Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2: WIth an E Ink Screen

Quirky twin-screen laptop rethinks E Ink

- TOM BRANT

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2

$1,575.40

The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 offers something a little different than your standard small-business laptop experience. That’s thanks to a second, power-sipping E Ink display on the exterior of the case that complements the main screen. This is not an ebook reader; it’s more of a way to display useful information when the laptop is closed, including the time, date, weather, and even your upcoming calendar appointments. The concept is intriguing, but the implementation isn’t baked to the point where it feels like a must-have innovation; more a cool curiosity.

SECOND-GENERATION INK

The second-generation ThinkBook Plus is a subtle improvement over the original, which was one of the more curious products to debut at CES 2020. And even before the first generation launched, Lenovo was no stranger to experimenting with E Ink laptops, trying out the concept first with the 2-in-1 convertible Yoga Book.

Unlike the diminutive, consumer-oriented Yoga Book C930, which is more of an e-reader-and-laptop hybrid, the ThinkBook Plus is a full-fledged clamshell-style business laptop that just happens to have a second E Ink screen on the back of the display lid. Weighing just 2.6 pounds and measuring 0.54 by 11.7 by 8.2 inches (HWD), the sleek machine slips easily in and out of your bag. It looks the part of a notebook that means business, too, with a rock-solid, dark-gray aluminum chassis.