It’s not news that Asus and other vendors are shipping notebooks with brilliant OLED screens, but the Asus ProArt Studiobook 16 announced at CES raises the stakes by layering unique 3D technology atop the colorful display. We were able to get a hands- and eyes-on demo of the flagship laptop and its no-glasses-needed 3D screen in a private meeting prior to its debut, so check out our video above for the rundown.
OLED Plus 3D? You have our attention
We reviewed the OLED ProArt Studiobook a year ago, but the content creation workstation’s new attraction for 2023 is what Asus calls Spatial Vision. Based on lenticular lens technology to which Asus currently has exclusive rights from its partner panel provider, the 16-inch display lets you switch between normal 2D and 3D viewing.
The screen is made up of multiple layers, with the OLED panel topped by an optical resin, a glass panel, the lenticular lens layer, a 2D/3D liquid crystal switching layer, and finally a glass overlay with antireflective coating.
We were skeptical, but after seeing it for ourselves we can say that it definitely works: viewing a 3D model makes it appear to pop out from the display, as long as you’re in the sweet spot directly in front of the laptop. Rotating the model makes things a little blurry, but when you pause it and stare at any given section, it’s a cool effect.
Word processing and spreadsheet users won’t have much use for the feature, but designers, architects, and 3D rendering professionals examining models or floor plans in progress could find it an effective substitute for a physical object while working digitally. Asus says the Spatial Vision tech is compatible with most major platforms and applications, including Blender, SteamVR, and Unreal Engine.
As an advanced OLED screen, the 3.2K-resolution panel offers vivid colors and rich blacks even with the 3D effect off. The display boasts a 0.2-millisecond response time and 120Hz refresh rate, which also makes 3D video look smoother. Asus claims 100% DCI-P3 color coverage, a Delta-E value of less than 2 for high color accuracy, and Pantone and Calman color certification. The screen is also touch-enabled and can recline flat for stylus use.
Top-End Power, Too
Of course, no beefy creative laptop is complete without powerful CPU and graphics components. Asus promises the ProArt Studiobook 16 3D OLED will feature Intel’s and Nvidia’s latest and greatest, aiming at the top of the hierarchy for professional-grade performance. The system will be capable of up to 150 watts of combined CPU and GPU power, cooled with four exhaust vents and Liquid Metal thermal material.
Other notable features include support for up to 8TB of M.2 solid-state storage, a memory ceiling of 64GB, a 1080p IR webcam with face recognition and eye tracking, a haptic touchpad, and the current model’s Asus Dial keyboard control for with contextual commands for Adobe creative apps.
Check back for pricing and availability information soon, as well as a full review when systems become available.
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