Lenovo Teases the LAVIE MINI Prototype, an AIO with Rotating Screen, New IdeaPads, and More!

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Unfortunately, things have not gone back to normal simply because it’s 2021. Case in point, CES is virtual, but that doesn’t mean there’s not a significant amount of big news coming. Lenovo has a big slate of computer updates and future products for us to anticipate, as well as a peek at the new LAVIE MINI prototype — so let’s dive right in!

Lenovo Yoga AIO 7

Lenovo Yoga AIO 7

First up is the Yoga AIO 7. It’s an all-in-one desktop with a touchscreen, and like all Yoga lines, it has more flexibility than I do. You can swing the monitor vertically or horizontally, plus you can change the angling to your preferred viewing.

Lenovo Yoga AIO 7

It also will offer the ability to cast your phone or tablet wirelessly so that it can act as a quasi-tv/monitor as well. It also rocks user-facing JBL speakers, an AMD Ryzen processor, NVIDIA graphics, and comes in a gray/white color with a 4K IPS screen so that it will look good in use and while standing by; plus, it has Alexa for those times you get lonely and need your computer to chat with you. Look for it in select markets (not the US, though, unfortunately) in February 2021, starting at $1,599.

Lenovo L24i-30 and Lenovo L27e-30 Monitors

Lenovo L24i-30 Monitor

The Lenovo L24i-30 Monitor.

If all-in-ones aren’t your thing, Lenovo also has monitors to help you upgrade your setup with the Lenovo L24i-30 and Lenovo L27e-30 Monitors. These are consumer-focused, with the idea that you’ve probably got a monitor or two hanging around shared family spaces with everyone working and learning remotely.

Lenovo L27e-30 Monitor

The Lenovo L27e-30 Monitor.

Lenovo wants to make these a little more living-room friendly with cable management, a slot to hold your smartphone, and a sleek design that makes you feel a little less like you’re living Groundhog Day meets Office Space. The Lenovo L27e-30 is 27″ and comes in at $189.99, while the Lenovo L24i-30 is 24″ and comes in at $159.99; both will be available in March 2021.

Lenovo IdeaPad 5G 14″

Lenovo IdeaPad 5G 14"

Eventually, you will need to travel again, and when you do, Lenovo has a well-connected IdeaPad 5G for you. It’s a thin and light laptop with up to 20 hours of battery life and a 14″ screen, so whether you’re home or on the road, you’re covered. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5G will be available in select markets soon (but not the US at this time), and pricing will vary depending on the market.

Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro and 5i Pro

16" AMD Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro

The 16″ AMD Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro.

Lenovo introduces their most powerful IdeaPad laptops yet, the IdeaPad 5 Pro (with an AMD processor) and the IdeaPad 5i Pro (with an Intel processor). The IdeaPad 5 and 5i Pros will be available in 14″ or 16″, with an all-metal exterior. Weighing just 1.45 kilograms for the 14″ and 2 kilograms for the 16″, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro will have smart features like an IR camera (with Windows Hello) for hands-free log-ins; the IR camera’s time-of-flight (ToF) sensors will have attention-sensing software from Glance by Mirametrix, so it will know to pause your video when you walk away to get more coffee; this laptop will even call out with an alarm if it’s ever moved when your back is turned.

Set to intelligent Cooling Mode by default, the laptop will help you leverage balanced AI-enhancements to optimize battery life; you’ll be able to shift your laptop’s performance manually by pressing Fn+Q to go up to MaximumPerformance mode or down into Battery Saving mode. The IdeaPad 5 Pro has a larger trackpad than previous generations and an improved keyboard with optional backlighting. Right now, the only version that is showing as available for the US is the IdeaPad 5 Pro 16” laptop (AMD); it will start at $1149.99, and you’ll be able to get one starting in May 2021.

Outside of the US, watch for these:

  • IdeaPad 5 Pro 14” AMD laptop available in Europe, the Middle-East, and Africa (EMEA) in March 2021, starting at €799.00.
  • IdeaPad 5i Pro 16” Intel laptop available in EMEA in March 2021, starting at €899.
  • IdeaPad 5i Pro 14” Intel laptop available in EMEA in March 2021, starting at €699.

Lenovo Tab P11

Lenovo Tab P11

If having to share technology with your kids so they can get their schoolwork done is dragging down your productivity as you work from home, you’re going to love the affordable new Lenovo Tab P11. It’s got an aluminum alloy chassis tablet and an 11″ high-definition 2K (2000 x 1200) touchscreen IPS liquid crystal display that’s large and bright (400 nits). It will come with Kids Space from Google, so you can hand your kiddo the tablet to play without concern they’re going to send 50,000 selfies of their nostrils to your boss.

Lenovo Tab P11 on dock

Affordable options for the Tab P11 will include an ultra-thin Keyboard Pack with a built-in trackpad that snaps into place when needed. The magnetic stand cover and integrated kickstand will prop up the tablet to resemble a slim detachable. You might also be interested In the optional Lenovo Precision Pen, which can sense tilt, and your subtle pressure adjustments will give a smoother digital writing and doodling experience. Another optional accessory to consider is the Lenovo Smart Charging Station, making it easy to enjoy hands-free movie watching while the tablet charges in its dock (the Tab P11 is one of just a handful of tablets certified to
stream Netflix shows in HD). The Tab P11 has four speakers with Dolby Atmos for great sounding audio in landscape or portrait mode, an 8-megapixel front camera for video calls, and hands-free log-in.  The Tab P11’s pricing will start at $229.99, and it will be available globally this month.

Alexa Show Mode for PC

Alexa Show Mode for PC

Alexa Show Mode for PC is a whole new trick from Lenovo coming to several IdeaPad and Yoga devices. Enabling it allows your computer to function like an Echo Show, so if you leave your laptop plugged in and open, it can be useful even when you’re not actively working. It’s a neat trick, but especially cool if you aren’t sure about the ongoing use-case for an Echo but might want to use it once in a while. It will be coming to compatible devices in mid-2021.

Lenovo + NEC LAVIE Pro Mobile

Lenovo + NEC LAVIE Pro Mobile

NEC and Lenovo are working together on a joint PC project, and the LAVIE Pro Mobile is the latest in that lineup. The 13.3″ navy blue LAVIE Pro Mobile has a carbon-fiber cover and is built to be lightweight at just under 889 grams (1.95lbs) with an ultraslim 16.7mm (0.66″) body. It features 1.5mm key travel and an optimized lift-up hinge function that tilts your keyboard to your personal preference (up to 180 degrees) for an increased typing pitch of 19mm. Plus, it has an Intel 11th generation core i7 processor and will offer up to 10 hours of battery life, so you’ll be ready to go — whether your commute is from your bedroom to your couch or finally back out in the world. Look for the LAVIE Pro Mobile to start at $1,699, with the release date being announced soon. More details on its U.S. availability will come later.

Lenovo + NEC LAVIE MINI Prototype

The most exciting item is one that’s not going to be available — yet anyway. Lenovo and NEC have introduced an ultra-portable convertible PC with the LAVIE MINI prototype.

The LAVIE MINI prototype has an 8″ WUXGA (1920 x 1200) touch display, and it weighs 579 grams (1.28 pounds). Featuring up to an 11th generation Intel CoreTM i7 mobile processor with Intel Iris Xe graphics, Modern Standby, an IR camera with Windows Hello for a zero-touch login, and the circular-shaped numeric and symbol keys are the same size as the alphabet keys; the whole keyboard is backlit, of course. The prototype has a battery capacity of up to 26WHr, Wi-Fi 6, and up to 256GB SSD of storage, and 16GB LPDDR4 of memory.

Lenovo + NEC LAVIE MINI Prototype

You can attach the optional Gaming Controller on the LAVIE MINI prototype to play PC games, but when it is time to get back to work, you can remove the controller and carry the PC only.

Lenovo + NEC LAVIE MINI Prototype

The LAVIE MINI prototype was also shown with an optional HDMI-connected Dock which provides other input/output extensions including several USB Type-C and Type-A ports; the dock can also charge the PC’s battery. The LAVIE MINI prototype is a glimpse into the future, but let’s hope we see a consumer version in next year’s CES announcements!

Via Lenovo

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About the Author

Zek
Zek has been a gadget fiend for a long time, going back to their first PDA (a Palm M100). They quickly went from researching what PDA to buy to following tech news closely and keeping up with the latest and greatest stuff. They love writing about ebooks because they combine their two favorite activities; reading anything and everything, and talking about fun new tech toys. What could be better?