We tried the Transparent Laptop PC: stunning, futuristic… and useful?

We picked up a Lenovo laptop PC that is distinguished by a transparent screen. If it’s just a prototype, we’re essentially already asking questions about the practical aspect of the device.

I tap away at the laptop keyboard, browsing an article Friendroid Then I close the web browser window. And then, bam: I can see the bouquet of flowers placed behind the computer screen… through the computer screen. And yes, you read that right.

It’s beautiful and impressive… but what’s the point? The very train of thought that crosses the mind is the Lenovo Transparent Laptop PC that we have been hearing about for a few days now. At MWC 2024 in Barcelona, ​​the brand officially lifted the veil on this most interesting prototype.

Because we really have to remember that this is not a product already dedicated to marketing. But otherwise, this Lenovo ThinkBook offers a glimpse into the ideas that the manufacturer’s teams are working on.

Instant wow effect

Exactly, what does it give? We’re not going to lie, the wow effect is immediate. The device is a bit less flashy than the renderings we’ve seen floating around the web. We think it’s a prototype, that it still lacks a bit of refinement. Despite this, it clearly has an eye-catching look and a realistic futuristic air.

The million dollar question remains: What is it for? Before answering that, let’s get a few things straight: here we have a 17.3-inch micro-LED screen. Great features so far. But alas: definition is limited to a paltry 720p on this prototype.

Lenovo is apparently looking to go upmarket and is talking to us about moving to panels “ 2K ” In the meantime, the visual effect is really a bit degraded. We think that the images and especially the texts that are displayed are not the best as they can be read on such a screen with such definition.

We still make up for it with an overall maximum brightness of 1000 nits which delivers well Peep Already on this prototype. With micro-LED, however, we can hope for better and a Lenovo spokesperson has already assured us that this is something the brand is working on.

On this prototype, don’t even count on a physical keyboard. Here, we have a tactile surface that displays keys and can also be used as a surface for drawing with a stylus. Faced with the lack of haptic feedback and the trackpad’s cadaverous reaction time when typing text, I quickly voiced my concerns.

Here again, Lenovo wants to reassure. The idea with this model presented at MWC 2024 is to test a few options and use cases. But the manufacturer assures that nothing prevents him from integrating a physical keyboard or improving the solution chosen here.

I didn’t really have the right to handle the computer in all directions – I think there were only three on display – but I didn’t get the impression of a flimsy product. . The bottom base is quite impressive while the micro-LED panel is sandwiched between two protective glass plates with Gorilla Glass 3 coating.

For transport in a backpack, you may have peace of mind. After closing and reopening the laptop a few times, I had no unpleasant sensations on the hinge. In this part, we are dealing with a very classic computer.

good I have talked a lot, but I still haven’t said what such a product is actually used for. I’m coming Lenovo has put forward several things to convince you.

So you can put something on the other side of the screen and see it directly through the screen while a platform based on artificial intelligence will provide interaction thanks to the camera placed on the back of the base and which sees the same thing.

For example, we can think of augmented reality, but also interactions with a conversational agent that gives you information and motivation around objects you see through a screen.

There was some exposition around this, but I must admit it was still too abstract for my taste. More concretely, we can also imagine use in businesses or hotel receptions where someone may need to show someone their interface in person. Instead of flipping the PC, she has to enable an option for an inverted, mirrored display.

Make a transparent screen opaque?

This brings us to the question of privacy. For the moment, we can always guess what is displayed on the screen if we are on the other side, but Lenovo is considering solutions to make the panel opaque. Several solutions are being studied.

Ultimately, the real purpose of such a product is aesthetic and almost social. On the one hand, because having a transparent screen is just cool. On the other hand, because we remove a kind of visual barrier. We see the whole person in front of us, even if he is at his computer. It has a more open side.

Be careful though. Here we enter the slippery slope of Bullshit marketing. It’s interesting to hear, but you have to keep a certain perspective. Bottom line: I like this transparent laptop, but aside from the beauty of the gesture, I still have a hard time justifying its interest at the moment.