You’ve seen the videos. A massive, 17.3-inch screen literally folds in half like a piece of cardboard, turning a giant tablet into a 12.5-inch laptop. It looks like something pulled straight out of a high-budget sci-fi flick. But let’s be real for a second. When the ASUS Zenbook 17 Fold OLED first hit the scene, everyone asked the same thing: Is this the future of computing, or is it just a very expensive party trick?
It's a weird device.
Honestly, calling it a "laptop" feels like a bit of a stretch, but calling it a "tablet" doesn't quite cover it either. It’s a hybrid that tries to solve a problem we didn’t know we had—the desire to carry a desktop-sized monitor in a backpack.
The engineering behind the ASUS Zenbook 17 Fold OLED
The hinge. That’s the heart of the whole thing. ASUS spent years perfecting a 180-degree hinge that could survive at least 30,000 open-and-close cycles. To put that in perspective, if you open this thing 20 times a day, the hinge should technically outlast the battery. It’s a precision-engineered piece of hardware made of magnesium alloy, finished in a dark "Tech Black" that looks incredibly premium.
When you've got it fully unfolded, you’re staring at a 2.5K FOLED (Flexible OLED) touchscreen. The colors are ridiculous. We're talking 100% DCI-P3 color gamut and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. It’s VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 certified, which basically means the blacks are so deep you might lose your cursor in them.
But there’s a catch.
Because it’s a folding screen, it isn't covered in Gorilla Glass. It’s a specialized synthetic material. It feels different under your finger—sorta softer, more organic than a standard iPad or MacBook screen. You have to be a little more careful with it. You aren't going to want to let your cat knead on this display.
How it actually works in your hands
The ASUS Zenbook 17 Fold OLED thrives on versatility. You can use it in "Laptop Mode," where the bottom half of the screen acts as a virtual keyboard. It’s fine for a quick email, but for real work? You’ll want the physical ErgoSense Bluetooth keyboard. It magnetically snaps onto the bottom half of the screen, and suddenly, you’re using a standard 12.5-inch ultraportable.
Then there’s "Desktop Mode." This is where the magic happens.
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You kick out the integrated leather-finish kickstand on the back, unfold the screen to its full 17.3 inches, and set the Bluetooth keyboard on the desk in front of you. Now you have a massive workstation at a coffee shop. It’s a total head-turner. People will stare. They will ask you what it is. If you're introverted, this might actually be a downside.
The specs: What’s under the hood?
Inside, you're looking at an Intel Core i7-1250U processor. It's an ultra-low-voltage chip.
Why didn't they put a beefier H-series processor in here? Heat and space. When you fold a computer in half, there isn't exactly a lot of room for massive copper heat pipes or roaring fans. This isn't a gaming rig. It’s a productivity machine for people who spend their lives in Chrome, Slack, and Excel.
You get 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD. It’s fast enough for 95% of users. If you’re trying to render 8K video on this while 40 tabs are open, you’ll feel it struggle. But for its intended purpose—being the world's most portable large-screen workstation—it hits the mark.
The battery is a 75Wh cell. ASUS claims about 9 hours of battery life. In the real world? Expect closer to 6 or 7 if you have the brightness cranked up, which you will, because the screen is beautiful. It supports Easy Charge, so you can juice it up with a standard USB-C phone charger in a pinch, though the included 65W brick is much faster.
What nobody tells you about the "Fold" life
Let's talk about the "crease."
Everyone worries about the crease. Yes, if the light hits it at a specific 45-degree angle while the screen is off, you can see where it folds. But the moment that OLED panel fires up? It disappears. You genuinely stop noticing it after five minutes of use. The brain is remarkably good at filtering out that kind of visual noise.
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Weight is the bigger issue.
The device weighs about 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) without the keyboard. Add the keyboard, and you’re closer to 4 lbs. That’s heavier than a MacBook Air. It’s also thick when folded—about 34mm. It feels like carrying a thick, leather-bound encyclopedia. It’s portable, sure, but it’s "chunky" portable.
The Audio Surprise
One thing ASUS actually nailed that gets overlooked is the sound. There’s a quad-speaker Harman Kardon system with Dolby Atmos support. Because the chassis is a bit thicker, the speakers actually have some "room to breathe." The soundstage is surprisingly wide. Watching a movie in "Tablet Mode" (propped up on a stand) is a genuinely great experience.
Is it worth the investment?
The ASUS Zenbook 17 Fold OLED launched with a price tag around $3,499. That is an eye-watering amount of money for a laptop. You could buy a top-tier MacBook Pro and an iPad Pro for that price and still have money left over for a nice dinner.
So, who is this for?
It’s for the executive who travels constantly and hates working on small 13-inch screens in hotels. It's for the early adopter who wants to touch the future before everyone else. It’s for the person who values "the only device I need" over having three separate gadgets.
It’s a first-generation product in many ways, even if it's incredibly polished. It proves that foldable displays aren't just for phones.
There are limitations. The webcam is a 5MP sensor that’s "fine" but not "great." The port selection is minimal—just two Thunderbolt 4 ports and an audio jack. You’ll be living that dongle life if you need to plug in a mouse, a thumb drive, or an external monitor.
Real-world maintenance and durability
You can't treat this like a rugged ThinkPad.
The OLED screen is sensitive. ASUS includes a specific set of care instructions. Don't use sharp objects. Don't use a stylus that isn't specifically approved. Be mindful of dust getting under the hinge.
The "screen protector" is built-in. Do not try to peel it off. If you do, the screen dies. This is a lesson many people learned the hard way with early foldable phones.
On the software side, Windows 11 handles the folding surprisingly well. ASUS has their "ScreenXpert" software that helps you snap windows into different configurations depending on how you're holding the device. It makes the transition from a 17-inch canvas to a dual 12-inch stacked setup feel relatively seamless.
Moving forward with foldable tech
If you're thinking about pulling the trigger on an ASUS Zenbook 17 Fold OLED, you need to evaluate your workspace. If you spend most of your time at a desk with an external monitor, this is overkill. But if your "office" changes every day—from airplanes to coffee shops to kitchen tables—the ability to deploy a 17-inch screen anywhere is a genuine productivity superpower.
Practical Next Steps for Potential Buyers:
- Check the Dimensions: Measure your favorite daily carry bag. This device is thicker than a standard laptop when folded, so make sure it actually fits your gear.
- Evaluate Your Workflow: If you rely heavily on a stylus for drawing or precise photo editing, go to a store and feel the screen surface first. It's not glass, and the friction is different.
- Consider the Warranty: With any first-gen foldable, an extended warranty or accidental damage protection is almost mandatory for peace of mind.
- Wait for Sales: As newer iterations (like the rumored Zenbook Fold 2) enter the conversation, the original model often sees significant price cuts on sites like Amazon or B&H Photo.
The tech is finally here. It's no longer a prototype sitting behind glass at CES. It's a real tool you can buy and use. Whether it's the "right" tool depends entirely on how much you're willing to pay for the luxury of a giant screen that fits in a small bag.