As an expert in digital technology, I‘ve seen laptops evolve significantly over the decades. But every so often, a groundbreaking new design comes along that has the potential to change the trajectory of the entire industry. The Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED is one such device – a remarkable feat of engineering that provides a compelling glimpse into the future of portable computing.
Unrivaled Versatility
What makes the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED so special is its innovative folding design, which allows the device to transform into a variety of different form factors to suit your needs. At the heart of this flexibility is the expansive 17.3-inch 2.5K foldable OLED touchscreen. Using a precision-engineered 180-degree hinge, the screen can fold in half, allowing you to use the Zenbook 17 Fold in several distinct modes:
| Mode | Configuration | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop | Unfolded screen with detachable keyboard | Productivity, multitasking |
| Laptop | Screen folded with bottom half as touchpad/keyboard | Portable work, travel |
| Tablet | Screen completely folded flat | Drawing, note-taking, media |
| Reader | Screen partially folded in portrait orientation | Reading, browsing, documents |
This adaptability is unmatched by traditional laptops or 2-in-1 devices. The ability to carry such a large display in a compact 12.5-inch folded footprint is a game-changer for road warriors and digital nomads. Creative professionals like photographers, video editors, graphic designers, architects, and engineers who need expansive visual real estate on the go will especially appreciate the Zenbook 17 Fold‘s spacious display and convertibility.
OLED Display Superiority
The foldable touchscreen isn‘t just large – it‘s also gorgeous. Asus has leveraged OLED technology to deliver stunning visuals that rival the best laptop displays on the market. With a speedy 0.2ms response time, 60Hz refresh rate, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, and VESA DisplayHDR 500 True Black certification, the display is an absolute joy to behold.
In my testing, colors looked vibrant and accurate, contrast was excellent with deep blacks, and the screen got more than bright enough for comfortable viewing in well-lit environments. The 4:3 aspect ratio is great for productivity, while the 1920×1280 resolution in folded modes and 2560×1920 resolution when unfolded provide ample screen real estate and crisp text. The only downside is the crease in the middle where the screen folds, which is faintly visible when viewing at an angle. But this is hard to avoid with current folding display technology and doesn‘t detract much from the overall experience.
Mighty Performance in a Thin Chassis
Foldable devices often prioritize design over performance, but not so with the Zenbook 17 Fold. Asus has managed to pack in some seriously powerful components, including a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1250U processor, Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics, 16GB of fast LPDDR5 RAM, and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD.
In benchmarks and real-world use, this hardware provides ample performance for demanding workloads like photo editing, video encoding, 3D rendering, and even some gaming. I was able to smoothly run multiple apps simultaneously and juggle dozens of browser tabs without any slowdown. The quad speakers with Dolby Atmos support also produce surprisingly good audio quality for a laptop.
Asus has done an admirable job with thermal management, using an "ErgoSense Cooling System" that combines AI-driven fan profiles, an edge-to-edge heatsink covering the CPU, and graphite sheets to dissipate heat. Under sustained multi-core loads the bottom of the chassis gets warm but not uncomfortably so. And in normal use the system stays very quiet.
Build Quality and Inputs
With such a innovative folding design, you might expect the Zenbook 17 Fold to feel delicate or flimsy. But it‘s quite the opposite – this is a solidly constructed device that exudes quality. The all-metal chassis has very little flex, the hinge is smooth and well-tensioned, and the whole unit feels tightly put together. Measuring just 0.46 inches thick when folded and 3.3 pounds, it‘s also surprisingly portable for a 17-inch class device.
Asus includes a compact Bluetooth keyboard with a built-in touchpad as part of the package. The keys have a short but tactile travel and the touchpad, while small, works reliably. The keyboard attaches magnetically to the bottom screen portion in laptop mode which is convenient. But serious typists will still want a full-size external keyboard. The folding screen design also enables touch and inking capabilities, but unfortunately Asus doesn‘t include a stylus.
Lots of Cutting-Edge Tech, Not Enough Ports
As you‘d expect for such a premium device, the Zenbook 17 Fold is packed with the latest and greatest connectivity options. You get WiFi 6E for lightning-fast wireless performance, Bluetooth 5.2 for reliable peripheral connections, and two Thunderbolt 4 ports for charging, data, external displays, and eGPU support. There‘s also a 5MP webcam with an IR sensor for Windows Hello facial authentication.
What‘s lacking is additional ports. With just the two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports and no audio jack, USB-A ports, HDMI output, or microSD card reader, you‘ll need to rely on Bluetooth peripherals, adapters, and docking stations to connect legacy accessories and displays. I would have liked to see at least one more USB-C port and a 3.5mm audio jack. But the slim design likely precluded more ports.
Battery Life and Availability
Fitting a large battery into such a thin foldable chassis is an engineering challenge. The Zenbook 17 Fold OLED comes with a 75 watt-hour battery, which Asus claims will provide up to 9 hours of battery life. In my testing, I averaged around 6-7 hours with mixed productivity use and closer to 5 hours with sustained workloads like video encoding or gaming.
That‘s right in line with other 17-inch OLED laptops I‘ve tested and actually a bit better than I expected considering the additional power draw of the folding screen. But it‘s far cry from ultraportables that can last 12+ hours away from an outlet. Fortunately, the laptop comes with a compact 65W USB-C charger that can quickly juice the battery from 0 to 50% in about 30 minutes.
The Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED officially launched in Q4 of 2022 with a starting price of $3,499 for the base model with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. That‘s undoubtedly expensive and puts it out of reach for the average consumer. But for a first-generation product with a foldable OLED display and high-end specs, the pricing is not totally unreasonable.
Over time, as foldable screen technology matures and scales, I expect prices to gradually come down. But for now, the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED is definitely a premium product aimed at early adopters and niche use cases. It‘s available from Asus directly and select online and brick-and-mortar retailers in limited quantities.
The Future of Foldable Laptops
While the Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED is arguably the most ambitious and polished foldable laptop to date, it‘s not the only one. Lenovo released the smaller ThinkPad X1 Fold in 2020 and is expected to launch a 16-inch model this year. Several other PC makers like Dell, HP, and Samsung are also rumored to be working on foldable laptops and tablets.
As the technology improves and more players enter the space, we‘ll likely see rapid advancements in future generations of foldable laptops. Potential enhancements could include:
- Even larger folding screens up to 20 inches or higher
- Higher resolution OLED panels with variable refresh rates
- Thinner, lighter designs under 3 pounds and 0.4 inches thick
- More durable folding hinges and chassis materials
- Faster processors with discrete GPU options
- 5G or 6G cellular connectivity
- Larger batteries and better power efficiency for all-day battery life
- More advanced software optimizations for multi-mode use
- Better accessory support and full-featured stylus input
- More affordable prices for mainstream adoption
If foldable laptops can deliver on this potential, they could spark a major shift in the PC industry in the coming years. The ability to carry a large screen device that can adapt to any scenario is very compelling. And as more software is optimized for folding displays and multi-mode use, the productivity benefits could be significant.
Who Should Buy the Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED?
So where does that leave the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED? At its current price point, it‘s an aspirational device that will appeal primarily to technology enthusiasts and specific niche professionals. If you fall into one of these camps, need tons of screen real estate on the go, and have the budget for it, the Zenbook Fold 17 OLED is the best option on the market right now:
- Frequent travelers: The ability to pack a giant 17-inch OLED display into a 12-inch package is hugely appealing for frequent travelers. With the Zenbook 17 Fold, you can leave the bulky laptop and tablet combo at home and simply fold the device into the mode that best suits the scenario.
- Creative professionals: Photographers, videographers, graphic designers, 3D modelers, architects, and engineers will love all the visual real estate for their workflows. The color accurate, high contrast OLED panel is also ideal for creative work.
- Heavy multitaskers: If you‘re constantly juggling multiple apps, documents, and communications, the expansive folding screen can be a major productivity boost. You can easily display several windows side-by-side or switch between tablet and laptop/desktop modes seamlessly.
- Early adopters: The Zenbook 17 Fold is undoubtedly a first-generation product with some growing pains. But early adopters who live on the bleeding edge and want the most innovative tech will still find a lot to like.
Of course, the device‘s high price and short battery life are significant drawbacks for everyday users. If you‘re on a budget, need legacy ports, or depend on your laptop for all-day battery life away from outlets, the Zenbook 17 Fold (and foldables as a category) are not the best fit quite yet. You‘ll get more bang for the buck with a traditional laptop or convertible 2-in-1.
The Bottom Line
The Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED is a groundbreaking and exciting device that provides a tantalizing glimpse at the future of mobile computing. The convertible design and stunning 17-inch folding OLED display unlock new levels of flexibility and productivity for specific use cases. Performance is also very good thanks to high-end components and thermal design.
But the astronomical $3,500 price tag and middling battery life make it hard to recommend to anyone but the most well-heeled early adopters at this point. As the technology matures and prices come down, however, foldable laptops could go mainstream and shake up the industry. If you can stomach the high cost of entry, the Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED is the most complete and impressive device in this nascent category so far. It earns 4 out of 5 stars.
