Asus Revives Dual-Screen OLED Gaming Laptop at CES 2026
▼ Summary
– Asus unveiled a new ROG Zephyrus Duo at CES 2026, featuring twin 16-inch 3K OLED touchscreens in its first major redesign in three years.
– The redesign replaces the old “ScreenPad Plus” with a second full-sized display, increasing screen area by 213% and adding a larger, detachable keyboard with a centered touchpad.
– A new hinge and built-in kickstand enable five user modes: Dual-Screen, Laptop, Sharing, Book, and Tent mode, which allows two people to use the device simultaneously.
– It is equipped with high-end specs, including a new Intel Core Ultra chip, up to an Nvidia RTX 5090 GPU, 64GB RAM, 2TB storage, and advanced cooling systems like a vapor chamber and liquid metal.
– The laptop is notably heavy at 6.28 pounds, and while its price is not yet announced, its costly predecessor and weight are highlighted as potential dealbreakers for buyers.
Asus has dramatically reimagined its dual-screen gaming laptop concept with the newly unveiled ROG Zephyrus Duo at CES 2026. This latest iteration replaces the previous tilted secondary panel with a second full-sized 16-inch display, creating a genuine dual-screen powerhouse. The redesign addresses long-standing critiques of earlier models by introducing a larger, detachable keyboard and a versatile hinge system that unlocks multiple configurations for both work and play.
Gone is the old “ScreenPad Plus” secondary display, a signature but limiting feature of models from 2020 to 2023. That setup often forced compromises, notably a cramped keyboard and an awkwardly placed touchpad. The new model transforms that experience by offering two identical 16-inch 3K OLED touchscreens. Each panel boasts a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach up to 1,100 nits of brightness for stunning HDR content. This change alone provides a massive 213% increase in usable screen area compared to the prior design.
A key innovation is the sophisticated hinge, which rotates a full 320 degrees and integrates a built-in kickstand. This engineering enables five distinct user modes, making the device far more adaptable. Users can switch between Dual-Screen Mode with stacked displays, a standard Laptop Mode where the keyboard attaches and charges, a flat Sharing Mode, a side-by-side Book Mode, and a unique Tent Mode. Tent Mode folds the screens into an inverted V, allowing two people to use the device simultaneously, a feature not possible on Asus’s productivity-focused ZenBook Duo.
Under the hood, the machine is built for serious performance. It is powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra processors and can be configured with up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card. It supports a maximum of 64GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. Managing the heat from such components requires a robust cooling solution, which includes a vapor chamber, liquid metal thermal compound, dual fans, and a graphite sheet beneath the second display.
The design presents a more refined aesthetic with an aluminum chassis in a new Stellar Gray color. A diagonal “Slash Lighting” RGB LED strip on the lid offers customizable flair with 35 individual zones. The laptop is equipped with six Dolby Atmos speakers and a comprehensive port selection, featuring Thunderbolt 4, USB-A, an HDMI port, and an SD card reader.
Potential buyers should note two significant considerations: weight and price. The new Zephyrus Duo measures 0.77 inches thick but weighs 6.28 pounds, making it heavier than its 5.9-pound predecessor. Furthermore, while Asus has not announced official pricing, the previous model started at $3,499.99. Given the substantial hardware upgrades and current market conditions, the cost of this cutting-edge dual-screen gaming laptop is expected to be a major factor in the purchasing decision.
(Source: Mashable)
