The Lavie joint venture between Lenovo and NEC has come up with a concept 8-inch portable PC dubbed the Lavie Mini that has an optional set of controllers that attach to the side of the unit in the same manner as the Nintendo Switch controllers.
In the case of the Mini, the hardware is pencilled in as an 11th-gen Intel Core i7 mobile processor with Intel Xe graphics, with the unit to weigh 579 grams. The Mini would have 256GB of storage and 16GB of memory, and battery capacity slated at 26Wh.
The Mini would also have a quick charge dock that provides a HDMI link and USB ports. Lenovo has yet to provide any pricing or availability information on the concept device.
In the adding more details category is the $1,700 Lavie Pro Mobile, which is a 16.7mm thick ultraslim laptop that also bundles the 11th-gen Intel Core i7 mobile processor and Xe graphics pairing, along with a 13.3-inch display and up to 10 hours of battery life.
The timing on its availability on the US is yet to be released.
Alongside the Lavie devices, Lenovo announced a slew of new devices. First cab off the rank is its IdeaPad 5G which is a 14-inch Full HD laptop that supports sub-6GHz 5G connectivity thanks to using Snapdragon 8cx silicon that includes Qualcomm Adreno 680 graphics.
The IdeaPad 5G supports up to 8GB of memory and 512GB of storage. On battery capacity, Lenovo said the 51Wh device can do 20 hours of continuous video playback.
Lenovo said the IdeaPad 5G will be available in “select markets”, but that does not include North America. Pricing is also yet to be announced.
Shifting to 16:10 aspect ratios, the IdeaPad 5i Pro and IdeaPad 5 Pro will be available in 14 and 16-inch sizes, with the 5i using an Intel Core i7, and the 5 using an AMD Ryzen H-Series mobile processor. Both laptops can have Nvidia MX450 graphics, 16GB of memory, up to 1TB of storage, and pack a 56.5Wh battery in the 14-inch versions, and 75Wh in the 16-inch devices.
The 14-inch laptops will weigh 1.45kg and 2kg for the bigger size, while the 16-inch devices will support 120Hz refresh rates, and 90Hz for the smaller devices.
Alexa Show Mode
Image: Lenovo
Using attention-sensing software, the laptops will use IR cameras to pause video when the user walks away, or sound an alarm when it is moved when a user’s back is turned, Lenovo said. The laptops also use what Lenovo is calling intelligent cooling mode to use “balanced AI-enhancements to optimise battery life”.
“To shift your laptop’s performance, just use Lenovo Q-Control by pressing Fn+Q to go up to maximum performance mode or down into battery saving mode,” the company said. “And when you opt for the display with the higher refresh rate spec, you’ll have the ability to slow down screen refreshes for added control over battery life while engaged in lighter work — just press Fn+R.”
For the US, the 16-inch IdeaPad 5 Pro will cost upwards of $1,150, beginning in May, while the 14-inch will not be available in North America, but will be available for €800 in Europe from March. In Australia and New Zealand, availability will be May for the 14-inch, and June for the 16-inch, with pricing to be confirmed.
North America will also be skipped for the IdeaPad 5i Pro laptops, with the 14-inch version to appear in March at €700, and the 16-inch to be available the same month for €800. Timings in Australia and New Zealand are the same as the IdeaPad 5 Pro series.
Also packing AMD silicon is the new Yoga AIO 7 all-in-one desktop, which will have a Ryzen 7 4800H alongside an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060.
“With the Yoga AIO 7’s integrated wireless casting hardware, you can activate the display remotely from a tablet or smartphone without having to turn on your desktop,” Lenovo said. “A future update allows you to display online shows directly to your screen transforming it into a 4K smart TV.”
Chinese consumers can already purchase the Yoga AIO 7 with other “select markets” to follow in February, however North America will not be getting it. Pricing will start from $1,600. The desktop will be available in Australia from April and cost between AU$2,500 and AU$4,000, while New Zealand will receive it in July with pricing details to follow.
The company also announced the Tab P11, an 11-inch tablet with a 2k display, a battery rated at 15 hours of usage, and using a Snapdragon 622 with 6GB of RAM. The $230 tablet is available now, and will hit Australia and New Zealand in May at the AU$550 price point, with New Zealand pricing yet to be confirmed.
Across its Yoga and IdeaPad ranges, Lenovo will be enabling a new Show Mode feature that uses Amazon Alexa in full-screen mode. The rollout will begin in the second quarter of the year.
