Just a few years ago, foldable displays dominated tech headlines. Fast forward to 2024, and transparent screens are the new focus. After transparent TVs stole the spotlight at CES 2024, Lenovo is pushing the envelope with its new transparent laptop concept. During the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the company teased the world’s first laptop with a transparent microLED display called ‘Project Crystal.’ This new proof-of-concept laptop is unlikely to be mass-produced but offers a glimpse into the stunning potential of transparent microLED displays in laptops.
The Windows 11 machine boasts a groundbreaking 17.3-inch Micro-LED transparent display, pushing boundaries further with a futuristic, completely borderless Micro-LED display. The whole display is protected by tough Gorilla Glass on both sides, and the screen can reach an impressive 1,000 nits for clear visuals indoors or outdoors.
Adding to its sci-fi charm, Lenovo‘s Project Crystal transparent laptop replaces physical keys with a smooth LED surface. This surface houses an LED keyboard that can be activated or deactivated as needed and even transforms into a sizeable drawing area ideal for pen-based creative work.
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Unlike any other laptop, Lenovo’s Project Crystal doesn’t come with a traditional clamshell housing of plastic or aluminum, instead, boasting a breathtaking glass surface that springs to life when opened. Lenovo describes the construction as a transparent micro-LED screen encased between two panes of protective Gorilla Glass, all seamlessly held together with transparent adhesive. As per Lenovo the “brilliance of this laptop lies in its intelligent integration of the virtual and real.”
The company says that by using the power of Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC), the transparent screen could revolutionise work “collaboration and efficiency by enabling the interaction with physical objects and overlaying digital information to create unique user-generated content.”
“The transparency allows it to effortlessly integrate naturally within its environment,” Lenovo said in a statement. “Users can seamlessly switch between the keyboard and drawing board with a supported pen, unlocking new levels of creative efficiency. AI in combination with transparent displays will open up new ways of engaging with data and applications, offering opportunities to develop new features and form factors.”
As previously mentioned, Lenovo’s Project Crystal remains a concept device for now. But it still is a fascinating glimpse into what the future might hold, showcasing how AI and transparent displays could merge the physical and digital worlds to create experiences we never thought possible. While it might not be ready for everyday PC use just yet, Project Crystal is certainly one of the most mature concepts of its kind, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and teasing just what the next generation of laptops could look like.
