Lenovo has updated its most unique laptop yet With this model, Lenovo has doubled down on the e-Ink display that makes the Gen 2i so unusual among current laptops

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2i, unveiled at CES 2021, not only has a larger e-Ink screen, it is also faster Other parts of the laptop have also been improved, with a thinner and lighter chassis Lenovo has also further shaved the bezel on the Plus' main screen Is this enough to make our Best Laptops list?

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 will arrive in Q1 2021, or before April Prices start at $1,549

This is the most expensive ThinkBook announced today (January 12), with three other models coming in Q1 2021 In order of price, they are the ThinkBook 14p for $849, the ThinkBook 13x i for $1,199, and the ThinkBook 16p for $1,29 The model with the "i" is Intel-only, while the "p" indicates it is an AMD model

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2's e-Ink display isn't just bigger It is more functional While the original screen was meant for taking notes, reading documents, and checking the calendar, this new version lets you watch presentations, check email and the weather, and view reminders You can also reply to others from the e-Ink screen; it is also compatible with Microsoft Office

As for the ThinkBook's main screen, it is a 133", 2560 x 1600 pixel (the same dimensions as the e-Ink screen) touchscreen panel with Dolby Vision It has a brightness of 400 nits, a 39 mm bezel, and a screen-to-body ratio of 90%

In other good news, Lenovo has sped up the refresh rate of the e-Ink screen and redesigned the panel's user interface We'll have more details on all of that when we get our hands on one

As you might expect, battery life is longer on the e-Ink panel, which Lenovo rates at 24 hours on its own Conventional LCD panels are rated at 14 hours on a single charge [At 05 inches thick and 29 pounds, the ThinkBook Plus is thinner and lighter than its predecessor (07 inches thick and 31 pounds) And since these screens are ideal for pens, it makes sense that the ThinkBook Plus' stylus can now be stored inside the chassis

Lenovo has reduced one internal fan while still using ITS 50 technology, so expect quieter performance

Also in the mix are new standards and wild new options A pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports and Wi-Fi 6 are no surprise, but the optional ThinkBook Charging Mat is something else entirely capable of charging an entire computer

At 05 inches thick, the ThinkBook 13x i is quite compact; think ThinkBook Plus, but without the e-ink display The screen and sound should be great, thanks to Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos

The laptop runs on a low-power 11th generation Intel Core CPU, is durable, supports the aforementioned charging mat, and can be easily and frequently refueled

Not all new ThinkBooks are Intel-powered These 14- and 16-inch ThinkBooks have sharp screens (22K and 28K on the 14-inch and 25K on the 16-inch) and "the latest generation of AMD Ryzen mobile processors" (which means "AMD has not yet announced a new chip") to It runs

These laptops have the excellent privacy and security measures that Lenovo business laptops require: a ThinkShutter camera cover for privacy, a fingerprint reader built into the power button, both fTPM and dTPM, IR camera with Windows Hello support

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 has the difficult task of being novel without being novel We look forward to seeing it in action to see if the larger e-ink screen will be a valuable asset The effort expended to improve the screen, both in size and performance, suggests that Lenovo believes this is more than a gimmick