Asus screenpad 2.0: how to use it and tricks to get the most out of it

The ScreenPad 2.0 has been Asus' star bet for the new VivoBook S15 and S14 notebooks. A technology that creates a hybrid between touchpad and high resolution screen to provide our team with greater functionality and improve their work capacity thanks to everything included in this second version.

Taking advantage of the fact that we have the Asus VivoBook S532F with us, we are going to explore this updated technology in depth, see what it can offer us and if it really is useful for the user.

What is the Asus ScreenPad and basic use

The ScreenPad is a solution that Asus began implementing in its Asus ZenBook Pro range of notebooks in 2018 with its first version. The idea is to provide a touchpad that simultaneously integrates a color touch screen to expand the team's workspace.

Thanks to this screen we can perform similar functions to those we have on the main screen. Specifically, in this ScreenPad 2.0 version, the entire repertoire has been increased thanks also to the new ScreenXpert software, the thinking mind behind this system. From installing and pinning applications, to being able to navigate your screen and play content, the power of this second version has been multiplied and improved.

In this generation, this technology comes with a 5.65-inch screen and a maximum resolution of 2160 x 1080p, even more than normal equipment screens. Its brightness is around 200 nits maximum and the touch input is simply a delight to use. The manufacturer has also improved energy efficiency so that when not in use, it goes into energy saving mode. During our tests on the VivoBook, we have had autonomies of approximately 6 hours with the two screens active, which are very good figures.

The teams that currently implement the ScreenPad 2.0 are the ZenBook Edition 30, ZenBook 13, 14 and 15, ZenBook Flip 15 and also the VivoBook S14 and S15.

How to use the ScreenPad 2.0 and switch to the touchpad from the keyboard

Using ScreenPad 2.0 is a fairly simple task, since all the computers that have it implemented already have the application installed on the computer. Quick control to toggle the various modes of the touchpad will be done using the Fn + F7 key combination.

We will have three ways to choose:

• ScreenPad Mode: it is obviously the way in which the ScreenPad will be activated on our computer. Traditional Touchpad: in this case the screen will turn off and we will use the touchpad in a normal and current way. Touchpad deactivated: obviously we will not be able to use the laptop's touch input in this mode.

Turn ScreenPad 2.0 on and off directly

Turning ScreenPad 2.0 on or off will be even easier from the touchpad itself. At all times we have a task bar on this screen with which to interact. In the previous screenshot we are located on the ScreenPad desktop, we only have to press the lower left button to temporarily disable the function and that it only works in mouse mode.

We must bear in mind that in this way we are deactivating the function, but the screen will not turn off, but its brightness will be adjusted to the minimum. When we want, we will click on the "X" to return to the normal state.

There is still a third way to switch modes, and that is by pressing three fingers at the same time on the touchpad. With this action we deactivate the ScreenPad temporarily, until we stop using the touch input. When this happens, it will return to normal automatically.

Everything the ScreenPad 2.0 offers

After seeing how to develop the basic use and activation of the ScreenPad, we are going to review everything we can do from it. Asus divides it into four basic functionalities:

Mode Switch (toggle between touchpad and ScreenPad)

The main function is to be able to switch between a normal touchpad, without the display functions, or both functions together. Pressing with three fingers on the screen, the touchpad mode will be activated temporarily, or we can also activate it permanently by clicking on the icon in the ScreenPad taskbar.

Home page

Basically it is the launcher that we have as a desktop or main screen, where we have a list of applications to access. By clicking on the icon in the double window of the ScreenPad, we can anchor the applications open in it or move them to the main desktop.

App Switcher

We can even drag applications from one screen to the other with the mouse or through the browser integrated in the ScreenPad. We will now look at this in more detail.

App Navigator

Along with the previous one, the system allows us to navigate normally with the mouse through the windows or applications open on the ScreenPad. So we can work simultaneously as if we had two desks.

Resolution, brightness, manage windows and anchor applications

Let's see the basic control of the ScreenPad, which we will have in the taskbar of the screen itself. We have already seen the button to switch modes, so let's continue with the rest, which are the buttons for configuration and to open the window browser.

The right sprocket will be to open the touchpad's own settings. From here we can modify the brightness of the screen, change the refresh rate of the panel between 50 and 60 Hz, or its resolution, from 1000x500p or 2160x1080p. In the same way we can activate the saving mode, which of course we recommend, or put a wallpaper.

The most interesting thing to keep in mind will be about resolution. The basic one will come in very handy to navigate through different windows or applications that we have on ScreenPad 2.0, but we will lose image quality. The higher resolution is perhaps indicated for videos or puzzle games, because for navigation the buttons of the applications are too small.

Obviously, the more resolution, refreshment or brightness we put, the greater battery consumption we will have.

You will have noticed that on the main screen we have added some application icons, this will be possible by activating the button in the double window of the taskbar. The function is very similar to the Windows browser, although a little more simplified.

From here, we can grab and drag an application to anchor it on the ScreenPad (right), or to show it on the main screen of the computer (left). To anchor an application to this panel, we must have it open on itself, it is not possible to anchor it from the main desktop.

Similarly, to drag an application or window from the desktop to the ScreenPad, we will have to drag it with the mouse. In fact, the mouse works exactly the same on both screens, for practical purposes it is as if we had an extended desktop on two monitors.

Native apps and own store

This ScreenPad 2.0 comes with a number of natively installed applications that are quite interesting. All of them are entirely focused on its use on this screen and are also capable of linking with other desktop applications.

An example of this are the office automation, Doc Xpert, Sheet Xpert and Side Xpert, which will link to Word, Excel and Power Point respectively. It is basically about extending certain functions of the task bar of these programs to the touchpad, in order to save time and speed up the personalization of texts. The functions are very similar in all three, text editing and display functions. They are not too extensive, but they are well worth it.

The following three applications will also be quite useful for expanding basic functions.

The first one is simply a calculator. What can it be useful for? Well, for example to quickly calculate the cost of products that we are looking for in a web store, for certain operations in Excel or Word or even to adjust the size of images in design.

The second is a handwriting, or handwriting, application. We can open it simultaneously with text editors, so that everything we write will be translated directly into text in the editor. It detects all the words available in our language and in others that we configure, at least in the tests we have done. The only drawback is that we will have to write with our finger, since it does not have a pencil, which will hinder fluidity.

The third function is perhaps the most interesting for me, since it encompasses most of the quick functions that we can do with the keyboard and the key combinations. It is called Quick Key, and with it we can cut, copy, paste, select, open the search engine, minimize windows and much more. What's more, from its options we can create shortcuts or remove them that we don't use.

The MyAsus application is also implemented in the factory on the manufacturer's equipment, so we can use it without problems in ScreenPad 2.0.

And if we did not have enough, we also have our own store linked to the Microsoft Store to be able to download others that we see interesting. For example, video or photo editing applications, where this ScreenPad 2.0 will be a great weapon for content creators.

Ability to navigate through windows, applications and play multimedia content

In addition to the pre-installed applications, we can open the one that we want within this ScreenPad 2.0, we just need to drag them from the main desktop to the touchpad. Depending on the case, one or the other resolution is recommended, although if it is multimedia content, we can take advantage of the power with the maximum resolution and 60 Hz refresh rate.

Integration with all kinds of applications is perfect, like one more screen, and this will be very useful for programs that work with other secondary ones, for example, Photoshop with Creative Cloud, video editing programs, etc. In our case it is very useful to have for example the product page on the ScreenPad while we are editing our Review in Word. For example, this article has been done in this way and with the help of this double function.

And of course, install a game like Candy Crush or chess to play while we are doing some boring task. The truth is that Asus has done a sensational job in this new version.

Our opinion on ScreenPad 2.0

We can only applaud the work Asus has done on this new generation of the hybrid touchpad. The ScreenPad extends and improves in practically all aspects to the first generation, rather it seems that the first was only a test against the completeness that comes.

The first thing to note is that the problems related to hardware are completely solved. We are talking about a better screen in every way, bigger, with higher resolution, more brightness and, consequently, much sharper to work with. The maximum resolution is no less than 2K (2160 x 1080p) which is plenty to handle applications and watch videos.

Furthermore, autonomy has also been substantially improved. During our tests with both screens turned on to a first below half we have obtained more than 6 hours of autonomy. Considering that the VivoBook is a very thin laptop, they are more than satisfactory results. Of course in more powerful models and with the maximum brightness this autonomy will decrease, but, from the start, the results are already better than the previous ZenBook with a much larger screen in this generation.

The ScreenPad 2.0 has increased in functionality, and in speed, with better integration thanks to ScreenXpert, we will have a smooth experience in any situation, at least in our testing days. Of course we must consider that there is a learning curve for this system, and at first it will be a little more difficult to handle freely, but you will see that after a few hours everything improves dramatically.

The touch of the touchpad itself is exactly the same as that found in any other Asus VivoBook, with good handling, a very large surface and compatible with Windows gestures.

As details to improve, as one of them could be the finishes and materials used. The touch is not at all similar to that provided by, for example, the Smartphone. We know they are completely different elements, but a better glass on the surface and a slightly less grainy texture would have improved the experience. Of course the autonomy of the laptop is affected by this screen, especially if we do not take care of its basic configuration to save the most

Perhaps it would also be interesting to match the resolution and aspect ratio of both screens of the team. In this way, either the transition of windows from one to the other or the use of the mouse would be more direct and would equalize the sensations.

We finish with an aspect as important as the price, and that is that in this new generation we have more for a lower price. It is normal and logical, since it is an already well established technology and extended in more models such as the VivoBook. It will be highly recommended for users who work a lot with the laptop, especially in design, editing and even entertainment. We have loved the experience and we highly recommend it, it is something different, fresh and unique on the market.

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Would you buy a laptop with ScreenPad? Do you think it will soon be an extended technology in all computers? Leave us your opinion about it in the comments.