Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 doubles down on secondary e-ink screen

(Image credit: Lenovo)

Lenovo has updated its nigh unique laptop, then meet the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2i. With this model, Lenovo doubles downwards on the eastward-Ink brandish that makes the Gen 2i then unusual amid current laptops.

Appear at CES 2021, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2i is not just giving you a bigger e-Ink screen, merely a faster one too. And the rest of the laptop has been improved also, with a thinner and lighter chassis. Lenovo'south too shaving the Plus' principal screen bezels down even farther. Is this enough to make it to our best laptops list?

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 specs

CPU: Up to 11th Gen Core i7
RAM: 16GB
Storage: Upward to 1TB M.2 PCIe
Graphics: Intel UHD
Battery life (claimed): Up to 15 hours with LCD monitor, upwardly to 24 hours with E-Ink only
Weight: 2.nine pounds
Dimensions: 11.7 x 8.ii x 0.5 inches
Ports: 2x Thunderbolt iv, headphone jack

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen two price and release engagement

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 is coming during the first quarter of 2021 — aka before April. It will start at $1,549.

That's the most expensive ThinkBook appear today (Jan. 12), as three other models are also coming in Q1 2021. In order of rising price, they are the $849 ThinkBook 14p, the $1,199 ThinkBook 13x i, and the $1,29 ThinkBook 16p. Models marked with an "i" are Intel-but while a "p" indicates an AMD model.

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen two displays

The eastward-Ink display on the ThinkBook Plus Gen ii isn't but bigger — as it now offers a 12-inch usable expanse, with a 68% screen to body ratio. It'southward as well more than functional. While the original screen was fabricated for taking for taking notes, reading docs and checking your calendar, this new version allows you to view presentations, bank check electronic mail and the conditions and look at reminders. You'll even be able to respond to people from the due east-Ink screen. Microsoft Office compatibility is besides included.

Lenovo CES 2021 — (Epitome credit: Lenovo)

As for the ThinkBook's main screen, it's a 13.three-inch, 2560 x 1600-pixel (the aforementioned dimensions as the eastward-Ink screen) touchscreen panel with Dolby Vision. It'south rated for 400 nits of brightness, and its three.9mm bezels enable a xc% screen-to-body ratio.

In other practiced news, Lenovo sped up the refresh charge per unit for the eastward-Ink screen, and redesigned that panel's user interface too. Once nosotros get our hands on it, we'll be able to explain it all in amend item.

As you might look, battery life lasts longer for the e-ink panel, which Lenovo rates for 24 hours on its ain. The traditional LCD panel is rated for xiv hours on a single charge.

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 design

At 0.v inches thick and 2.ix pounds, the ThinkBook Plus is thinner and lighter than its predecessor (0.7 inches, 3.1 pounds). And since these screens are perfect for pens, information technology makes sense that you can now shop the ThinkBook Plus' stylus within its chassis.

Look quieter performance, every bit Lenovo has cut one internal fan while using ITS 5.0 technology to even so go on things running absurd.

You've likewise got a mixture of new standards and a wild new choice. A pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports and Wi-Fi 6 don't surprise, but the optional ThinkBook Charging Mat is something else entirely. Powered by Energysquare's Power by Contact technology, it's a charging mat for the whole laptop.

Lenovo ThinkBook 13x i

At 0.5 inches thick, the ThinkBook 13x i is rather compact. Think of it as similar to the ThinkBook Plus but without the e-ink display. Its screen and sound should be dandy, thank you to Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, it's too got Thunderbolt 4 ports, and is on Intel Evo platform.

This laptop runs on depression-power 11th Gen Intel Core CPUs for endurance, and supports the aforementioned charging mat for like shooting fish in a barrel and frequent refueling.

Lenovo ThinkBook 14p and 16p

Not all of the new ThinkBooks have Intel inside. These xiv-inch and sixteen-inch ThinkBooks have sharp screens (2.ii and 2.8K for the xiv-inch, ii.5K for the sixteen-inch) and run on the "latest generation AMD Ryzen mobile processors" — which is code for "AMD hasn't announced its new fries yet."

These laptops have the skillful privacy and security measures that Lenovo's business concern laptops require: a ThinkShutter photographic camera embrace for privacy, a fingerprint reader built into the power button, both fTPM and dTPM and a Windows Hello-supported IR camera.

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen ii outlook

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 has a tough chore: existence novel without seeming like a novelty particular. We're looking forrad to using it for ourselves to see if the larger e-ink screen is a valuable asset. The endeavour put into improve the screen, both in size and performance, advise Lenovo believes this is more than a gimmick.

Henry is a senior editor at Tom'south Guide roofing streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past six-plus years. Prior to joining Tom'south Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He'southward likewise covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other manufacture veterans.