Not long ago, if you asked me what I expected to see at CES 2025, I would have said, “Lots of laptops with folding screens!” Laptops like the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold, ASUS Zenbook Fold, and HP Spectre Fold seemed like a revelation when they launched, effectively delivering specialized versatility and a huge screen for easier multitasking or more immersive movie watching.
However, the specialized display tech in foldable laptops put them well beyond a price that the vast majority of PC users could stomach. Finding one of the aforementioned folding laptops available for less than a few thousand dollars at launch was a stretch, and they’re now even harder to find after being discontinued. The Spectre Fold 17 is on the clearance rack at Best Buy, but it still hits $4,500.
Dual-screen laptops are a soft compromise for anyone who loves the idea of having more screen space everywhere they go. They work around a lack of folding display panels to keep the price down, yet you retain twice as much space as compared to a standard laptop.
Lenovo’s dual-screen Yoga Book has been around in some form for about eight years, and it’s progressively improved to arrive at the Yoga Book 9i (Gen 9) that my colleague Zachary Boddy reviewed. Lenovo’s design for 2024 is intriguing, but it was the ASUS Zenbook DUO that made me a believer in this form factor.
The ASUS Zenbook DUO and Lenovo Yoga Book 9i have received updates for 2025, with one company playing it safe and the other making notable improvements.
Lenovo’s Yoga Book 9i (Gen 10) sees some significant improvements
I adored the ASUS Zenbook DUO when I gave it a lengthy test last year, and ASUS didn’t see the need to make any major changes to the 2025 model. Lenovo’s Yoga Book 9i (Gen 9), on the other hand, didn’t impress me quite as much. It’s good to see Lenovo making significant changes.
The screens in the Yoga Book 9i (Gen 10) now measure 14 inches instead of 13.3 inches, retaining the gorgeous dual OLED panels with 2.8K resolution. The biggest news surrounding the displays is a jump to a 120Hz variable refresh rate (VRR), dramatically up from the 60Hz displays in the Gen 9 model. That’ll make them a lot easier on the eyes.
Despite larger displays and an overall larger chassis, Lenovo managed to drop the weight from 2.95 pounds to 2.69 pounds. That’s even more impressive, considering there’s a larger 88Wh battery inside. Intel’s latest Core Ultra 7 255H processor looks to be the only chip available, and it’s supported by up to 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM and a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD.
Here’s a closer look at the specs of Gen 9 and Gen 10 Yoga Book 9i models.
| Specs | Lenovo Yoga Book 9i 14 (Gen 10) | Lenovo Yoga Book 9i 14 (Gen 9) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 255H | Intel Core Ultra 7 155U |
| NPU | 13 TOPS | 11 TOPS |
| Graphics | Intel Arc (integrated) | Intel Graphics (integrated) |
| Memory | Up to 32GB LPDDR5x | Up to 32GB LPDDR5x |
| Storage | Up to 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD | Up to 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD |
| Display | Dual 14 inches, 2880×1800, 16:10, touch, OLED, 750 nits, 100% DCI-P3, 120Hz VRR | Dual 13.3 inches, 2880×1800, 16:10, touch, OLED, 400 nits, 100% DCI-P3, 60Hz, Dolby Vision, DisplayHDR TrueBlack 500 |
| Camera | 5MP RGB + IR, privacy shutter | 5MP RGB + IR, privacy shutter |
| Audio | Quad 2W speakers, Dolby Atmos | Quad 2W speakers, Dolby Atmos |
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 4 | 3x Thunderbolt 4 |
| Battery | 88Wh | 80Wh |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Dimensions | 12.4 x 8.25 x 0.61 inches (315mm x 209.5mm x 15.5mm) | 11.78 x 8.03 x 0.63 inches (299mm x 203.9mm x 15.95mm) |
| Weight | From 2.69 pounds (1.22kg) | From 2.95 pounds (1.34kg) |
| Color | Tidal Teal | Tidal Teal |
The Yoga Book 9i takes a more stylish approach to the dual-screen setup compared to ASUS, blending some of Lenovo’s best design choices — like a rotating soundbar hinge with Dolby Atmos — into an undeniably premium style. Unfortunately, some of my main gripes about the Yoga Book 9i continue into 2025.
The keyboard still feels like an afterthought, lacking a backlight and physical touchpad. The stand and keyboard still travel separately, which ASUS has remedied with its different design choices.
Image 1 of 4
I wasn’t expecting this change, and indeed, Lenovo has stuck with its three Thunderbolt 4 ports. It’s easy to carry a dongle these days, but ASUS has a better selection of native ports.
Lenovo expects the Yoga Book 9i (Gen 10) to launch in May 2025, starting at $1,999. That’s more than the starting $1,699 price for the ASUS Zenbook DUO (2025), but keep in mind that ASUS offers some lower specs to start out.
ASUS played it safe with its refreshed Zenbook DUO for 2025
I took the Zenbook DUO (2024) on for review out of interest, but I was completely floored by what it could do. It made me a true believer in the dual-screen format, and it’s a laptop I recommend to anyone who complains about not having enough screen space while on the go. The stand is discretely built into the back of the PC, there are no compromises to the keyboard (which attaches magnetically for use and transportation), and the battery life is excellent.
The laptop’s reception was overwhelmingly positive, including my colleague Ben Wilson handing it five stars and a Windows Central Best Award in his Zenbook DUO (2024) review. He states in the review:
“ASUS turned me onto its often-eccentric catalog of high-end hardware by packaging a genuinely useful combination of gorgeous OLED touchscreens into a subtle chassis. The Zenbook Duo is a fantastic laptop that practically never faltered during my testing, leaving only a desire for a better webcam and an Ethernet adapter freebie thrown in the box. It’s not perfect, but it’s as close as you can get in this price range, and I’d heartily recommend it among the best 2-in-1 laptops we’ve ever tried.”
Image 1 of 4
My own opinion of the 2024 Zenbook DUO is largely the same. The laptop isn’t perfect. Its camera and speakers are average at best, the active pen lacks a magnetic attachment, and it’s thicker and heavier than your average 14-inch laptop.
It’s mildly disappointing to not see any improvements in these areas for the 2025 model, but the pros still far outweigh the cons. ASUS didn’t really need to take any risks, and it focused more on boosting performance than a redesign. Here’s a look at the specs of the 2024 and 2025 Zenbook DUO models.
| Specs | ASUS Zenbook DUO (2025) | ASUS Zenbook DUO (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 265H, Core Ultra 9 285H | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, Core Ultra 9 185H |
| NPU | 13 TOPS | 11 TOPS |
| Graphics | Intel Arc (integrated) | Intel Arc (integrated) |
| Memory | 32GB LPDDR5x | 16GB, 32GB LPDDR5x |
| Storage | 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD | 512GB, 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD |
| Display | Dual 14 inches, 2880×1800, OLED, 100% DCI-P3, touch, 120Hz, Pantone validated OR 1920×1200, 100% DCI-P3, OLED, touch, Pantone validated | Dual 14 inches, 2880×1800, OLED, 100% DCI-P3, touch, 120Hz, Pantone validated OR 1920×1200, 100% DCI-P3, OLED, touch, Pantone validated |
| Camera | 1080p, IR | 1080p, IR |
| Audio | Dual speakers | Dual speakers |
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, USB-A 3.2 (Gen 1), 3.5mm audio | 2x Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, USB-A 3.2 (Gen 1), 3.5mm audio |
| Battery | 75Wh | 75Wh |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 12.34 x 8.58 x 0.57-0.78 inches (313.5mm x 217.9mm x 14.6-19.9mm) | 12.34 x 8.58 x 0.57-0.78 inches (313.5mm x 217.9mm x 14.6-19.9mm) |
| Weight | From 3.64 pounds (1.64kg) with keyboard | From 3.64 pounds (1.64kg) with keyboard |
| Color | Inkwell Gray | Inkwell Gray |
It’s not hard to spot the differences between models. The newer version runs on Intel’s latest Core Ultra Series 2 H processors, and wireless connectivity has been bumped up to Wi-Fi 7. Dimensions and weight are identical, and the outstanding OLED touch displays remain the same.
With the addition of FHD+ display options, ASUS can undercut the Yoga Book 9i’s price. The Zenbook DUO (2025) is expected to launch on February 10, starting at $1,699, making it about $300 cheaper than Lenovo’s laptop.
Will folding laptop screens ever return?
I don’t doubt that we’ll one day see more laptops with folding screens. There’s some demand somewhere, but the market is undoubtedly small. Prices are currently too high to reach mass appeal, and the compromises you have to make aren’t for everyone.
Dual-screen laptops like the Zenbook DUO and Yoga Book 9i are far better than I ever expected. There are fewer compromises to be made, prices are lower, and you get a laptop that feels more like, well, a laptop.
I have the most experience with the ASUS PC, and it’s still one that I can comfortably recommend. The starting price is higher this time around, but it’s still way less than you’d spend on a folding screen.
