Lenovo is one of the most well-known brands when it comes to design and innovation. It’s the same company that brought the world’s first foldable laptop with the ThinkPad X1 Fold. This year, Lenovo took things a step further by unveiling the world’s first transparent laptop at the MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2024. Here’s what we know so far. 

The Story So Far 

This year, the trend seems to be transparent. Earlier, at the CES 2024, both Samsung and LG showcased transparent televisions as the future of in-house entertainment systems. LG went a notch up with a retractable black screen for a more ‘normalized’ viewing experience. 

Keeping up with that, Lenovo brought a proof-of-concept product Project Crystal in the CES 2024. It was a Concept Laptop with a transparent display. 

Read more: Samsung Galaxy Ring: Specs, Features, and Probable Release Date

The completely transparent laptop, called ThinkBook, was finally displayed by Lenovo at the MWS2024 event in Barcelona.  

Making Transparent Laptop a Reality

Tom Butler, the executive director of Lenovo’s Worldwide Product Management division talked in detail about the new transparent laptop. The 17.3-inch laptop uses micro-LED technology to achieve the transparent look of the ThinkBook. Lenovo incorporated a 55% transparency on the display to make it optimally visible for both indoor and outdoor use. The display can churn out up to 1000 nits with the screen resolution standing at 720P. 

Lenovo talked about the limitations of OLED and why they had to opt for a micro-LED solution. With the currently available tech, the R&D team couldn't push beyond 480P with an OLED panel. There’s also the limitation of transparency as the laptop cannot incorporate a black screen for absolute contrast. 

Read more: OPPO Air Glass 3: What's Special About It

A Paradigm Shift For the Future 

With its current set of limitations, it is clear that Lenovo isn’t planning to release the ThinkBook as a mainstream laptop. Instead, the proof-of-concept product would see its feature trickle down to the mainstream product lineup over the next 5 years. 

What’s interesting is the door of opportunities it opens. The ThinkBook in principle, can work like the AppleVision Pro with its mixed reality features. Lenovo invested heavily in the mixed reality with their Artificial Intelligence Generated Content or AIGC tech. The AI essentially takes advantage of the transparent display to use it as a digital overlay over real objects. 

Lenovo claims that the possibilities are limitless as everyday workflow gets incorporated with AI in real-time. Artists and designers can simply point the laptop at any object and use the overlay feature to design and replicate products on the go. 

Read more: Water Battery: What's Special About It

The keyboard on the Thinkbook is also transparent with a non-tactile touch panel. The removable keyboard can also be doubled as a trackpad for stylus-based use. 

The Future of Transparent Displays 

Given the nascent stage of transparent tech, it will be a few years before transparent displays or transparent laptops become a mainstream thing. The implications and use cases of transparent displays are still uncharted waters today. Increased AI integration and optimization will open more opportunities to make the experience more intuitive and personalized.

Bottom Line 

The ever-growing trend of science and technology never stops to amaze the world with advanced gadgets. The ThinkBook with its sleek and minimalist design provides a glimpse of the future of laptops. While there’s no imminent plan from Lenovo to go mainstream with Project Crystal, it’s a clear indication of the direction in which the industry is heading. 

Read more: Best and Worst Android OS Considering Bloatware in 2024