Lenovo Shows Off a Laptop Concept with a Rotating Screen for Doomscrolling
Lenovo has a history of experimenting with unconventional laptop displays, from tri-fold and rollable screens to full foldable panels. At IFA this year, the company is showcasing another new design concept, and this one might just be the ultimate machine for doomscrolling through social media.
The device is called the ThinkBook Vertiflex Concept. When closed, it looks almost identical to a standard 14-inch clamshell laptop. However, its screen hides a unique trick: it can rotate a full 90 degrees into a portrait orientation. This shift to a taller aspect ratio is designed for tasks that benefit from vertical screen space, such as coding, editing photos and videos, or simply browsing vertical social media feeds like TikTok or Instagram.
To complement this portrait mode, Lenovo has integrated its Smart Connect app support. This allows users to pair their phone with the laptop to mirror or extend the mobile display onto the larger screen, or to quickly transfer files with a simple drag-and-drop action. The concept shares a clear lineage with devices like the LG Wing phone with its swiveling screen and Samsung’s rotating Sero TV. Given the massive popularity of vertical content, it is somewhat surprising that a mainstream PC maker has not attempted a laptop like this sooner.
A practical advantage of the Vertiflex Concept is that its rotating mechanism does not seem to add significant bulk. The laptop weighs just three pounds and is 0.7 inches thin, putting it in the same ballpark as many standard 14-inch ultraportables. While full hardware specifications were not provided for this concept device, it was shown to have a robust selection of ports, including two USB-C, one USB-A, a full-size HDMI, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a microSD card reader.
The Vertiflex was not the only concept Lenovo displayed. The company also showed the Smart Motion Concept, though this is a laptop stand rather than a complete computer. This stand uses the sensors and cameras from the connected laptop to automatically track a user’s face. The idea is that during a presentation or video call, the stand can reposition the laptop to keep the user perfectly framed and ensure the microphones and speakers are optimally directed.
For manual control, the stand can be paired with an optional ring that supports gesture commands. Lenovo also suggests the Smart Motion concept could help users maintain better ergonomic postures. As both the Vertiflex laptop and the Smart Motion stand are experimental concepts, there is no guarantee they will ever become commercial products. If these ideas capture your interest, letting Lenovo know on social media might just provide the encouragement needed to push them toward production.
