I tried Lenovo’s new rollable ThinkBook and can’t go back to regular-sized screens

ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 is out there now, beginning at $3,300.
• The 120Hz, OLED, portrait-style 16.7-inch show delivers an expansive workspace, supported by a haptic touchpad.
• It has restricted I/O, has some seen creasing on the rollable show, and has a sky-high value.

Lenovo unveiled its “rollable” laptop at CES two years in the past as a wild proof of idea that turned heads, however left customers skeptical. Nicely, the corporate has since proved its level: the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable is now out there to customers for an eye-watering $3,300, however full of premium design parts, stable {hardware}, and a 120Hz OLED show that extends to nearly 17 inches on the press of a button. 

Additionally: Lenovo’s $3,000 rollable ThinkBook laptop is officially available to buy – know this before you do

I have been utilizing the ThinkBook Plus for over per week as my predominant laptop computer, and I’ve to confess, I am enamored by the extendable display, significantly as a productiveness machine for work. 

However as the primary of its sort, it is from good. There are a handful of trade-offs as a result of laptop computer’s type, and the sky-high value invitations a essential eye to each component of its design. That being stated, it’s in the end a well-engineered laptop computer. Let’s take a more in-depth look. 

Like all ThinkBooks, the laptop computer exudes enterprise, that includes a metallic, two-tone design. It is not my favourite aesthetic, nevertheless it’s actually sturdy and resists fingerprints method higher than all of the matte black designs on the market. 

Upon first look, the laptop computer appears to be like like another. One of many first issues to face out is the thick bezels framing the show, however as your eye attracts to the underside, you discover one thing unusual: there isn’t any backside bezel — the display simply continues under the keyboard. 

Additionally: How to buy a laptop for school, work, or gaming (and our top picks for each)

The remainder of the rollable display is parked beneath, ready to be unfurled. With the push of a button, the standard-sized show extends upwards, growing the display measurement to 16.7 inches.

The result’s a big, portrait-style show that goes far past another normal laptop computer display measurement in the marketplace. The shiny, OLED display delivers a unbelievable image, with no flickering or dimming across the edges, though there’s some seen creasing that appears like what you’d see on a foldable cellphone’s show. 

That is very true should you rotate the shiny show to replicate the sunshine. It is somewhat extra seen than I anticipated and positively one thing of be aware (given the worth), however in the end, it does not actually overshadow the advantage of the big display. 

For instance, you cease noticing the creasing when your consideration is targeted on what you are really doing. It is a kind of issues that is an inevitable a part of its mechanics — it took foldable telephones a number of years to cut back the creasing on their shows — and though it does not precisely scream “premium”, it does not cancel out the advantages the display gives. 

Additionally: I tried Lenovo’s infamous ‘rollable’ laptop at CES – it’s more practical than I thought

So what are the stated advantages? First off, the additional room is a breath of contemporary air. It permits for a spacious workspace that I’ve to confess, makes for a really good consumer expertise. Personally, I like working one giant, full-screen desktop, however you may also put two home windows, one on high of the opposite, for 2 16:9 desktops. 

To maximise actual property, I set the size in Home windows to 125%, bringing the UI right down to a extra manageable measurement that ends in a crisp and environment friendly interface. Nonetheless, if you’d like a bigger UI, it nonetheless feels extra roomy than a daily laptop computer show. 

If you happen to’re a programmer, you will respect the prolonged portrait orientation, however anybody who works with paperwork will love with the ability to see a 3rd extra content material on the display at a look. 

As an editor, it drastically improves working in Google Docs and my browser-based CMS, each of which profit from extra visibility with out having to squint at a UI that is been scaled right down to the atomic stage. 

Even primary net searching is improved, with extra of the web page on the display without delay, and extra content material seen with much less scrolling. In that sense, the show mirrors the cellular structure, which is in the end extra scrollable. 

Rolling the display up might be achieved by urgent the related key or with a hand gesture in entrance of the webcam. Whereas it is extending, the display defaults to enjoying an animation (totally different ones are selectable in settings) with some thematic music, then reloading your desktop as soon as it reaches the specified measurement. The music is usually a little a lot in a quiet workplace, so fortunately, all of those options might be turned off. 

When totally prolonged, the underside third of the display is occupied by the Lenovo widget panel, which exhibits reminders, your to-do record, and a calendar at a look. You possibly can pin this to remain completely on or have it conceal behind your different apps. 

There’s really quite a lot of content material right here, together with brief movies that present how one can use gesture controls to lift and decrease the show and a few options on how one can arrange the display extra successfully. 

Past the show, the remainder of the laptop computer’s core elements are fairly good. The keyboard is somewhat shallow, however the keys really feel nice, with a satisfying click on that is crisp and responsive. 

I used to be additionally thrilled to seek out the haptic trackpad to be simply as well-engineered, with a uniform click on irrespective of the place you press down on the pad, and a delicate enter for swipe gestures. One factor to notice, nevertheless, is that in cooler temperatures, you may need some bother with the pad recognizing your fingers, particularly in the event that they’re chilly.

Additionally: The Lenovo ThinkPad streak is over: This model I tested bucks a decade-long trend (for the better)

Additionally be aware that the laptop computer’s type issue limits its I/O entry, with simply two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports and a headphone jack. All three ports are positioned on the left aspect of the machine, which may be problematic for some customers, however is an anticipated trade-off for the options. 

All in all, the laptop computer’s core bodily construct feels premium (if somewhat chunky), and even with out the rollable show, it might be a stable workplace laptop computer. The fingerprint reader on the ability key, together with assist for Wi-Fi 7 seal the deal as a contemporary enterprise machine. 

Underneath the hood, the Intel Core Extremely 7 “Lunar Lake” processor, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage make for the standard {hardware} loadout similar to any variety of mid-to-upper vary enterprise laptops. The large show is powered by an built-in Intel Arc 140V GPU with 16GB of inside reminiscence, supplying greater than sufficient energy for each day use. 

If you happen to’re trying to recreation on this laptop computer, it may possibly deal with some mainstream titles, nevertheless it’s not precisely constructed for working top-tier gaming content material. In “regular” laptop computer mode, you have acquired a 2000 x 1600 decision, normal fare for a 14-inch. But when your recreation helps a 2000 x 2350 decision, you possibly can play with the display totally prolonged, which undoubtedly appears like a novel expertise, however due to all of the display area, it is not precisely optimized for high-APM gaming. 

If you happen to’re enjoying an older recreation that does not assist that decision, nicely, the sport will merely revert to the standard decision, leading to empty area under the window and negating the entire level of the prolonged show. The underside line right here: gaming is usually a bonus for this laptop computer, however not what it is made for. 

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Relating to battery life, the show expectedly cuts into the 66Whr battery’s longevity, though not as a lot as you may count on. Throughout regular use, you will get a full work day of use out of it with the display prolonged, nevertheless it’s chopping it shut. If you happen to add in videoconferencing and extra demanding workloads, you may not make it by way of the day with out a energy top-up. 

That being stated, the Lunar Lake chip does enable for the battery loss to cut back to a trickle when not in use, and it prices quick: about 80% in an hour. In our video playback check, we acquired somewhat over 11 hours at half brightness in balanced mode over Wi-Fi. 

So let’s handle the elephant within the room: the worth. Lenovo is nicely conscious that this laptop computer isn’t for everybody. In actual fact, it is most likely probably the most area of interest product I’ve reviewed all yr. As a substitute, it is extra about proving a degree. 

Additionally: I’ve tested dozens of ThinkPads: Here’s the Lenovo model I keep coming back to

Lenovo desires to mission a status of innovation, however extra importantly, it desires to show it may possibly ship stated merchandise to market. This machine displays that mission, incomes it an vital place in Lenovo’s portfolio, even when it is not the yr’s high vendor. 

It is also the primary iteration of this rollable idea, and as such, the bodily design isn’t fairly as polished as you’d discover in Lenovo’s different high-end laptops, just like the ThinkPad X9 Aura Edition or the X1 Carbon. These laptops come from a product line backed up by a long time of design and engineering, with the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 having room to enhance in subsequent mannequin variations. 

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 is a powerful product, even contemplating its trade-offs. The show has seen creases and thick bezels, however when it is totally prolonged, you overlook about them. The battery is not the very best, nevertheless it’s removed from the worst. It is not a stellar gaming rig, however that is not why you purchase a ThinkBook, anyway. 

It is area of interest, and it is costly, nevertheless it does what it is imagined to: ship a unbelievable consumer expertise within the workplace, with an expansive, versatile show that appears nice, pairs properly with a premium haptic touchpad, and simply the correct quantity of energy beneath the hood. 

Additionally: I switched to the Dell 14 Premium for two weeks, and it made my XPS laptop look bad

At $3,200, this is not a mainstream laptop computer, and I would not suggest it until you are completely offered on the extendable show and are dedicated to the shape think about the long run. 

The truth is you could get nearly something for much less: a MacBook Pro M4 with 24GB of RAM, or the brand new brand-new Dell 14 Premium with the identical processor and an upgraded Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU for $1,000 much less. However should you’re in love with the massive display, I can say that it is a productiveness game-changer within the workplace.