How to open ASUS Zenbook DUO (UX8406C) – disassembly and upgrade options

Undo the 12 Torx-head screws on the back panel. Four of these secure the kickstand to the base.
Underneath the kickstand, you’ll find a small cap—remove it by undoing the two screws and popping it off with a lever tool.
Undo the two screws that hold the second display connector to the motherboard and gently disconnect it.
On the right side, slide forward the small metal shield on the battery connector to unlock it. While wearing gloves, gently lift the connector by its sides with a plastic tool to detach it.
Flip the device over and use a thin plastic tool to pry around all four sides of the second display. The front should be pried last.
Lift and fully remove the second display panel from the device.

More info: Removing the second screen reveals the internal layout of this dual-screen laptop. You also gain access to the fan, battery, motherboard, and other key components.

Motherboard and Component Access

Disconnect the two cables in front of the hinges.
Detach both fan connectors and remove the right fan by undoing its three screws.
Unplug both antenna cables from the wireless card.
Disconnect the speaker cables and undo all screws marked with a white pointer, including two hidden under the heatsinks.

More info: Once these steps are completed, the motherboard can be safely removed to access the cooling system and storage slot beneath it.

Battery Removal

Caution: Handle with care and avoid touching exposed connectors.

Undo the three Phillips-head screws securing the 75Wh battery.
Remove the second Wi-Fi card cable that runs across the top of the battery.
Lift the battery out of the chassis.

More info: The 75Wh battery provides up to 13 hours of video playback, ideal for multitasking across two screens.

You can find compatible batteries here: Buy from Amazon.com (#CommissionsEarned)

Memory Configuration

Note: The RAM is soldered and not upgradeable.
More info: The ASUS Zenbook DUO (UX8406C) offers up to 32GB of LPDDR5x-7467MHz RAM in dual-channel mode, delivering excellent multitasking performance for professional and everyday tasks.

Storage Upgrade

Hint: The M.2 slot is located on the opposite side of the motherboard.

After removing the motherboard, locate the single M.2 slot compatible with 2280 Gen 4 SSDs.
The preinstalled SSD is cooled by a long thermal pad placed on top for heat dissipation.

More info: Only one storage slot is available, so choose a high-capacity or high-speed SSD based on your needs.

You can find compatible SSDs here: Buy from Amazon.com (#CommissionsEarned)

Connectivity Options

More info:

The Wi-Fi 7 card is soldered and cannot be replaced or upgraded.

Cooling System Overview

More info: The ASUS Zenbook DUO features a compact yet efficient thermal solution spread across both sides of the motherboard.

The front side includes two fans and a pair of heatsinks for airflow.
The rear side contains two heat pipes and two large heat spreaders that cover both the CPU and GPU areas.

Tip: Keep the fans and vents clean to maintain optimal performance, especially when using both screens for heavy workloads.

ASUS Zenbook DUO (UX8406) in-depth review

The UX8406C version is almost the same device as the Zenbook DUO (UX8406). The main difference between the two is the CPU platform. The UX8406C is based on the latest and greatest Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processors which are also known as Arrow Lake. At least for now, you can choose between the 45W and highly clocked Core Ultra 9 285H and the 28W Core Ultra 7 255H. The latter has the same core count and cache size as the 285H chip which makes it a perfect choice for people who don't require top-end performance for everyday tasks and want to save some money.Both CPUs have the same iGPU un[...]

Read the full review

Pros

The new Intel Arc 140T is good for entry-level gaming
Exceptional build quality
Infinite contrast ratio (SDC419D)
3K resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate (SDC419D)
Full DCI-P3 coverage + great color accuracy (SDC419D)
Dual-screen design
180-degree hinge
Nice external keyboard with a smooth and precise touchpad
Modern I/O with two Thunderbolt 4 ports
Long battery life given the Core Ultra 9 285H under the hood
Quiet fans in "Whisper mode"
The fans aren't too noisy in "Full-Speed mode"
1080p IR Web camera
Arrow Lake CPU options
High P and E-core clock in short and medium loads
Impressive overall performance despite the two displays
Low NVMe temperatures
Up to 32GB LPDDR5x-7467 RAM which also boosts the iGPU performance
Wi-Fi 7

Cons

PWM usage when the “OLED Flicker-Free Dimming” function is turned off (Samsung ATNA40CU06-0)
The processor frequencies in long loads are a bit below the official values
Soldered RAM and just one M.2 slot
Hard to open
Inverted motherboard which complicates the potential SSD upgrade

#CommissionsEarned