Hasta La Gadget!

Lenovo has introduced the next generation of its X1 Fold, a foldable laptop that offers a truly unique form factor made possible by a flexible display.

Lenovo has taken the wraps off a new pair of smart glasses, though they may not do what you’d expect given how popular AR and VR are at the moment.

As the first laptop to feature a flexible OLED display, the original ThinkPad X1 Fold was incredibly ambitious. It was also very experimental. While the concept showed potential, its software, performance and design clearly weren’t ready for prime time. But almost two years later, Lenovo is back with a second attempt, sporting some serious generational leaps.

The first major upgrade on the new X1 Fold is a bigger 16.3-inch OLED display from Sharp. Not only does it have a slightly higher 2.5K resolution, but the larger size also means you have significantly more screen space. But more importantly, when folded up, you now get a device that’s closer to a 12-inch laptop instead of a 10-inch system like the previous model. This should make the X1 Fold a lot more practical anytime space is an issue, like when you’re working on an airplane without feeling cramped.

On top of that, Lenovo redesigned the X1 Fold’s Bluetooth keyboard. Now it uses the same keys as the ThinkPad X1 Nano, so you get a longer and cushier actuation, it also has a new fingerprint sensor that works with Windows Hello. And while you can still lay the keyboard on top of the bottom half of the Fold in laptop mode, it also attaches magnetically to the base of the system when it’s resting on its included stand, which supports both landscape and portrait orientation.

Another big change is that instead of storing the keyboard inside the Fold, it magnetically attaches to the stand to become a single piece that’s easier to manage. So when you need to pack up, all you have to do is tilt the stand forward until it docks with the keyboard, bend the Fold in half, and then just slam everything together. Lenovo says this change was made in response to feedback from customers who prefer using the system more like a portable all-in-one instead of a convertible laptop. And because there isn’t a space inside the system for the keyboard anymore, Lenovo was able to install a new fold-flat hinge, so everything is sleeker and more compact. It’s almost like the X1 Fold has spent the last two years going to the gym and put on a fresh, custom-tailored suit.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

For the new generation, Lenovo also wanted to improve the Fold’s serviceability, so it’s easier to replace things like its SSD, batteries and other components in the field. Unfortunately, the X1 Fold still isn’t water resistant, but it should still be pretty rugged, as the Fold remains subject to the same mil-spec 810G testing required on other ThinkPads. And despite a significantly bigger screen than before, the new X1 Fold only weighs around 2.8 pounds, though you’re looking at a kit that’s closer to 4.2 pounds when you factor in the revamped stand and keyboard.

I also appreciate some of Lenovo’s little touches, like the addition of a third USB-C port (two of which support Thunderbolt 4) and an improved location for the Fold’s 5MP IR webcam, so that it’s more useful. Lenovo even added a third speaker so that regardless of orientation, you still get full stereo audio with support for Dolby Atmos.

As for performance, we’re looking at a serious jump in processing power, with the Fold supporting up to a 12th-gen Intel Core i7 U-series CPU, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, while still featuring a completely fanless design. For those worried about the short battery life on the previous model, Lenovo has made room for an optional 16 Wh power cell to supplement the standard 48Wh battery. And because Windows 11 has much better support for various layouts and window snapping compared to Windows 10, from my brief time with the new X1 Fold, everything felt significantly smoother and more responsive.

So while I should mention that this is still a pre-production device, I’m really liking what I’ve seen so far from the new X1 Fold. But to get a real sense of how this thing is going to hold up, we’re going to have to wait a bit longer until it goes on sometime in Q4 starting at around $2,800.

Like many other tech companies this week, Lenovo is at IFA Berlin sharing details about what it has in store for the end of the year. The company’s 2022 holiday lineup includes the first-ever 16-inch Chromebook. You can configure the IdeaPad 5i with a 2.5K 16:10 LCD that features a 120Hz refresh rate and a modest 350 nits of brightness. Thanks to its larger size, the IdeaPad 5i also comes with a full-sized keyboard.

Internally, the base model features an Intel Pentium 8505 processor, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage. That said, you can upgrade the IdeaPad with a 12th-gen Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB of RAM and a proper SSD with up to 512GB of storage. It also sports plenty of ports, including a MicroSD slot, four total USB-C and USB-A ports, an audio jack, Bluetooth 5.0 and WiFi 6E connectivity. Additionally, the Chromebook comes standard with a 1080p web camera. Lenovo claims it’s possible to get up to 12 hours of use on a single charge from the built-in battery. The company said it would share US pricing and availability at a later date. In Europe, the IdeaPad 5i will start at €549 when it arrives on the continent sometime next month.

Lenovo

Alongside the IdeaPad 5i, Lenovo refreshed the Tab P11 and Tab P11 Pro. Now in their second generation, the two Android tablets feature updated internals and displays. The Pro is the more interesting of the two, boasting an 11.2-inch OLED with 600 nits of brightness, a 120Hz refresh rate, a 360Hz touch response rate and support for both HDR10 and Dolby Vision. With 8GB of RAM and a new MediaTek Kompanio 1300T chipset, Lenovo says the Tab P11 Pro offers 120 percent more processing power than its predecessor. You can pair the tablet with the company’s Precision Pen 3. Like the second-generation Apple Pencil, Lenovo’s stylus magnetically attaches to the tablet, allowing it to charge wirelessly when not in use.

As for the Tab P11, it now comes with an 11.5-inch LCD that features a variable 120Hz refresh rate, 400 nits of brightness and a 2,000 by 1,200 resolution. According to Lenovo, the tablet’s new MediaTek Helio G99 processor is 50 percent faster than the chipset found on its predecessor. The P11 Pro will cost $400 when it arrives next month. Meanwhile, Lenovo expects the $250 P11 to hit store shelves at the start of 2023.

In addition to the above mobile devices, Lenovo showed off a new flagship gaming monitor. The Legion Y32p-30 features a 31.5-inch LCD panel with a 4K resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio, 144Hz refresh rate and claimed 0.2ms response rate. Notably, it also comes with two HDMI 2.1 ports so you can connect it to your PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles. The Y32p-30 will cost $750 when it becomes available at the end of the year.

Lenovo

No Lenovo announcement is complete without at least one offbeat gadget thrown into the mix. At IFA 2022, that came in the form of the Glasses T1, a wearable Lenovo is pitching as a private display for on-the-go professionals. You can connect them to your Windows, Android or macOS device over USB-C to create a virtual monitor. Using them with an iPhone or iPad is also possible, provided you get a separate Lightning adapter. Either way, the Glasses T1 will display content from your device on a pair of micro OLED panels. Lenovo suggests you can use its new wearable to prevent prying eyes from seeing what’s on your screen. The Glasses T1 will arrive in China at the end of 2022 before arriving in other markets in 2023.