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Now that Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Plus 8-core has been announced, Lenovo has revealed a batch of new affordable laptops containing the chip. The company is also releasing several new Intel- and AMD-powered machines, including the Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition, which boasts smart modes that can help you focus better and remind you to sit up straight. It’s all in the name of IFA, a consumer technology trade show in Berlin. But before we get to those systems, I want to show you Lenovo’s latest proof-of-concept machine. Meet the Lenovo Auto Twist AI PC, the computer for people who’ve always wanted a dancing laptop.
The Lenovo Auto Twist AI PC is the full name of the demonstration hardware I saw last month ahead of the company’s IFA announcements. Unlike Lenovo’s transparent, see-through laptop, it thrilled me, and it’s all because of its dancing modes. The Auto Twist AI PC doesn’t have specifications to show off yet since this is merely a test device concocted together for potential future use. But at the very least, it can dance.
Lenovo’s Auto Twist device features what the company calls “Dual Degree of Freedom” automatic rotation. The PC can use AI to help track eye movements, ensuring the screen is always at optimal visibility. It works with voice commands, so you can ask it to switch between the modes, including closed, open, and, if it’s a two-in-one, tablet mode. The lid will shutter when it realizes you’ve stepped away and left it unattended to reduce busy bodying in the office. Lenovo claims the technology can also help with “ergonomic use” by reducing eye strain.
Honestly, it’s possible it could do all that, but I didn’t get much beyond a dancing demonstration when I saw the Auto Twist AI PC in person. It did hear me when I said, “Hi Twist,” which seems the laptop’s calling command. Then I asked it to perform “Dancing Mode” to start the movement demo. The screen panel moves left, right, up, down, and side to side, but only some of the way around. It attempts a pirouette, though it’s pretty tempered. The hinge is constantly balancing itself so it doesn’t swing too hard.
It’s easy to laugh it off as a gimmick, but a self-moving laptop could be a helpful patent for a future set of Lenovo laptops. We’ll age someday and need help opening and closing those laptop lids or whatever our devices look like. Imagine a device that could do it independently with a simple voice command. Technology is a defacto way of living now, a tool as necessary as the hammer. Anything that can make it more accessible to the masses is a win for all. For now, enjoy the silliness of a so-called dancing laptop.
© Florence Ion / Gizmodo The Rest of Lenovo’s Laptops
Let’s begin with the Aura edition laptops, including the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 and the Yoga Slim 7i, to start rattling off the new Lenovo hardware. These laptops use the newly launched Intel Core Ultra processors to get the job done. They boast the lightest build of other Lenovo laptop brethren at the 14-inch flagship size. The Carbon Gen 13 promises 18 hours of battery life on a single charge, while the Yoga Slim 7i is available with up to 32GB of RAM. Both laptops will be available soon, with the Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition launching this month for $1,300. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition will start shipping in November with a base price of $2,000.
The Aura Edition laptops are categorized as such for their AI-infused Smart Modes. Developed in part with Intel, the Smart Modes include Shield, which props up security settings and logs you onto VPN; Attention, which helps refuse distractions and prioritize the task at hand; Collaboration, meant for video conferencing with coworkers; and Wellness, which gets on you about your posture and kicking you off the screen when you’ve been staring for too long. Aura PCs also have access to Smart Share, which lets you easily drag and drop photos between a phone and PC, and Smart Care, which provides easy access to Lenovo’s online support and chatbot.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Plus can be found in Lenovo’s upcoming ThinkBook 16 Gen 7. The ThinkBook series is usually the most gussied up, and this one is no exception despite the new-to-market processor. The ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 has the Snapdragon X Plus 8-core processor, up to 32GB of RAM, and an 84-watt-hour battery that promises more than a day of use. It’s all contained within a 16-inch display with a bezel the company is proud to call a 91.3% screen-to-body ratio. The ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 will be available in October starting at $750, sticking true to the affordable pricing of the Snapdragon X Plus.
The Snapdragon X Plus 8-core is also stuffed into the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x and Slim 5. The devices come in several sizes and variations, including a 13- and 15-inch variant and a two-in-one convertible with a 14-inch screen. These will not be available in North America, save for the IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1, a convertible laptop with an OLED display, up to 16GB of RAM, and a surprisingly ample number of side ports, including USB-C, USB-A, and microSD. The IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 will be available with the Snapdragon X Plus in October, starting at $850.
For AMD fans, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 is a beefed-up laptop with AMD’s Ryzen AI prowess. It has an AMD Ryzen AI PRO processor, up to 64GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage. It also has a wealth of ports, including two USB-C and two USB-A. Compared to the affordable Qualcomm-based machines, the AMD-powered laptop will be available in October at $1,700.
