Asus ZenBook Duo UX481FL review (Core i7, Nvidia MX250) – the dual-screen ultrabook

The ZenBook Duo UX481FL is a mixed bag. One one hand you're drawn in by the dual-screen form factor, but its major selling points are actually the large battery, the smooth performance and thermals, the good quality panels and the capable speakers.

nicely designed and built; fair quality IPS screens; both of them; solid performance even with out-of-the-box settings; runs cool and quiet with daily use and demanding loads; excellent battery life; fair speakers

limited ergonomics and portability; cramped keyboard and minuscule clickpad; no Thunderbolt 3; full-size card-reader or USB-C charging; a step back from the previous ZenBook Pro UX480 in terms of performance; hot air blown straight into the matte screen

Asus ZenBook Duo Review

If you’re going to benefit from the second screen – whether it’s in creative applications or just by bumping useful tools downwards – then the Duo is worth considering. If not, then more traditional notebooks remain better due to the number of design compromises Asus has had to make

Innovative dual-screen design; Solid performance in applications; Robust exterior; Decent battery life;

Cramped keyboard and trackpad ; Underwhelming graphics core; Heavier and thicker than rivals;