Dueling dual-screen laptops: Lenovo Yoga Book 9i v ASUS Zenbook DUO

[Redaktion]

As chips and battery life have continued to improve, the dream of full blown dual-screen laptops is now a reality. Lenovo was the first on the scene with this exciting new form factor with its Yoga Book 9i launching last year, but it has now been joined in battle by the Asus Zenbook DUO (2024). While similar, there are some key differences separating the two – so which should you pick?

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Dueling-dual-screen-laptops-Lenovo-Yoga-Book-9i-v-ASUS-Zenbook-DUO.804155.0.html

[lmao]

just grab 11-14 inch tablet corresponding to your ecosystem and use it as a second screen

[Sindri]

I think that the biggest selling point of the yogabook from a practical perspective is that the hinge goes a full 360 degrees, so you can hold it in one hand and operate with the other like a tablet on the go, and put it in tent mode when sharing content with somebody across a table. The ZenBook restricts the hinge to just past 180 degrees, so while it lays (mostly) flat on a table it's unwieldy to use while standing up and can't really point the displays in different directions... but this cut hundreds of dollars off the price and probably increased the lifespan of the machine.

Also the ZenBook keyboard connects physically when you use it like a traditional laptop which removes any possible latency and makes recharging easier, while the yogabook keyboard only functions with a Bluetooth connection and all the problems that can bring.

[ITTech]

I will never understand all these tech writers saying how Lenovo and Asus are so innovative... This was done well over 10 years ago and Acer deserves this credit. Iconia 6120 and Iconia 6886 ring any bells?

[Msp]

1. People carry their laptop in some topy of backpack or brief case bag, so Lenovo's separate keyboard is a none issue.
2. It literally takes less than 5 seconds to set up Lenovo's dual screen laptop.
3. No one uses a trackpad on touchscreen laptop with pen support because both  are a thousand times faster and more accurate; as is using a mouse.
4. So the biggest weakness of the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i is repairability.

[AlexVoda]

I will never understand all these tech writers saying how Lenovo and Asus are so innovative... This was done well over 10 years ago and Acer deserves this credit. Iconia 6120 and Iconia 6886 ring any bells?

There is one crucial difference between the current dual screen options (and the foldable) and the older ones like the Acer Iconias: the magnetically attached physical keyboard.

I think the keyboard makes all the difference between a gimmick and a productivity device.

So far, I think the Yoga Book 9i is the best implementation of the dial screen concept so far, with the only advantage of a far more expensive foldable being a large screen for watching movies (but with the downside of only folding 180 degrees). For productivity, the split across the middle does not matter. I also think Lenovo is correct in switching to stowing the keyboard outside as it makes for a sturdier device.