Bulk buy company-branded laptops? It’s probably going to happen thanks to the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 4 SPE, a concept laptop Lenovo is showing off at CES 2024 this week. The SPE model adds an E Ink Prism display onto the back cover, a color display that can be programmed with up to 1,000 designs or dynamic displays like clocks.
The Lenovo ThinkBook line is big in the small business space, so we can see companies bulk ordering these with a custom design featuring the company logo, or maybe putting names on them. We can also definitely see retail stores grab these for a little extra branding, or serve as extra display space for menus or wait list times. Lots of pretty handy applications! It’s a nice canvas for anyone to use, but given that the ThinkBook is marketed more towards enterprise, we think the small business use cases will be the most popular.
Of course, Lenovo also has the regular ThinkBook 13x Gen 4 available. Both laptops run on the latest Intel Core Ultra CPUs with 32 GB of LPDDR5x RAM, and can be configured with up to a 2TB PCIe SSD. You’ll also get a 13.5-inch 2.8K display (touchscreen optional) that is certified TUV Low Blue Light and EyeSafe. There’s a fingerprint reader on the power button, and, recognizing that these laptops will probably be used in office and retail settings, there’s also a Kensington lock slot to keep the device physically secure.
Lenovo, to their credit, is continuing to support their Magic Bay accessories — you’ll find a pogo pin slot for that purpose on the laptop, along with 3 USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports and a combination mic/headphone port.
Lastly, the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 4 will feature four Harman/Kardon speakers and four 360-degree AI noise-canceling microphones.
We know the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 4 will be available in Q1 2024, starting at $1,399, but we’re not sure about the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 4 SPE, or if Lenovo is a lock to sell them at all, as opposed to leaving it as a concept.