My only real issue with the display is that, because it’s flexible OLED, it has that same plasticky protective layer over the panel that gives it a cheap look. When fully extended, you can also see the faint crease line where the original screen was. It’s not overly distracting, but you can see it on dark backgrounds.
Beyond the screen, Lenovo has done its best to make this laptop look as discreet as possible. When fully extended, it certainly looks odd from behind. The device is mostly quite sturdy and well-built, but the screen hangs ever so slightly at the crease. The ThinkBook Plus Rollable also has some thick side bezels, which are there to house the “rolling” mechanism, as well as provide enough width for the laptop to still have room for a full-size keyboard.
It’s 0.78 inches thick, so it’s not exactly as portable as a conventional ThinkBook or ThinkPad laptop. Nor does it have as many ports. On the left side, you’ll find just two USB-C ports and a headphone jack. The right side has no ports at all. If you’re using one USB-C port for charging, that leaves just one free for other accessories. Even just one more USB-C port would have been helpful. You’ll need a hub.
Amenities Galore
Photograph: Luke Larsen
As a laptop with a premium price, it’s important that Lenovo didn’t phone in the parts of the device that don’t have to do with the rollable screen. For example, the keyboard and touchpad are both fantastic. The keys are snappy and precise, but still feel like they have enough travel. Meanwhile, the touchpad is haptic, simulating a mechanical click. It’s like the ones you get on the Surface Laptop or the MacBook Pro, and it’s great.
The webcam uses a 5-megapixel camera and comes with an IR camera for facial authentication. In my testing, it struggled a bit in low light, introducing too much noise and overexposing the image. One thing I like about it, however, is the placement. Due to that tall screen, the angle of the webcam places you in the center of the screen, a bit more like a desktop webcam that’s attached to the top of a monitor. Heck, there’s even a somewhat decent set of speakers on this thing. They’re not going to blow your mind with bass, but they surprised me nonetheless.