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Asus Zenbook Pro 14 Duo, Zenbook Pro 16X OLED Laptops Have Clever Innovations for Creatives
Asus Zenbook Pro 14 Duo, Zenbook Pro 16X OLED Laptops Have Clever Innovations for Creatives
Asus announced several new Zenbook and Vivobook laptops Monday as part of its Pinnacle of Performance event. Like other PC makers, Asus is updating current models with AMD Ryzen 6000-series and Intel 12th-gen Core processors. And you'll see a lot more OLED displays available for its laptops this year, too. But with Asus, it's always the things you won't find anywhere else that make its announcements stand out.
Asus has made dual-screen laptops for years now, for example, but it was last year's Zenbook Duo 14 that took the concept from gimmicky to legitimately useful. The new Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED refines that model's design while beefing up performance with up to a 12th-gen Intel Core i9-12900H processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics.
The laptop's main display is a 14.5-inch 2.8K 120Hz OLED touchscreen. But when you lift the lid, a secondary 12.7-inch touchscreen rises from the body, tilting up 12 degrees using a redesigned hinge mechanism. The result is reduced visual separation between the two displays and greater airflow.
The smaller second panel, called the ScreenPad Plus, is useful for just giving you more room to work and communicate. However, Asus software makes it possible to do more such as turn it into a customizable tool panel for Adobe software using its Control Panel app. The display is pen-enabled as well, so it can be used jotting down a quick note or drawing.
The Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED is expected to be available soon starting at $2,000. UK and Australia pricing weren't immediately available but the US price converts to approximately £1,615 or AU$2,850.
The Zenbook Pro 16X OLED has a keyboard that raises for comfort and cooling.
Asus
Joining the Duo is the Zenbook Pro 16X OLED. Instead of a second display, this model has a keyboard that raises 14.5mm giving it a 7-degree tilt for more comfortable typing. But it also increases airflow, which made it possible to put in up to a 12th-gen Intel Core i9-12900H processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 graphics.
Below the keyboard is a haptic touchpad that's 84% larger than its predecessor's. It's paired with an updated Asus Dial, a rotary controller that can be used for anything from controlling volume to making tool adjustments in Adobe apps. The 16-inch 4K 60Hz OLED HDR pen-enabled touchscreen will meet the needs of creatives, too.
No release date was announced for the Zenbook Pro 16X OLED but pricing is expected to start at $2,600.
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Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482 review: A dual-screen laptop that makes sense
Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482 review: A dual-screen laptop that makes sense
What I like most about the ZenBook Duo 14 is that you really can't tell from the outside of the laptop what you'll see when you lift the lid. Despite opening and closing it countless times at this point, I still get a kick out of seeing its secondary 12.6-inch touchscreen rise from above the keyboard to meet the bottom of the main 14-inch display. One screen flows into the next and, with the help of Asus' software, that slim display becomes more useful than you might think (and certainly more useful than Apple's Touch Bar). There are a few compromises that come with the design, but they might just be worth it.
Like
Useful dual-display design
Excellent performance and battery life
Active pen and case included
Don't Like
Keyboard, touchpad layout might take some adjustment
Memory is soldered on
The ZenBook Duo is available in two versions, a Pro Duo 15 OLED and the Duo 14 reviewed here. The Pro Duo 15 OLED will have up to a 10th-gen Intel Core i9 processor, with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 discrete graphics and up to 32GB of memory when it arrives in April. The Duo 14 has either 11th-gen Core i5 or i7 processors, optional Nvidia MX450 discrete graphics and up to 32GB of memory. Prices start at $1,000, but the configuration I tested is $1,300. That converts to about AU$1,695 and £950.
The Duo 14 has a 14-inch, 1,920x1,080-pixel touchscreen paired with a 12.6-inch, 1,920x515-pixel touchscreen. Both panels have a 400-nit brightness, but the 12.6-inch screen has a matte finish and looks a little dim by comparison unless you're looking straight down on it.
On the Duo 14's predecessor, the smaller screen, officially called ScreenPad Plus, was flat on the body so you had to crane your neck some to use it. Now, with its new hinge design, the screen angles up to 7 degrees. It gives you a better viewing angle but also increases airflow and creates a smaller gap between it and the main display. It's not seamless, but because the frames on both screens are slim, it's similar to working with two external displays side by side.
App windows can flow from the top display to the bottom.
Josh Goldman/CNET
A better second screen
Windows recognizes the ScreenPad Plus as a second display, so you can use it for whatever you would use a second screen for. It's great for anything you'd typically lose sight of while you're working on something full screen on the main display. For instance, I put Slack, Outlook and Spotify on the ScreenPad Plus while I worked on the main display. Asus' ScreenXpert 2.0 software can automatically resize up to three windows on the ScreenPad to fit evenly across it. You can also flick windows between screens with your fingertip, which is kind of fun. There's also a dedicated button above the touchpad to move windows up and down.
Asus also has a bunch of utilities for the ScreenPad Plus available through an onscreen touch bar. You can, for example, launch a number pad or, with a three-finger tap, turn it into a giant touchpad. You can also write on it with the included active pen if you need to jot down a quick note, sign a document or just want to doodle. I was a bit worried about putting too much pressure on the ScreenPad with my hand while writing but the metal hinges held firm and you can easily disable both the touchpad and keyboard while you use it.
Although the hinge design lifts the rear of the laptop up some, Asus also includes an attachable stand to lift it even higher that folds flat when not in use.
Josh Goldman/CNET
A new Control Panel app for the ScreenPad Plus gives you customizable dial, slider and button decks for Adobe Creative Cloud apps. Open Photoshop, for example, and it'll load a tool deck of your own design on the ScreenPad. It's sort of like a supersized Touch Bar on a MacBook Pro, but considerably more useful and with greater flexibility. Even if you're not using Adobe apps, the ScreenPad is a great place to put tool palettes for other creative software.
Get a little, give a little
The 12.6-inch display turned out to be handier to have than I initially thought. Even if you never use it for anything other than seeing messages that come in or changing your music, it's nice not to have to constantly switch between windows when you're working.
The keyboard and touchpad certainly feel cramped compared to a normal 14-inch laptop.
Josh Goldman/CNET
The trade-off for the extra display, though, is the keyboard and touchpad. First, the touchpad is small and narrow and I frequently hit the right arrow key instead of the touchpad's left button. And there's the matter of it being to the left of the keyboard. If you're moving to the Duo 14 from a typical laptop layout with the keyboard at the top and the touchpad at the bottom, muscle memory will not be your friend. Desktop users or anyone using a mouse regularly will have an easier time of it.
The keyboard feels a bit cramped to me, but it might just be that it feels like I'm being shoved to the left by the touchpad. It does have a couple of keys that are reduced, like the Enter and Backspace. Also, since it is at the bottom, there is no keyboard deck and, hence, no palm rests. The raised back end of the keyboard helps here, though, as my wrists more comfortably rested on my desk while typing.
The hinge lifts the keyboard at the back.
Josh Goldman/CNET
There are a couple of other things to be aware of. While the battery life is generally excellent, the second display will cut into your time away from an outlet. On our streaming video test, the Duo 14 hit 9 hours, 6 minutes of battery life with both displays set to 50% brightness. With just the 14-inch high-efficiency panel on, though, it made it to 11 hours, 57 minutes. A button to the left of the power button lets you quickly turn off the 12.6-inch panel so it's easy enough to power it down and save some battery. It would be nice if you could lay the screen flat for those times when it's not in use, but it is always angled up when the Duo 14 is open.
Overall performance was right where it should be compared to other 11th-gen Intel Core i7 laptops we've tested. However, if you're going to be using this for content creation, you'll be better off waiting for a model with the Nvidia GeForce MX450 discrete graphics. Also, memory goes up to 32GB, but it's onboard and can't be upgraded. If you need 16GB or 32GB, make sure it's part of your initial configuration.
Asus includes a pen and laptop sleeve with the Duo 14.
Josh Goldman/CNET
One last minor point: The ZenBook Duo 14 is heavier than your average premium 14-inch laptop at 3.5 pounds (1.6 kilograms) but all things considered, that's still light and fairly thin at 16.9 millimeters (0.7 inch).
Aside from the second display, this is a solid 14-inch laptop, with a nice main display with an IR camera, excellent performance and a long battery life. In the end, if you can get past the keyboard and touchpad layout, the second display really does come in handy, especially if you're a heavy Adobe user, from Photoshop to Illustrator to Premiere.
Geekbench 5 (multicore)
Lenovo Yoga 9i (14-inch)
Asus ZenBook 13 UX325EA-AH77
Acer AP714-51T Porsche Design Acer Book RS
Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482
HP Envy x360 13 (2020)
Lenovo Yoga C940 (14-inch)
Note:
Longer bars indicate better performance
Cinebench R20 CPU (multicore)
Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482
HP Envy x360 13 (2020)
Lenovo Yoga 9i (14-inch)
Acer AP714-51T Porsche Design Acer Book RS
Asus ZenBook 13 UX325EA-AH77
Lenovo Yoga C940 (14-inch)
Note:
Longer bars indicate better performance
Streaming video playback battery drain test (minutes)
Lenovo Yoga 9i (14-inch)
Acer AP714-51T Porsche Design Acer Book RS
Asus ZenBook 13 UX325EA-AH77
Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482
Lenovo Yoga C940 (14-inch)
HP Envy x360 13 (2020)
Note:
Longer bars indicate better performance
System Configurations
Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482
Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 2.8GHz Intel Core i7-1165G7; 8GB DDR4 SDRAM 4,267MHz; 128MB Intel Iris Xe graphics; 512GB SSD
Lenovo Yoga 9i (14-inch)
Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 3.0GHz Intel Core i7-1185G7; 16GB DDR4 SDRAM 4,267MHz; 128MB Intel Iris Xe graphics; 512GB SSD
Acer AP714-51T Porsche Design Acer Book RS
Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 2.4GHz Intel Core i5-1135G7; 8GB DDR4 SDRAM 4,267MHz; 128MB Intel Iris Xe graphics; 512GB SSD
Asus ZenBook 13 UX325EA-AH77
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro (64-bit); 2.8GHz Intel Core i7-1165G7; 16GB DDR4 SDRAM 4,267MHz; 128MB Intel Iris Xe graphics; 1TB SSD
HP Envy x360 13 (2020)
Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 2.3GHz; AMD Ryzen 5 4500U; 8GB DDR4 SDRAM 3,200MHz; 512MB Radeon graphics; 256GB SSD
Lenovo Yoga C940 (14-inch)
Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 1.3GHz Intel Core i7-1057G7; 12GB DDR4 SDRAM 4,267MHz; 128MB Intel Iris Plus graphics; 512GB SSD
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Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482 review: A dual-screen laptop that makes sense
Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482 review: A dual-screen laptop that makes sense
What I like most about the ZenBook Duo 14 is that you really can't tell from the outside of the laptop what you'll see when you lift the lid. Despite opening and closing it countless times at this point, I still get a kick out of seeing its secondary 12.6-inch touchscreen rise from above the keyboard to meet the bottom of the main 14-inch display. One screen flows into the next and, with the help of Asus' software, that slim display becomes more useful than you might think (and certainly more useful than Apple's Touch Bar). There are a few compromises that come with the design, but they might just be worth it.
Like
Useful dual-display design
Excellent performance and battery life
Active pen and case included
Don't Like
Keyboard, touchpad layout might take some adjustment
Memory is soldered on
The ZenBook Duo is available in two versions, a Pro Duo 15 OLED and the Duo 14 reviewed here. The Pro Duo 15 OLED will have up to a 10th-gen Intel Core i9 processor, with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 discrete graphics and up to 32GB of memory when it arrives in April. The Duo 14 has either 11th-gen Core i5 or i7 processors, optional Nvidia MX450 discrete graphics and up to 32GB of memory. Prices start at $1,000, but the configuration I tested is $1,300. That converts to about AU$1,695 and £950.
The Duo 14 has a 14-inch, 1,920x1,080-pixel touchscreen paired with a 12.6-inch, 1,920x515-pixel touchscreen. Both panels have a 400-nit brightness, but the 12.6-inch screen has a matte finish and looks a little dim by comparison unless you're looking straight down on it.
On the Duo 14's predecessor, the smaller screen, officially called ScreenPad Plus, was flat on the body so you had to crane your neck some to use it. Now, with its new hinge design, the screen angles up to 7 degrees. It gives you a better viewing angle but also increases airflow and creates a smaller gap between it and the main display. It's not seamless, but because the frames on both screens are slim, it's similar to working with two external displays side by side.
App windows can flow from the top display to the bottom.
Josh Goldman/CNET
A better second screen
Windows recognizes the ScreenPad Plus as a second display, so you can use it for whatever you would use a second screen for. It's great for anything you'd typically lose sight of while you're working on something full screen on the main display. For instance, I put Slack, Outlook and Spotify on the ScreenPad Plus while I worked on the main display. Asus' ScreenXpert 2.0 software can automatically resize up to three windows on the ScreenPad to fit evenly across it. You can also flick windows between screens with your fingertip, which is kind of fun. There's also a dedicated button above the touchpad to move windows up and down.
Asus also has a bunch of utilities for the ScreenPad Plus available through an onscreen touch bar. You can, for example, launch a number pad or, with a three-finger tap, turn it into a giant touchpad. You can also write on it with the included active pen if you need to jot down a quick note, sign a document or just want to doodle. I was a bit worried about putting too much pressure on the ScreenPad with my hand while writing but the metal hinges held firm and you can easily disable both the touchpad and keyboard while you use it.
Although the hinge design lifts the rear of the laptop up some, Asus also includes an attachable stand to lift it even higher that folds flat when not in use.
Josh Goldman/CNET
A new Control Panel app for the ScreenPad Plus gives you customizable dial, slider and button decks for Adobe Creative Cloud apps. Open Photoshop, for example, and it'll load a tool deck of your own design on the ScreenPad. It's sort of like a supersized Touch Bar on a MacBook Pro, but considerably more useful and with greater flexibility. Even if you're not using Adobe apps, the ScreenPad is a great place to put tool palettes for other creative software.
Get a little, give a little
The 12.6-inch display turned out to be handier to have than I initially thought. Even if you never use it for anything other than seeing messages that come in or changing your music, it's nice not to have to constantly switch between windows when you're working.
The keyboard and touchpad certainly feel cramped compared to a normal 14-inch laptop.
Josh Goldman/CNET
The trade-off for the extra display, though, is the keyboard and touchpad. First, the touchpad is small and narrow and I frequently hit the right arrow key instead of the touchpad's left button. And there's the matter of it being to the left of the keyboard. If you're moving to the Duo 14 from a typical laptop layout with the keyboard at the top and the touchpad at the bottom, muscle memory will not be your friend. Desktop users or anyone using a mouse regularly will have an easier time of it.
The keyboard feels a bit cramped to me, but it might just be that it feels like I'm being shoved to the left by the touchpad. It does have a couple of keys that are reduced, like the Enter and Backspace. Also, since it is at the bottom, there is no keyboard deck and, hence, no palm rests. The raised back end of the keyboard helps here, though, as my wrists more comfortably rested on my desk while typing.
The hinge lifts the keyboard at the back.
Josh Goldman/CNET
There are a couple of other things to be aware of. While the battery life is generally excellent, the second display will cut into your time away from an outlet. On our streaming video test, the Duo 14 hit 9 hours, 6 minutes of battery life with both displays set to 50% brightness. With just the 14-inch high-efficiency panel on, though, it made it to 11 hours, 57 minutes. A button to the left of the power button lets you quickly turn off the 12.6-inch panel so it's easy enough to power it down and save some battery. It would be nice if you could lay the screen flat for those times when it's not in use, but it is always angled up when the Duo 14 is open.
Overall performance was right where it should be compared to other 11th-gen Intel Core i7 laptops we've tested. However, if you're going to be using this for content creation, you'll be better off waiting for a model with the Nvidia GeForce MX450 discrete graphics. Also, memory goes up to 32GB, but it's onboard and can't be upgraded. If you need 16GB or 32GB, make sure it's part of your initial configuration.
Asus includes a pen and laptop sleeve with the Duo 14.
Josh Goldman/CNET
One last minor point: The ZenBook Duo 14 is heavier than your average premium 14-inch laptop at 3.5 pounds (1.6 kilograms) but all things considered, that's still light and fairly thin at 16.9 millimeters (0.7 inch).
Aside from the second display, this is a solid 14-inch laptop, with a nice main display with an IR camera, excellent performance and a long battery life. In the end, if you can get past the keyboard and touchpad layout, the second display really does come in handy, especially if you're a heavy Adobe user, from Photoshop to Illustrator to Premiere.
Geekbench 5 (multicore)
Lenovo Yoga 9i (14-inch)
Asus ZenBook 13 UX325EA-AH77
Acer AP714-51T Porsche Design Acer Book RS
Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482
HP Envy x360 13 (2020)
Lenovo Yoga C940 (14-inch)
Note:
Longer bars indicate better performance
Cinebench R20 CPU (multicore)
Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482
HP Envy x360 13 (2020)
Lenovo Yoga 9i (14-inch)
Acer AP714-51T Porsche Design Acer Book RS
Asus ZenBook 13 UX325EA-AH77
Lenovo Yoga C940 (14-inch)
Note:
Longer bars indicate better performance
Streaming video playback battery drain test (minutes)
Lenovo Yoga 9i (14-inch)
Acer AP714-51T Porsche Design Acer Book RS
Asus ZenBook 13 UX325EA-AH77
Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482
Lenovo Yoga C940 (14-inch)
HP Envy x360 13 (2020)
Note:
Longer bars indicate better performance
System Configurations
Asus ZenBook Duo 14 UX482
Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 2.8GHz Intel Core i7-1165G7; 8GB DDR4 SDRAM 4,267MHz; 128MB Intel Iris Xe graphics; 512GB SSD
Lenovo Yoga 9i (14-inch)
Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 3.0GHz Intel Core i7-1185G7; 16GB DDR4 SDRAM 4,267MHz; 128MB Intel Iris Xe graphics; 512GB SSD
Acer AP714-51T Porsche Design Acer Book RS
Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 2.4GHz Intel Core i5-1135G7; 8GB DDR4 SDRAM 4,267MHz; 128MB Intel Iris Xe graphics; 512GB SSD
Asus ZenBook 13 UX325EA-AH77
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro (64-bit); 2.8GHz Intel Core i7-1165G7; 16GB DDR4 SDRAM 4,267MHz; 128MB Intel Iris Xe graphics; 1TB SSD
HP Envy x360 13 (2020)
Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 2.3GHz; AMD Ryzen 5 4500U; 8GB DDR4 SDRAM 3,200MHz; 512MB Radeon graphics; 256GB SSD
Lenovo Yoga C940 (14-inch)
Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 1.3GHz Intel Core i7-1057G7; 12GB DDR4 SDRAM 4,267MHz; 128MB Intel Iris Plus graphics; 512GB SSD
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Asus loads ZenBook and VivoBook lines with ScreenPad displays
Asus loads ZenBook and VivoBook lines with ScreenPad displays
The centerpiece of Asus' 2019 Computex press conference on Monday was the ZenBook Pro Duo, a high-end laptop that sports two 4K displays. But that doesn't mean its less expensive laptops didn't get some love, too.
Asus' ScreenPad is a phone-sized screen that doubles as a trackpad. First introduced in last year's ZenBook Pro 15, it's been improved (it's now the ScreenPad 2) and ported to Asus' midrange laptops.
What's new in the ScreenPad 2? It's slightly larger, more responsive and, perhaps most importantly, it now isn't powered by a discrete graphics card, which makes it much easier on ye' ol' batteries.
If you're having trouble imagining it, just think of the trackpad in your laptop. Now imagine it as a 5.65-inch phone screen, with apps and all, and you have an idea of what Asus is going for. It comes loaded with Asus programs, but you can also put apps like Netflix, Spotify and Facebook Messenger down there.
Asus' ScreenPad-eqipped VivoBooks.
Daniel Van Boom/CNET
It also serves functions that compliment whatever you're running on the main screen. A tech demo showed a PowerPoint-style app where the ScreenPad had options to embolden, italicize or underline text.
Here are the 2019 models you'll find the ScreenPad 2 in. These notably include the VivoBook S lineup, which are cheaper than the ZenBook range. (Also, hilariously, Asus pulled a "hello, fellow kids" and categorized the VivoBook as its "youthful and stylish" range during its Computex press conference.)
Asus ZenBook 15: Intel Core i7 processor, Nvidia GeFore GTX 1650 Max-Q graphics, 92% screen-to-body ratio
Asus ZenBook 13, 14: Intel Core i7, Nvidia MX250 graphics. The ZenBook 13 has a 95% screen-to-body ratio, while the 14 has a 92% ratio.
Asus VivoBook S 13, 15: Intel Core i7, Nvidia MX250 graphics, 5.65-inch ScreenPad, 88% screen-to-body ratio.
Asus also announced a special ZenBook 30, a laptop to celebrate the company's 30th birthday. It's a 13-inch ZenBook laptop, with a Core i7 CPU and Nvidia MX250 graphics like the above machines, but it's got some luxurious trimmings. It's leather encased, and has 18 karat rose gold plating.
ZenBook 30
Asus
Find out more about the show-stealing ZenBook Duo laptops in our first-take about the computers.
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Best MacBook Pro Alternatives for 2022
Best MacBook Pro Alternatives for 2022
Fortunately for Apple users, Apple has made some much needed changes to MacBook Pro in the latest generations. That means no more awful keyboard, annoying Touch Bar or overreliance on Thunderbolt/USB-C connections. The latest models of the 14-inch MacBook Pro and the 16-inch MacBook Pro come with M1 series processors, a top-notch design and displays with mini-LED backlighting. Apple also added back some of the ports that were missing in previous generations and removed the Touch Bar.
But the fact remains that there's a far bigger variety of designs, feature sets and display choices for Windows laptops and Chromebooks, and Windows remains the preferred platform for playing games locally. Cloud gaming lets Macs circumvent the gaming problem to a certain extent, but not completely; only a fraction of the universe of games is playable via the cloud.
An entry-level MacBook can stretch the limits of your budget, and those who've set aside a nice chunk of cash might want something a little more customizable. No one can deny that one appealing thing about Windows laptops is the variety. Even when trying to imitate the offerings of a MacBook (or an iPad or iPad Pro) there are all sizes of far less expensive Chromebooks, as well as 14- and 15-inch laptops that are slightly smaller and lighter than the 16-inch MacBook Pro, but not quite as small as the 13-inch MacBook Air, across the price spectrum. You can also get more variety, with alternatives like 2-in-1s. Plus, we're seeing lots of experimentation with multiscreen designs.
This list is periodically updated with new models we've tested and reviewed. It's a great place to start to get an idea of what's available. If you need advice on whether a particular type of laptop or two-in-one is right for you, jump to our laptop FAQ at the bottom of the list.
So when you want to go Windows, here are our recommendations for laptops to fill that MacBook-size void in your life.
Lori Grunin/CNET
If, like me, you're not a fan of OLED screens for photo editing -- they're not optimized for Adobe RGB and aren't great at tonal range in the shadows -- then what you need is a laptop with a good IPS display. The Dell XPS 17 9720 with the 4K screen option delivers that, and it's not as reflective as the OLED screens I've seen. Dell's PremierColor software isn't perfect, but it gives you more control over screen settings than most I've seen, and it has two Thunderbolt 3 controllers to make your external drives happy. It's heavier than the MacBook, but not much bigger, especially given its larger 17-inch screen. And while its battery life isn't terrific, its performance can certainly keep up.
And a great lower-cost alternative is the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus, which doesn't head to the front of the line primarily because of its lower build quality, and I'm assuming that if you're looking for a MacBook Pro equivalent you want the metal chassis, better screen and higher-end components. But if you also want to save as much as $1,000, it's worth considering.
Read Dell XPS 17 9720 review
Lori Grunin/CNET
If you're drawn to a MacBook Pro for its featureless-slab aesthetic, Razer's your Windows go-to. If you want one that roughly matches the 14-inch Pro for design, size and weight, the Blade 14 is your option; its little brother, the Razer Book 13 makes a great alternative to the 13-inch MacBook Pro when you want something a bit smaller and less expensive.
A smaller version than the 15-inch staple, the 14-inch Razer Blade delivers a lot of gaming power for its size without feeling small -- an important consideration for a gaming laptop, and one that Apple doesn't need to worry about -- but has decent battery life, a nice size for travel and a subtle design (for a gaming laptop) that's buttoned-up enough for sitting in a meeting with the top brass or clients.
Read our Razer Blade 14 (2021) review.
Josh Goldman/CNET
Dell's XPS 13 is a 13.3-inch laptop that's so trimmed up that the body is basically the size of an older 11.6-inch laptop. Being part of the company's XPS line means both its chassis and components are top-notch for its class, so you're getting great battery life and performance, too. Power delivery is via USB-C and it comes with a microSD reader and headphone jack. It comes in both a standard clamshell as well as the two-in-one, but I prefer the two-in-one because you can fold it up into a tablet if you have to work in a cramped space.
Read our Dell XPS 2-in-1 review.
Josh Goldman/CNET
What's better than the Touch Bar? An entire half-screen second display, that's what. The Duo's tilt-up second screen can act as an ancillary display, an extension of the primary display (for viewing those long web pages) or a separate control center from which you can run Asus' custom utilities or as control surfaces for select creative applications. Plus, Asus excels at squeezing every bit of performance out of its high-end laptops, and the 14-inch delivers great battery life, as well.
It comes in two models, 15-inch and the 2021 14-inch Duo 14 that we reviewed. The Duo 14 has either 11th-gen Core i5 or i7 processors, optional Nvidia MX450 discrete graphics and up to 32GB of memory.
Read our Asus ZenBook Duo review.
Commonly asked questions
Which is faster, a MacBook or a Windows laptop?
That's an almost impossible question to answer.
For one thing, it's a moving target. We're starting to see Windows models featuring Intel's new 12th-gen CPUs, which has the same hybrid core architecture as Apple's M1 chips, as well as new mobile GPUs. We haven't yet had a chance to test out many of these next-gen models, but it's safe to assume that Apple's M1 processors will be facing some stiff competition.
And thus far, Apple hasn't even launched an M1 MacBook with a discrete GPU, though its integrated graphics seem to scale up to compete with current low-end Nvidia and AMD graphics up to about the RTX 3070 and Radeon RX 6800M, and definitely improves on previous Intel-based Macs though neither is really surprising. But it means that at the high end we're still in sort of a MacBook holding pattern when it comes to comparisons with heavier Windows options.
Plus, differences in operating systems complicate things. Mac OS has long been more efficient than Windows and that's only improved now that Apple owns its entire food chain. But it doesn't need to worry about compatibility with partner systems and myriad different components. Then toss in difficulties getting repeatable, comparable, representative and broad-based benchmark results for cross-platform comparisons... well, I don't feel like going down that rabbit hole right now.
Is a MacBook Pro better for content creation than a Windows laptop?
Once again, a difficult question to answer because there's no sweeping generalizations you can make. If you're basing the concern on Windows' old reputation for being inferior for graphics work, it was accurate at the time but is no longer true.
Screens on Windows laptops have come a long way, and convertibles (aka two-in-ones) mean you can paint or sketch directly on the laptop screen. With a MacBook you'd need to buy an iPad as well.
Some graphics applications are only available on one platform or the other, so figuring out which ones you need and which you can switch away from is the first thing to decide before you choose between Windows and MacOS. Also consider that MacOS no longer supports 32-bit applications, so if you've got an old favorite that hasn't been updated -- this happens most with small utilities -- but still exists on Windows, that's something to think about.
Some applications may also be better optimized for one platform than the other, or rely on a specific GPU from AMD or Nvidia for their best acceleration. Since you can't really use an Nvidia card with a Mac and none of the M1 MacBooks incorporate any discrete graphics, Windows is probably a better bet, especially for programs that rely on Nvidia's CUDA programming interface. Think about any accessories you need, as well -- the drivers and utilities you need to use them may not be available or be stripped down on one or the other.
MacBooks may run faster than equivalently configured Windows laptops simply because MacOS is a lot more tightly integrated with the hardware than Windows can ever be on its side of the fence. Microsoft simply has to support a much wider variety of hardware than Apple will ever need to, and that adds performance overhead; this can be especially important for activities sensitive to latency, like audio recording. Windows' flexibility is both its strength and its weakness.
How we test computers
The review process for laptops, desktops, tablets and other computer-like devices consists of two parts: performance testing under controlled conditions in the CNET Labs and extensive hands-on use by our expert reviewers. This includes evaluating a device's aesthetics, ergonomics and features. A final review verdict is a combination of both those objective and subjective judgments.
The list of benchmarking software we use changes over time as the devices we test evolve. The most important core tests we're currently running on every compatible computer include: Primate Labs Geekbench 5, Cinebench R23, PCMark 10 and 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra.
A more detailed description of each benchmark and how we use it can be found in our How We Test Computers page.
Lenovo IFA Launch Highlights Include 16-Inch X1 Fold, T1 Glasses
Lenovo IFA Launch Highlights Include 16-Inch X1 Fold, T1 Glasses
What's happening
Lenovo is announcing its new products for the second half of 2022 and early 2023 at the IFA show in Germany.
Why it matters
The announcements include an update to Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Fold, a well-thought-out update to its previous generation. Folding laptops are still in early days, and Lenovo's shows a potential direction they may go.
Lenovo's announcements for IFA 2022 offer a few notable enhancements to existing product lines, highlighted by an overhauled and larger 16-inch version of its Thinkpad X1 Fold, a consumer-focused version of its T1 Glasses "wearable display," the company's first 16-inch Chromebook and an interesting take on a monitor stand with a phone perch for its refreshed ThinkVision line. Lenovo's also refreshed its P11 Android tablets.
ThinkPad X1 Fold
The company made a lot of changes to the Fold based on its experiences with the previous generation -- and don't think that unchanged product name won't get confusing. For example, the bigger screen gives the device more flexibility to operate in multiple ways -- such as a landscape or portrait-orientation laptop, book or tablet -- with webcams on two sides. Lenovo fixed the gaping hinge (which was similar to that of the Microsoft Surface Book) to remove the gap as well. It also uses a new recycled woven fabric for the back cover. That experience becomes clear when you compare it to Asus' recently launched first-gen ZenBook Fold OLED.
The Thinkpad X1 Fold will ship in November starting at $2,499.
2.8 pounds (1.3kg)
16-inch (tablet), 12-inch (clamshell), 2,560x2,024-pixel OLED display with a 4:3 aspect ratio, 600 nits brightness
Options: Bluetooth keyboard with TrackPoint and haptic touchpad, Wacom AES-compatible stylus
Lenovo's Glasses T1
Josh Goldman/CNET
Lenovo Glasses T1
The Glasses T1 are for perching a bigger display on your face or hiding the content on your screen from shoulder surfers. It's a nice idea, but a lot hangs on the implementation -- such as how easy it is to fit your prescription in it -- and price. We won't really know here, at least until 2023; it will ship first in China by the end of this year, then follow "in other select markets" next year. Pricing won't be announced until they're ready to ship. The Glasses T1 also work with iPhones.
Micro OLED screens
Compatibility: Windows, Android, MacOS devices with USB-C connections; iPhone with Lenovo HDMI-to-glasses adapter and Apple Lightning digital AV adapter (both extra cost)
Swappable nose clips
Adjustable arms
Supports prescription lenses (via bundled snap in frame)
Lenovo IdeaPad 5i Chromebook
Josh Goldman/CNET
IdeaPad 5i Chromebook
Lenovo supplements its 14-inch IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook with a bigger 16-inch clamshell model that offers the option of a higher-end QHD display than the smaller Flex. It's slated to ship in Europe starting in September for 549 euros; US pricing and availability will be announced later, but that price is equal to about $550.
Display options: 16:10 aspect ratio displays, either 120Hz QHD with 350 nits brightness and 100% sRGB coverage or 60Hz FHD with 300 nits brightness and 45% NTSC coverage (which is really small)
Up to 512GB storage
Up to 8GB LPDDR4X RAM
Up to Core i3-1215U CPU
Up to 12 hour battery
Weight starts at 4.1 pounds (1.9kg)
MicroSD slot, 2x USB-A, 2x USB-C, 1x combo audio
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5
The Lenovo Tab P11 (left) and Tab P11 Pro (right), 2nd gen.
These are updated models in Lenovo's Tab P11 Android tablet line, a mainstream Tab 11 and high-end Tab P11 Pro (second-gen), with faster processors, newer versions of Android and, in the case of the Pro, a better screen. The Pro is is expected to ship in September starting at $400; the Tab P11 (second-gen) will ship beginning in January starting at $250.
Tab P11
11.5-inch, 2,000x1,200-pixel 120Hz LCD screen with 400 nits brightness
1.2 pounds (520g)
Options: Lenovo Precision Pen 2 (in 2023), keyboard, folio case
MediaTek Helio G99 CPU
Android 12L
Up to 6GB RAM plus 128GB storage
Quad speakers, dual mics
7,700-mAH battery
Either LTE with Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6E connectivity
USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack
Tab P11 Pro
Android 12
11.2-inch, 2,560x1,536-pixel 120Hz OLED screen with 600 nits peak brightness and 100% P3 color gamut, Dolby Vision and HDR10 Plus support
1.1 pounds (480g)
Quad speakers
MediaTek Kompanio 1300T CPU
Up to 14 hours battery (8,000 mAh)
Keyboard included
options: Lenovo Precision Pen 3, folio case
Wi-Fi 6
USB-C with DisplayPort support
The new ThinkVision stand's base has a notch for propping up your phone.
Josh Goldman/CNET
Legion, ThinkVision monitors
Lenovo usually saves its more interesting monitor launches for CES, so it's unsurprising that these feel like somewhat rote updates. There's a new 32-inch Legion 4K, 144Hz gaming monitor, as well as its commercial ThinkVision models in sizes from 24 to 34 inches. However, Lenovo has also introduced a new stand in the latter, which has a clever notch that you can slide your phone into to prop it upright. The ThinkVisions are all expected to ship in January.
Legion Y32p-30 gaming monitor, 32 inches, ships in December and starts at $750
