ASUS Zephyrus Duo 15 Gaming Performance
**ASUS Zephyrus Duo 15: A Comprehensive Review of Gaming Performance**
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### **Introduction to the ASUS Zephyrus Duo 15**
The ASUS Zephyrus Duo 15 is an innovative gaming laptop featuring dual screens, designed to deliver exceptional performance. In this article, we will explore its gaming capabilities in depth, based on a thorough testing regimen that included 21 titles at various settings. Additionally, we will compare its performance against other laptops to provide a comprehensive understanding of its strengths.
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### **Performance Modes and Hardware Specifications**
The ASUS Zephyrus Duo 15 comes equipped with high-end specifications, though it also offers lower-tier hardware options for broader accessibility. The laptop is managed by the Armoury Crate software, which allows users to select performance modes. Manual mode was found to be particularly effective, as it boosts fan speeds higher than Turbo mode and applies a small GPU overclock. Additionally, disabling Optimus via Armoury Crate enhances G-Sync performance, delivering noticeable improvements.
The laptop features Max-Q Dynamic Boost, enabled by default, allowing the GPU to increase its power consumption when the CPU is under less load. During stress tests, it averaged 100 watts, showcasing its potential for peak performance. The combination of an i9 processor with liquid metal cooling and a 2080 Super GPU ensures robust gaming capabilities.
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### **Gaming Performance Analysis**
#### **General Impressions**
The ASUS Zephyrus Duo 15 was tested across various games, including Red Dead Redemption 2, Battlefield 5, Control, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Apex Legends, Call of Duty Modern Warfare, Fortnite, PUBG, CS:GO, Dota 2, Overwatch, Rainbow Six Siege, Metro Exodus, The Division 2, Monster Hunter World, Borderlands 3, Ghost Recon Breakpoint, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Far Cry New Dawn, and The Witcher 3. Each game was tested at different settings to evaluate performance.
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#### **Game-Specific Results**
- **Red Dead Redemption 2**: Struggled slightly at ultra settings but delivered fair results.
- **Battlefield 5**: Showcased some of the best performance seen on a laptop, particularly in campaign mode.
- **Control**: With RTX enabled and DLSS support, it maintained playable frame rates.
- **Shadow of the Tomb Raider**: Achieved impressive results, making it ideal for comparison with other laptops.
- **Apex Legends & Call of Duty Modern Warfare**: Ran smoothly at maximum settings, with minimal performance drops.
- **Fortnite**: Excelled at both medium and max settings, utilizing the 300Hz screen effectively.
- **PUBG**: Demonstrated strong performance at max settings, exceeding 100 FPS in critical scenarios.
- **CS:GO & Dota 2**: Showcased significant improvements with Optimus disabled, outperforming other laptops.
- **Overwatch**: Easily achieved high frame rates at maximum settings.
- **Rainbow Six Siege**: Performed well within the 300Hz screen's capabilities.
- **Metro Exodus & The Division 2**: Results were inconsistent, with some parts performing better than others.
- **Monster Hunter World**: Smooth operation at max settings, maintaining a solid 60 FPS.
- **Borderlands 3**: Exceeded expectations with frame rates well above 60 FPS.
- **Ghost Recon Breakpoint**: Delivered exceptional performance, rarely seen in other laptops.
- **Assassin’s Creed Odyssey & Far Cry New Dawn**: Showed consistent and strong performance.
- **The Witcher 3 & F1 2019**: Demonstrated good frame rates, with minor drops at higher settings.
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### **Comparison with Other Laptops**
The ASUS Zephyrus Duo 15 was compared to several high-end laptops across various games. In titles like Battlefield 5 and Far Cry 5, it held its own against thicker machines with higher wattage GPUs. Shadow of the Tomb Raider saw the Duo 15 outperforming even higher-wattage models due to faster memory and Optimus disablement.
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### **Dynamic Boost and GPU Performance**
Testing revealed that Max-Q Dynamic Boost provided a modest performance boost, especially in GPU-intensive workloads. The 2080 Super GPU could reach up to 100 watts under load, enhancing frame rates significantly at higher settings compared to without the feature enabled.
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### **Screen Response Time**
The laptop's 300Hz screen was tested for response time, yielding impressive results. With ASUS OverDrive enabled, it achieved a 3.8 ms grey-to-grey response time, among the best seen in laptops. Disabling OverDrive slightly increased response time but improved color accuracy.
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### **Conclusion**
The ASUS Zephyrus Duo 15 delivers exceptional gaming performance, particularly excelling in esports titles and demanding games. Its dual-screen setup, powerful hardware, and software optimizations make it a standout choice for gamers seeking top-tier performance. While there are minor inconsistencies in performance across different games, the overall experience remains impressive.
For those interested in a detailed comparison or more insights into specific games, be sure to check out the full review. The Zephyrus Duo 15 is a testament to ASUS's commitment to innovation and gaming excellence.