The new Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 3 uses a 21:10 aspect ratio screen to make room for a secondary tablet display, built right into the keyboard deck. It is an all-new desktop sub-brand, and complementary accessories showcasing premium materials, sophisticated and sustainable designs, and innovative features to address the needs of the next-generation Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs).
ThinkBook Plus Gen 3 Design
The 2nd generation (ThinkBook Plus Gen 2) that was released last year featured an e-ink display on the outer lid. It was designed to help read, sketch, or check notifications. But this year’s ThinkBook Plus lid looks a bit more like a traditional laptop at first glance — at least on the outside.
It is a ThinkPad-like “Storm Gray” aluminum top cover with CNC treatment. The display cover is made of mylar, and the bottom cover is an aluminum stamping and very durable.
ThinkBook Plus Gen 3 Main Display
There are many big laptops like the LG Gram 17, or the XPS 17, but the 17.3-inch screen on Lenovo’s ThinkBook is on a different level. It comes with a 21:10 aspect ratio and a 3K resolution.
The ThinkBook takes the display to a new level. It is a one wide laptop with a 21:10 aspect ratio. With relatively thin bezels along the sides, it feels like the perfect combination of a 3:2 screen and a 16:10 screen. Especially with a 90% screen-to-body ratio and 3072 x 1440 resolution to play with.
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The Secondary Screen
The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 3’s solution is more of an everyday thing for productivity and creators. It is housed at the side of the chassis, the 8-inch secondary screen can be quite useful for a couple of different situations.
In a creative app like Adobe Lightroom, for example, you will be able to see thumbnails for different files on the tablet, without opening File Explorer on the main display.
Additionally, the secondary screen has its own independent notepad function that can be used when browsing the web or in any other app on the main display. To use this on your ThinkBook Plus Gen 3, you will have a garaged digital pen for note-taking. You can also use the Lenovo ColorKing Plus pen which is usually used to match colors. All you need to do is place the eraser on a color, and select software that will pick the right color for you. Other functions of the second screen include a built-in calculator and a dashboard of all frequently used apps.
Keyboard and Trackpad
The ThinkBook Plus Gen 3’s keyboard is one that should be familiar if you have used a Lenovo Yoga laptop. The keycaps are rounded, and the keys are very close together since the secondary display sits to the right. The keycaps is also a bit shallow, but they are still springy when typing.
The trackpad comes in a good size as it gives enough room for your hands to rest on the right and left sides when typing. Any larger, and typing might have been a less than ideal experience where your hands might trigger presses and drags of the trackpad.
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Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 3 Ports
Most laptop makers are discontinued ports in 2022. The new XPS 13 Plus, for example, only has USB-C. But Lenovo’s ThinkBook Plus Gen 3 has all the ports you might need. Its ports mix includes Thunderbolt 4, audio jack, 2 USB-A ports, 1 USB-C, and HDMI. It also has a “Novo Hole” where you can stick the pen in for charging.
Performance
The new ThinkBook Plus Gen 3 comes with Intel’s 12th-generation H-series processors. It keeps up with multiple Microsoft Edge windows running on top of Adobe Lightroom and an image with multiple layers. Though there were a few bugs when trying to move things down to the secondary display. With a system of up to 32GB of RAM, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 3 seems like a device that will chug along fine.
Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 3 Price
Speaking of purchases, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 3 isn’t some one-off concept device, it’s actually coming to market in May 2022, and prices will start at just $1,399, making it way more affordable than something like the Asus ZenBook Duo 14 or the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo 15.
