Mobile World Congress may be considered a mobile show, but each year, Lenovo brings a series of computing concepts to the show. In the past, we’ve seen devices like the ThinkPad X1 Fold, a rollable PC, and even a rolling phone, but this year’s concept is one of my favorite folding laptop concepts yet.
The ThinkBook Flip AI PC Concept doesn’t have the most friendly name, but it takes a unique approach to solving a key problem for all PC users: how to extend your screen real estate when you’re on the go. Lenovo’s answer is an 18-inch display that folds outwards and has other benefits depending on your needs.
I spent some time with it this morning, and my brief hands-on experience left me surprised at how user-friendly it is. In particular, Lenovo has a few nifty software tricks that make it more than just a folding laptop. This is why it’s my new favorite folding laptop concept.
Meet the ThinkPad Flip AI PC Concept
We’ve yet to see folding laptops become a truly mainstream product, but we’ve already seen one released, thanks to Lenovo. The ThinkPad X1 Fold broke barriers by bringing the traditional book-style folding form factor to a PC, replete with enough power to ensure it delivers on most tasks.
Unfortunately, the ThinkPad X1 Fold also showed that that form factor wasn’t appealing to most customers. Instead, the ThinkPad Flip AI PC introduces a new form factor that will almost certainly be far more useful.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Flip AI PC has an 18-inch display, but it folds outward to create two 13-inch displays stacked on top of each other. When folded, the display works as an external display, which means it’s great for intimate presentations, salespeople, or more.
Software tricks make it more than just a folding screen
The biggest pain point with the Lenovo ThinkPad Flip AI PC is likely the way that the Windows OS handles the multiple screens. Rather than two displays. It shows as a single display, which makes it more challenging to maximize the usefulness of the screen. That said, Lenovo demonstrated some nifty software tricks that minimize the issues with the Windows OS approach.
The first of these makes it easy to disable the outer display with a virtual button that’s conveniently located on the part of the display that bends. This makes it easy to disable the outer display when needed, whether to save on battery life or to prevent someone from seeing what you’re doing.
The second is far more useful: with a simple swipe across the hinge, you can quickly display an app or presentation that’s on your main display. It essentially treats the outward folding display as a secondary monitor and improves the way that Windows itself treats the secondary display.
More than just a folding display
The Lenovo ThinkPad Flip AI PC Concept is also interesting for one other key reason: Look down at the trackpad, and you’ll see a truly unique take on this laptop staple, except not where you expect it.
The trackpad is designed to surface different quick settings and features three modes that you can easily switch between. Switching is as easy as tapping one of the mode buttons on the right of the trackpad.
The three modes surface a number pad quick settings for your PC and media controls. There’s also a backlight that you can control, and everything works as you’d expect. I enjoy the trackpad shortcut gestures on Asus laptops, but this is a more impressive and practical implementation of extending the usefulness of the trackpad.
The ThinkPad Flip AI PC Concept also doubles as a tablet. Rather than carrying a separate tablet, flipping over the screen lets you use the outer display in tablet mode. You can’t access the keyboard or mouse, but it is a touchscreen, and you can easily use it as a Windows-powered tablet if you just want a small screen for watching something.
Why the ThinkPad Flip AI PC Concept is exciting
You may be wondering whether you’d need these features, and there are a few different use cases where this laptop would be beneficial.
The first is for tech journalists like myself. I’ve used the dual-screen Yoga laptops before, and the secondary display is fantastic for covering major product launches while on the go. Similarly, it’s also incredibly useful for day-to-day work when traveling, and this concept will improve my workflow in both cases.
There are also other professionals who could benefit from this. Hosting presentations in a coffee shop? Simply flip over the screen. Trying to sell someone financial, automotive, or other products that require reviewing numbers and documents? Flip the screen over. As you can tell, there’s a theme to the use cases, and it’s ultimately designed for anyone who wants a secondary screen, or a bigger screen, on the go.
Will this ever become a commercial product?
As the name suggests, the ThinkPad Flip AI PC Concept is firmly a concept product. As such, it’s unclear whether it’ll become a commercial product, and if it does, whether only some of the features will make it to a commercial product.
Yet, Lenovo has an extensive pedigree at turning conceptual products into commercial ones. The original ThinkPad X1 Fold was a concept but became a viable product. The rollable PC was a concept that became an actual product at CES earlier this year. I wouldn’t bet against Lenovo making this a commercially available product, but I would bet that it won’t be affordable.
If I had to guess? Based on the cost of other folding products and the previous folding laptop, this will be an ultra premium product. Based on what I saw, it will likely be worth it.
