Asus Reveals New Foldable Tablet/Laptop Hybrid
Roughly seven months ago, Asus announced that they would be creating the first foldable 17 inch tablet that can also become a laptop.
The new Zenbook 17 Fold OLED finally has a rough release date and should be expected sometime toward the end of the year, it has a shelf price of $3,999.
The product was always expected to be expensive, which the company fully aware of. However, they knew that those who love new technology are probably going to be the ones who go and buy the product right off the shelves.
The thing that differentiates this product from others is the 17-inch OLED touchscreen that contains a 3.5k resolution and a 4:3 aspect ratio. The tablet can fold evenly in the middle due to the 180-degree hinge.
The computer also contains a kickstand on the display portion of the tablet which can be used in a variety of different ways including opening it like a book, propping it up for binge watching, attaching a keyboard on the bottom or separating the keyboard from the tablet to use as a desktop/monitor hybrid.
“When fully open, this is a huge tablet with a 17.3 inch display – that’s bigger than most laptops. The screen is a 2.5K panel with touch support and (you guessed it) OLED, with only a subtle crease hinting at its foldable functionality,” according to Tech Advisor.
Asus has equipped the device with a 75Wh battery which will allow users up to 9-10 hours of usage. Included is a 65W charger that can be used with any USB-C ports so buyers will have to buy an adapter or hub as well.
When the product is released, there also won’t be a customizable option, there will only be one version of the product.
“It’s the most versatile laptop I’ve ever used, and it’s a real head-turner in public,” said Alex Wawro in a product review for Tom’s Guide.
“Folding this 17.3-inch OLED touchscreen up like a book and tossing it in your bag feels like a magic trick the first dozen times you do it. After that, you just feel like you’re living in the future a bit earlier than most.”
However, with all the cool gadgets and tricks that come with the new foldable tablet, there are also some weaknesses it faces within its design.
With the tablet measuring at 14.9 x 11.3 x 0.3 inches and 3.3 pounds, it makes the product hard to hold in your hands for an extended period of time. After a while, it might be easier to prop it up on a pillow to use it.
When the new product finally hits shelves during Q4, techie fans will be able to finally get their hands on one of the most powerful foldable computer/tablets on the market.
Nikki Indelicato is a Contributing Reporter at The National Digest based in New York. You can reach her at nicole.indelicato@thenationaldigest.com.
