Lenovo brings at least one exciting concept device each year to Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. It’s usually a Lenovo computer of some sort, which isn’t ready for mass consumption because the technology to mass produce it isn’t yet available. But these concepts showcase innovations that might make it into future commercial products down the line.
That’s to say, the Lenovo transparent laptop that leaked ahead of MWC is real. But you can’t buy the ThinkBook Transparent Display Laptop, and it’s unclear if this notebook will ever graduate from its current status as a concept gadget. I don’t think you’d even want to get it if you could. It’s large, it’s bulky, and it has a touch-only keyboard. But it also has a transparent screen that blew my mind a little.
It’s truly exciting. So much so that the transparent laptop got more attention than anything else during the Lenovo briefing I attended ahead of Barcelona’s big mobile show. Even though there were Lenovo products that would be available soon, like the new ThinkPads and ThinkBooks that actually feature exciting upgrades, everyone wanted to play with the transparent laptop.
I am also guilty of paying more attention to the potential technology of the distant future rather than the next-gen tech that will be in stores in the coming months. I want to believe. But I also realize we might never need or even really want a transparent laptop.
Do we need transparent laptops?
That’s a question Lenovo will wait for actual users to answer. Meanwhile, the computer maker proposes a 17.3-inch notebook with a transparent micro-LED display that can deliver brightness up to 1000 nits, a 120Hz refresh rate, high color saturation, and “exceptional contrast.”
Lenovo offered a few different examples of when someone might want a transparent laptop. Like an architect working on a project outdoors and sketching a building based on real-world designs that he or she sees through the display. The touch-only keyboard turns into a drawing tablet that supports stylus input for such tasks.
Another potential use concerns AI. An external camera allows the laptop to see what you see around you. You might want to enable screen transparency so you can point out things to the AI and ask questions about them.
Or maybe you’d want such a laptop just because it looks so cool. It’s like a computer from sci-fi movies that lets you see your surroundings while you use it.
Not to mention that a transparent display would let Lenovo drop the bezels and offer a true all-screen design. That’s why transparent tech works. Like the phones and earphones, Nothing makes which are partially transparent. Even Apple came up with a semi-transparent pair of Beats wireless headphones.
It might be cool, but it’s not ready
The ThinkBook Transparent looks stunning in those official press photos that Lenovo took. And it is amazing in person. Start to use it, and you’ll notice a few issues.
Like the fact that transparency can work against you. It impacts your privacy, as others can see what you’re working on. However, Lenovo says that future versions might feature adjustable transmittance, so you can have privacy when needed.
Then there’s the matter of the actual pixels. You can see them if you look closely. Also, the panel has 720p resolution, and transparency might have to do with that. I’d expect a Full HD or 4K on a 17.3-inch screen.
However, again, Lenovo says that image quality might improve in the future.
I’ll also point out the touch-only keyboard. It’s not diffcult to type on, and the keys are large enough so you won’t miss them. Still, it doesn’t offer the tactile feedback most people want from a PC keyboard.
It might take a while to get used to typing on a touch keyboard without looking at the screen.
I’ll also point out that some of my photos don’t do it justice. The screen can get really bright, and you won’t have a problem reading, working, or consuming content. The ThinkBook Transparent feels like a regular computer when you take the whole transparency out.
Finally, I’ll point out the obvious worry for me. Durability. Because it’s transparent, I’d be afraid not to damage it accidentally. When closed, the lid feels like it’s not there. I’d also be (too) careful with what I’d place on it. Or how I transport it.
Not to mention that it’s unclear how easy it is to scratch on the outside. And it will show spots and dirt easier than traditional displays.
Luckily, we have plenty of time to decide whether or not we want transparent laptops. And Lenovo has plenty of time to figure out whether it should turn these concepts into a new ThinkBook series.
