ASUS’s Zenbook Duo defies the typical 2-in-1 laptop style, boasting a fresh model equipped with Intel’s latest Core Ultra 9 285H processor.
ASUS Zenbook Duo with Core Ultra 9 285H: A 16-Core Marvel at $3700
In the realm of CPUs, Intel has recently concentrated on the desktop versions of the Arrow Lake lineup, but there’s more excitement in store for laptops. Two series, the HX for high-performance needs and the H for mainstream use, are set to debut early in 2025. Interestingly, we’ve gotten a sneak peek at one of these processors thanks to an ASUS laptop listing.
Thanks to the keen eye of @momomo_us, the ASUS "UX8406CA" Zenbook Duo popped up on the Gear-Up site, a UAE-based retailer. Priced at 1421.93 Bahraini dinars, roughly equivalent to $3679, this laptop is stirring intrigue. It’s worth noting that this same model appeared on a Russian retailer’s site back in September. Within this price bracket, we’d typically expect high-end gaming laptops fitted with advanced RTX graphics cards and top-tier Intel processors. There’s speculation that the price might decrease upon official release, especially considering previous leaks hinted at a $2890 price.
This laptop isn’t your usual gaming beast; it’s more suited for serious productivity tasks. Lacking a dedicated GPU, it relies on integrated Arc Graphics, all powered by the flagship Core Ultra 9 285H processor from the Core Ultra 200H series. This processor boasts 16 cores, yet the specs confusingly list 24 cores with a speed reaching up to 5.6GHz.
In earlier leaks, the Core Ultra 9 285H was expected to max out at 5.4 GHz on its P-core, leading to suspicions of a typo regarding the number of cores. Alongside its 8 Xe cores clocked at 2.35 GHz, it has a thermal design power (TDP) of 45W. ASUS’s Zenbook Duo stands out with its innovative dual-screen design, letting users customize their workspace experience vastly.
A unique feature allows the second screen to slide under the keyboard or transform the laptop into a dual-display format. The keyboard can also detach, enabling both screens to function as one stacked monitor setup. This tech wonder packs 32 GB of RAM, a hefty 2 TB SSD, and tips the scales at 1.65 kg. While most specs match the Russian model, there’s an intriguing display resolution difference: the current model sports 3072x1920p compared to the previous 2880x1800p. However, the 14-inch screen size remains constant, and so does the 120Hz refresh rate with 400 nits of brightness.
Currently, the Zenbook Duo is unavailable for purchase; inventory is held back until the official sales launch. The Arrow Lake H series stands out, introducing two new low-power Efficient cores alongside Lion Cove P and Skymont E-Cores, indicative of innovative leaps in power management.
Sources: Gear Up, @momomo_us
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