[ad_1]
ASUS may have defeated the chip maker with its ZenBook Pro Duo – and it's also here – but the very design of Intel was arguably a better selling point for dual-screen laptops.
So let's see this laptop. Yes, despite what seems unfolded, it's again a laptop. The prototype design includes a dual-display configuration consisting of a 15.6-inch main screen in Full HD resolution and a 12.3-inch screen at half the vertical height. Like the ZenBook Pro Duo, the full-width companion screen is above the keyboard. However, Intel's reference design has a more thoughtful feel, trying to reformulate the design of powerful laptops.
I was a little obsessed with these hinges and by the way they transform the location of your display without the need for uncomfortable support or a secondary keyboard. Closing, the screen opens cleanly like your usual laptop. However, the main screen then tilts up, in any degree, by pulling the secondary screen with it. It then stays in the desired position, with a discreet button on the hinge to unlock and close. It's already amazingly well finished for a simple prototype.
But, and if you have already read about Intel concepts, you may agree – so what? Conceptual models and display designs often struggle to explain their reasons for existence. With this Honeycomb Glacier concept, I would say that Intel has fewer problems.
The raised screen makes it all possible at the height of your eyes – think of iMacs and other all-in-one computers, making it a comfortable choice for activities that require a lot of attention, like the video editing, writing or games. My mediocre efforts in playing League of Legends were more embarrassed by the buttonless trackpad than by what I was watching. Even at a trade show, the positioning of the screen seemed perfect, and less like I was playing clumsily on a laptop.
Even at this stage of the prototype, this machine could certainly handle something a little heavier. Inside, you'll find an overclocked Core i9 45W processor as well as a GeForce 1070. Under the hinge, a circular giant vent sucks air across the device, with additional vents scattered on the sides of the base. This means that Intel can keep its processors overclocked and exploit some of the secondary benefits of this elevated display.
Look a little further and the 12.3-inch side screen is just that – a companion to the main event. You can keep your Slack Chat app open while you focus on tasks, monitor your game stats while fighting LoL or monitor Twitch conversations while you broadcast. Unlike the ZenBook Pro Duo, it is also easier to scan: it is already in your field of vision.
This brings me to the next big tent idea, here: Tobii's relevant observation. We have already covered Tobii's tracking, but unfortunately it has been either gadget or just rarely used. The hinge that serves as a seal between the two screens is perfect for cameras and sensors. They align perfectly the center of the hinge, ideally at eye level.
Perhaps partly because of this, Tobii's interface only worked very lightly, even during this first demo and amid the chaos of the Intel press. As I turned my attention down, the secondary screen automatically pulled the keyboard input to narrowed (but complete) applications. If the companies involved can make it even more reliable, this could be perfect for instant answers from Slack or to respond to commentators during your YouTube livestream. You can even catch your eye on Cortana, who will listen to your requests. It's a bit strange.
[ad_2]
Source link