Are there are any alternatives?

You’ll find a host of 14-inch (and 13.3-inch) laptops that compete handily against the ZenBook Duo. None of them will offer the second display, but they’ll all be thinner and lighter. Some of them will provide better performance and longevity, and most of them will offer much better keyboards and touchpads.

　　One example is the Dell XPS 13, which boasts a 16:10 display aspect ratio that’s great for productivity and makes the display roughly as tall as the ZenBook Duo’s albeit not as wide. The XPS 13 is faster than the ZenBook Duo by a fair margin, even in the kind of video editing process that the ZenBook Duo is itself pretty quick at performing. You can spend less for the XPS 13 or a lot more depending on configuration, but it’s a good alternative for anyone not enamored with the ScreenPad 2.0.

　　Asus also makes several 14-inch models that deliver solid value. They lack the ScreenPad 2.0, which shaves hundreds from the price. That’s the obvious move if you don’t find ScreenPad appealing.

　　

How long will it last?

The ZenBook Duo is well-built and promises years of productive performance thanks to its up-to-date components. You’ll miss Thunderbolt 3, though, and the ultimate usefulness of the ScreenPad 2.0 will come down to developer support. The one-year warranty is industry standard, and shorter than we’d like, but Asus does toss in a year of accident protection in case you drop your ZenBook Duo or spill a cup of coffee on its keyboard.

　　

Should you buy it?

Yes. There’s not another laptop like the ZenBook Duo, except for the larger and more expensive ZenBook Pro Duo, making this a uniquely useful option.