Intel says that it will be at least two years before laptops with foldable screens take off, but someone forgot to tell that to Lenovo, which just unveiled a prototype for a new foldable ThinkPad running Windows that will go on sale in 2020.

The ThinkPad X1 foldable PC concept features a 13-inch OLED display.

With its torque hinge, Lenovo’s foldable PC can be used in various modes, whether you want to use it as a book, tablet with pen, video player or laptop in clamshell mode. You can also set up the stand and use the foldable PC in desktop mode with an external mechanical keyboard.

You can use a physical keyboard with Lenovo's foldable PC or a touchscreen keyboard.

No crease in OLED display



One of the coolest things about seeing this next-generation ThinkPad X1 in person is that there’s almost no visible crease in the center of the screen, so there’s nothing to distract you from your work or immersive content. Lenovo says that it worked with LG Display on the screen and that the overall product has been in development for three years.

What about durability?

If you’re worried about durability — and we would too given the Galaxy Fold’s issues — Lenovo says that it doubled the hinge cycles that it tests for laptops on this foldable PC. In addition, this device will meet the same overall testing standards as other ThinkPads.

When unfolded, you can't see a crease on the screen of Lenovo's foldable concept.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 foldable PC specs

Because it is still very early, Lenovo isn’t saying what specific operating system this will run (saying only Windows) nor which processor (only Intel). Lenovo is also being vague about battery life, claiming that its foldable PC will have an “all-day battery.”

Lenovo will include a digital pen with the ThinkPad X1 foldable PC.

We do know some other details, though. The ThinkPad X1 foldable PC prototype has two USB C ports, an IR camera (presumably for Windows Hello) and stereo speakers.

The foldable ThinkPad X1 PC when closed looks like a notebook.

Outlook

It’s way too soon to say whether Lenovo’s first foldable PC will succeed. Even if it has the durability the Galaxy Fold lacks, we don’t know anything about the price or the speed of this system. But I am impressed by the versatility of its design and can see it making a splash at least with early adopters.

Credit: Tom's Guide