Lenovo Unveils 'World's First Foldable PC', New ThinkBook Lineup

Lenovo has unveiled a preview of its upcoming foldable laptop in the Thinkpad X1 series, what it is calling the "world's first foldable PC". The company has shared photos of a prototype, and says that it is slated for release in 2020. Separately, the company has also launched its new ThinkBook lineup, meant for SMBs. The ThinkBook lineup is being introduced with the ThinkBook S series, featuring the ThinkBook 13s and ThinkBook 14s models that offer an ultra-slim design, touch fingerprint reader, physical ThinkShutter camera cover for privacy control, premium full-HD displays, spill resistant keyboards, and up to 11 hours of battery life.

Starting with the foldable laptop, the company previewed the new design at Accelerate, and says that the prototype is not of a phone or tablet, or a hybrid, but of a full-fledged laptop with a foldable screen. The photos reveal that the PC folds out into a larger two-sided display, with one side working as a touchscreen keyboard. The display folds into a larger big screen as well, that can also be used as a touch screen device, and you can connect a physical keyboard to it separately. The laptop display stays active at many angles of folding, including the 90 degree. Lenovo hasn't revealed the specifications of the laptop, or even its final name for that matter. It just says that the laptop will be a part of the ThinkPad X1 series. The world's first foldable PC will be made available sometime in 2020.

Coming to the new ThinkBook S-series, the new ThinkBook 13s will be made available in the US, with an expected starting price of $729 (roughly Rs. 51,300). And the new ThinkBook 14s will be also be available in late May 2019, with an expected starting price of $749 (roughly Rs. 52,700). The 13-inch and 14-inch full-HD display variants sport a premium feel, can lay flat at 180 degrees, and feature ultra-narrow bezels. The laptops are made of aluminium and magnesium metals in a Mineral Grey finish. The ThinkBook 14s weighs 1.5kg, while the ThinkBook 13s weighs slightly lesser at 1.34kg.

Lenovo ThinkPad 13s and ThinkPad 14s

The variants are powered by the 8th Generation Intel Core processors, standard SSD, and powerful graphics with either Integrated Intel UHD 620 or discrete AMD Radeon 540X. The ThinkBook 13s also supports Rapid Charge providing 80 percent battery capacity on one hour's charge. The new ThinkBook S-series support dual-array microphones and dual speakers by HARMAN. It also comes with Skype Hot Keys to simplify calling with one key to answer and one key to hang up. Other features include touch fingerprint reader, Discrete TPM 2.0 for user data encryption, Physical ThinkShutter camera cover for privacy control, hinges coated in Indium metal to reduce WiFi interference, spill resistant keyboard designed to withstand up to 60cc of liquid, and up to 11 hours of battery life and RapidCharge on ThinkBook 13s . The ThinkBook 14s is touted to offer up to 10 hours of battery life.