting-edge processors, with up to an AMD Ryzen™ 9 6900HS. Its ultra slim frame is equipped with up to an NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3070Ti Laptop GPU to let you game with complete confidence. Built on NVIDIA’s Ampere architecture, the latest GPU options combine new streaming multiprocessors with enhanced RT and Tensor cores to provide unparalleled realism with Ray-Traced graphics.
For the first time, ASUS has included a revolutionary tri-fan setup called the Frost Force cooling system to achieve great cooling in such a thin and slim form factor. It is combined with Pulsar Heatsink, which redirects the airflow towards the GPU. This results in exceptional cooling and superior performance.
Another powerful addition to the Flow family is the new Flow X13. It comes with Windows 11 Home, which has never been as flexible, powerful, or portable. This Ultra slim 13” 1.3kg chassis, speed through gaming and go beyond with up to the latest Ryzen™ 9 6900HS CPU and GeForce RTX™ 3050 Ti GPU. With a choice of 4K UHD or 120Hz FHD display option, go wherever your creative flow takes you. The X13 has a 360-degree hinge and a multitude of different viewing configurations. The display is touch-enabled and outfitted with scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass for added durability. Set it to the clamshell mode for everyday work and play, or switch to stand mode to share your screen in small spaces easily. A low-profile design helps it slip easily into crowded bags, leaving more room for your favourite gaming gear. The side-mounted power button has an integrated fingerprint sensor, allowing you to log in 3x faster and more securely than a password.
The Zephyrus lineup is ramped up with The Zephyrus Duo 16, enabling you to experience true multitasking with a seamless dual display design. The second 14.1” touchscreen display supports resolutions of up to 4K and is equipped with up to an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX CPU and up to NVIDIA RTX 3080Ti series GPUs with MUX Switch and blazing fast speeds and low boot times with 2 TB PCIe Gen 4 X4 SSDsand 32GB of Dual Channel DDR5 4800MHz RAM. To cool all the high-end hardware, there’s ROG Intelligent Cooling system with 84-blade Arc Flow fans and Conductonaut Extreme liquid metal compound on the CPU for up to 15° lower temperatures compared to the traditional thermal paste.
The large 90Whr battery and USB Type-C 100W Power Delivery Fast Charging support work confidently on the go. The secondary ScreenPad Plus display is offered in 3840 x 1100 (4K) and 1920 x 550 resolutions. Both panel options offer 100% sRGB, 400 nits brightness with Touch and Stylus input. The ROG Nebula Display panel supports Dolby Vision HDR, Adaptive Sync, 500 nits max brightness, and is Pantone validated with 100% DCI-P3 coverage. An IR camera with Windows Hello support enables logging into Windows quickly and taking on any typing tasks with a comfortable 1.7mm travel distance keyboard. Furthermore, a Type-C port on the right edge of the Duo 16 will be USB4 capable with a software update that’s expected to enable the capability later this year.
The Zephyrus G14, compared to the last year’s model, has significant improvements in its overall design and performance. Not only has the platform been upgraded to the new AMD Ryzen™ 6000 Series processors for mobile, but both the up to AMD Radeon RX 6800S and Up to the latest Ryzen 9 6900HS Processor with Radeon™ Graphics offer a considerable uptick in performance compared to last year’s RTX 3060- equipped ASUS G14. Featuring a 14” slim and light chassis, the G14 has been redesigned to cover all of the users’ daily needs, from gaming to content creation, while on the move.
The Zephyrus G14 now features a 16:10 aspect ratio to accommodate more content on users’ screens. It’s super slim 4.7mm side bezels and a 91% screen-to-body ratio provide users with a truly immersive gaming and visual experience. The improved thermal design allows the new G14 to get additional thermal headroom and achieve up to 105W of total graphics power (with AMD SmartShift Max technology). S. The panel has also gone through a major update and now fulfills all the requirements to be labelled as ROG Nebula Display. It is equipped with Dolby Vision, 100% DCI-P3 color coverage with Pantone Validation for color accuracy. The Zephyrus G14 is a portable powerhouse designed to cover all of users’ daily needs, from gaming to content creation.
The Zephyrus G15 is equipped with up to an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS laptop processor. With 8 cores and 16 threads, the beating heart of the G15 is built on cutting-edge 6nm technology and is paired with the top-of-the-line NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3080 graphics card. In addition, the new model is configurable with up to 16 GB of DDR5 RAM– 4800 MHz (expandable to 48GB), which provides the bandwidth and speed for all the multitasking you throw at it. For the ultimate visual experience, the Zephyrus G15 is configurable with either a 240Hz or 165 Hz QHD panel, combining the benefits of high-resolution displays with responsive and fast refresh rates.
Intel’s 12th generation processors are a giant leap forward in performance, and many brands are soon adopting newer processors. Intel is still the preferred choice of many professionals for its hassle-free operations and no unnecessary need to update BIOS to get the best performance out of their hardware. We have been using the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED for about a month, and here is our take.
Designed to be casually professional
The design is professional yet classy, with design elements finished in matte and glossed geometric lines. Overall, it is lightweight at 1.4Kgs with an all-metal chassis. It is still bottom heavy like most non-touchscreen laptops, but overall weight distribution is even across the computer. The gloss metal hinge looks interesting in real life. There’s also a 180-degree ergo-lift hinge. Two Thunderbolt 4 Type C USB ports, a Type A USB port, a full-fledged HDMI 2.0 port, a MicroSD card reader, two status lights, a 3.5mm headset jack, and Kensington lock ports complete the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED’s good I/O selection.
The display is glossy, unlike the entire matte finish feel of the laptop. The keyboard is a highlight with contoured keys and a clicky feel. Three levels of illumination with TKL design make it ample space for typing and a biometric fingerprint scanner in a subtle thin chrome bezel is fast. There’s a large touchpad with Asus NumericPad 2.0 and two brightness levels on this, along with usual gesture recognition. Both the camera and mic get a dedicated one tap manual access for privacy and hardware-level control.
OLED beauty
The USP of this laptop has to be an insane 550nits bright 2.8k OLED display featuring a 16:10 aspect ratio. With 100% DCI P3 and 109% sRGB colour calibration, this display is bright, colour accurate for professionals, and display nerds would be more than happy staring at this laptop all day long. The brightness levels are ample for outdoor viewing, but the glossy panel will have you staring at your face while using this laptop outdoors. Indoors, this is one of the best displays money can buy. Adding to the credibility of this laptop is Pantone validation.
Performance – Fast and Furious!
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED’s performance is top-notch thanks to their integration of Intel’s latest 12th gen processors. Ours was an i7 1260p with 12 cores and 16 threads paired with 16GB DDR5 RAM at 4800mhz and 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD by Samsung. Productivity is snappier than any Zenbook series we’ve ever tested. The only downside is the heat it produces. It can get warm enough to be uncomfortable on your lap, and fans tend to get audible enough to notice.
What surprised us was the efficiency level of this chip. This laptop is like a sprinter with a marathon runner’s stamina with normal work usage on multiple chrome tabs, including videos and audio. Throw any task apart from graphics-intensive tasks, and the laptop simply flies through the task. Over a week, we charged it only twice. At 75kWh and new-gen processing efficiency, this laptop is a thoroughbred business companion. Bundled inside the box is a Type C 65W USB fast charger, and the most exciting part of this laptop is its innate capability to charge through chargers with as low as 5W-20W output. Theoretically, it can charge over any normal power bank as well. This eliminated the need to carry multiple chargers, especially while travelling. It does take forever to charge on mobile phone chargers, but heck, it charges, and that is what matters. Video conferencing was a pleasant experience thanks to a better 3D NR camera, and noise cancellation featured mics with Dolby Atmos configured speakers. Nothing too impressive but definitely way above average.
Verdict
A relatively higher MSRP could be a deal-breaker when this amount of money could get you something like the Samsung pro book 2 360, an AMOLED 2k display with similar hardware, and spare you enough money to get a basic Asus laptop while weighing a mere 870 gms instead of a 1.4kg Asus Zenbook 14 OLED. In isolation, this OLED laptop is beautiful, powerful and classy, bundled with all the necessary Office suite and Windows seamlessness.
Asus, Republic Of Gamers expand its Zephyrus lineup by launching Zephyrus M16 2022 gaming laptop.
Arnold Su, Business Head, ASUS India, stated, “With every ROG launch we inch a step toward revolutionizing the gaming segment. The ROG Zephyrus M16 2022 edition is no exception as we further our journey to elevate the user experience making it more immersive, inclusive, and robust. With the new 12th Gen Intel Core H-series processors, we have leveraged our unmatched expertise in design and our deep understanding of the evolving needs of the PC gaming community to deliver ace mobile processors for gamers. We are confident that the newly launched ROG Zephyrus M16 will match the needs of gamers and customers constantly on the go.”
Body and Display:
The Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 sports a 16-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600 pixels) IPS LCD panel. The display has an anti-glare coating and is a manufacturing facility calibrated by Pantone out of the box. It functions at a 165Hz refresh rate and a 3ms response time. The display screen boasts Adaptive-Sync, 100% DCI-P3 coverage, 500 nits of brightness and Dolby Vision HDR support. The laptop brings effective hardware in a slim and light chassis.
Processor:
The Zephyrus M16 2022 is powered by up to a 12th-generation Intel Core i9 processor paired with 32GB DDR5 RAM. The laptop supports up to 48GB DDR5 RAM. The Zephyrus M16 2022 comes with up to Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics. Asus has additionally protected the MUX switch support to permit gamers to optimize the overall gaming performance.
Battery:
The laptop comes with a 90Wh battery that offers up to 10 hours of battery life. Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 has a Thunderbolt 4 with Type-C Power Delivery 3.2 Gen 2 with the option to charge from portable energy packs so that you by no means forestall creating.
Price and Availability:
The laptop comes with a starting price of Rs 1,79,990, and it goes all the way to Rs 3,31,990 for the top-specced model with the RTX 3080Ti.
The new Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 will go on sale on the 8th of April and be available online through ASUS e-shop, Amazon and Flipkart. It will even sell through offline stores, including Vijay Sales, Croma, and Reliance Digital.
After almost a year, finally, ASUS launched its compact smartphone 8z in India today, which was postponed earlier due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The company dubbed the smartphone as a “perfect smartphone” due to certain features such as its easy to operate screen reachability, sleek design and, of course, the Qualcomm snapdragon 888 processor, which is one of the fastest processors out there.
While making the smartphone, the company made sure that it would fit in every pocket, be it jeans, tracks, shorts, jackets, leggings or even gym wear. The smartphone sports a 5.9″ inch screen and is priced at Rs 42,999 for a version with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. The newly launched smartphone by ASUS competes with the Xiaomi 11T Pro, Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G, and the OnePlus 9RT.
The smartphone arrives with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and has a glass back. ASUS 8z smartphone features a dual rear camera setup, a 64-MP Sony IMX686 primary sensor with an f/1.8 lens and a 12-MP Sony IMX363 secondary sensor with an f/2.2 ultra-wide lens. It has a refresh rate of 120Hz and is backed by a 4,000mAh battery.
Two-screen or dual-screen gadgets are becoming a trivial trend, but keeping aside the audience’s interests, several top-notch companies are investing in the idea and developing two-screen devices. We have witnessed the launch of two-screen products such as Galaxy Fold 3, Galaxy Flip 3, Asus ZenBook Duo 14, and Lenovo ThinkBook Plus in the past few months.
Amongst all of these gadgets, we’ve reviewed some and sent them back to the places. However, to our luck, we got a chance to keep the Asus ZenBook Duo 14 for a bit longer, and that’s why we decided to come up with a long-term review where we can assist you to understand the complete details of the 14-inch Asus ZenBook Duo 14.
Design & Build Quality
Asus is known for offering the world’s best motherboards and innovative gadgets such as high-quality personal computers, graphics cards, and other technology solutions. The company’s latest addition, the uniquely designed Asus ZenBook Duo 14, is an update to last year’s Zenbook Duo 14, and it arrives with a massive slab of a second screen.
On the outside, the ZenBook Duo 14 features a concentric circle pattern etched on top, and it looks elegant. The glossy silver Asus logo stands apart and strikes a laptop with a classy look. On the inside, it features two screens, as mentioned in the name, and it is as wide as the main screen, but it makes the laptop sacrifice its ergonomics.
Along with a head-turning design, the Asus ZenBook Duo 14 endures a well-built form. The full-HD laptop features sturdy and robust screens, tough enough to take a hard punch. The Duo 14 is not a lap-friendly laptop, and most of the credit goes to its raised bottom panel and the second screen, as it doesn’t sit flush and changes the conventional wrist-rest space.
Display
The ZenBook Duo 14 features two stylish, seamless and steady displays, which are unquestionably beneficial if you prefer working on a laptop while commuting in a car. The laptop features a primary display of 14-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) and an additional compact display of 12.65-inch (1920 x 515), dubbed as the ScreenPad Plus. The Zenbook Duo 14 offers an immersive viewing experience with a four-sided frameless NanoEdge display and its second screen automatically tilts up to an angle of 7° which reduces glare and reflections for improved readability.
The dual display is best for journalists, writers or students who like to open/switch various windows/tabs at a time. They can use the ScreenPad Plus to track the latest news/articles and use the primary one to write their own. The Duo 14 is the best option for users who want more than one display. The laptop also features a handy button above the touchpad that immediately swaps the contents of your primary and secondary screen. The ScreenPad Plus is beneficial for gaming, especially when you like to play games and run video references side by side.
Ergonomics & Ports
One of the flaws of the Zenbook Duo 14 is its keyboard and mousepad. The company has done a decent job adjusting both of these essential aspects in a tiny space, but somewhere deep down, we all know we’re not satisfied with it. The secondary screen, ScreenPad Plus, leaves extremely little room for the touchpad, which forces Asus to create a vertical mousepad.
Also, as mentioned earlier, one can not rest their palms while typing; it’s a bit of a task in itself and a hard one to follow. Along with the mousepad, the keyboard also looks cramped and compromised for the second screen. Centre-aligned mousepads and empty keyboard decks are comfortable for every individual, whether right-handed or left-handed.
One aspect that doesn’t suffer due to the secondary screen is the ports. The Zenbook Duo 14 features a range of ports, including USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, two USB-C with Thunderbolt 4, a full-size HDMI 1.4, an HDMI connection, a microSD card slot and a 3.5mm audio port. The dynamic laptop also emphasises support for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth.
Performance
Performance and endurance are two departments that one should not worry about if you’re planning to buy the Asus Zenbook Duo 14. The performance is in line with the competition, and with an 11th gen Core i7 processor lying inside, paired with 2GB Nvidia MX450 GPU, 16GB DDR4x RAM, and a 1TB NVMe SSD, the ZenBook Duo 14 is assuredly more than enough to handle a number of heavy tasks.
The Duo 14 is equipped with the new ScreenXpert 2 software and offers a plethora of built-in apps, including a new Control Panel app, which comes with customisable commands and shortcuts for Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom Classic, Premiere Pro and After Effects. The base model arrives with an Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor, 8GB of memory, and a 512GB SSD. The 1.6 kg laptop scores 5,330 points on n Geekbench 5.3.
Battery Life
The Asus Zenbook Duo’s battery life is surprisingly decent, and it can pull enough juice from its 70Whr battery to provide you with a solid six hours of working time. Naturally, laptops in this category tend to last a long time but in the case of Zenbook Duo, the second display is a vital culprit on battery drain. The bundled USB-C charger takes about an hour and 20 minutes to fully charge the Duo 14. After fully recharging the laptop and putting it in power saver mode, it offers over 10 hours of standby time. The fans only fired up during gaming, but you can turn them down by visiting Asus’ control centre. Overall, throughout the use, the Zenbook Duo 14 stays cool and provides wholesome enjoyment.
Verdict
Finally, we’ve arrived at the question, is the Asus ZenBook Duo really worth your time and money? Well, Yes. The Asus ZenBook Duo 14 is a pretty unique ultrabook that provides a number of innovative features, including audio equipment certified by Harman Kardon but surrenders ergonomics for a big second screen. With the price starting from ₹99,990 and going up to ₹1,34,990, it’s a decent choice and durable enough even with its dubious hinge. The Asus ZenBook Duo 14 continues to redefine what a laptop should build like, but at the end of the day, it ultimately depends on the user’s preference and whether it adds value to the user’s life or not?
How often do you feel that your laptop is lacking a second screen? For those who do, Asus has come up with the perfect solution. With the new ZenBook Duo 14, Asus aims to fill the gap that the market didn’t know existed. But is it a value addition or a marketing gimmick? We got a chance to find out when we reviewed the Asus ZenBook Duo 14. Here’s how it went:
First impressions:
Asus is known for offering uber luxury and distinction, which the ZenBook Duo carries forward seamlessly. The laptop gets two almost same-sized screens that provide a ton of information without taking up a ton of space. Asus is offering the ZenBook Duo with two Intel processor options, both of which promise to handle large performance requirements.
Along with a plethora of connectivity options, the laptop also gets audio equipment certified by Harman Kardon. Surprisingly, all this hardware is packed in a compact shell and weighs 1.6 kg!
Usage:
The ZenBook Duo 14 gets a 14-inch LED-backlit Full HD display. It offers an immersive viewing experience with a four-sided frameless NanoEdge display that’s super-bright and has ultraslim bezels for an expansive 93% screen-to-body ratio. Asus has also given it the new 12.65-inch tilting ScreenPad Plus, a secondary touchscreen that automatically tilts up to a 7-degree angle, reducing glare and reflections for improved readability. It is equipped with the new ScreenXpert 2 software and offers a plethora of built-in apps. It also provides a new Control Panel app, enabling you to change brush size, saturation, adjust layer opacity, and much more. The control panel is fully customisable, and it works with Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom Classic, Premiere Pro and After Effects.
Connectivity options include a pair of the latest Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 port, an HDMI 1.4, an audio jack and a microSD card reader. The Thunderbolt 4 ports support Power Delivery and DisplayPort, and with their 40 Gbps bandwidth, you can connect an external 8K display or two 4K UHD displays.
Verdict:
With a price tag of Rs 1.2 lakh, the Asus ZenBook Duo 14 might not be a casual buy. But for a purpose-oriented buyer who knows exactly what he wants from the laptop, there is hardly any offering better suited than the ZenBook Duo. A small size, coupled with two large screens, might be off-putting for some, and the considerably small keyboard size might also hinder some people with large hands. Nevertheless, Asus has once again offered a strongman in a kid’s body!
Not on my watch. A perfect line by Nestor Carbonell creates an impact to ensure that the story of Batman: The Dark Knight Rises starts on a high note. The same line can make many hinging points when you are beginning your graduation. If you need a laptop that can cater to your requirements and resolve your budgetary constraints, this article is perfect for you. Why? Because this Exhibit blog will provide a comprehensive list of affordable laptops for students. Let’s begin.
#1 Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook
A brand like Lenovo can make you LEANOver your thoughts due to the sophisticated specifications it brings through their wide range of laptops. This laptop can serve your needs properly by letting you use it during the lectures when your professor is taking the session. It is because this laptop has the capability to switch to tablet mode. Hence, you also get a stylus when you want to use it as your laptop. Apart from this, you get this laptop in two variants – ice blue and iron-grey. The RAM may bring hiccups to you as it is merely 4 GB, along with 128 GB internal memory, but care about the price too. You can order this laptop at INR 26999/-.
#2 ASUS VivoBook 14
They claim it as the world’s smallest colorful 14 inches UltraBook. You have never seen color variants for sure. Okay, if the color doesn’t matter to you, check out the processor – i5 Core. If it’s about play, track the graphics card – NVIDIA. You name it, and you will get it for sure. Even for memory ASUS VivoBook 14 can provide a dual storage system. What about ergonomics? Ahh, now you hit the bull’s eye. With this laptop, you get a better typing position due to the 2-degree keyboard tilt. But wait! considering such damn fantastic features can stop you due to its price. Order it at INR 30999/-!
#3 HP 245 G8
The Stones of Venice writer John Ruskin was right about quality. He rightly said that quality could never be an accident but a constant intelligent effort. And, with HP, you get that intelligent effort and quality as well. Why? Because the newly launched HP 245 G8 has everything that you need. A Ryzen 3 processor, 1 TB hard disk, AMD Radeon, 7 hours of standard battery life, etc., can definitely save your day when it comes to work or play. If the weight of an HP laptop is what concerns you, think again! This 1.7 kg chap is available at INR 31,490/- and is an essential contender in the list of affordable laptops for students.
#4 Acer Aspire 3 Athlon
Wimbledon 2021 has witnessed one of the finest games. The Serbian and global star Novak Djokovic showcased how to win a match in 46 seconds. 46 seconds? But how? ACES. And, Acer must be having the same ideology to deliver aces of laptops which is true for Acer Aspire 3 Athlon. This INR 25863/- laptop may feel deserted as it may not have those specifications. But that’s not the case at all. Why? The 1.9 kg laptop has an AMD Radeon graphics processor with an Athlon Dual Core processor. Security is the major top-notch slot in this slot due to the Firmware Trusted Platform Module. Think again if you feel that a hard disk drive won’t be big at such a price – 1 TB.
#5 HP Chromebook x360
Portable. Versatile. Compact and stylish design. This laptop has ChromeOS in it. The Intel Celeron processor provides a speed of 1.1 GHz. Even if you are not charging it, you can use it for at least 9 hours. This laptop allows you to go for multiple logins. If the screen size of 12 inches is worrying, consider the price again – INR 29,9990/-.
Affordable Laptops for Students
Get ready to combat your college days with the laptops that bring affordability, durability, and quality. One of these laptops will surely create wonders for you.
