Once upon a time, a 16:9 aspect ratio laptop screen was sufficient. Well, at CES 2025, Lenovo asked the question: “Why settle for enough when you can have height?’ The ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 foldable laptop’s screen slides up either with the press of a button or by placing your palm over the built-in webcam. While appearing at first glance like a typical 14-inch OLED screen, the ThinkBook can turn into a 16.7-inch screen with a very awkward-looking 8:9 aspect ratio.
Moreover, this is not just a concept brought to life to turn a few heads at an exhibition. Lenovo shared on its blog that you’ll be able to purchase your own Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable when it launches worldwide this June for $3,499. But even putting that hefty price tag aside, I’m not sure why you’d need it.
Okay, sure, there are a few use cases that can be argued. For starters, the extra screen real estate tucked away in the Rollable’s metaphorical back pocket will appeal to those who travel a lot and would otherwise want to take a portable monitor with them. The slide-out portion of the screen can also be configured as a virtual monitor, creating an uncluttered portion of the screen for virtual presentations on the go. Alternatively, you can clutter that part of the screen with a custom selection of ThinkBook multitasking widgets or your most frequently used files instead.
Personally, I think it’s okay to dream smaller. Let’s say you’re feeling very petty during a face-to-face meeting that isn’t going anywhere – you might say, “I’m not sure we’re on the same page. Let me review my entries” before turning off the ThinkBook’s threat display.
All jokes aside, the ThinkBook remains fairly light, weighing in at around 1.7 kg (3.7 lb), even with the variable screen. This is made possible by Samsung’s Eco² OLED technology, which not only offers a less bulky design but also consumes 30% less power. The 400 nit brightness output is not only impressive, but BRIGHT. Samsung themselves announced in recent news that this is the first time their rollable OLED display has become part of a mainstream laptop.
For people who need performance on the go, the laptop also offers relatively decent specs, with a built-in 1TB SSD, 32GB of RAM, and an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor. The Intel Xe2 GPU built into this chip means it’s basically a machine , designed primarily for work rather than play.
Transforming screens party trick that keeps getting my attentionIt’s hard to ignore the fact that such flexibility can introduce countless points of failure. Engadget noted in recent video from CES that even the display shows a noticeable “ripple” on the unfolding part of the screen, although they clarified that this is not noticeable when you look at the laptop directly. However, I am interested in how these very minor defects can transform. throughout the life of the product – the high price also does not appeal to me.
With that said, screens simply won’t always look the same – the advent of curved monitors has proven that (and if you’re looking for one yourself, we can offer several suggestions). Perhaps, as with the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable, I just need expand my horizons.