For someone who is used to a single-screen laptop, testing the ASUS Zenbook Duo UX8406CA (2025) completely changed my perspective on dual-screen laptops. The laptop is arguably one of the best laptops you can buy in 2025.
The two 14-inch 3K OLED touchscreens with a 120Hz refresh rate deliver vibrant visuals and smooth interactions, making it a multitasking marvel.
The second-generation Asus Zenbook Duo gives you some good power with that second built-in display under the keyboard. And, of course, behind that second screen is some of the best hardware you can find in a 2025 laptop.
We spent about a week with the laptop, and in this article, we discuss the laptop, including hardware and performance.
Design, Display and Functionality
As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, this Duo is a 14-inch laptop. It features the same traits and design language as the other Zenbook models from the last few years. Of course, the dual-screen is my favourite thing about this laptop. As a creative person, it doubles up my screen real estate, allowing me to reference one screen while working on another.
The laptop also includes a detachable full-size keyboard that magnetically attaches to the main body, allowing for versatile configurations, or it can be removed and used independently. This means that you can position the keyboard to suit your preference, whether for traditional typing or utilizing both screens for extended workspace.
Asus says the detachable keyboard of the Zenbook DUO is integrated between the two screens for several practical reasons. It not only enhances the portability of the device, making it more convenient for users to carry the keyboard, but it also leverages the Pogo Pin design. This allows users to seamlessly use the keyboard without any additional settings, providing a hassle-free experience. Additionally, the Pogo Pin design enables users to charge the keyboard at any time, adding to the overall convenience and flexibility of the device.
We are also getting a built-in kickstand, enabling comfortable viewing angles and adjustments from 40° to 70° in Dual-screen mode to accommodate various use scenarios.
The two OLED displays with 3K resolution (2880×1800) and a 16:10 aspect ratio on the ASUS Zenbook Duo UX8406CA (2025) make the laptop really stand out. They are heavenly offering exceptional color accuracy and brightness, support 100% DCI-P3 color gamut and achieve up to 500 nits of peak brightness.
For different tasks or preferences, Asus says the Zenbook DUO supports a customizable color gamut function, allowing users to switch the display’s color gamut quickly and easily. The default setting is the ultra-vivid native color, and users can switch to other settings via the Splendid page in MyASUS. The color gamut of sRGB is for creating web content or browsing, DCI-P3 is for cinema content, and Display-P3 is for movie-grade colors finessed to fit everyday viewing in the real world.
The touchscreen also features Corning Gorilla Glass, enhanced scratch resistance, reduced scratch visibility, and better-retained strength once a scratch occurs. The latter helps protect the display from breakage, which can occur with lower-performing soda-lime glass. In addition, the OLED panel emits 70% less blue light than LCD panels, and it is certified by TÜV Rhineland to ensure that the device adheres to high safety standards.
Keyboard and trackpad
For someone who doesn’t compromise on the keyboard, the ASUS Zenbook Duo UX8406CA (2025) offers me just what I want. As earlier highlighted, it connects physically to the laptop when placed over the chassis or can be removed and used independently via Bluetooth connectivity.
The typing experience is among the best I have experienced. The keys feel really nice to the touch, and the response is just magical. The keys are also backlit, so night typing is taken care of.
So some things to note with the design: The chassis is made of a premium aluminum alloy, giving it a sturdy yet lightweight feel. I love what Asus has done with the hinge mechanism to allow for the secondary display. The built-in kickstand on the back lets you prop up the laptop for different usage modes, meaning comfort and productivity are guaranteed.
The detachable keyboard, which is my other favourite thing about this laptop, can be magnetically attached to the lower half of the laptop, allowing for a traditional laptop setup or full dual-screen mode.
Ports
The laptop offers two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a standard HDMI 2.1, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port, and a combo audio jack for comprehensive connectivity.
Performance and Software
The review unit of the 2025 Asus Zenbook Duo sent to us by Asus came with an Intel Core Ultra 9 285H processor and Intel Arc 140T graphics, 32 GB of LPDDR5-7467 memory, and a fast 2 TB gen4 SSD. These are very impressive specs that make it a powerhouse for performance-driven users.
Graphics on the 2025 Asus Zenbook Duo are handled by the integrated Intel Arc 140T chip, with 8x Xe2 compute units and clock speeds of up to 2.35 GHz.
Just like every other 2025 Windows laptop, the Asus Zenbook Duo runs Windows 11.
As far as the software is concerned, this laptop gets the standard MyAsus app, and there is so much you can do with the app. For example, it allows control over the power profiles, battery and screen settings, and updates, among other things.
You can also enable WiFi SmartConnect software via MyASUS software, and the laptop will automatically connect to the router with the best signal in your current environment. It also memorizes the mobile hotspots you connect to and prioritizes connections to them when they‘re detected.
MyASUS is exclusive software for ASUS laptops that houses all of the important ASUS apps for system control in one place, maximizing available space on the laptop.
Battery life and speakers
One would expect that having two screens with very powerful capabilities is definitely going to affect the laptop’s battery life. This is not, however, the case.ASUS has managed to equip the 2025 Zenbook Duo UX8406CA with a solid battery life, making it a viable option for professionals who are always on the move.
The laptop houses a 75Wh battery, providing a balance between performance and portability. Of course, the battery life varies depending on usage, but it generally offers sufficient juice for a full day of work. It also supports fast-charging technology – 30 minutes tops it up to a 50% charge.
USB-C Easy Charge allows it to be charged via a wide range of standard USB-C chargers (5-20 V). This means users can enjoy ultrafast charging with any PD (Power Delivery) -certified charger, including the 65-watt fast-charge adapter supplied with the ASUS Zenbook DUO, or devices can be juiced up on the go with airline chargers, portable chargers, or power banks. These options are incredibly convenient when there are no wall sockets available, such as during flights or in vehicles.
Easy USB-C Charging ensures 4.5-watt charging when connecting to a non-Power Delivery charger, including portable chargers or USB Type-A to USB-C chargers. When using a Power Delivery charger, the charging speed will match the connected adapter’s power output, up to a maximum of 65 watts.
The built-in speakers with Dolby Atmos support are incredible. I mean, the sound is provided by Harman Kardon; what more would you ask for? Dolby Atmos provides an all-new listening experience that lets users hear music, movies, or podcasts in a detailed aural environment, with perfect clarity and lifelike spatial separation. It offers a wide range of equalizer settings, so you can use the presets or custom-tune the signal. If you enjoy listening to podcasts like me, you will love it.
Cameras
The pandemic taught us that modern laptops need to have good cameras, given that virtual meetings and conferences have now become the new normal. This laptop features a mid-range Full HD camera located at the top bezel of the screen.
In addition, the camera on the Zenbook DUO not only incorporates an FHD IR camera, offering users a swift face login feature, but also includes an ambient light sensor (ALS). The ALS detects ambient light levels, enabling the display to automatically adjust the screen brightness for an optimal viewing experience and the best-looking
Specs
| CPU | Up to Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 285H processor |
| Display options | Dual 14-inch 3K (2880 x 1800) 16:10 aspect ratio OLED touchscreen
0.2 ms response time,120 Hz refresh rate 500-nits peak brightness, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut 1,000,000:1 Display HDR True Black 500 PANTONE Validated TÜV Rheinland-certified, SGS Eye Care Display Dual 14-inch 2K (1920 x 1200) 16:10 aspect ratio OLED touchscreen 0.2 ms response time,60 Hz refresh rate 500-nits peak brightness, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut 1,000,000:1 Display HDR True Black 500 PANTONE Validated TÜV Rheinland-certified, SGS Eye Care Display |
| Operating system | Windows 11 Pro/ Windows 11 Home |
| Graphics | Intel® ARC Graphics |
| NPU | Intel AI Boost |
| Main memory | Up to 32 GB 7467 MHz LPDDR5x (onboard) |
| Storage | Up to 2 TB PCIe® 4.0 NVMe® M.2 SSD |
| Connectivity | Dual-band WiFi 7 (802.11ax) + Bluetooth® 5.4 |
| Camera | ASUS AiSense Camera
FHD 3DNR IR camera with ambient light and color sensor |
| I/O ports | 2 x Thunderbolt™ 4 USB-C (Up to 40 Gbps, PD, DP supported)
1 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A 1 x full-size HDMI® 2.1 (TMDS) 1 x audio combo jack |
| Audio | Harman Kardon-certified Dolby Atmos® sound system with 2 built-in speakers
Built-in array microphone |
| Battery | 75Wh lithium-polymer battery |
| AC adapter | 65 W Type-C® power adapter |
| Dimensions | 31.3 x 21.7 x 1.46 cm (without keyboard)
31.3 x 21.7 x 1.99 cm (with keyboard) 31.3 x 20.9 x 0.51 – 0.53 cm (keyboard) |
| Weight | Approx. 1.35 kg (without keyboard)
Approx. 1.65 kg (with keyboard) |
Conclusion: Should you buy it?
The ASUS Zenbook Duo UX8406CA (2025) pushes the boundaries of what a laptop can be or what modern laptops should look like. The laptop will appeal to creative professionals most. The excellent OLED screens are great for artists or web designers. I also need to mention that the packaging comes with a high-quality stylus pen.
I am just impressed with the amount of work Asus put into it. While it comes with a premium price tag of Ksh.310,000, if you’re someone who thrives on multitasking and wants a cutting-edge laptop to match your workflow, the Zenbook Duo UX8406CA is undoubtedly a good option to consider.
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