Computex 2018 | The Asus Zenbook Pro 15 UX580 features a touchscreen trackpad that shows app-specific controls and acts like a second monitor

The redesigned ZenBook Pro 15 UX580 has a new trick to show off — a totally new touchscreen trackpad known as the ScreenPad. This new trackpad is a 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080 FullHD touchscreen that provides dual duties as a Microsoft Precision Touchpad and a secondary screen that shows customized controls for programs such as Microsoft Office, Spotify, and YouTube. There is a toolbar along the top of the ScreenPad that can be dragged down to show the user-configurable app launcher and software controls. The ScreenPad essentially takes the idea of Apple’s Touch Bar and moves it into the trackpad so that the keyboard still has room for dedicated function keys in the F-row. 

The ScreenPad can also show its own apps separately from the main screen, such as an on-screen calculator. Alternatively, it can be set up in Windows as a secondary display allowing open windows to be moved onto it in the same manner as a second monitor. Finally, the ScreenPad can mirror a smartphone screen using Asus Sync, but we think this is more of a novelty feature rather than something people would use regularly. Asus plans to release the SDK by the end of 2018 to allow the community to develop their own software and features.

With all the new ScreenPad features, it could be easy to forget that this is still a professionally targeted notebook (in many aspects, but not all). The 4K/UHD 3840 x 2160 display can show 100% of the sRGB standard and 100% of AdobeRGB, and Asus reports the Delta-E as lower than 2.0. Asus hasn't used PenTile on the ZenBook Pro 15 for a couple of years, and with these color spectrum results we would expect this to be a proper RGB matrix.

The Processor is Intel’s fastest mobile model, the overclockable i9-8950HK with six cores and 12-threads. This is paired with the Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti, which performs well in GPU accelerated tasks and can provide a good FullHD gaming experience (ultra on older games, high on newer games). RAM configurations could limit professional uses with only up to 16 GB of DDR4-2400, but storage options go up to a 1 TB M.2 NVMe PCI-e x4 stick.

There are concerns regarding how well the cooling system in this thin chassis can handle the powerful hardware, but the answer to this will need to wait for our review.

The Asus ZenBook Pro 15 UX580 will be available from mid-July 2018 with an MSRP starting at US$2299.

Specifications:

• Processor: i5-8300H / i7-8750H / i9-8950HK
• Memory: up to 16 GB DDR4-2400
• Graphics: Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti 4 GB
• Storage: 256 GB SATA / 512 GB SATA / 512 GB NVMe / 1 TB NVMe (all options M.2 SSD)
• Wireless: 2x2 802.11ac + Bluetooth 5.0
• Ports: 2 x USB3.1, 2 x Thunderbolt 3, 1 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x 3.5 mm audio, 1 x MicroSD, 1 x DC power
• Battery: 71 Wh
• Power: 150 W 19 V
• Dimensions: 365 x 251 x 19 mm (14.37 x 9.88 x 0.75 inches)
• Weight: 1.88 kg (4.14 pounds)