As the world’s biggest PC maker, Lenovo has to cast its net wide in order to target as many customers as possible. It’s definitely a tall order, considering how different the needs and appetites of people can be. It could try to make a product for each category under the sun, or it could instead make a smarter choice of designing its computers to be as flexible as possible. At CES 2024, Lenovo is unleashing a flood of new laptops, desktops, and accessories designed to cater to this varied audience, particularly addressing the productivity and creativity needs of today’s creators and designers, with a little help from AI, of course.
Designer: Lenovo
Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid
Laptops are no longer what they used to be from decades ago. They now come in different form factors, like those that can bend over backward and those that can split into two. The latter has some benefits in how you can use the tablet part independently without being weighed down by the keyboard, but there seems to be one thing missing from this design. With the new ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid, Lenovo is adding that missing piece, allowing owners to have the best of both Windows and Android worlds while seamlessly switching between the two.
At first glance, you might mistake this 2-in-1 detachable laptop for a simple Windows or Android tablet with a keyboard base. In reality, however, these are actually two separate devices that can run independently or together, depending on what you need. The tablet side does sound like a typical Android slate with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor and a large 14-inch 2.8K OLED screen that you can use with Lenovo’s active stylus pen. The laptop base that has the keyboard, however, is also a computer in its own right, powered by an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor with 32GB of RAM and Intel Arc graphics. The general idea is that you can use the device as a typical Windows 11 laptop when joined together and still enjoy the more touch-friendly Android 13 OS in tablet form.
The flexibility, however, doesn’t stop there. Both halves have their own batteries so that the Windows laptop base can run on its own even without the tablet half. Of course, you’ll have to connect an external display to see what’s going on, but it’s not that difficult a problem to solve. More importantly, you also still have access to Android running inside the tablet even when it’s docked to the laptop base via a Picture-in-Picture window. This duality and harmony offer unprecedented flexibility and capability for people who live in both worlds of Windows and Android.
Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 4 SPE
Some people prefer to keep their laptops looking clean and professional, but others like to personalize their property with all kinds of stickers that, unfortunately, leave their mark forever. There’s just no middle ground between these two extremes, at least not until the ThinkBook 13x Gen 4 SPE landed at CES 2024. Building on Lenovo’s previous E-Ink toting laptop, this proof-of-concept device takes that power-saving display technology and puts it at the service of style that everyone can enjoy.
The biggest difference with this new model is the Lenovo E Ink Prism technology that now supports a range of colors rather than just the typical grayscale of e-paper displays. This opens the door to more possibilities in terms of personalization, allowing users to customize the appearance of their laptops to their heart’s desires. Best of all, the display uses very little power, so it can even change the displayed image dynamically even when the laptop is powered off without impacting battery life.
This special creative edition builds on the regular Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 4, which does have a sleek and stylish dual-tone design of its own. This is powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra processors which have a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU) for AI-powered tasks like noise cancellation and system optimization. It also boasts using 50% recycled aluminum in the bottom cover of the Luna Grey colorway, 90% Post-Consumer Recycled Content (PCC) plastic in the power adapter, and 30% PCC in the speaker enclosures.
Lenovo Laptops and Desktops for All
Beyond these two noteworthy laptops, Lenovo also has a few other new computers to show off in the Las Vegas showroom. The ThinkBook 14 i Gen 6+, for example, offers no-nonsense productivity behind its large 14.5-inch 3K display, delivering the power that designers need to get their work done. The ThinkBook 16p Gen5, on the other hand, pulls out all the stops with a 14th-gen Intel Core i9 processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 laptop graphics. With an even larger 16-inch 3.2K screen, creators have more space to use when crafting their designs and projects.
On the desktop side, the Lenovo ThinkCentre neo 50a 27 Gen 5 and ThinkCentre neo 50a 24 Gen 5 all-in-one PCs offer a sleek, space-saving design that doesn’t skimp on performance with an Intel Core i7 chip and 32GB of RAM. The real star of the show here, however, is the new Lenovo ThinkCentre neo Ultra, its first mini PC, delivering performance in a small package. It runs on an Intel Core i9 processor paired with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 graphics and leverages plenty of AI-assisted features. And for those times when you need to jump on a video call, Lenovo’s Magic Bay Studio brings an AI-assisted 4K camera that will make you look clear, sharp, and professional.
Availability
- Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid – Q2 2024, starting at $1,999
- Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 4 – Q1 2024, starting at $1,399
- Lenovo ThinkCentre neo Ultra – Q2 2024, starting at $1,499
- Lenovo ThinkCentre neo 50a 24 Gen 5, 50a 27 Gen 5 – Q1 2024, starting at $799 and $899, respectively
- Lenovo ThinkBook 14 i Gen 6 – Q2 2024, bundle with ThinkBook Graphics Extension starting at $2,199
- Lenovo ThinkBook 16p Gen 5 – Q1 2024, starting at $1,599
- Lenovo Magic Bay Studio – April 2024, $199.99
Unfortunately, since it’s just a proof-of-concept design, there is no word yet on whether the E Ink Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 4 SPE will be made available in the market.
