By no means have sufficient screens in your desktop? Advantageous. However how about in your laptop computer?
At MWC 2025, Lenovo is unveiling three bold, intriguing proof-of-concept equipment for its ThinkBook 16p power-user laptop computer—and, whoa, are they bangers for multitaskers. The 16p itself is already an absolute powerhouse of a workstation laptop computer—the newest introduced mannequin will characteristic Intel’s latest-gen “Arrow Lake HX” processors, Nvidia RTX 50-series GPUs, and, in an uncommon twist, a separate, devoted NPU chip for AI workloads—however these new ideas take laptop computer type elements and capabilities in funky new instructions.
All three are made potential by Magic Bay, a longtime connector on the lid of this ThinkBook laptop computer that accepts snap-on equipment. This isn’t our first dance with Magic Bay equipment. Lenovo confirmed off a bunch of credible and unimaginable ones at CES 2024, amongst them a high-resolution digicam, a snap-on SSD, and—sure, actually—an aromatherapy module. These three new ones all focus on one idea, although: including extra, or enhancing, laptop computer shows.
Magic Bay: A Supply for Snap-On Specialties
When you’ve not seen it earlier than, Magic Bay is a proprietary connector constructed into the highest of sure Lenovo ThinkBook fashions’ lids. The connection works with a restricted subset of equipment. Magic Bay add-ons interface with the connector’s pogo pins, and within the case of two of the equipment right here, they mount through hooks and magnets for stability.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
Certainly one of them turns the ThinkBook into one thing of a sci-fi workstation constructed for an over-caffeinated, multi-monitor-obsessed productiveness fiend; one other scales that concept right down to a single further “facet monitor.” The third idea will allow glasses-free 3D content material viewing through the primary display screen.
We obtained a take a look at all three in a demo session in New York Metropolis earlier than MWC. Whether or not these ideas ever make it to market, or in what type—or if Lenovo is simply flexing its R&D muscular tissues—stays to be seen. However for now, let’s check out what’s on the menu.
Lenovo’s 8-Inch Show Idea: Only a Little Extra Display screen, Please
For individuals who like having a secondary display screen alongside their laptop computer—whether or not that is a pill or a USB-C transportable monitor—however don’t need to lug one round, the ThinkBook’s 8-Inch Show Idea goals so as to add a compact, devoted dashboard to the ThinkBook 16p. This proof-of-concept is a two-piece equipment with an 8-inch display screen (1,200-by-1,920-pixel decision) and a mounting plate.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
To make use of it, you unfold the display screen from the plate, then lengthen it outward a bit through the sliding bridge connector between the 2. The plate half then snaps onto the again of the ThinkBook and its Magic Bay connector utilizing magnets and hooks.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
As soon as in place, the show powers on and capabilities as a vertical-orientation auxiliary display screen, parked to the suitable of the primary display screen like a loyal sidekick. You should utilize it to reflect or lengthen your desktop, like every secondary monitor.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
The thought is that the secondary display screen can act as a devoted house for chat apps, inventory tickers, system monitoring instruments, commentary streams, or no matter digital notifications you prefer to look at however don’t essentially need hogging up your major workspace. It’s a easy idea, however for multitaskers who don’t need to continually Alt-Tab by means of open home windows to maintain up with notifications, it may have a whole lot of enchantment.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
We’re followers, however we need to see how you may tote this accent round. The folded-up plate and panel are one thing of an ungainly L-shape in that state, so this merchandise would undoubtedly want a padded or laborious case for transport to maintain from getting broken.
Lenovo’s Twin Show Idea: Three Screens Are Higher Than One
So, does the 8-Inch Show appear cool sufficient, nevertheless it’s simply too “appetizer-size” for you? Hold in there.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
Lenovo can also be displaying off its Twin Show Idea for the Magic Bay ThinkBook, which successfully turns the ThinkBook 16p right into a full-blown three-screen workstation. This accent is basically a a lot greater brother of the 8-Inch Show Idea. It options two 13.3-inch, 2.8K-resolution, 120Hz shows that reach outward from a central mounting panel…
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
The gadget has the 2 screens extending like wings off the middle piece, which hosts the Magic Bay pogo connector. To make use of it, you unfold the 2 screens, lengthen the screens outward on sliding bridge connectors, and fasten it in the identical method because the 8-Inch Show. (The Twin Show Idea has the identical mixture of magnets, hooks, and pogo pins.) It springs into place like a futuristic workstation Transformer.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
Admittedly, attaching this massive, gawky creation with its wingspan prolonged was a bit awkward till I obtained the cling of it. (It’s a must to be sure you lengthen the 2 panels far sufficient to clear the lid.) And it was tough not smearing the monitor panels with fingerprints with all of the dealing with and manipulation. Nonetheless, it creates a panoramic workspace with out the trouble of cable-tethered exterior screens, and it folds up properly when not getting used.
Like with the 8-Inch Idea, through hinges you possibly can alter the panel angle relative to your major laptop computer display screen. Nonetheless, you possibly can lengthen them solely up to now, and you need to watch out to not shut the laptop computer lid too far with the panels angled inward, resulting in a collision with the keyboard deck. A foldout leg on the again of the middle panel enables you to add some stability to the laptop computer lid, which might get a bit top-heavy with a pair of connected massive screens.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
The enchantment right here is apparent: Critical multitaskers, video editors, and knowledge analysts who reside and die by a number of screens may lastly have an answer that’s as transportable as it’s expansive. No extra counting on a single USB-powered exterior monitor with a clunky stand—this add-on turns the ThinkBook 16p into an honest-to-goodness command middle.
Really helpful by Our Editors
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
Lenovo’s 2D/3D Show: Glasses-Free 3D on a Laptop computer, on Demand
The third idea is a bit much less utilitarian—it is extra like a dive headfirst into the way forward for shows. The 2D/3D Idea Show guarantees one thing we’ve seen tried earlier than however not but perfected: glasses-free 3D on a laptop computer display screen.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
This idea includes three elements working in sync. The Magic Bay accent concerned here’s a snap-on 3D digicam that tracks the consumer’s place. It really works together with a specialised show that makes use of what Lenovo calls “directional backlighting” to attain a stereoscopic 3D impact with out glasses. Appropriate software program, the third ingredient, is sensible of all of it.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
Not like some previous makes an attempt at glasses-free 3D, which regularly resulted in blurry or nausea-inducing visuals, Lenovo claims that its directional backlighting strategy improves readability and reduces predictable eye pressure. We had been fairly impressed with our quick demo of the idea, although you undoubtedly needed to be seated fairly exactly in a central candy spot in entrance of the display screen for the impact to work; in any other case, it was all double-vision blurriness. It would not work for a couple of viewer at a time; offside 3D viewing is not an choice.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
The demo we noticed in New York was of a hyperkinetic Asian music video that, curiously, featured each gyrating dancing ladies and many fireballs and projectiles flying towards the viewer’s face, in basic exploitative tacky 3D-movie model. However the actual target market right here is CAD designers, 3D modelers, and designers who need to view their work in 3D on the fly with out donning VR goggles.
Whether or not the world is actually prepared for glasses-free 3D laptops stays to be seen; however, so it appears, Lenovo may very well be prepared for it very quickly now.
Will These Magic Bay Ideas See the Mild of Day?
When you’ve adopted our protection of Lenovo through the years at commerce exhibits and the like, you’ll know this isn’t the primary time the corporate has proven off daring Magic Bay accent ideas—a lot of which have by no means made it past the present ground. Whereas these three are undeniably cool (and we might argue, within the circumstances of the display screen attachments, legitimately helpful), whether or not you may truly be capable of purchase any of them, in any type, is unclear.
The most certainly state of affairs is that parts of those designs trickle down into last merchandise, maybe in additional refined or simplified types. The 8-inch Show Idea may evolve right into a trimmer, extra transportable design; the Twin Show Idea would possibly find yourself as a high-end add-on for content material creators. Or they may simply disappear into the ether, solely to be resurrected in a wildly completely different type years down the road. Nonetheless, all three show that modular laptop computer designs have loads of room to develop, in an period the place the development appears to be towards parts soldered down and locked in place.
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About John Burek
Govt Editor and PC Labs Director
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