Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED review

A lot of the laptops folks purchase have the identical core design, however there aren’t any scarcity of firms attempting to vary that. The discharge of Microsoft’s authentic Floor a decade in the past kick-started a wave of Home windows tablets with removable keyboards, and it seems like the subsequent revolution is upon us.  

Lenovo introduced the very first foldable display screen pill/laptop computer hybrid again in 2020, and two years later it lastly has real competitors. Regardless of being introduced at CES in January, Asus has taken its time getting the brand new Zenbook 17 Fold OLED prepared for launch. 

Whereas it’s removed from good, Asus’ first foldable has undoubtedly been definitely worth the wait. Right here’s my full assessment. 

Design & Construct

• 17.3in pill when unfolded
• Can develop into 12.5in laptop computer
• Cumbersome design, restricted ports

The Zenbook 17 Fold has a unprecedented design, however that’s not instantly clear while you take it out of the field. When closed, it seems like both a small laptop computer or 2-in-1, each of which we’ve seen many occasions earlier than.

Nonetheless, opening the system reveals its key promoting level – an enormous 17.3in show that may fold in half horizontally. That creates two 12.5in panels, though you possibly can magnetically connect the included keyboard to the underside half for a laptop-like expertise. 

This versatile design means the Zenbook 17 Fold can realistically be utilized in as much as six completely different modes, every with its personal distinctive advantages and disadvantages. It’s price exploring every in additional element. 

The primary, and maybe most evident, is as a daily pill. At 17.3in, it’s one of many largest slates you should purchase. Solely a handful of situations take full benefit of such a big display screen, however it does make the Zenbook 17 Fold a terrific system for multitasking. 

Thick plastic bezels prolong across the perimeter of the display screen, though they’re wanted to make sure the hinge is as sturdy as attainable. It permits loads of room for a 5Mp webcam, with its detailed 1080p footage and twin mics making for a terrific video calling expertise.

A separate depth sensor means the system helps Home windows Hiya face unlock, which is straightforward to arrange and works properly in most lighting situations. With no fingerprint sensor, that is your solely various to manually coming into a PIN or password. 

Nonetheless, at 1.5kg, the system is uncomfortable to carry for various minutes. You could possibly use it face up on a desk as a substitute, however the built-in kickstand is the apparent resolution right here. 

This enables the Zenbook 17 Fold for use hands-free, making it a terrific choice when watching movies or with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse linked. The latter delivers a surprisingly compelling desktop expertise, particularly given the additional display screen measurement in comparison with most laptops.

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Nonetheless, the kickstand is restricted to at least one mounted place. The stand itself isn’t probably the most sturdy both, so I wouldn’t advocate contact enter on this mode. 

Nevertheless it’s folding the show in half that takes the Zenbook 17 Fold to the subsequent stage. This makes the system way more compact and transportable but additionally allows three different potential modes. 

In panorama orientation, it means the Fold can undertake a book-style design. This can be a nice choice for eBooks and different long-form written content material, offered the crease doesn’t obscure any necessary info. It was enjoyable to strive, however I discovered myself utilizing a number of the different modes way more typically.

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That features as a laptop computer substitute, one of many large causes to purchase the Zenbook 17 Fold. In portrait mode, attaching the keyboard to the underside half of the show creates a compact 12.5in PC.  

The big bezels develop into much more apparent right here and issues really feel a bit cramped, however it works considerably higher than most tablets with removable keyboards. In conditions the place I didn’t want multitasking options, it labored very properly.

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Even with the keyboard eliminated, I used to be impressed with how the system carried out. Searching the online and scrolling social media was slick and responsive, with content material easily transitioning throughout the crease. Even with out the additional 300g weight of the keyboard, it nonetheless feels very sturdy. 

In contrast to the brand new Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold, the Zenbook 17 Fold doesn’t sit flush when closed. This isn’t fairly as spectacular aesthetically however means there’s loads of room to maintain the keyboard connected when not in use (see under). 

It’s comprehensible to be involved in regards to the long-term sturdiness of a big folding show, notably on a tool that’s so costly. However Asus says the hinge on the Zenbook 17 Fold is nice for no less than 30,000 opening and shutting cycles – the equal of 10-15 per day for 5 years. 

A lot of the system has a plastic coating, however each the hinge and kickstand are lined in leather-based. This provides essential grip to the again of the system, that means there’s no want for a case. It nonetheless seems much less premium than an all-glass design, however the restricted folding capability of glass means Asus had no various right here. 

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At 8.7mm when unfolded, the Zenbook 17 Fold is comparatively skinny by laptop computer requirements, however I’m nonetheless disenchanted with the port choice. You solely get two Thunderbolt 4-enabled USB-C ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack, though Asus does embrace a USB-C to USB-A adapter within the field. 

Display & Audio system

• Big OLED show that may fold in half
• Glorious viewing expertise
• Nice audio system

The design of the Zenbook 17 Fold is what makes it stand out, however the show is its most important energy. When unfolded, it’s a 17.3in, 2590×1920 OLED touchscreen – that’s one of many highest high quality panels you’ll discover on any pill or laptop computer and this isn’t Asus’ first foray into OLED laptops.

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As anticipated, the show is a pleasure to make use of. It delivers wealthy, vibrant colors and an unimaginable quantity of element, permitting me to pick particular components of a photograph or video that aren’t noticeable on most laptop computer screens.

What’s extra, inner testing suggests color accuracy is among the many greatest you’ll discover. Utilizing the SpyderX Professional, I recorded 100% protection of sRGB and DCI-P3 gamuts, plus 96% of AdobeRGB. No complaints right here. 

Asus claims the Zenbook 17 Fold can attain as much as 500 nits of brightness, though I solely recorded 335 in testing. It’s nonetheless tremendous for many indoor environments, however open air is way more of a battle. 

For probably the most half, Asus has accomplished job of hiding the crease. You’ll usually solely discover it with a black background, and even then, it’s not too distracting. The identical could be stated for interacting with the touchscreen – you’ll really feel the crease there, however it’s not an actual concern. 

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Nonetheless, that decision talked about above offers the display screen a boxy 4:3 facet ratio, that means nearly all movies have massive black bars on both aspect. That is notably noticeable for widescreen content material (together with many movies), and it takes away from the viewing expertise barely. 

Because of this, chances are you’ll be tempted to fold it in half and add the keyboard. This creates a 12.5in, 1920×1280 laptop computer show. Content material doesn’t look fairly nearly as good on the smaller display screen, however the 3:2 facet ratio considerably reduces the dimensions of these black bars. I’d nonetheless advocate the full-size 17.3in panel for many movies, although. 

Contemplating the dimensions of the show, chances are you’ll be tempted to make use of a stylus with the Zenbook 17 Fold. However Asus warns in opposition to it, saying the display screen could be broken even with the corporate’s personal pen. Nonetheless, you should use a basic capacitive stylus in its place navigation technique. 

One other minor grievance is the shortage of a excessive refresh price – you’re restricted to 60Hz right here. However contemplating it is a plastic display screen and it will possibly fold in half, that is straightforward to excuse, notably from a first-gen system.

Audio is an enormous cause why the system is so good for content material consumption. It options quad stereo audio system, which prolong down each side of the system. This turns into the highest and backside when utilized in laptop computer mode, so the keyboard by no means will get in the way in which. 

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Given they’re tuned by Harmon Kardon and have Dolby Atmos help, it’s hardly shocking that sound high quality is great. Most music is wealthy and full-bodied, providing a powerful hit of bass for a tool of this measurement. Vocals are clear and crisp, whereas punchy sound results actually assist content material come alive.  

Issues aren’t good although because the audio system do miss out on some background particulars, notably at excessive volumes.

Keyboard & Trackpad

• Devoted keyboard accent within the field
• Nice key journey, however no backlight
• Small however responsive trackpad

To get probably the most out of the Zenbook 17 Fold, you’ll have to pair it with Asus’ devoted keyboard accent. The corporate has helpfully included this within the field, which isn’t simply welcome however essential for getting probably the most out of this system.

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It connects by way of Bluetooth, that means nearly any wi-fi keyboard is suitable with the Zenbook 17 Fold. However the capability to seamlessly connect to the underside half of the folded show is the important thing benefit of the official model.  

This transforms the system right into a compact laptop computer, with robust magnets holding it securely in place. Contemplating its slimline design, I’m impressed with the standard of the keyboard Asus has created. 

Every secret’s clicky and responsive, providing an honest 1.4mm of journey. It’s nonetheless full-size, and I shortly bought used to the keys being barely nearer collectively than regular. Alongside common quantity and brightness controls, the row of operate keys can be used to regulate Bluetooth and launch the MyAsus companion app. 

Nonetheless, the keys aren’t backlit. This can be a drawback that always impacts removable keyboards and means you possibly can solely use the keyboard in well-lit environments. Nearly as good because the face unlock is, it’d even have been good to have a fingerprint sensor too. 

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Under the keyboard, you’ll discover a small trackpad, which is impressively responsive and helps the total vary of Home windows 11 gestures. Nevertheless it’s awkward to make use of for lengthy searching classes, so I’d advocate connecting a Bluetooth mouse more often than not. 

Asus doesn’t say how lengthy the keyboard will final, however it’ll be for much longer than the system itself. You’ll have to cost this individually, although – by way of the USB-C port on the aspect. 

Specs & Efficiency

• Twelfth-gen Intel Core i7 CPU
• Stable on a regular basis efficiency
• No discrete GPU

In contrast to most tablets and laptops, there’s only one mannequin of the Zenbook 17 Fold out there. 

It’s powered by a CPU from Intel’s Twelfth-gen vary – particularly, the Core i7-1250U. Because the identify suggests, this chip is from the U-Sequence, which is particularly designed for skinny and lightweight laptops. It isn’t fairly as succesful because the equal P-Sequence or H-Sequence processors, however nonetheless affords loads of energy for most individuals. 

Alongside Iris Xe built-in 16GB of DDR5 RAM, on a regular basis efficiency is great. My typical workday contains frequent internet searching, phrase processing and managing e mail – typically all three on the similar time. I observed no slowdown by any means, together with once I sometimes wanted to observe a video or play some audio.  

The Zenbook 17 Fold is adept at multitasking and might stretch to tougher workloads corresponding to picture enhancing or mild gaming. However with out a discrete GPU, I wouldn’t advocate it for something extra demanding. It’s a disgrace to not see this on such a premium system, however Asus’ priorities have understandably been elsewhere. 

Direct efficiency comparisons are troublesome, particularly as now we have no information from the ThinkPad X1 Fold – the Zenbook 17 Fold’s solely actual rival. Nonetheless, the figures make for fascinating studying alongside different 2-in-1 units. 

Asus has been beneficiant with inner storage – the system incorporates a 1TB SSD below the hood. That’ll be a lot for most individuals, particularly with the deal with cloud storage nowadays. 

Battery Life & Charging

• 75Wh battery
• All-day battery life
• Quick 65W charging

Given the dimensions of the show, it was necessary for the Zenbook 17 Fold to have a big battery capability. Asus has obliged by together with an honest 75Wh cell which it says can ship 9-10 hours of typical utilization. 

That’s roughly per my expertise. The system can comfortably final an eight-hour working day with juice to spare, one thing which may’t at all times be stated for skinny and lightweight computer systems.  

After all, operating demanding apps or enjoying video games will deplete the battery way more shortly, however that’s not what the Zenbook 17 Fold is designed for. What’s extra, there are some easy measures you possibly can take to increase battery life additional.  

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Dropping the brightness to a comparatively low 120 nits, I recorded a powerful 15 hours and 42 minutes in our 720p video loop take a look at. That was with Home windows 11’s battery saver mode turned off – activating it on the default 20% will imply the system lasts even longer. 

Whenever you do lastly run out of cost, Asus features a 65W quick charger that can be utilized with both of the USB-C ports. Inside quarter-hour, I recorded 21% battery, then 40% by the half-hour mark. Charging speeds decelerate the nearer you get to full, however 95% after 90 minutes continues to be spectacular for a battery of this measurement. 

Software program & Apps

• Selection of Home windows 11 House or Professional
• Not totally optimised for contact enter
• Helpful Asus software program tweaks

Shopper variations of the Zenbook 17 Fold run Home windows 11 House out of the field, however there’s the choice to step as much as Home windows 11 Professional – that’s what Asus recommends for companies. 

Home windows 11 is an enormous step ahead for contact enter in comparison with Home windows 10, however it nonetheless works greatest with a keyboard and mouse or trackpad. Some components of the UI are too small to permit precision together with your finger, together with some multitasking options and icons on the taskbar.

However Asus has determined in opposition to including a lot of software program of its personal – you’ll discover simply two further apps pre-installed. MyAsus supplies a hub for device-specific settings, instruments and help, whereas ScreenXpert permits home windows to be intelligently organized throughout all the lively show – whether or not it’s folded or not. 

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Mixed, they assist clean the transition of Home windows 11 onto foldables. The OS isn’t totally optimised for this type issue but, however it’s one thing Microsoft is anticipated to proceed engaged on. 

Value & Availability

The pricing of the Zenbook 17 Fold may be very simple, however it’s additionally the primary cause to not purchase one. It’ll value $3,999/£3,299 for the one mannequin out there, which mixes a Twelfth-gen Intel Core i7 with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. 

Asus says the system can be launched someday in This fall of 2022, however hasn’t but dedicated to a extra particular launch date. 

Because it stands, the corporate’s solely rival proper now could be Lenovo and its ThinkPad X1 Fold. A second technology is arriving in November 2022, however at $2,499/€2,999 it’s considerably cheaper. 

On paper, that appears like the higher all-round system for most individuals. However at these costs, most individuals will simply be shopping for a daily laptop computer or 2-in-1 units. 

Verdict

The Zenbook 17 Fold is an enchanting imaginative and prescient of what laptops of the longer term may appear like, however we’re not fairly there but.  

Having a 17.3in pill that may seamlessly develop into a desktop substitute or 12.5in laptop computer is genuinely spectacular, particularly as they’re simply three of six distinct modes out there. Every posture has its personal advantages and disadvantages, however the system’s versatility is unmatched. 

The superb OLED display screen is an actual spotlight regardless of the generally awkward facet ratios, particularly when mixed with nice battery life and strong audio. Efficiency is first rate, albeit restricted with out a discrete GPU. Ports are additionally restricted, whereas the heavy, cumbersome design definitely isn’t for everybody. 

A excessive price ticket means solely fanatics will take into account shopping for one, however that’s to be anticipated for a first-gen foldable. It’s a leap of religion for Asus that may hopefully repay in the long term.

Specs

• 17.3in, 2560×1920 versatile OLED show (open)
• Twin 12.5in, 1920×1280 OLED show (folded)
• Intel Core i7-1250U CPU
• Intel Iris Xe built-in graphics
• 16GB DDR5 RAM
• 1TB SSD
• 75Wh battery
• 65W quick charging
• Home windows 11 House or Professional
• 5Mp webcam
• 2x Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports
• 1x 3.5mm audio jack
• 1.5kg (pill solely), 1.8kg (with keyboard)
• Wi-Fi 6E
• Bluetooth 5
• 378.5 x 287.6 mm
• 8.7mm thick (unfolded), 12.9mm thick (folded)