Asus Zenbook Duo Vs. Asus ProArt: I Tested Both to See Which Laptop Is Worth the Splurge

Disclaimer: I dedicated an entire PureWow100 review to this laptop (so consider this the Cliff’s Notes version). At its core, it’s a dual-screen laptop with two 14-inch OLED touch displays stacked together, a detachable keyboard, a built-in kickstand and pen support. That means you’re not stuck squeezing everything onto one desktop. I could draft an article on the top screen while keeping research, Spotify, or Photoshop open on the bottom—like carrying a portable two-monitor setup in a three-pound shell.

To that end, the flexibility comes from its different modes. In dual-screen mode, you can stack the displays vertically and use them as either one massive panel or two separate workspaces. In desktop mode, the screens sit side by side, almost like a digital magazine spread—a dream for comparing sources or dragging text from one doc to another. And in sharing mode, you can flip the screens outward or mirror them, so two people can view or collaborate at once. I absolutely loved the adaptability here—I can change my setup depending on what my day looks like.

Another perk: the customizable settings, which go deeper than I expected. “Whisper mode” keeps fan noise to a minimum, while “eye care mode” reduces blue light by up to 30 percent. The OLED panels also let you tweak the color gamut, with presets for browsing, editing photos, or grading film. Paired with ScreenXpert software—which snaps windows into zones—and Copilot+ AI integration, the Duo feels like it’s actively helping you stay organized, not just giving you more screen space.

Of course, it isn’t perfect. Some apps still get confused by the dual screens, with pop-ups landing in odd places. The keyboard, while clever, doesn’t feel quite as seamless as a traditional laptop. And the battery drains quickly when you’re running both OLEDs at full brightness. Still, for less than $2,000, the Zenbook isn’t trying to out-muscle the ProArt—it offers flexibility, portability and multitasking in a way few laptops do.

First and foremost, the ProArt includes all of Zenbook’s standout software—“whisper mode,” ScreenXpert, Copilot—and upgrades it. But while the Zenbook is all about flexibility, the ProArt is unapologetically about power. It’s a workstation-class laptop with a 16-inch 4K OLED touchscreen, Nvidia graphics and enough storage to run massive creative apps without breaking a sweat. As a writer, I don’t need that much muscle day to day, but testing it made me realize just how dramatically it could change life for anyone editing video, rendering 3D or processing endless photo files.

In fact, even in my “lighter” workflows, the difference was obvious. Batch-editing photos in Photoshop was noticeably quicker. Having 40 Chrome tabs open while streaming music and editing images didn’t faze it. And the DialPad built into the trackpad turned out to be my favorite surprise—I mapped it to brush size in Photoshop and instantly had a tactile, dial-like control. For video editors scrubbing timelines or designers fine-tuning exposure, it’s the kind of feature that feels game-changing once you use it.

The display itself also deserves a spotlight. On a normal laptop, I’m squinting to tell if a red looks more coral or orange. But on the ProArt’s 16-inch 4K OLED touchscreen, the colors looked so precise, they’re almost lifelike. And that’s where it separates from the Zenbook: Its dual screens are built for multitasking, while this single, massive panel is built for accuracy. The size alone made it easier to edit fine details, and being able to pinch-zoom or swipe right on the screen made it feel less like a laptop and more like a production monitor. 

That said, there are trade-offs. The glossy screen picks up reflections in bright rooms. The fans spin up loudly during exports. And battery life is short—about five hours for light browsing, closer to two if you’re doing creative work. Plus, at a starting price of $2,100, it’s a splurge compared to the Zenbook. But the ProArt isn’t built for casual multitaskers. It’s a workhorse: heavy, powerful and made for creators who can’t afford to wait on their machines. For me, it felt like overkill. For a filmmaker or designer juggling giant projects? It might just be life-changing.