I tried a Windows laptop that transforms into an Android tablet with ease
I'm at CES 2024, the world's largest technology show, and among the masses of announcements and reveals, Lenovo has dropped dozens of new products. Of them all, however, it's the ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid that's proven to be the most eye-catching.
That's because the ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid is a full-on Windows laptop, but with a quick tug of the screen (when at its 90-degree angle) the keyboard separates and the display automatically transforms into an Android tablet in a matter of seconds. It's a very fluid transition too.
So is the ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid one of the best laptops or one of the best tablets? Well, it could be both! I've been really impressed with how there's no compromise to the laptop's construction: this thing looks, feels and functions just like a decent laptop and you wouldn't accidentally remove the screen during use either.
Interestingly this ThinkBook embodies both Intel Core Ultra and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 inside. So there's no limitation on what can be installed on either side of the Windows and Android fence. However, that Snapdragon choice is a little older, which perplexes me somewhat (I was at the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 launch in late 2023, which is two generations newer).
Some might question just how much practical use one would get from shifting between a Windows laptop and Android tablet though. I own both such products, but typically find myself using either one or other for very specific tasks. That said, if I was writing copy while on the go, say on a long-distance plane journey, being able to dive into the Netflix app with my downloads on Android would be a great use case. Less to pack is always a bonus.
It's a decent screen too, at 14-inches across the diagonal, with the 2.8K resolution OLED panel promising 100% of the DCI-P3 colour gamut. That's a rarity, which I can appreciate will really deliver the goods for those who want accurate visuals. It further adds appeal to the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid – although right now there's no word on exactly how much this laptop-meets-tablet product will cost or when it'll come to market...
