Asus has confirmed the launch date of its unique foldable laptop, the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED, for August 31 at 5 a.m. PDT.
Asus first showcased the laptop at CES 2022 in January with plans to announce it by mid-year. However, those plans were pushed until the IFA 2022 conference, which takes place from September 2 to September 6, according to Notebookcheck.
A portable AND foldable monitor?! 👀🤯
The #Zenbook17Fold OLED is almost here and we're ready to tell you everything you want to know!
Set a Reminder >> 💻 https://t.co/8sfXTdChL6#IFA2022 #ASUS pic.twitter.com/p5kJW3xRk8
— ASUS North America (@ASUSUSA) August 4, 2022
The Zenbook 17 Fold OLED features a 17-inch monitor when flat and a 12.5-inch display when folded. It is only the second foldable laptop introduced to the market, with the first being the ThinkPad X1 Fold, which launched in September 2020, the publication added.
It appears that OLED might consistently be the standard for devices in this category moving forward, likely due to quality and durability. OLED displays are similarly often used on foldable smartphone counterparts.
The Zenbook 17 Fold OLED also features an Intel Core i7-1250U processor, 16 GB of RAM, a 75-watt-hour battery, Thunderbolt 4 ports, and WiFi 6E connectivity.
Currently, price details for the foldable laptop are not available; however, don’t expect it to be cheap. For reference, the much smaller 13.3-inch Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold sold for $2,500 when it was released.
Zenbook 17 Fold OLED availability for Europe and North America also remain uncertain at this time.
While Asus’ Zenbook 17 Fold OLED will soon be announced, there are still many more foldable laptops that remain in concepts and rumors. Samsung also showcased its foldable laptop called the Flex Note at CES 2022. It lays flat as a 17-inch monitor and folds into a 13-inch setup. However, not much else has been revealed about this device.
Reports from industry experts, including Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) analyst Ross Young, indicate Apple is planning a foldable notebook with a 20-inch display and a resolution of 4K or higher. Sources have said Apple is looking to introduce “a new product category” of foldable laptops with its device. However, the company is not in a rush, and this product likely won’t be released until 2026 or 2027.
