Asus ZenBook Pro 15 (UX580): A 5.5-inch Screen in the Touchpad
by Ian Cutress on June 5, 2018 12:31 AM EST
Asus’s new ZenBook Pros, announced at Computex in Taipei, each have two screens: the big laptop display you expect, and then a new 5.5-inch display built into the touchpad called the ScreenPad. The ZenBook Pro 15 (UX580) will be available in July for $2,299, but we don’t have pricing and availability for the 14-inch model.
The ScreenPads is a 5.5-inch FHD display that doubles as a touchpad with support for Microsoft’s precision drivers for Windows 10 gestures. It has a toolbar at the top that contains an app launcher, including built-in support for YouTube and Spotify, as well as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. It can also mirror a smartphone on your PC with the Asus Sync app.
The 15-inch version will go up to an Intel Core i9-8950HK CPU, up to a 4K display, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU, and up to a 1TB PCIe SSD. It includes a wide variety of ports, including two Thunderbolt 3 ports, two USB type-A ports, an HDMI output, audio jack and a microSD card reader. The 14-inch model will go up to an Intel Core i7 processor, with a 14-inch 1080p display and Nvidia GeForce 1050 with Max-Q design. with two Type-A ports, one Thunderbolt 3 and an HDMI output.
Asus is pushing the displays on the 15-inch model, which it says are its first to be Pantone validated, and the company is also claiming 132 percent sRGB coverage and 178-degree viewing angles. Additionally, the audio is Harmon Kardon-certified, so we’re expecting loud, clear sound.
We’ll need more hands-on time in our lab to see what we think of the ScreenPads, but they’ll surely be compared to the Touch Bar on Apple’s MacBook Pro. On first glance, we prefer this because it doesn’t remove any of the function row keys. We were able to use it as an extended display This isn’t the first touchpad to feature a screen, though. Razer tried something similar with the Razer Blade Pro a few years ago but ultimately ditched it. We’re cautiously excited by the prospect.
But what Asus hasn’t changed is premium design. The dark aluminum look puts all of the focus on the two screens, and we’re looking forward to testing both machines when they release.
This article originally appeared on Laptop Mag.
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11 Comments
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cosmotic - Tuesday, June 5, 2018 - link
What.PixyMisa - Tuesday, June 5, 2018 - link
Looks pretty good. 4K, 6 cores, 1050 Ti is adequate for gaming at 1080p. And it has the critical PgUp / PgDn / Home / End keys. It's a pain using a laptop for development work without those.Manch - Tuesday, June 5, 2018 - link
Was hoping for a 1060 on this one. I have an older Zenbook with the 960m. Its a great laptop. I love the numpad(yes, I am one of the few that uses one). As I HATE trackpads and always use a mouse, a touchscreen instead of a regular trackpad is pretty cool as it can be a numpad and provide more utility for me. Though I'd still prefer a real numpad bc I prefer actual keys, its a decent compromise. The 1050 though...soo close...ConcernedCtzen - Tuesday, June 5, 2018 - link
1050 actually is the equivalent of old 960, having a slight edge over the old one ofc. And yeah, as a numpad guy too, it being on the trackpad does seem nice in theory, question how is it in practiceManch - Wednesday, June 6, 2018 - link
True, but if im going to upgrade, I want a bump in CPU & GPU performance. Otherwise, I'm giving up my numpad for a tv screen trackpad LOLstanleyipkiss - Tuesday, June 5, 2018 - link
If I can use the trackpad as a second screen to watch a YouTube video while working or playing -- I will absolutely buy this laptop.nimi - Tuesday, June 5, 2018 - link
So the obvious question is, what happens when you have the screenpad in some app-function mode and you just want to use it as a normal touchpad? Will it be able to accurately distinguish between touchpad use and attempts to actually engage with the on-screen UI? Or would you need to somehow switch modes?haukionkannel - Tuesday, June 5, 2018 - link
Switch would be a sane ques...PeachNCream - Tuesday, June 5, 2018 - link
Using the touchpad as a second screen is something that I think could actually be useful. The already mentioned phone mirroring is probably the most obvious useful capability, but I could see a variety of possibilities like keeping something in line of sight when a full screen program is occupying the main display that could be of value. I'd certainly prefer 1080p over 4K given the dGPU's capabilities. In fact, I'd prefer just making do with an iGPU if it means better battery life, less fan noise, and cooler overall operation since I really only need the graphics adapter to scroll text and play the occasional video.zodiacfml - Tuesday, June 5, 2018 - link
Easily beats the Touch Bar