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ZenBook Pro 15 review (2018): The touchscreen touchpad is no gimmick
With the ZenBook Pro, ASUS is finally starting to out-innovate Apple. Mostly, that's because of the ScreenPad, a display that's tucked beneath the ZenBook Pro's trackpad. It's a similar concept to the MacBook Pro's TouchBar, but it can actually be used as a tiny second monitor for basic multitasking. That's potentially much more useful than some LCD function keys. The ScreenPad isn't quite perfect, but it's one of the most intriguing twists on modern laptop designs that we've seen. It's just too bad the ZenBook Pro's battery life holds it back.
How the new ZenBook Pro compares to the MacBook Pro
With its thin build, UHD screen and new ScreenPad, ASUS' latest ZenBook Pro is firmly aimed at creative professionals. Of course, it'll have to contend with Apple's own Pro machine and its contextually adaptive TouchBar. While your ultimate buying decision may lie in whether you'd prefer the secondary display replace either your function keys or touchpad, it's worth taking a look at the table below to see what each machine packs on the inside — especially with this year's WWDC not bringing us anything in terms of updated hardware.
ASUS stuffed a screen into the ZenBook Pro 15's touchpad
Remember Razer's Switchblade UI? Remember Windows SideShow? If you ever dreamt of a computer with its own secondary display, then ASUS' New ZenBook Pro is the device for you. In place of a traditional touchpad, the company is adding the ScreenPad, a 5.5-inch touchscreen that can even run its own apps. That's the headline feature, at least, of the company's latest flagship laptop aimed at creative professionals.
ASUS ZenBook Pro UX550 is a powerhouse with a 4K touchscreen
It's been over two years since ASUS announced its original ZenBook Pro, and while the machine received a spec bump late last year, it's about time for the company to revamp its premium desktop replacement line. Announced at the "Edge of Beyond" event ahead of Computex, the new ZenBook Pro UX550 once again dons a 15.6-inch 4K touchscreen behind the spin-metal lid, except this time it comes with Intel's top Kaby Lake option plus an NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti graphics chip (with 4GB of DDR5 VRAM). More notably, at 18.9mm thick and 1.8kg (3.97 pounds), the UX550 is one of the most portable laptops in its class, beating the Dell Inspiron 15 7000 (25.44mm/2.62kg) and Acer Nitro 5 (26.75mm/2.7kg), which tout similar specs (except for their lack of 4K display option), while almost matching the smaller 14-inch Razer Blade (17.9mm/ 1.86kg).
