CES 2024: Lenovo’s New PCs, Software Infused With AI

Lenovo is flooding the PC zone with AI enablement, from the chips to the processors to the code, each layer is redrafted to meet the enterprise’s expectation of a big productivity boost from PC users in what the company calls a “significant architecture” shift.

Lenovo’s new PCs are fast, nimble, and ready to play host to AI assistants that power productivity for business and home.

The global leader in PC sales brought 40 new devices to the Consumer Electronics Show 2024 happening in Las Vegas this week, with upgrades across its PC and laptop brands including to its Yoga, ThinkBook, IdeaPad, ThinkPad and Legion lineups.

The company’s new Yoga line is marketed to creatives, offering Intel Core Ultra Processors as well as a physical Lenovo AI Core chip “that powers robust AI functionality,” the company said in a statement. Lenovo called the new standard design for the ThinkBooks it announced at CES 2024 “one of the most significant PC architecture shifts in recent years.”

One, the ThinkPad PC hybrid, has a base that runs Windows and a detachable Qualcomm-powered tablet that runs Android. The tablet doubles as a monitor for the base and the two can operate alone or together for multifunctionality.

Lenovo is also flexing its software muscles with AI-powered companion apps on its devices.

Lenovo AI Now Personal Assistant will use natural language to let users control and change PC display and performance settings to search emails and documents and create meeting invitations. That will debut in China in the first half of the year.

Lenovo X Power is a machine-learning solution that balances processor power between performance, battery life and cooling to tune compute-intensive tasks such as 3D rendering.

Meanwhile, Lenovo Yoga laptops with Windows 11 come with Lenovo Yoga Creator Zone, a text-based image generator, which thanks to a local client running on the device, works even without internet access.

“Users simply type whatever they want to see, and the system instantly creates a visual representation,” the company said.

Lenovo also showed off its concept peripheral devices that harvest electricity from the user to power a mouse and keyboard. The wireless concept keyboard captures energy from typing to stay powered on and connected. In the case of the mouse, the motion of being pushed across a desk is enough for it to gain the juice it needs to keep a user clicking.

Lenovo Yoga

Lenovo’s Yoga line has been a mainstay for the top-selling PC brand for more than 10 years and the company brought eight new Yoga models to this week’s show.

Among the new devices are the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i and the Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1.

Both of the models are built to MIL-STD-810H standards set by the U.S. Department of Defense and come equipped with both the processor-tuning software Lenovo X Power as well as Lenovo Yoga Creator Zone to help creatives make pictures with text.

The Yoga Pro can hold an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU with Nvidia Studio validation and has a PureSight Pro Mini-LED 3.2K display, along with six speakers that support enhanced bass.

The 2-in-1 comes with a Lenovo smart pen. Both devices are expected to arrive in April 2024.

The Yoga Pro 9i will cost $1,699, while the Yoga 9i 2-in-1 is $1,449.

For Lenovo Yoga Pro devices with dedicated GPUs up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, Lenovo Yoga Creator Zone will let users train a personalized AI model that is stored on the device.

“With each image or set of images provided, the Lenovo Yoga Pro laptop can learn and create images that match the user’s style and preferences,” the company said.

Also on the way is the Yoga Pro 7i, which will only be available in select EMEA markets starting this month. The Yoga Pro 7 will arrive in North America in April at a cost of $1,349.

Lenovo also showed off its newest Yoga Book 9i, a dual display laptop that can be powered by Intel Core Ultra Processors.

Lenovo Yoga Pro 7i and Lenovo Yoga Pro 7 are creator-made laptops equipped with either Intel Core Ultra Processors or AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS processors. They can also hold an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU with NVIDIA Studio validation, and a PureSight Pro LCD or OLED 3K screen.

The Pro 7 arrives in April and starts at $1,349.

Lenovo ThinkBook

Lenovo called the new standard design for the ThinkBooks it announced at CES 2024 “one of the most significant PC architecture shifts in recent years.” All of Lenovo’s new ThinkBook PCs now come with Copilot in Windows 11 and with Intel Core Ultra processors.

The chips have a built-in AI accelerator called a neural processing unit, which enables power-efficient AI acceleration that speeds up AI workflows, Lenovo wrote in a statement. Additionally, ThinkBook PCs have built-in AI features such as Smart Meeting and Smart Power 3.0.

The new Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid can seamlessly switch from a laptop to a tablet and back, using both Windows and the Android operating systems, Lenovo said.

The device is expected to be available before November and retail for $1,999.

“Users can switch between Windows 11 and Android with ease,” Lenovo said. “Consisting of the ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid Station – which can be used independently when connected to an external display – and the ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid Tab – which can be detached and used standalone.”

The base has 1 TB of SSD storage while the tablet comes with 256 GB.

Lenovo said its ThinkBook 13x Gen 4 is the company’s first carbon-neutral laptop built for SMBs, and it was certified as such by the British Standards Institute. The company said the battery can power video playback for 21 hours. Lenovo packs 32GB 8400MHz LPDDR5x memory, three Thunderbolt 4 ports, Intel Arc graphics, into a 2.2-pound device that stands a half inch tall. It is expected to hit the market this summer with a retail price of $1,399.

Lenovo ThinkCentre Desktops

The ultra small form factor ThinkCentre neo Ultra desktops are made for the savvy SMB customers who need AI capabilities built in. The ThinkCentre neo Ultra will be available before November for $1,499. It boasts an Intel Core i9 processor on an Intel vPro Enterprise platform, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060, and an independent NPU card that can hold up to 64 GB of DDR5 RAM.

For customers who want it all in one package, there is the all-in-one Lenovo Think Centre 50a Gen 5, which comes packed inside either a 24-inch or 27-inch 99 percent sRGB, TÜV Rheinland-certified display with 100Hz refresh rate. Each one can power an Intel Core i7 processor and up to 32GB of DDR5 RAM. Both are expected this summer, with a starting price of $799.

Lenovo’s AI Software For PC

The Lenovo AI Now Personal Assistant gives users personalized interactions informed by the PC’s on-device knowledge base. This means streamlined workflows and better collaboration, Lenovo said.

Additionally, users can use natural language to change computer settings like adjusting the display or performance. It can search emails and documents, create meeting invitations and help with video conferencing. Lenovo said the technology will debut in China in the first half of this year.

Lenovo Yoga Creator Zone, which is available only on Lenovo’s Yoga line of devices, is a GenAI image creator that is client-based, giving users the flexibility to generate images from text, even when they are offline. The software can also build images from sketches that the user inputs.

For greater personalization still, on those Yoga devices with beefy standalone graphics cards, the software can power local image training that stays with the device, Lenovo said.

“With each image or set of images provided, the Lenovo Yoga Pro laptop can learn and create images that match the user’s style and preferences,” Lenovo said in a press release. “Those preferring cubism will see it consistently incorporated without needing to describe it while those preferring pop art will not see cubism in their works. With Image Training, results are a tailored, unique reflection of each user.”

Lenovo Concept Products

Some of the more attention-grabbing devices were those not yet ready for the store shelf. Among them were two PC peripherals equipped with “Mechanical Energy Harvesting.”

Both eliminate the need for charging by capturing the user’s own kinetic force such as the punching of keys or the motion of a PC mouse as well as light to generate small amounts of electric energy that can keep on-device batteries charged and powering Bluetooth connections.

The proof-of-concept product is an innovative solution that aligns with Lenovo’s commitment to implementing more sustainable practices, the company said.

Additionally, a concept Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 4 SPE design turns the back panel into a customizable e-ink display.

“This concept supports up to one thousand different images, allowing users to express their personality and creativity. With the ultra-low power technology from E Ink and Lenovo’s system design, the color-changing top cover won’t impact the battery life – even when the system is powered off, the top cover can still keep changing.”