ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 Review: Gaming with ScreenPad!

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ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15: At First Glance

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of innovative PC designs such as sliding keyboards and dual-screens amongst others. ASUS is one of the brands that has recently jumped on the dual-screen design as seen on the ASUS Zenbook Duo.

In addition to the ASUS Zenbook Duo, the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 is another laptop from ASUS that incorporates this design.

The dual-screen technology is an innovative design that is beautiful and useful in its own way. However, a dual-screen feature is a luxury that only a few people can afford.

Speaking of which, the price of ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 starts at $4,800.00. This price was accurate in August 2021 when we published this review.

Now that you know the price, let us proceed to determine if the performance it delivers warrants its premium price.

ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15: Design, Dimension & Weight

If you set your eyes on the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 you’d realize that its aesthetics is understated in pictures. It is made of a bluish-gray all-metallic chassis.

The laptop’s lid has a glossy diagonal line cutting across it and a ROG logo as well. There’s also a cut-out portion at the bottom of the lid which aids ventilation and exposes the status lights.

Opening the lid is when you get completely awed by the primary screen, the auxiliary screen, and the RGB lit keyboard. The auxiliary screen is located above the keyboard and it showcases an automatic lift-and-retract mechanism.

As soon as you lift the lid, the auxiliary screen is lifted above the keyboard level and tilts 13 degrees towards the user. The tilting mechanism is especially useful for comfortable viewing of the auxiliary screen.

Moreover, the tilting mechanism is absent on the ASUS Zenbook and I’m glad it’s included here. The dual-screen technology is dubbed by ASUS as the Screenpad plus.

The auxiliary screen is completely usable with full functionality like the main screen. It has a touchscreen capability even though the laptop doesn’t ship with a stylus pen.

To use the Screenpad plus, you can drag any Window from the main screen and drop it on the auxiliary screen. However, the cursor gets smaller as soon as you get to the auxiliary screen which can make the drag and drop a bit challenging.

An easy way around the awkward drag and drop is to use the pop-up menu. The pop-up menu can be accessed as soon as you click and drag a window.

This menu includes options to either send the window to the auxiliary screen or spread it between both screens. You can also decide to pin the window to the launcher.

The auxiliary screen is the major aesthetic highlight of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15. But, how useful is the auxiliary screen?

The auxiliary screen is particularly useful for multitasking. For instance, while gaming on the main screen you might need to do some other activities like chatting.

With single-screen laptops, this would have prompted you to minimize the game. However, with the dual-screen ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15, you can have the secondary activity moved to the auxiliary screen.

Thanks to the innovative dual-screen technology, there is no limit to the combination of activities you can have on both screens. You can stream a tutorial video on the main screen while jotting down notes on the auxiliary screen.

Thankfully, ASUS has included some handy features to make the use of the Screenpad plus easier. Some of the features are software that can be accessed via the launcher menu.

The launcher menu is located on the left side of the auxiliary screen. It includes apps such as the virtual Numpad, Handwriting – for writing notes, and Quick Key – for selecting commands like copy and paste.

In addition to these apps, you can also customize the launcher menu with apps of your choice. You can also create a task group that includes apps or tabs that you want to use later.

Another feature of the Screenpad plus is a button that swaps the content between both screens and resizes them automatically to fit. Also, there is a toggle that locks or unlocks the keyboard.

The auxiliary screen is useful in ways that we have discussed above but the text size is smaller on it compared to the main screen. However, as the name implies, the auxiliary screen will serve its secondary purposes satisfactorily.

Meanwhile, the auxiliary screen can also be disabled when you need to conserve energy or when there is no need for it. To disable the Screenpad plus, use the dedicated button above the touchpad.

The functionality of the auxiliary screen does not in any way diminish the importance of the main screen. The 15.6-inch main screen is surrounded by very thin bezels by its top and sides.

Unfortunately, there is no webcam located on the bezels or anywhere else on the laptop.

In terms of display quality, there is a 4K 60Hz IPS panel screen option ideal for creative professionals. There’s also the less expensive full HD 300Hz IPS screen option most suitable for gamers.

Moving on to the keyboard, due to the presence of the auxiliary screen above it, the keyboard has been moved to occupy the rest of the laptop’s deck. Meanwhile, the touchpad is moved to the right side in line with the keyboard.

The position of the keyboard and touchpad is a bit awkward but this isn’t the first time we’re seeing this design. Although, it might take a while to get used to this position you’ll eventually get a hang of it.

Speaking of the keyboard, it is a chiclet-styled keyboard that lacks a dedicated Numpad. The keys have a per-key RGB backlight that can be customized in the Armoury Crate app.

Additionally, the keys feature sufficiently spaced function keys and hotkeys. The keys also feature the N-key rollover mechanism – which allows the accurate registering of keys during continuous presses.

Furthermore, the keys have a satisfying travel distance of 1.4mm. Overall, the keyboard is comfortable to type with.

When it comes to the touchpad, its awkward position might prompt you into skipping it for an external mouse altogether. However, it is more usable than you might think.

Since there is an absence of a dedicated Numpad on the keyboard, the touchpad houses an LED-lit touch Numpad. However, the touch Numpad is not always responsive – sometimes it requires a firm force to register the numbers.

Moving on to the number of ports on the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15, there is an impressive count. The top half of both the left and right sides of the laptop are dedicated to cooling; leaving only a limited space for ports.

Nonetheless, the left side of the laptop houses the power connecter, a microphone jack, and a headphone jack. Whereas, the right side houses two USB 3.1 ports, and a USB Type-C port with DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 3, G-sync, and power delivery support.

Meanwhile, the back of the laptop houses the rest of the ports. On the back, you’ll find another USB 3.1 port also, there’s an HDMI connector and an Ethernet jack.

In terms of the laptop’s dimension and weight, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 weighs 2,480 g. Likewise, it measures 360 x 268 x 20.9 mm.

In comparison with other 15-inch laptops, the Duo 15 is heavier and larger due to the Screenpad and its tilt mechanism. Specifically, the Acer Predator Triton 500 weighs 2,100g and measures 359 x 255 x 18 mm.

In summary, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 is an aesthetic gaming laptop with a quality metallic build. It has plenty of ports but lacks an SDcard reader.

Finally, it is a pretty compact laptop even though it is larger and heavier than most competitors. Putting these into consideration, I will rate the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 a nine out of ten in this aspect.

ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15: Processor (CPU) Performance

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 is managed by powerful 10th Gen processors available in two configurations. The first configuration has an 8 Cores Intel Core i7-10875H processor with a 16 MB cache.

The Core i7 processor has a base frequency of 2.30 GHz and a boost frequency of 5.10 GHz.

Meanwhile, the second configuration has the 8 Cores Intel Core i9-10980HK processor also with 16 MB cache memory. Likewise, the Core i9 processor has a base frequency of 2.40 GHz and a boost frequency of 5.30 GHz.

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 model I tested shipped with the Core i9 processor. The processor is powerful for intensive tasks like video editing, streaming, and 3D rendering.

To put the processor to a performance test, I used the Cinebench R15 multi-thread test. Cinebench R15 is a CPU-stressing benchmark tool that evaluates the performance of processors under extensive workloads.

Based on the test result, the ASUS  ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 scored 1,799 points. Its result is higher than the category average score of 1,739 points.

Additionally, it is higher than the MSI GS66 Stealth 10SFS also running on the Core i9-10980HK processor. Consequently, the MSI scored 1,635 points on the test.

In summary, the processor performance of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 is impressive. Its score in the benchmark test is higher than the category average score and the score recorded by the competitor with the same processor.

Hence, I’ll rate it an eight in this aspect

ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15: Memory (RAM) Performance

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 employs two DDR4 memory slots. The first slot has the RAM soldered and unremovable with a maximum capacity of 16 GB.

Meanwhile, the second DDR4 RAM slot houses a RAM that rotates at 3200 RPM. This slot can be occupied by a RAM card with a maximum capacity of 32 GB.

Hence, the maximum possible memory upgrade of the ASUS  ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 is 48 GB. The model I tested shipped with 32 GB RAM -16 GB removable, and 16 GB soldered.

For instance, if there is a need to upgrade the RAM capacity of my test model, I can swap the removable 16 GB RAM with 32 GB. However, there’s no need for that as 32 GB is more than sufficient for multitasking.

Practically, I launched about 40 Google Chrome browser tabs. Some of these tabs were streaming videos, while the other tabs were surfing various websites.

At the same time, I was also working on few spreadsheets in Excel. Without much concern for the multiple activities running, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 ran smoothly with no noticeable lag.

In terms of the benchmark test, I ran the PCMark 10 benchmark test. PCMark 10 is is a computer benchmark tool developed by UL to test the performance of a PC at the system and component level.

As a result of the test, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 scored 5,277 points. Comparatively, Acer Predator Triton 500 recorded a higher score of 5,488 points.

Likewise, the MSI GS66 Stealth 10SFS scored 6,490 points – doing better than ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15. The ASUS  ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 also falls below the category average score of 5,926 points.

In summary, the 32 GB RAM card in my test model was excellent at multitasking. However, it failed to catch up with the competitors in the benchmark test and if falls under the category average score.

Despite these, the score recorded in the benchmark test is still pretty good. Therefore, I’ll rate the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 a seven in this aspect.

ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15: Storage Options & Performance

In terms of storage, the ASUS  ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 employs two M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD. The two slots run in RAID 0 and the maximum size capacity of the SSD card allowed is 2 TB.

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 unit I tested shipped with two 1 TB SSDs. The two SSDs run in RAID 0 and are therefore seen by the OS as a single 2 TB SSD.

2 TB of storage space is offers a massive space and you definitely won’t run out of space to store your files and games. In terms of the SSD transfer speed, this laptop duplicated 4.97 GB of files in just 3 seconds at a rate of 1,696.4 MBps.

In comparison, the Acer Predator Triton 500 duplicated the same file at the same rate. Meanwhile, the Razer Blade Pro did the same in 6 seconds which translates to 848 MBps.

Furthermore, I also performed the CrystalDiskMark benchmark on my test model. CrystalDiskMark is an open-source disk drive benchmark tool that measures the read and write performance of a computer’s storage.

From the test, the laptop recorded a sequential read speed of 2,984 MBps. Also, it recorded a sequential write speed of 2,958 MBps.

In conclusion, the transfer speed of the SSD is impressive. Therefore, I’ll rate the ASUS  ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 an eight in this aspect.

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ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15: Graphics Card Performance

On the graphics part, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 has two configuration variants. The graphics are handled by either an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER Max-Q or NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER Max-Q.

The RTX 2070 SUPER Max-Q and the RTX 2080 SUPER Max-Q both have an 8 GB dedicated VRAM.

The RTX 2070 SUPER Max-Q has a base frequency of 930 MHz and a boost frequency of 1080 MHz. Meanwhile, the RTX 2080 SUPER Max-Q has a base frequency of 735 MHz and a boost frequency of 1080 MHz.

The model I tested comes with the RTX 2070 SUPER Max-Q graphics. In a bid to put the GPU to a test, I used the 3DMark 11 test.

3DMark 11 is a DirectX 11 video card benchmark test for measuring a PC’s gaming performance. 

The outcome of the test has the ASUS  ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 bag a score of 27,202 points. Comparing that score with the 28,900 scored by the Gigabyte Aero 15, my test unit underperformed.

Similarly, the Acer Predator Triton 500 also bagged a higher score of 30, 456. Note that the two competitors also run the same GPU as my test model.

When it comes to gaming though, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 is a beast. To prove this, I played Shadow Of The Tomb Raider at different quality settings. Consequently, at a low quality setting the game played at 103 fps while at medium quality setting it played at 95 fps.

Also, at high-quality setting, the game played at 93 fps while at ultra setting it played at 89 fps. Meanwhile, at the QHD setting the game played at 67 fps while at 4K setting, it played at 36 fps.

In conclusion, the gaming performance of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 is impressive. It records high frame rates with modern AAA titles even at maximum settings.

However, it performed below its competitors in the benchmark test. Therefore, I’ll rate it a seven in this aspect.

ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15: Battery Life & Performance

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 is powered by a 4-cell 90 WHr Li-ion battery. To test the battery life of my test model, I performed a video playback test.

The test involved playing a 720p resolution video repeatedly until the battery drains. To deliver on this, I made some energy-saving tweaks to conserve as much energy as possible.

Speaking of which I turned off the auxiliary screen. Also, I turned off WiFi, put the laptop in power-saving mode, and set the screen brightness to 50%.

Consequently, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 lasted 6 hours 16 minutes. In comparison with the Acer Predator Triton 500, my test model was a champion.

Specifically, the Acer Predator Triton 500 lasted 3 hours 44 minutes.

Furthermore, I also repeated the test with the auxiliary screen turned back on. Consequently, the battery life was reduced to 4 hours 57 minutes but it is still impressive.

Finally, the battery performance of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 proves that it is capable of staying off the mains for a while. Hence, I will rate it an eight in this aspect.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The dual-screen technology of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 is a nice feature and we will love to see more of moving on. However, its price tag is one factor that will make most people stay clear of it.

Putting the dual-screen highlight aside, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 is a capable gaming laptop. Its hardware specifications are top-notch and its design quality is applaudable.

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