TL; DR
- Asus announced its new foldable laptop at IFA 2022.
- Its flagship feature is a 17.3-inch foldable display that equates to a 12.5-inch laptop.
- Pricing starts at an eye-watering $3,499.
We’re used to seeing foldable phones in the wild, but foldable laptops are still few and far between. Asus hopes to change this. At IFA 2022, the company unveiled its new foldable laptop, the ZenBook 17 Fold OLED.
Teased at CES 2022, the ZenBook 17 Fold looks like another device that capitalizes on the foldable form factor hype. But Asus makes a compelling case for its existence by charging the laptop with an ideal balance between portability and productivity.
The piece of the ZenBook 17 Fold party is a 17.3-inch 2,560 x 1,920 display that rotates 180 degrees. In this mode, the bottom of the display can act as a virtual keyboard, or users can snap it onto a compatible magnetic keyboard. The ZenBook 17 Fold can also be used in full-screen mode by attaching a physical keyboard via Bluetooth.
As the Zenbook 17 Fold is effectively an all-screen device, Asus thinks users will be able to replace their e-book readers and tablets with this device. At 1.5 kg, it’s not practical for novels, but it shouldn’t make a big dent in a travel bag. For loyal users, the ZenBook 17 Fold hinge is rated for 30,000 flexes over its lifetime.
On the inside, the ZenBook 17 Fold comes with 12th-generation Intel CPUs, Intel Iris graphics, up to 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of SSD storage. Considering that this device is almost all screen, the 75WHr battery provides up to 9.5 hours of required juice. Two USB-C ports provide a charging point and peripheral connectivity. Other goodies include Wi-Fi 6E support, Harman Kardon audio with Dolby Atmos support, and a 5MP video calling camera.
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Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED: Pricing and Availability
So, how much does Asus’ new foldable laptop cost? Cheater: It’s not cheap.
You’ll need to shell out $3,499 to own the ZenBook 17 Fold in Q4 2022. That’s a $1,000 premium on the Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Fold, or nearly double the price of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. If you’re looking for a computer without a big screen, the Zenbook 17 Fold might be a left-field prospect to consider.