IFA is one of the larger stages for new laptops each year, and this year’s selection of proves that to be true. Though we’re still waiting for new laptops from Microsoft, Apple, and Google, other big players introduced sweeping portfolios of new Windows 10 laptops, 2-in-1s, Chromebooks — and even some experimental oddities that defy the conventional categories.
Here are the five
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme
There’s no lack of love for the ThinkPad brand out there, especially if we’re talking about the excellent new X1-series
The ThinkPad X1 Extreme has its aim set directly on laptop like the Dell XPS 15 and the 15-inch MacBook Pro. Despite its hefty $1,860 starting price, we think this laptop has the potential to reach beyond just ThinkPad devotees.
Asus ZenBook S
The original ZenBook S was launched just recently, and we reviewed it as one of our favorite premium 13-inch laptop. It has a killer design, a gorgeous
Asus says these news chips provide a 10 percent performance enhancements over the previous ZenBook S — and even more interestingly, up to twenty hours of battery life. Manufacturer battery claims always have to be taken with a grain of salt, but it’s still an impressing number to boost. So far, only the Surface Book 2 (which has extra juice in the tablet) and Qualcomm-powered PCs have come close to lasting for twenty hours.
Lenovo Yoga Book
The original Yoga Book seemed crazy when first introduced in 2016, but these days a keyboard-less, dual-screen notebook feels more like the future of laptop form factors than a silly experiment. The 2nd-generation Yoga Book was teased at Computex earlier this year, alongside a couple of other interesting keyboard-less designs, but IFA was its full, official introduction. The new version comes with two 10.8-inch displays, one in the lid and one where the keyboard would normally. In place of a keyboard is a Full HD E-Ink display that works for both typing and stylus use. We found typing significantly improved this time around.
The lack of a keyboard means the Yoga Book is incredibly thin and light. In fact, as far as we can tell, it’s the thinnest and lightest laptop ever made. It starts at $1,000 for the base model, which comes with a 7th-gen Y-Series processor. It’s unfortunate Lenovo couldn’t implement the new 8th-gen processors in time, though it seems as if the project has been in the works for a long time.
Read out Lenovo Yoga Book hands-on review
Asus ZenBook 13 / 14 / 15
Asus relaunched the ZenBook 13 at IFA, showing off its new trimmed-down bezels and smaller footprint. There’s now a 92 percent screen-to-body ratio, making for a great new look for these affordable ZenBooks. They come in 13-inch, 14-inch, and 15-inch sizes, with options of up to a
All models come with the latest Whiskey Lake 8th-gen processors and options for a discrete
Acer Swift 5
The Swift 5 was advertised in its announcement as the lightest 15-inch ever made. It also has tiny bezels and a thinned out chassis, for a modern look that’s a huge upgrade over last year’s model. The design is an impressive feat, but it’s actually not the most compelling feature of the laptop.
Thanks to the new Intel U-Series processors, the Swift 5 comes with Gigabit Wi-Fi — though if you want built-in LTE capabilities, you’ll have to spring for the cheaper
