It’s time to get bent – in a great way. After years of teasing, the world’s first foldable 17.3-inch laptop computer is right here and there may be loads to love. The Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED is a multi-pronged answer to work and play because of Asus’ proprietary hinge and a foldable OLED show created by each Asus and Intel. Talking of Intel, the Core i7 U-series processor is not any slouch, delivering a shocking quantity of energy for a chip that’s identified for its concentrate on energy effectivity.
I had a blast utilizing all the modes, which fortunately aren’t gimmicky. And I positively loved the appears from family and friends alike as I went from watching films on an enormous pill, to engaged on the sofa to studying within the blink of an eye fixed.
As a lot enjoyable as I had bending the Fold to my whims, the $3,499 pricing hurts my pockets’s emotions, particularly in such a financially delicate local weather. And for the worth, I count on a couple of extra ports and a pen for my troubles. Nonetheless, the Asus ZenBook 17 Fold OLED is a pleasure to make use of and I can unabashedly say welcome to the evolution of the laptop computer.
Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED pricing
As of this writing, there’s solely configuration of the Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED and it prices an eye-watering $3,499. Along with its 17.3-inch, foldable 2560 x 1920 OLED show you get a 3.5-GHz Intel Core i7-1250U processor with 16GB of RAM, a 1TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 SSD and built-in Intel Iris Xe Graphics.
Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED design
Is it a ridiculously giant pill, a diminutive laptop computer or a stately e-reader? The reply is slightly little bit of all the pieces and past. Because the title suggests, the Fold does simply that, reworking from a big show that can be utilized as a secondary display or a Home windows pill right into a laptop computer sufficiently small to suit right into a medium-sized laptop computer bag or backpack.
The vast majority of the Fold’s chassis is made up of magnesium alloy in a shade that Asus has dubbed Tech Black. When the sunshine hits the rear panel at simply the proper angle, the inky black appears to glow in a fascinating inexperienced. Consider the bioluminescent bays present in elements of the Caribbean and also you’re heading in the right direction. A shiny, stylized “A” sits prime heart above the leather-based panel defending the hinge. Alongside the underside left of the leather-based, you’ll see the phrases Asus Zenbook. Give the strip a light-weight pull to disclose the massive kickstand.
Don’t be like me and virtually destroy the machine since you suppose the whole leather-based panel is detachable. It’s not. It’s a state of affairs just like the unique Samsung Galaxy Fold, so pull gently and try to be superb. Rounding out the rear panel are two little ft to present the system a little bit of carry when it’s in sure modes.
With out the included Asus ErgoSense Bluetooth keyboard hooked up, the Fold’s entrance is all display. The bezels are a bit thick, however they’re lined with a pleasant black soft-touch materials. The highest bezel holds a 5-megapixel webcam. The highest of the removable keyboard is completed in leather-based and homes a full-sized keyboard in a slight recess with the keyboard sitting just under.
When it’s unfurled in Pill or Desktop mode, the Fold weighs in at 3.3 kilos and measures 14.9 x 11.3 x 0.3~0.5 inches. It’s each greater and heavier than the iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1.5 kilos, 11.04 x 8.46 x 0.3 inches). In Laptop computer mode, the Fold’s measurement shrinks to 11.3 x 7.5 x 0.7~1.4 inches and if you happen to’re utilizing the ErgoSense keyboard, the load will increase ever-so-slightly to 4 kilos. It makes the MacBook Air M2 (2.8 kilos, 12 x 8.4 x 0,6 inches) and the Dell XPS 13 Plus (2.7 kilos, 11.6 x 7.8 x 0.6 inches) appear gentle by comparability. Solely the Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 7 (12.52 x 9.06 x 0.6 inches) comes near matching the Fold at 3.1 kilos.
Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED modes
Due to its hinge and bendable OLED panel, the Fold is able to transitioning between six modes.
You’ve gotten your conventional clamshell Laptop computer and Pill modes, together with Reader mode in case you wish to curl up with e-book. Desktop mode makes use of the built-in real leather-based kickstand on the again so the system can stand upright whilst you use the bundled Bluetooth keyboard identical to you’ll with a daily monitor keyboard setup. If you want to multitask, there’s Prolonged mode which splits the Fold right into a pair of 12.5-inch, 1920 x 1280 shows with a 3:2 facet ratio. And at last, you will have one other Laptop computer mode (or laptop computer V as I prefer to name it). The place OG Laptop computer mode has you place the keyboard on the underside portion of the Fold, Laptop computer Mode V presents a digital keyboard.
Switching between the modes is pretty seamless, though I observed {that a} lag of just below two seconds when altering the orientation. Every thing else appeared close to instantaneous.
Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED ports
Escape the dongles, since you’re positively going to want them with the Zenbook 17 Fold because it solely has two Thunderbolt 4 ports on the prime left and proper aspect of the convertible. The quantity button occupies the highest proper nook with the facility button situated on the proper aspect above a small vent. The headset jack sits subsequent to the second Thunderbolt 4 port.
There’s a 3rd Thunderbolt 4 port discovered on the proper aspect of the Bluetooth keyboard. Nevertheless, I think about that you just’ll be utilizing that to cost the enter system greater than anything. Subsequent to the port is a small energy swap.
Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED show
OLED. Simply 17.3 inches of lovely, bendable OLED display in all its vibrant glory. Like most foldables available on the market, you may see the crease comprised of the hinge. But it surely’s not so pronounced that it distracts from the general great thing about the panel, particularly whenever you’re gazing at it head on in Pill or Desktop mode. In these modes, you get the total expertise of the two.5K (2560 x 1920) decision and its 4:3 facet ratio.
I began my viewing journey on Netflix with an episode of David Attenbourough’s “Life in Shade.” The element was so sharp that I may see the tiny fissures within the sand-colored stone. Quickly the display was crammed with the good blue plumage of a peacock. And proper earlier than I acquired misplaced within the fascinating sheen, the true present started because the tail feathers cascaded out, revealing the beautiful eye spots amidst the wispy jade feathers.
When the convertible is in both of the Laptop computer modes the display shifts to a 12.5-inch, 1920 x 1280 panel. In Prolonged mode, you get a pair of 12 inchers. I watched the trailer for “The Inspection” in Laptop computer mode and puzzled the way it was doable to make actor Gabrielle Union appear to be a standard individual. Though her pores and skin was its normal honey brown, there have been zits marks on her cheeks with noticeable baggage underneath her eyes. In the meantime actor Jeremy Pope’s crimson hoodie popped in opposition to the pastel coloured blanket.
After we measured the panel’s shade accuracy, it measured 108.5% of the DCI-P3 gamut, surpassing the 90.5% premium laptop computer common. It additionally proved it was extra vibrant than the MacBook Air (80%) and the XPS 13 Plus (84.2%). Nevertheless, the Yoga was essentially the most colourful with 140.1%.
When it comes to shade accuracy, the Fold comes out near the highest with a Delta-E rating of 0.24 (0 is greatest). That’s higher than the 0.25 class common in addition to the Air (0.3) and the Yoga (0.39). However the XPS 13 Plus was essentially the most correct at 0.21.
The place the Fold falls flat is show brightness. The system averaged 323 nits on the brightness check, which is under the 428 nit common. The Lenovo, Dell and Apple hit 352, 366 and 386 nits, respectively.
But when the default show settings aren’t doing it for you, you may all the time fiddle round with the Asus Splendid utility within the MyAsus hub. In an effort to shield that stunning OLED panel from burn-in, Splendid additionally has a pixel refresh characteristic and different OLED defending goodies. From there, you may modify the colour temperature and gamut. Or you need to use Dolby Imaginative and prescient, which presents three settings (Shiny, Darkish and Vivid).
The capacitive contact panel is quick and responsive. I simply want Asus thought to bundle a pen so I don’t must mar the display with my fingerprints, particularly whenever you’re shelling out $3,499.
Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED audio
A rooster in each pot and a speaker in each nook. The Zenbook 17 Fold has a harmon/kardon speaker gracing each nook. That means, irrespective of the way you’re utilizing the Fold, you’ll have a full audio expertise. Discover I stated full, not good. Listening to Victoria Monét’s “Coastin’” I used to be disillusioned on the tinniness on what’s normally a clean bop.
I attempted adjusting the audio with the preinstalled Dolby Atmos software program. However irrespective of the setting (Music, Film, Dynamic, Sport or Voice) and their myriad of presets, the most effective I may get was solely OK at greatest. My greatest end result got here from the Music setting with the Heat preset. The one vibrant spot is quantity, which acquired loud sufficient to fill my smallish dwelling and eating room.
Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED keyboard
Once I first noticed the ErgoSense keyboard, I used to be slightly skeptical. In my expertise, removable keyboards like these are typically flimsy, uncomfortable messes. However typing out everything of this overview switching between Laptop computer and Desktop mode, I used to be pleasantly stunned at how comfy the typing was.
The keys are giant with a slight curvature and the important thing journey is deep sufficient the place I by no means bottomed out. Plus, the keys are good and clicky, not mechanical keyboard clicky, however nonetheless satisfying. I do want there was some backlighting for after I wished to work in my bed room with the lights out.
However what the keyboard lacks in lighting it makes up with a couple of bells and whistles within the Fn row. There’s a key to launch MyAsus hub, which offers easy accessibility to a bunch of useful options. You’ll additionally discover a trio of Bluetooth buttons. The F8 key handles Bluetooth administration total whereas the F9 and 10 keys allow you to swap rapidly between two units with the identical keyboard. Asus additionally offers a display seize key and a key that permits you to decide the way you need the show to reply when related to a different monitor. It may possibly both act as its personal display, mirror the related show or act as an extension.
However again to the typing expertise. I simply reached 80 phrases per minute on the 10FastFingers typing check, crusing previous my normal 70 wpm.
The two.4 x 4.1-inch touchpad is clean to the contact. It’s agile and reactive and simply performs Windows 11 gestures.
Whereas I like utilizing the keyboard in Desktop mode, I favor Laptop computer mode with the keyboard. There’s one thing about how the panel switches from an enormous panel to an ultraportable as quickly because the keyboard touches it that does it for me. Asus has rated the keyboard for an estimated 24 hours of battery life. I’ve used it for almost 3 days straight and have but to expire of juice.
Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED efficiency
The Zenbook 17 Fold OLED is powered by a 1.1-GHz Intel Core i7-1250U processor with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 SSD. U-series chips are targeted on energy effectivity and are usually present in 2-in-1 laptops. And now it lends its energy to the rising foldable market. A hybrid chip, the CPU consists of two efficiency cores and eight effectivity cores. In response to Intel, the Efficiency cores or P-cores are designed to deal with compute-heavy masses like gaming whereas the Effectivity cores (E-Cores) are there for all of your multitasking wants.
The Fold allowed me my normal menagerie of 65 Google Chrome tabs which incorporates a mixture of Google Docs, Sheets and Sidess together with a YouTube video or two, Tweetdeck, Fb and a bunch of reports websites and analytic trackers. The foldable stored plugging alongside with out a trace of lag.
The Asus foldable additionally stood its floor throughout our artificial exams, beginning with Geekbench 5.4, our overall performance check the place the system posted 7,098. It handily defeated the 5,942 premium laptop computer common. Nevertheless, confronted with extra highly effective processors, there’s a notable distinction. The Yoga, for instance, with its Intel Core i7-1260P CPU reached 7,150 whereas the XPS 13 Plus (Intel Core i7-1280P CPU achieved 10,621. The MacBook Air’s M2 chip scored 8,919.
Throughout the Handbreak video transcoding check, the Fold transformed a 4K video to 1080p in 14 minutes and 16 seconds, which is slower than the 9:50 common, The Yoga, XPS 13 Plus and MacBook Air posted instances of 12:18, 8:17 and seven:52, respectively.
On the File Switch check, the Fold’s SSD duplicated 25GB of mixed-media information at a fee of 1,480.3 megabytes per second, scorching the 1,142.3 class common. Each the Dell (1,502.1MBps, 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe Gen 4 SSD) and the Lenovo (1,506.9MBps, 1TB SSD) obtained sooner outcomes.
Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED graphics
I’m nonetheless not bought on built-in graphics as a real gaming answer, however the Fold gave me a purpose to maybe rethink that stance. We ran the Sid Meier’s Civilization VI benchmark and the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED’s Intel Iris Xe Graphics GPU reached 50 frames per second at 1080p, matching the premium laptop computer common whereas topping the XPS 13 Plus and Yoga with their very own Iris Xe Graphics each acquired 23 fps.
After we ran the check on the Fold’s native settings, it reached 68 fps whereas the XPS 13 Plus and Yoga solely reached 15 and 14 fps.
Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED battery life
Asus outfitted the Zenbook 17 Fold with a 75W battery lithium-polymer battery, which when paired with Intel Evo certification (9 hours or extra of battery life on FHD shows and 4 hours or extra of cost in half-hour) ought to present for strong battery life. However OLED and a better decision has a means of derailing the most effective laid plans.
After we ran the Laptop computer Magazine Battery check, the Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED lasted 7 hours and 56 minutes, falling in need of the 9:54 premium laptop computer common whereas surpassing the XPS 13 Plus’ 7:35. The Yoga lasted a bit longer at 8:06 whereas the MacBook Air ran the victory lap at 9:31.
Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED webcam
Simply on shade alone, the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED’s 5MP webcam is among the greatest I’ve seen. Not solely did it precisely seize my red-and-white costume, it additionally acquired all the colours in my locs. Now, it positively blew out the white wall within the background, nevertheless it additionally did job of not turning the white flowers on my costume into blobs.
The wonderful shade is as a result of built-in shade sensor which makes use of ambient gentle ranges to mechanically modify the brightness and shade temperature for the most effective picture.
However the webcam actually comes into its personal throughout video conferencing. With snazzy options reminiscent of Lighting Optimization, Background Blurring, Eye Monitoring, and Movement Monitoring – all of which might be discovered within the MyAsus app. The digicam additionally makes use of Asus’ proprietary 3D Noise Discount expertise that sharpens photographs and eliminates that pesky visible noise in actual time.
Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED software program
Except for Dolby Entry and Microsoft apps, the Zenbook 17 Fold is delightfully freed from third-party software program. As an alternative, you will have a number of Asus-branded apps designed that will help you get essentially the most out of your shiny new foldable. We’ve gone over MyAsus which is your one-stop store for a bunch of settings masking audio, visible, connectivity and safety. It’s additionally the place you may attain a tech help agent ought to hassle come up.
Asus additionally included GlideX, a screen-sharing answer designed to make it simpler to create a bigger work (or play) area. It allows display mirroring between the Fold and Android and iOS units wirelessly or through USB. You may as well prolong the display, permitting you to tug and drop content material between units. Whereas there’s a free model of GlideX, there are month-to-month subscriptions beginning at $0.99 (Plus) that tops out at $5.99 (Extremely).
The distinction within the plans lies in connection and streaming high quality. The free model solely presents a wired connection and 720p streaming. Plus, there are adverts. The $0.99 iteration permits each wired and wi-fi connections and strips adverts. The Extremely model throws in streaming at 1080p and 2K.
The Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED ships with a 1 12 months restricted guarantee. See how Asus fared throughout Tech Support Showdown and Best and Worst Brands, our annual particular experiences.
Backside line
It’s powerful being first. You set your self because the bar for the business commonplace. And with nothing to check in opposition to, there’s a excessive threat of failure. You gained’t discover that with the Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED. It’s a sublime dialog starter, drawing all of the oohs and ahhs because it transforms from a ginormous pill to a dainty laptop computer. However most significantly, it’s simple to make use of. Like a lump of clay, you may bend and form the Fold into no matter you want it to be for work or play. Have to bang out a paper? Attempt Laptop computer or Desktop Mode. Need to watch films? Bask within the OLED goodness in pill mode. Gotta multitask? Attempt Prolonged mode or join a monitor, smartphone or pill. Hell, you may even use it to twist up with a e book.
The U-series processor is extra highly effective than it has any proper to be and the identical goes for the built-in graphics.
Nevertheless at $3,499, which is certainly an innovation and first-at-bat tax, I positively wished a couple of extra ports and a pen. Additionally, the battery life may positively be higher. The value is certainly a deterrent when you may get a completely tricked-out M2 MacBook Air for $1,000 cheaper.
However if you wish to play with the longer term proper now, you may’t move up the Asus ZenBook Fold.