ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED UX582 review – reinventing the laptop
Today, we will show you one of the most popular, and perhaps important laptops in the creative world. It comes from ASUS and is called the ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED UX582 – a mouthful of a name. Actually, its naming gives away pretty much everything about the device.
First of all, it is meant for professionals and is built with them in mind. And this is not a gimmick from the manufacturer – it indeed comes with an 8-Core 10th Gen Intel processor and the RTX 3070 with 110W of TGP (20W of them are thanks to the Dynamic Boost).
Then, the Duo means that it has a secondary display, neatly called the “ScreenPad Plus”. It packs quite a bunch of features, including ease-of-life software, and the productivity-oriented Control Panel.
And the last bean-spiller is the OLED, which reflects the type of panel, used for this notebook’s main display. Ultimately, it is a 4K OLED panel with supposed 100% DCI-P3 coverage and Pantone-validated colors. Weirdly, both of this laptop’s displays come with different panel technologies, so it will be interesting to see how they work together.
So, this device is a bit unprecedented, and we don’t really have anything to compare it with. Of course, the MSI Creator 15 (A10Sx) is fighting for the same customers. However, the only other notebook that can offer a similar user experience, and amount of performance is the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 (GX551).
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/asus-zenbook-pro-duo-15-oled-ux582/
Contents
Video Review
Specs Sheet
- HDD/SSD
- up to 8000GB SSD
- M.2 Slot
- 1x M.2 NVMe slot See photo
- RAM
- up to 32GB
- OS
- Windows 11 Pro, Windows 11 Home, Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Home
- Battery
- 92Wh, 8-cell, 90Wh, 4-cell
- Body material
- Aluminum
- Dimensions
- 359 x 249 x 21.5 mm (14.13" x 9.80" x 0.85")
- Weight
- 2.40 kg (5.3 lbs)
- Ports and connectivity
- 1x USB Type-A
- 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)
- 2x USB Type-C
- Thunderbolt 3
- HDMI
- 2.1
- Wi-Fi
- 802.11ax
- Bluetooth
- 5.0
- Audio jack
- 3.5mm Combo Jack
- Features
- Fingerprint reader
- Web camera
- IR
- Backlit keyboard
- optional
- Microphone
- Array Microphone
- Speakers
- Harman Kardon Audio System
- Optical drive
- 14" ScreenPad Plus (3840 x 1100, IPS, with stylus support)
- 14" ScreenPad Plus (1920 x 550, IPS, with stylus support)
All ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED (UX582, 11th Gen Intel) configurations
What’s in the box?
Given the price tag of this machine, we are not surprised to see the premium packaging it comes with. Inside, you will find a leather sleeve, a 240W power brick, a dedicated Pen meant for use with both touchscreen displays. In addition to that, there is a stand, similar to that of the ZenBook Duo 14 UX482, plus a good-looking armrest, for better comfort when using the keyboard.
Design and construction
Well, this device definitely looks different. In contrast to the politics of the ZenBook lineup, the ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED UX582 has a slightly thick profile that measures from 21.5 to 24.5 mm. Also, it weighs 2.34 kg, which is a bit heavy, but there is a reason for that. First, the laptop is built out of aluminum and feels extremely sturdy.
Thankfully, the lid opens easily with a single hand. This is particularly impressive, as there is a double set of hinges. The way they work is that when you open the lid, the main hinges start rotating the secondary ones, and the ScreenPad Plus lifts up from the main body. Respectively, this makes it a lot more comfortable for work and opens room for the fans to breathe. There is a third advantage to this. It covers most of the bottom bezel, which leaves the illusion that all four bezels are extremely thin. Additionally, above the glass-protected display, you will see an HD Web camera with an IR face recognition sensor enabling Windows Hello functionality.
In terms of the ScreenPad Plus, we can say that it is enabled by a designated button above the touchpad. Once it’s turned on, you can use it as a secondary screen, a mapped shortcut, or as a Control Panel for your creative app. Currently, the supported programs all come from the Adobe portfolio, but ASUS is promising that more apps will be joining them “soon”.
How about the keyboard, though. As we said in our review of the ZenBook Duo 14 UX482, using it is a bit of a pain in the …arms. Because of the second display, it had to be pushed downwards, which results in strain after even short-term usage. However, ASUS is apparently aware of the issue, and they supply an armrest, which is attached to the front part of the device. Interestingly, it really does the job and makes the notebook far more convenient.
As for the actual user experience of the keyboard, it has decent key travel and clicky feedback. This would make it generally comfortable for use. In addition to the button that enables the ScreenPad Plus, there is one that switches the content from the main to the second panel. And the third one is your fan profile toggle. The modes are named “Standard” and “Rendering”, with the latter being the high-performance mode.
Next, there is the touchpad. Some would be repelled by its lack of dedicated keys. However, we feel that it is more comfortable without the buttons. The reason for that is that you don’t need to double-tap or hunt for the buttons when you need to click on something.
In addition to that, the touchpad doubles as a NumberPad, so it’s safe to say that ASUS has shot all their shots with this device. Plus, it has a shortcut that brings the calculator app and toggles between two brightness settings of the backlight beneath the glass surface.
Here, the speaker setup is placed on the bottom side of the notebook, and according to the manufacturer it is “the most incredible sound ever heard on a laptop”. Sounds like (pun intended) ASUS hasn’t had a 16-inch MacBook Pro in their office recently. Nevertheless, the speakers are tuned by Harman Kardon, and they sound pretty good, to be honest.
Ports
On the left side, there is the charging plug, an HDMI 2.1 connector, as well as an audio jack. Then, on the right, there is a USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) port, and two Thunderbolt 3 connectors.
Disassembly, upgrade options and maintenance
To get access to this notebook’s internals, you need to undo 11 Torx-head screws. Then, as usual, pry the bottom panel with a plastic tool, and remove it from the chassis.
The battery spans the entire width of the laptop and has a capacity of 92Wh.
Now, here comes the weird part. With hardware this powerful, one would expect that the upgradability will be on point. Well… no. The memory is soldered to the motherboard and comes in configurations with 16, and 32GB of DDR4 RAM. Also, storage options comprise a single M.2 PCIe x4 slot.
Lastly, there is the cooling solution. It includes five heat pipes, one of which is used for the graphics memory and the VRMs. Interestingly, ASUS has only put two heat sinks instead of the four found on the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15.
Display quality
ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED UX582’s main display has a touchscreen UHD OLED panel, model number Samsung ATNA56WR14-0 (SDC4143). Its diagonal is 15.6″ (39.6 cm), and the resolution – 3840 x 2160p. Additionally, the screen ratio is 16:9, the pixel density – 282 ppi, their pitch – 0.09 x 0.09 mm. The screen can be considered Retina when viewed from at least 30 cm (from this distance, the average human eye can’t see the individual pixels).
The second touchscreen display weirdly comes with an IPS panel, model number BOE NV140XTM-N52 (BOE085F). Its diagonal is 14″ (35.6 cm), and the resolution – 3840 х 1100p. Additionally, the pixel density is 283 ppi, and their pitch – 0.09 x 0.09 mm.
Both of its displays have comfortable viewing angles. We have provided images at 45 degrees of the main panel to evaluate quality.
The maximum measured brightness of the main display is 408 nits (cd/m2), but it depends on the content shown on the screen. When the entire area of the panel is white, the maximum brightness drops to 335 nits (cd/m2). The Correlated Color Temperature on a white screen and at maximum brightness is 6400K (average) – slightly warmer than the 6500K optimum for sRGB.
In the illustration below you can see how the display performs from a uniformity perspective.
Values of dE2000 over 4.0 should not occur, and this parameter is one of the first you should check if you intend to use the laptop for color-sensitive work (a maximum tolerance of 2.0 ). The nature of the OLED panels makes their contrast ratio practically equal to infinity.
To make sure we are on the same page, we would like to give you a little introduction to the sRGB color gamut and the Adobe RGB. To start, there’s the CIE 1976 Uniform Chromaticity Diagram that represents the visible specter of colors by the human eye, giving you a better perception of the color gamut coverage and the color accuracy.
Inside the black triangle, you will see the standard color gamut (sRGB) that is being used by millions of people on HDTV and on the web. As for the Adobe RGB, this is used in professional cameras, monitors, etc for printing. Colors inside the black triangle are used by everyone and this is the essential part of the color quality and color accuracy of a mainstream notebook.
Still, we’ve included other color spaces like the famous DCI-P3 standard used by movie studios, as well as the digital UHD Rec.2020 standard. Rec.2020, however, is still a thing of the future and it’s difficult for today’s displays to cover that well. We’ve also included the so-called Michael Pointer gamut, or Pointer’s gamut, which represents the colors that naturally occur around us every day.
The yellow dotted line shows ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED UX582’s color gamut coverage.
Its display covers 100% of the sRGB/ITU-R BT.709 (web/HDTV standard) in CIE1976, as well as 100% of the DCI-P3 gamut, which results in a vibrant and punchy image.
Then, you can see the color coverage of the ScreenPad Plus.
The rest of the results refer to the main panel.
Our “Design and Gaming” profile delivers optimal color temperature (6500K) at 140 cd/m2 luminance and sRGB gamma mode.
We tested the accuracy of the display with 24 commonly used colors like light and dark human skin, blue sky, green grass, orange, etc. You can check out the results at factory condition and also, with the “Design and Gaming” profile.
Below you can compare the scores of ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED UX582 with the default settings (left), and with the “Gaming and Web design” profile (right).
The next figure shows how well the display can reproduce dark parts of an image, which is essential when watching movies or playing games in low ambient light.
The left side of the image represents the display with stock settings, while the right one is with the “Gaming and Web Design” profile activated. On the horizontal axis, you will find the grayscale, and on the vertical axis – the luminance of the display. On the two graphs below you can easily check for yourself how your display handles the darkest nuances but keep in mind that this also depends on the settings of your current display, the calibration, the viewing angle, and the surrounding light conditions.
Health impact – PWM / Blue Light
PWM (Screen flickering)
Pulse-width modulation (PWM) is an easy way to control monitor brightness. When you lower the brightness, the light intensity of the backlight is not lowered, but instead turned off and on by the electronics with a frequency indistinguishable to the human eye. In these light impulses, the light/no-light time ratio varies, while brightness remains unchanged, which is harmful to your eyes. You can read more about that in our dedicated article on PWM.
ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED UX582’s main display flickers with a very low frequency up to 90 nits, after which we detected minor pulsations. This makes it comfortable for use in bright environments, and less so when it’s dark.
On the other hand, the backlight of the second panel doesn’t flicker at any brightness level.
Blue light emissions
Installing our Health-Guard profile not only eliminates PWM but also reduces the harmful Blue Light emissions while keeping the colors of the screen perceptually accurate. If you’re not familiar with the Blue light, the TL;DR version is – emissions that negatively affect your eyes, skin, and your whole body. You can find more information about that in our dedicated article on Blue Light.
Conclusions
ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED UX582’s main touchscreen display has a UHD resolution, OLED panel with decent maximum brightness, comfortable viewing angles, and a contrast ratio that is equal to infinity. Additionally, it covers 100% of the DCI-P3 gamut. This results in a very pretty-looking image with vibrant colors. However, the sRGB color accuracy is not standard-matching, yet, it’s not too far off either.
Buy our profiles
Since our profiles are tailored for each display model, this article and its respective profile package are meant for ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED UX582 configurations with 15.6″ Samsung ATNA56WR14-0 (SDC4143) (UHD, 3840 x 2160) OLED panel.
*Should you have problems with downloading the purchased file, try using a different browser to open the link you’ll receive via e-mail. If the download target is a .php file instead of an archive, change the file extension to .zip or contact us at [email protected].
Read more about the profiles HERE.
In addition to receiving efficient and health-friendly profiles, by buying LaptopMedia's products you also support the development of our labs, where we test devices in order to produce the most objective reviews possible.
Office Work
Office Work should be used mostly by users who spend most of the time looking at pieces of text, tables or just surfing. This profile aims to deliver better distinctness and clarity by keeping a flat gamma curve (2.20), native color temperature and perceptually accurate colors.
Design and Gaming
This profile is aimed at designers who work with colors professionally, and for games and movies as well. Design and Gaming takes display panels to their limits, making them as accurate as possible in the sRGB IEC61966-2-1 standard for Web and HDTV, at white point D65.
Health-Guard
Health-Guard eliminates the harmful Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) and reduces the negative Blue Light which affects our eyes and body. Since it’s custom tailored for every panel, it manages to keep the colors perceptually accurate. Health-Guard simulates paper so the pressure on the eyes is greatly reduced.
Get all 3 profiles with 33% discount
Sound
ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED UX582’s speakers produce a sound of very good quality. Its low, mid, and high tones are clear of deviations.
Drivers
All of the latest drivers and utilities for this notebook can be found here: https://www.asus.com/Laptops/For-Creators/ZenBook/ZenBook-Pro-Duo-15-OLED-UX582/HelpDesk_Download/?model2Name=ZenBook-Pro-Duo-15-OLED-UX582
Battery
Now, we conduct the battery tests with Windows Better performance setting turned on, screen brightness adjusted to 120 nits and all other programs turned off except for the one we are testing the notebook with. The behemoth 92Wh battery pack on this device lasts for 8 hours and 43 minutes of Web browsing, 8 hours and 33 minutes of video playback, and one hour and 34 minutes of gameplay.
In order to simulate real-life conditions, we used our own script for automatic web browsing through over 70 websites.
For every test like this, we use the same video in HD.
We use F1 2017’s built-in benchmark on loop in order to simulate real-life gaming.
CPU options
This device can be purchased with one of two eight-core processors – the Core i7-10870H, or the Core i9-10980HK.
Results are from the Cinebench 20 CPU test (the higher the score, the better)
Results are from our Photoshop benchmark test (the lower the score, the better)
GPU options
On the other hand, the graphics choice is only one. This is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 that works on 90W, with Dynamic Boost adding 20W more to the TGP.
Results are from the 3DMark: Time Spy (Graphics) benchmark (higher the score, the better)
Results are from the 3DMark: Fire Strike (Graphics) benchmark (higher the score, the better)
Results are from the Unigine Superposition benchmark (higher the score, the better)
Gaming tests
Far Cry 5 | Full HD, Normal (Check settings) | Full HD, High (Check settings) | Full HD, Ultra (Check settings) |
---|---|---|---|
Average | 113 fps | 107 fps | 101 fps |
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) | Full HD, Medium (Check settings) | Full HD, Very High (Check settings) | Full HD, MAX (Check settings) |
---|---|---|---|
Average | 138 fps | 100 fps | 70 fps |
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands | Full HD, High (Check settings) | Full HD, Very High (Check settings) | Full HD, Ultra (Check settings) |
---|---|---|---|
Average | 90 fps | 81 fps | 57 fps |
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) | Full HD, Medium (Check settings) | Full HD, High (Check settings) | Full HD, Highest (Check settings) |
---|---|---|---|
Average | 104 fps | 102 fps | 82 fps |
Temperatures and comfort
Max CPU load
In this test we use 100% on the CPU cores, monitoring their frequencies and chip temperature. The first column shows a computer’s reaction to a short load (2-10 seconds), the second column simulates a serious task (between 15 and 30 seconds), and the third column is a good indicator of how good the laptop is for long loads such as video rendering.
Average core frequency (base frequency + X); CPU temp.
Intel Core i7-10870H (45W TDP) | 0:02 – 0:10 sec | 0:15 – 0:30 sec | 10:00 – 15:00 min |
---|---|---|---|
ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED UX582 | 3.38 GHz (B+54%) @ 93°C @ 93W | 3.32 GHz (B+51%) @ 95°C @ 81W | 3.18 GHz (B+45%) @ 81°C @ 70W |
ASUS TUF F17 (FX706) | 2.60 GHz (B+15%) @ 62°C @ 57W | 2.56 GHz (B+14%) @ 69°C @ 57W | 2.49 GHz (B+13%) @ 69°C @ 45W |
ASUS TUF F15 (FX506) (Turbo Mode) | 3.06 GHz (B+39%) @ 73°C @ 82W | 2.82 GHz (B+28%) @ 75°C @ 68W | 2.43 GHz (B+10%) @ 73°C @ 50W |
MSI GP66 Leopard (High Performance) | 3.49 GHz (B+59%) @ 95°C @ 85W | 3.34 GHz (B+52%) @ 95°C @ 76W | 3.24 GHz (B+47%) @ 93°C @ 70W |
MSI GP76 Leopard (High Performance) | 3.67 GHz (B+67%) @ 95°C @ 103W | 3.53 GHz (B+60%) @ 95°C @ 94W | 3.33 GHz (B+51%) @ 90°C @ 80W |
Today’s notebook maintains pretty high frequencies throughout the test. However, what this table doesn’t show, is that the clock speed drops to about 2.50 GHz after one minute of stress testing, because the fans don’t spin up until the fourth minute. After that (especially with the Rendering profile enabled), it quickly balances out both the temperatures and the frequency of what you see at the final checkpoint.
Real-life gaming
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 | GPU frequency/ Core temp (after 2 min) | GPU frequency/ Core temp (after 30 min) |
---|---|---|
ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED UX582 | 1477 MHz @ 75°C @ 90W | 1481 MHz @ 74°C @ 89W |
ASUS ROG Strix G15 G513 | 1632 MHz @ 84°C @ 130W | 1617 MHz @ 86°C @ 128W |
ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 SE (GX551) | 1689 MHz @ 71°C @ 131W | 1676 MHz @ 72°C @ 129W |
ASUS ROG Strix G17 G713 | 1649 MHz @ 83°C @ 130W | 1646 MHz @ 84°C @ 130W |
ASUS TUF A17 (FA706) 2021 | 1440 MHz @ 74°C @ 95W | 1465 MHz @ 77°C @ 95W |
ASUS TUF Dash F15 (FX516) | 1389 MHz @ 69°C @ 84W | 1377 MHz @ 74°C @ 84W |
The ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED UX582 is able to cool its RTX 3070 pretty decently. The GPU works at 90W, as intended, but we didn’t find Dynamic Boost to kick in. Well, if we don’t count a couple of occasions that we detected 95W being drawn.
Gaming comfort
If you use the aforementioned “Rendering” profile, the laptop will be really loud under combined workload such as video rendering, or gameplay. Its keyboard remains relatively cool, while the bottom panel absorbs some of the heat from the heat pipes underneath, which is not ideal.
Verdict
Guys, the laptop we had with us today was truly exceptional. From the performance, we were able to extract, to the nearly impossible problems, that ASUS’s engineers had been able to resolve. And although we would really want to recommend it as one of the best laptops for creators, we can’t. In fact, we got a bit sour taste after having to part with the laptop.
There is no particular reason for that, but a complex of things we would like to see in the next generation product. First, and foremost – ASUS should provide memory upgrade options. This is a laptop that costs a fortune, and yet again, despite its sheer size, you are not provided with a single SODIMM slot. In addition to that, there is a lack of a MicroSD card slot, an RJ-45 connector, and you only get one USB Type-A port.
ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED UX582’s main touchscreen display has a UHD resolution, OLED panel with decent maximum brightness, comfortable viewing angles, and a contrast ratio that is equal to infinity. Additionally, it covers 100% of the DCI-P3 gamut. This results in a very pretty-looking image with vibrant colors. However, the sRGB color accuracy is not standard-matching, yet, it’s not too far off either.
It is particularly weird that the ScreenPad Plus uses an IPS panel (Samsung ATNA56WR14-0 (SDC4143)), which delivers a very different visual experience. In addition to the significantly inferior contrast ratio, the color coverage is also a lot narrower (although it can display 97% of the sRGB gamut). This, respectively means that you can’t perceive both panels to be part of one laptop.
However, it is great to see that the build quality of this machine is immaculate. Its lid opens with a single hand, there is no flex in the chassis, and the lid is so strong, you can smash walls with it.
Also, the packaging is pretty well thought out, as you get a dedicated Pen, a leather sleeve. But most importantly – there is a wrist rest, which is crucial for the comfortability of use on a desk.
Generally, we love dual-screen designs. Whether this is the right way to do it – we don’t know. What we do know, is that we need to see some competition. Yes, ASUS is a pioneer in this sphere, from integrating a display into the touchpad of their laptop, to making a full-blown second display an option. No matter how good or bad the ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED UX582 is, the fact that no other manufacturer makes anything similar, makes it the device to be. And until then, it might just be one of the best laptops creators can buy.
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/asus-zenbook-pro-duo-15-oled-ux582/
Pros
- Deep blacks and infinite contrast ratio
- The packaging is full of surprises
- 100% DCI-P3 coverage from the main panel (Samsung ATNA56WR14-0 (SDC4143))
- Great performance
- Improved ScreenPad Plus experience
- Decent battery life
- Includes a wrist rest
- Rigid build quality
- 2x Thunderbolt 3
- IR face recognition
Cons
- Soldered memory
- Uncomfortable keyboard and touchpad location
- No MicroSD card slot and RJ-45 connector
- Main panel uses PWM until 90 nits (Samsung ATNA56WR14-0 (SDC4143))
What is the rectangular thing with the rectangular whole cut out the middle for. I have bought one and not really sure what I am meant to do with it.
It’s a collapsible laptop stand. It give a bit of extra angle when the laptop is on a desk, and gives more airflow when the laptop is sitting on a dock. I really like it for the improved viewing angle of the second screen, too.
Cooling system kinda ugly