During its Create the Uncreated fall product reveal on Thursday, Asus launched a host of notable new products and technologies, along with the usual refreshes. Headlining the announcements: the first 32-inch OLED monitor, the Asus Dial secondary input integrated into its StudioBook line of pro creator laptops and the virtual Asus DialPad on the touchpad of its new Vivobook Pro X-series mainstream creator laptops. Asus also embraces the “now we offer 16-inch in addition to 13-, 14-, 15- and 17-inch” laptops and “OLED laptop screens everywhere” philosophies that characterize notebook lines for 2021.
Desktop OLED monitors are in demand, but the ones we’ve seen to date have either been laptop screens repurposed as USB-C portable monitors or impractical, overpriced 55-inch models like the Alienware 55, which is based on TV panels and targeted at gamers. The 32-inch, 4K UHD ProArt Display OLED PA32DC brings OLED to a perfect desktop size, though it’s not for everyone: It’s a video-professional friendly model with a built-in calibrator, integrated SDR and HDR color profiles and a carry handle plus optional feet for use on set. It can sustain 250 nits full screen with a peak of 400 nits. Given the existence of a 32-inch OLED panel, it’s possible we’ll see more mainstream-friendly options next year.
The company didn’t give any more information, such as which color profiles it includes or whether it supports HDMI 2.1 (it had better). Nor did Asus provide availability or pricing details, but my guess is we won’t see it until next year and it’ll cost a lot.
The Asus Vivobook Pro line’s virtual DialPad and snazzy keyboard.
Asus
Also for professionals, Asus’ ProArt StudioBook laptop line debuts the Asus Dial, an integrated secondary input device for use with applications such as Adobe Lightroom and Premiere Pro. It sits in a recess so the top is flush with the keyboard deck. It uses the same programming interface as the Microsoft Dial, so it can be used with applications that support Microsoft’s device. If you’re a lefty who mouses with your right hand, you’re out of luck.
None of these secondary inputs has hit the “this is the one to get” tipping point, but the fact that it’s built-in means people are likely to use it when away from home — provided it doesn’t suck. The laptop also adds a three-button panel to the stylus-compatible touchpad, much like those offered by competitors that cater to 3D professionals, such as Lenovo and HP. It also incorporates the 16-inch 16:10 aspect 4K screen (3,840×2,400 pixels) that’s in all Asus’ new higher-end OLED laptops.
The 16-inch StudioBook OLED lineup will ship by the end of the year in Intel Core and AMD Ryzen CPU flavors with up to an GeForce RTX 3070 starting at $2,000 (converts to roughly £1,450 or AU$2,700), while the Pro version will come with Ryzen 5000 Pro or Intel Xeon models with up to an Nvidia A5000 starting at $2,500.
Asus revives the Vivobook Pro line — mainstream models with H-series Intel or AMD CPUs and entry-level discrete graphics — and adds new Vivobook Pro 14X and 16X. The X series is a bit more premium: it has an option for a new Weave textured fingerprint-resistant coating, can be configured with up to a GeForce RTX 3050 Ti (the non-X only goes up to the 3050), uses the 3,840×2,400-pixel OLED display (the non-X’s is 2,880×1,800) and includes the virtual DialPad, which mimics the physical version in the StudioBook on the touchpad. Asus is also revving the Zenbook Pro 15 OLED for the occasion.
All are slated to ship in North America by the end of the year.
- Zenbook Pro 15 OLED (UM535), starts at $1,470
- Vivobook Pro 16X OLED (N7600) starts at $1,400
- Vivobook Pro 14 OLED (K3400) starts at $750
- Vivobook Pro 14 OLED (M3401) starts at $1,200
- Vivobook Pro 15 OLED (K3500/M3500) starts at $920
