The rumors have been confirmed. Lenovo is indeed launching a see-through laptop at the Mobile World Congress (MWC). The first images from the tech trade fair in Barcelona show an extremely cool piece of technology. But can this laptop really conquer the masses?
Lenovo shows “concept notebook”
There wasn’t much of an outcry when tech enthusiasts were first allowed to get their hands on the latest piece of hardware art from Lenovo at this year’s MWC. After all, it was already suspected in advance that the company would come up with just such a trick. The manufacturer did not present a market-ready product. Rather, it is the so-called “Lenovo Thinkbook Transparent Laptop Proof of Concept”. Our colleagues from heise online were able to take a look at the device for the first time at the tech trade fair and even get their hands on it.
In addition to the enthusiasm for the cool look, there was also the question of the practicality of the concept notebook. Lenovo relies on micro-LEDs for the panel technology. This eliminates the need for organic layers and therefore enables transparency. However, this technology is not (yet) really suitable for the masses. This is not because it is immature. Rather, it is extremely expensive.
So it should come as no surprise that Lenovo’s transparent notebook is just a foretaste of what we can expect to see on the tech market in a few years’ time. Apart from the transparency, the technical data reads quite okay. The notebook is said to be able to offer a brightness of 1,000 nits. This means that it should also be able to be used outdoors in bright sunlight without any problems. However, a resolution of just 720 is anything but up to date for a 17-inch screen size.
More privacy is being worked on
However, the model presented at the MWC is not suitable as a notebook for working in an open-plan office, library or public café. At least for those who don’t want to show off their screen content. And there are certainly many of them. This is because the display is of course not only transparent in one direction. As a result, a person sitting opposite can also see what is currently happening on the screen. But according to Lenovo, this is set to change. They are currently working on a solution to regulate the transparency. This would make it easy to make the screen opaque if required. h
Why do you need that?
It should be noted that most people would then be able to use the notebook in transparency mode at home. But honestly, don’t you want to show off such cool technology outside the home? Lenovo emphasizes to heise, however, that there are of course also situations in which the transparency mode can also pay off in public spaces. For example, when reception staff want to show their counterpart the screen content for inspection. However, Lenovo still needs to ensure that the content can be rotated. Currently, it appears mirrored on the back.
But even if you have to question the practicality of the whole thing, there should certainly be a group of buyers for it. After all, many potential users jump at exciting new technology. And you have to give the notebook credit for one thing: It simply looks damn cool. And that doesn’t just apply to the screen itself. As the leaked images have already suggested, the keyboard also comes in a modern design. The entire underside is a touch-sensitive surface. This is also where the digital keyboard is located.
Lenovo has not yet reached its goal
Of course, heise online also wanted to know what the manufacturer’s roadmap looks like. When will we be able to expect the first notebooks with the technology presented? Lenovo’s spokesperson was somewhat reticent about this. The company first wants to make some improvements to the screen. In terms of resolution in particular, it is anything but state-of-the-art. The 720p of the concept model is simply not up to date.
The above-mentioned regulation of the degree of transparency also needs to be introduced. The colleagues from heise online then complained about the keyboard after a practical test. Although it is pretty to look at, it is “hardly usable for typing”. The tech experts are also concerned about the stability of the casing, which is known to consist of only two glass panels. So we will have to see where the journey takes us.
