The Lenovo laptop’s secondary display functions as an 8-inch tablet, allowing users to doodle, edit photographs, create app shortcuts, and act as a calculator.
The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 3 was one of the most ambitious laptops on display at CES 2022, a workhorse with an unusually large 21:10 main display and a tablet-like 8-inch touch-sensitive display to the right the keyboard deck. The second-gen ThinkBook Plus had a black-and-white E Ink display that took up the entire lid, so this isn’t Lenovo’s first attempt at a secondary display. Not to mention, Lenovo isn’t the only company with lofty goals.
A secondary screen is incorporated right into the touchpad on the Asus ZenBook Pro 15. The Asus ZenBook Duo 14 sports a large secondary screen from the left to the right edge of the keyboard deck. The concept was then included in the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo SE gaming laptop. HP’s OMEN X 2S, aimed at gamers, also dabbled with the concept. On the other hand, smartphone manufacturers are having a field day with the number of displays and form factors available.
From the outside, the third-generation ThinkBook Plus appears to be a tall laptop, but once the lid is opened, things get a little wacky. A 17.3-inch 1440p (3072 x 1440 pixels) display with an unusual 21:10 ultra-wide aspect ratio is available. Lenovo appears to be targeting ultra-wide monitor enthusiasts with this laptop; however, unlike a costly ultra-wide monitor, a laptop must fit within a bag, which could be a problem with the ThinkBook Plus Gen 3. While a widescreen is ideal for running two programs simultaneously, not all apps work well when scaled to a different aspect ratio. Furthermore, the market is pursuing bigger screens, with the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 leading. The ThinkBook Gen 3 Plus will be available in May for $1,399.
Is There Such a Thing As Too Far?
Even if the highest brightness is just 400 nits, the screen refresh rate is 120Hz, a small consolation. In comparison, the new 14-inch MacBook Pro has a peak brightness of 1600 nits. Users may access a secondary display, which looks more like a tablet and is randomly located to the keyboard’s right by looking down that unusually broad screen. It has an 8-inch LCD screen with 800 x 1280 pixels and supports pen input, allowing users to jot notes and touch up photos. When working on a spreadsheet, it also transforms into a huge calculator, and users can add some of their most-used programs to the ThinkBook Plus Gen 3’s secondary screen for quick access. There are, however, a few caveats.
An app’s toolbar can be transferred to the secondary screen to get extra screen real estate. However, the app must first support detachable toolbars. A separate chat window can be opened on the tablet-like screen using a communication app. Only Microsoft Teams, Skype, and Zoom have been used to test it so far. Google Meet and Slack, two of the most popular apps in their respective categories, are presently unavailable. A ‘waterfall’ function extends a webpage from the main display to a secondary screen, making it appear as if the material is scrolling across a curved screen. It has a cool aesthetic to it. However, it has a very limited application. Finally, the secondary display can be used to mirror the screen of a phone, similar to Samsung’s DeX technology. However, it only works with a few Motorola phones on the Lenovo laptop.
Source: Lenovo
