It’s that time of the year again! With CES gone already, it’s time for the next big connectivity event, Mobile World Congress 2024 (MWC). The event will be held in Barcelona on 26 – 29 February 2024, and it promises to continue the exciting innovations and ideas we saw at CES.
Some will come from one of the biggest tech companies, Lenovo, always present at these events. The tech giant is getting ready to upgrade its lineup with six upgrades to its current devices, plus one incredibly exciting new concept that might blow your socks off! Thanks to our sources, we have exclusive images with all of them two weeks before the official launch.
This is Lenovo’s transparent laptop, and it looks wild!
Before anything else, we have to mention that the transparent trend seems to be catching up fast. But why did it take so long? Well, firstly, because the technology involved expensive manufacturing processes. That also means a higher-end price, which doesn’t do well for home customers.
Now that transparent panels are a bit easier to produce, the market is starting to grow, and LG’s transparent OLED from CES is the perfect example. And if we go back to CES 2010, it’s clear that Samsung’s transparent OLED screen was ahead of its time.
But maybe now is the perfect time for a completely transparent laptop? Lenovo seems to think that, as they’re getting ready to unveil their concept at MWC 2024. And let me tell you, it looks crazy!
Lenovo’s transparent laptop features a bezel-less design, with the display being completely see-through. The deck also seems completely transparent, with the main components being housed in and under the chin, which is the area that’s not transparent. There’s also a non-transparent slim frame that surrounds the entire deck, probably housing the ports.
While we don’t know any specs, the laptop runs Windows 11 and follows the Lenovo design language we all know. Looking at it, it’s closer to the dual-screen laptops (which are getting increasingly popular right now) than a classic one.
But the final question is: do we need transparent laptops? We’ll surely keep an eye on MWC to see how Lenovo markets the use scenarios, and maybe we’ll get some insights on specs, battery life, and general capabilities.
Most of Lenovo’s lineup gets a much-needed upgrade. And a notch
Lenovo ThinkBook 14 G4 now goes full 2-in-1, with a touchscreen and a 360-degree hinge that lets you use it however you want, including in tent or tablet mode.
The G4 also gets the well-known outside notch but loses some ports. On the right side are a power button, a microSD card reader, one USB-A, and a Kensington lock, while the left has a headphone/mic combo, two USB-C ports, another USB-A, and one HDMI port.
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 (Intel) gets a similar treatment, with a prominent top-notch that houses the camera, mics, and other sensors for secure face recognition and a welcomed change of ports.
The right side loses the optional smart card reader, which now houses an optional SIM slot, one USB-A, an Ethernet port, and a Kensington slot. You’ll find two USB-Cs, an HDMI port, one USB-A, and a headphone/mic combo on the left side.
The same changes apply to the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 AMD version. Both versions come in two colors: silver or black.
Lenovo ThinkPad T14S Gen 5 also gets the notch update alongside the port revision.
On the right side, you’ll find two USB-A ports and a Kensington lock, with two USB-C ports, an HDMI, a headphone/mic combo, and a SIM slot on the right. This corporate go-to also gets significantly slimmer bezels.
Now for the bigger Lenovo ThinkPad T16 Gen 3: the 16-inch powerhouse, surprisingly, also gets a notch, although at this size, it’s more of a design consistency thing than anything else.
The edges seem chamfered for a more comfortable handling and slim profile, and the excellent port selection remains almost unchanged, with two small differences: the smart card reader gets replaced by a SIM slot, and the Ethernet port moves from the left side to the right one.
Maybe the most surprising upgrade is the Lenovo ThinkPad x12 Detachable Gen 2. Yes, you read that right: the x12 finally gets a second gen. But if you were expecting massive changes, you’d be disappointed.
Nothing changed on the outside: the port selection is the same, and the keyboard, the hinge design, and pen are also the same. That’s not necessarily bad, especially for those who got the most out of Gen 1; faster components and next-gen CPU might compel you to get the Gen 2.
Finally, the Lenovo ThinkVision M14T Gen 2 is refreshed with two new USB-C ports and a new panel.
While we don’t have any hard specs, it seems the new panel might be an OLED that keeps the great functionality of Gen 1: touchscreen, clean setup, and awesome USB hub.
We don’t expect a change in refresh rate but rather in resolution. Think of it as the perfect companion for your laptop. It’s also amazing for taking notes or markups on your projects.
Maybe its best use scenario is using it alongside your smartphone, making it a lot easier to share projects, sheets, tables, and any other projects with a single cable on the go.
While most of the updates in Lenovo’s lineup look incremental, some are just small life improvements that will significantly impact everyday use. But the highlight is definitely the transparent laptop! What’s your take on it? Tell us how you would use it in the comments section below.