Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid hands-on: A laptop and a tablet in one

Lenovo has unveiled a new product that aims to combine the best of both worlds: a Windows 2-in-1 laptop that turns into a fully-fledged Android tablet when you detach the screen. The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid is a mouthful of a name, but it’s also a fascinating device that offers a lot of versatility and performance.

Here are the specifications, price, and release date of this hybrid gadget, as well as our first impressions after trying it out.

Specifications

The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid consists of two parts: the Hybrid Tab and the Hybrid Station. The Hybrid Tab is the detachable screen that doubles as an Android tablet, while the Hybrid Station is the keyboard base that houses the Windows laptop components. Here are the key specs of each part:

Hybrid Tab

• 14in 2.8K touchscreen with stylus support and 100% DCI-P3 color gamut
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor
• 12GB LPDDR5x RAM
• 256GB UFS 3.1 storage
• Rear cameras: 13MP and 5MP
• Full HD IR webcam with privacy shutter
• 38Wh battery
• Android 13 operating system
• Dimensions: 314 x 224 x 6.6mm (WDH)
• Weight: 785g

Hybrid Station

• Intel Core Ultra 7 processor
• Intel Arc graphics card
• 32GB LPDDR5x RAM
• 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD
• 75Wh battery
• 2x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4) ports; 3.5mm headset jack
• Windows 11 operating system
• Dimensions: 314 x 235 x 9.4mm (WDH)
• Weight: 970g

Price and release date

The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid is expected to launch in September 2024, but the price has not been announced yet. We will update this post once we have more information on the pricing and availability of this device.

Key features and first impressions

The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid is essentially two separate devices, just knitted together in a clever way. There’s an Android tablet in the lid, with a 14in 2.8K OLED touchscreen that supports stylus input and delivers vibrant colors. This is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip with its own RAM and storage. In this case, you’re getting 12GB of RAM and a chunky 256GB of UFS 3.1 flash memory. There’s also a pair of cameras on the rear, a Full HD IR webcam at the front, and a 38Wh battery to keep the show on the road and away from the mains.

Meanwhile, in the base – Lenovo calls this the “Hybrid Station” – is a full-blown Windows laptop, with one of Intel’s new-fangled Core Ultra 7 CPUs powering affairs, Intel Arc graphics, plus a generous 32GB of RAM and 1TB of PCIe Gen 4 SSD storage. That’s supported by a 75Wh battery, a pretty decent feeling keyboard, and a good level of connectivity, too, with a pair of Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, a 3.5mm audio jack, and support for Wi-Fi 6E.

It’s an ingenious combination of talents, but you wouldn’t know it at first glance. From a distance and even up close, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid looks like any other laptop. Magnetic and mechanical latches hold the screen in place firmly, it doesn’t tip back too readily, and it doesn’t feel particularly unwieldy either. The whole thing, with screen and keyboard combined, weighs 1.8kg and measures around 16mm thick when closed.

It’s only when you pull the screen up to a 90-degree angle that the latches release and you can pull the screen away from the keyboard. Wait a moment or two, and the Android interface hoves into view, complete with Google Apps and the Play Store. You can use the Hybrid Tab as a standalone tablet, or connect it to a monitor or TV via the USB-C port. You can also use the Hybrid Station as a wireless keyboard and touchpad for the Hybrid Tab, or as a standalone Windows PC by connecting it to an external display.

Connect the two back together again and the Android desktop disappears. Windows 11 doesn’t appear immediately, but you don’t need to wait very long – perhaps five or six seconds. The transition between the two operating systems is smooth and seamless, and you can easily switch between them as you please. You can also access your files and apps across both platforms, thanks to Lenovo’s Syncit app that syncs your data and settings in the cloud.

The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid is a remarkable device that offers a lot of flexibility and functionality. You can use it as a laptop, a tablet, or a desktop, depending on your needs and preferences. You can also enjoy the benefits of both Windows and Android, without compromising on performance or battery life. Whether you need to work, play, or create, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid can handle it all.

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