ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Lenovo’s latest proof-of-concept rollable is here.
- Unveiled at IFA, the device has a horizontal display.
- This niche device is more practical than its rivals.
Lenovo has unveiled a host of wild proof-of-concept laptops over the past few years, including several iterations with rollable displays. I tested its vertical rollable last year and found it very usable, but also a niche, expensive device that ultimately felt like a novelty.
Also: I tried Lenovo’s $3,000 rollable ThinkBook and can’t go back to regular-sized laptops
The company followed that model with the Legion Pro Rollable at CES, with an extendable horizontal display extending out to 21 inches. Targeting gamers who spend extra cash on hardware, this device made a little more sense (especially since all that screen real estate felt justified), but still, a 21-inch display is a bit excessive, even if it’s sweet to game on.
Cue this year’s iteration: a combination of the two laptops I just mentioned, but scaled down to a more practical size. Dubbed “Project Swan” by Lenovo, the latest rollable ThinkPad is a regular 14-inch notebook, with a horizontal display that extends out to 17 inches across — a “Goldilocks” size that is big enough to feel impactful, but not so big as to draw attention from the entire coffee shop (although you’d still probably get a few stares).
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The display features a 16:9 aspect ratio that expands and retracts with a button press on the keyboard (no gimmicky gesture mechanism here). While it’s changing size, the display swaps to an animation, then reloads the new resolution once it’s done.
The display’s design features two side flaps that extend on the outer edges and roll back behind the display when retracted, the same concept used in Lenovo’s other rollables. This approach creates a distinct “crease” on the screen when fully extended, but like foldable phones, becomes less noticeable over time.
When fully extended, there’s more than enough space for two side-by-side windows, mimicking an external monitor with the total real estate. The display protrudes just a few inches on either side of the laptop’s body, making it look almost natural at first glance, creating a much more subtle appearance than the head-turning vertical display.
Joseph Maldonado/ZDNETOf all the rollable laptops I’ve tested over the past few years, this one feels the most practical. Sure, it’s a niche device, but the mechanics are a little more marketable, with a subtler design and sleeker overall build when folded up. Plus, as much as I liked the vertical extendable, the horizontal seems to make more sense.
Also: I tried Lenovo’s infamous ‘rollable’ laptop at CES – it’s more practical than I thought
Obvious logistical concerns abound, however. Folding down the display when it’s fully extended creates an unusual configuration, and handling the laptop while extended is awkward and top-heavy. Also, there’s only one big hinge connecting the display to the keyboard, which looks a little odd, but Lenovo says this setup is stronger than the usual dual-hinge design.
Joseph Maldonado/ZDNETIn terms of hardware, it’s a ThinkBook with Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors and standard memory and storage configurations. Of course, this is a proof-of-concept device so it’s not available yet (and may never be), but Lenovo does bring these devices to market, even if for a short time. I’d say this one has at least a chance of being finalized, but Lenovo wouldn’t comment on a timeframe.
