Acemagic X1 revealed as world’s first dual-screen laptop you can display side-by-side – with an unsubtle hint it’s MacBook-level premium
Dual-screen laptops aren’t new in any form, but innovations are still coming to this subcategory of notebooks. The Acemagic X1 is one such example.
Acemagic has just officially revealed the X1, giving us some spec details, and the big trick here is not only that it’s a true dual-screen laptop, but also, as we saw in an earlier leak, that you can fold the second display out to the side (horizontally). So it’s a bit like working on a desktop PC with two monitors side by side (except the laptop is your PC, of course).
According to Acemagic, the X1 benefits from a “unique 360-degree horizontally foldable dual-screen design, giving users unparalleled flexibility in adjusting the displays to suit their needs.”
As mentioned, you can use the laptop as two 14-inch displays side by side, or you can fold them with the 360-degree hinge, so that the screens sit with their backs against each other. This offers possibilities for situations where two people want to use the laptop at the same time. (One person is working on it and the other is watching a video, for example, on opposite sides of the same desk).
Acemagic previously showed off this device at Computex 2024, but has now given it the name X1 (previously it was the Z1A) and has confirmed the key specifications as mentioned (or at least some of them).
The Acemagic X1 features dual 14-inch Full HD resolution displays, an Intel Core i7-1255U processor (10-core, 12-thread), 16GB of DDR4-3200 RAM, and a 1TB PCIe 3.0 SSD (the notebook apparently has dual M.2 slots, but that’s not fully confirmed yet).
There may also be an option to boost the CPU to a Core i7-1265U, but that’s also unconfirmed.
Analysis: Reasons to be cautious
Acemagic is a Chinese seller with a name that is admittedly a bit awkward, but it is a fairly big brand in Asia (not so much elsewhere of course, but that may change).
While the idea of the X1 is certainly novel, as with all efforts that fold out dual displays in a somewhat extended configuration, a lot of the concerns for us revolve around reliability and durability. How sturdy will the hinges or the internal workings of the folding mechanisms be?
Furthermore, Acemagic may have an advanced dual-screen concept, but the hardware inside can’t match it, with the laptop being powered by a two-year-old Alder Lake processor. Hardly Meteor Lake, right? (And besides, the next-generation Lunar Lake mobile chips aren’t that far off now, and will undoubtedly be powering some of the best laptops around very soon.)
It’s still too early to judge the device, of course, but we remain skeptical. And the fact that Acemagic clumsily tries to compare the X1 to Apple’s MacBooks doesn’t exactly inspire extra confidence.
As the press release says: “To enhance the (X1’s) eye-catching appeal, Acemagic has engraved Steve Jobs’ iconic quote, ‘Stay hungry, Stay foolish’, in real gold on the left side of the keyboard. This touch symbolizes the device’s premium quality and innovative spirit.”
If The edge points out – who saw the laptop press release, highlighted by Liliputs – Jobs actually got that quote from the Whole Earth Catalog, but the exact origin isn’t really important. The crucial detail to focus on here is clearly that it was written in real gold (and MacBooks don’t have that, right?).
In short, in a world where dual-screen laptops are seen by some as a gimmick, this quote doesn’t feel like the smartest addition to the X1.
Finally, keep in mind that Acemagic sold mini PCs with pre-installed spyware earlier this year, but claimed This was an isolated issue with an initial shipment of devices.