The idea of ??a foldable device has long caught our attention. The first foldable phones drove the tech world into a frenzy: people admired hinges, but also looked for (and sometimes found) flaws in their design.
Lenovo has been teasing the foldable device since 2017 when they first unveiled the foldable laptop, but they never gave a release date. CES 2020 changed everything. Lenovo has selected CES 2020 as the time for the official debut of the ThinkPad X1 Fold and has set its release date: second half of 2020.
The ThinkPad X1 Fold is named accordingly. This Lenovo foldable laptop measures 13.3 inches, but folds down the center line to create a perfect separation between the two sides of the screen. Imagine Samsung Galaxy Fold, but larger. The ThinkPad X1 Fold weighs just 2.2 pounds and can be folded completely for an incredibly small book-level form factor.
A foldable laptop is cool, but aside from screen bending technology, why would you want it? Here’s why: This type of laptop combines the functionality of a tablet with the functionality of a real laptop, allowing you to fold the device in half and create two separate work areas. You can connect a full-sized keyboard and mouse for the same level of functionality as a laptop.
Users can place the ThinkPad X1 Fold in a laptop position and use the two separate displays for multitasking, such as making a video call on the top screen and taking notes on the bottom screen. Lenovo plans to add an additional add-on called the ThinkPad X1 Fold Stand, which allows users to mount ThinkPad in landscape or portrait mode to further enhance the device’s experience.
Cost and release date ThinkPad X1 Fold
Lenovo said the ThinkPad X1 Fold will retail for $ 2,499 and will be available for purchase in the second half of the year. More accurate pricing information will be available closer to the ThinkPad release date.
The price is high, especially when exact specifications are not available, but the ThinkPad X1 Fold isn’t aimed at casual users. Lenovo wanted to build a device that could withstand the average PC life cycle (three to five years).
The ThinkPad X1 Fold is conceived as a powerful multipurpose device that is ideal for work in business, as well as for home or school. The feature line also sheds light on why it stands where it is.
ThinkPad X1 Fold Features
The standout feature of this foldable Lenovo laptop is, of course, its folding ability, but the ThinkPad X1 is more than just a one-trick pony. It has a list of features that help justify some of its high price tag.
- Multiple use modes allow the ThinkPad X1 Fold to replace a fully flat 13.3-inch display with a folded laptop.
- 5G connectivity will be optional.
- ThinkPad X1 Fold can fully support a secondary display.
- Users can purchase a Bluetooth Mini Fold keyboard that is stored and charged internally in the system.
- A Windows 10 version and a Windows 10X version are planned.
Although the exact specifications have not been disclosed, Lenovo is partnering with Intel. The ThinkPad X1 Fold is equipped with Intel Core processors to avoid latency that is common in Windows 10 on select laptop models.
Given the popularity of large tablets like the iPad Pro and Samsung Galaxy Book, Lenovo is heading in the right direction. Keyboards are no longer an absolute must for productivity, and including them as optional accessories to use only when needed may be the right move for mobile computing.
The combination of convenience and power will set the ThinkPad X1 Fold apart from other foldable devices, but it will have to perform exceptionally well to justify its high price tag.
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