Before PC makers like Asus and Lenovo started producing tablets with foldable displays that allowed you to use them like a laptop, a handful of companies had tried something a little different: dual-screen laptops that put a second screen where you’d normally find a keyboard.
It’s been a little while since we’ve seen a new entry in this space. But it looks like Lenovo’s going to give the form-factor another try. Evan Blass has shared some leaked pictures of an upcoming Lenovo YogaBook 9i 13 that appears to be a dual-screen computer that can be used as a laptop or tablet.
Blass says the YogaBook 9i 13 will be officially unveiled next week during the Consumer Electronics Show and while he hasn’t shared any specs for the device, there are a few things we can glean from the name and pictures.
The name indicates that this will most likely be a Windows device rather than Android. Lenovo has used the Yoga Book name for a few earlier dual-screen Windows laptops. And the 9i probably indicates that this will be a premium device with an Intel processor (Lenovo tends to give its Windows and ChromeOS products model numbers ranging from 1 to 9 with one being the cheapest and the company has a habit of sticking an i on the end to indicate an Intel processor rather than an AMD chip).
It looks like the new YogaBook 9i has two screens that are the same size, held together by a 360-degree hinge with an integrated speaker. Above one display is a camera system that looks like it might include an IR camera for Windows Hello-compatible facial recognition. And there appears to be pen support.
One picture show the computer folded at the center and propped up like a laptop, allowing you to use the bottom screen as an input or display device. Another shows the screens unfolded with the YogaBook 9i propped up on a stand for use as a computer with two side-by-side displays in portrait orientation. A third picture shows the system standing up in a tent-like configuration, with the displays folded outward so that one is facing the user and the other functions as a kickstand. And a fourth shows the screens folded back-to-back so you can hold the computer like a chunky tablet.
There’s a Bluetooth keyboard that can be used for text input if you prefer physical keys to on-screen typing. I wouldn’t be surprised if the keyboard could also be placed on top of one screen for a more traditional laptop-like typing experience.
We’ll probably learn more about the YogaBook 9i’s specs, pricing, and release date next week.
This is exciting news…even if the price of this thing is going to be through the roof. I owned the 1st gen Yoga Book (Android version) and it was a great device.
(rant incoming)
Did you look at the first generation ULV x86 chipsets?
From what I can find, they came in Q1 2013. The first was the Intel Core i7-3689Y Processor. I’m just imagining a product like the Valve SteamDeck releasing at that time, it would have enough performance to rival the Xbox 360, PS3, WiiU. Basically having current-gen games be playable while portable is insane. We didn’t get something akin to it until 2018 in the GPD Win-2, with the GPD Win-1 being decent but not great and also releasing in 2016. In comparison, the Valve SteamDeck is slightly faster than the XB1 and PS4, but that is now old-gen. The current-gen is XsS, PS5, XsX which launched 2 years ahead, so the transition is almost over. Just like the opportunity squandered by Nintendo when they released the Switch with the Tegra X1 (2013-technology), where if they took advantage of newer 2016-technology they could have released something that is close to PS4 performance, and received many third-party titles and ports. Looking back in hindsight, it’s just insane we had a similar opportunity in 2013 with that Intel chipset.
That chipset shipped in two products; first being the Toshiba Protege (Detachable Tablet from Solid Keyboard). And second being the Lenovo Yoga 11S (11inch laptop with 360 hinge).
There were a few others between then and 2016, that’s when things really kicked off with the Intel Core-M being mainstream. One of the notable products for me was the ThinkPad Helix and I’ve been wanting to get something like it forever, however due to problems from Qualcomm, Intel, Microsoft, Google and OEMs I’ve never made the transition from 13in laptops. With the new MBP setting a benchmark for me in terms of battery life, performance, and quality of experience.
Now I wonder what low-power x86 chipset we had in 2000-2005 that may have given those consoles (PS2, GameCube, Xbox) competing performance whilst being portable. Could we have had something like the Valve SteamDeck back during that gaming generation?
Seems like the demand for laptops, and thus display panels has subsided a bit, so now product developers can once again actually consider launching products with two.