The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 is, in essence, a masterclass in hybrid productivity, delivering a unique dual-screen experience that genuinely redefines how you interact with a laptop. This isn’t just another incremental update.

It’s a bold step forward, merging a vibrant 13.3-inch OLED display with a striking 12-inch color e-Ink screen on the lid.

If you’re a professional who juggles extensive reading, note-taking, and digital content creation with demanding computational tasks, this device offers an unparalleled workflow enhancement.

It’s built for those who value efficiency, eye comfort during long reading sessions, and the versatility to switch between deep work and creative exploration on the fly, all within a sleek, portable form factor that speaks volumes about innovative design.

This iteration of the ThinkBook Plus lineup isn’t just about the novelty of two screens.

It’s about the intelligent integration of these displays into a seamless user experience.

The primary OLED panel provides the stunning visuals and performance expected from a premium laptop, perfect for demanding applications, video conferencing, and multimedia consumption. But the real game-changer is the e-Ink display.

Imagine drafting a document, reviewing a PDF, or sketching an idea without the glare and eye strain typically associated with backlit screens.

It’s an ideal companion for digital nomads, researchers, and anyone who spends hours immersed in text, offering a paper-like experience that feels remarkably natural.

Furthermore, the Gen 4 packs powerful internals, ensuring that whether you’re compiling code, editing large spreadsheets, or running virtual machines, the performance keeps pace with your ambition.

This is a laptop that doesn’t just adapt to your workflow. it elevates it.

Product Name	Screen Size Primary	Key Feature	Ideal User	Price Range Estimated
Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 4	13.3-inch OLED	Dual-screen OLED + Color e-Ink	Professionals, researchers, note-takers	$2,000 – $2,500
Dell XPS 13 Plus	13.4-inch OLED/FHD+	Minimalist design, haptic touchpad	Design-conscious professionals, developers	$1,300 – $2,000
HP Spectre x360 14	13.5-inch OLED/IPS	2-in-1 convertible, pen support	Creatives, students, versatile users	$1,200 – $1,800
Apple MacBook Air M2	13.6-inch Liquid Retina	Exceptional battery life, M2 chip	Students, general users, macOS enthusiasts	$1,000 – $1,500
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5	13.5-inch PixelSense	Premium build, Alcantara keyboard	Business users, Windows purists	$1,000 – $1,700
ASUS ZenBook 14 OLED	14-inch OLED	Stunning display, portability	Multimedia consumers, frequent travelers	$800 – $1,300
Lenovo Yoga 7i 16	16-inch IPS/OLED	Large display, solid performance	Productivity users, home office	$800 – $1,200

Table of Contents

The Unpacking: What Makes the ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 Tick?

Alright, let’s pull back the curtain on this beast. The ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 isn’t just about stuffing two screens onto a laptop. it’s about a highly intentional design philosophy. Lenovo didn’t just throw a dart at a board and say “let’s put an e-Ink screen here.” They clearly thought about who needs this and why. It’s a niche product, yes, but for that niche, it’s a revelation. Think of it as a tool for the highly specialized, highly productive individual who spends a significant chunk of their day consuming and annotating information.

Design and Build Quality: A Cut Above

First impressions? This thing feels premium.

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 sports an aerospace-grade aluminum chassis that not only looks sleek but also feels incredibly robust. When you pick it up, there’s no flex, no creaking. just a solid, well-engineered piece of hardware.

It’s got that understated professional vibe that blends seamlessly into any corporate or creative environment.

Lenovo has clearly put effort into ensuring this isn’t just a gimmick, but a genuinely well-built device. Apricorn Aegis Nvx Review

Materials: Aerospace-grade aluminum for the chassis, giving it a light yet durable feel.
Hinge Mechanism: The hinge that allows the e-Ink screen to flip out is robust and smooth, designed for frequent use without feeling flimsy. It’s a critical component for the dual-screen experience, and Lenovo nailed it.
Portability: Despite packing two screens, it remains surprisingly thin and manageable. It’s designed to be tossed into a bag without adding significant bulk.

Dimension	Specification
Thickness	Approximately 17.5mm
Weight	Starting at 1.5 kg 3.3 lbs
Material	Anodized Aluminum

The Dual-Screen Marvel: OLED Meets E-Ink

This is where the magic happens, folks.

The core appeal of the ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 is its innovative dual-screen setup.

You’ve got your primary, jaw-dropping OLED display, and then, nestled on the lid, a vibrant color e-Ink screen. It’s not just a secondary display. it’s a portal to a different way of working.

13.3-inch 2.8K OLED Primary Display:
- Resolution: 2880 x 1800 pixels. Crystal clear, sharp text, and incredible detail.
- Brightness: Up to 400 nits. More than adequate for indoor use, and decent for bright environments.
- Color Accuracy: 100% DCI-P3 color gamut. This means vibrant, true-to-life colors, essential for graphic designers, photographers, or anyone who cares about visual fidelity.
- Contrast Ratio: True blacks and infinite contrast, characteristic of OLED panels. Movies and photos pop.
- Use Cases: Perfect for video editing, graphic design, general productivity, and consuming high-resolution content.
12-inch Color E-Ink Secondary Display: Eero Max 7 Review
- Resolution: 2560 x 1600 pixels. Surprisingly sharp for e-Ink, making text highly readable.
- Color Depth: This is the big leap – it’s color e-Ink. While not as vibrant as OLED, it offers millions of colors, making charts, graphs, and images much more discernible than traditional monochrome e-Ink.
- Refresh Rate: Still e-Ink, so it’s not going to be buttery smooth like an OLED, but it’s improved for scrolling and basic interactions.
- Touch and Pen Support: Crucially, it supports touch input and the included stylus often garaged in the chassis, allowing for natural note-taking, sketching, and annotation directly on the e-Ink display.
- Benefits:
  - Eye Comfort: Drastically reduces eye strain during long reading sessions. It feels like reading on paper.
  - Battery Life: E-Ink consumes very little power, especially when static. This extends the overall battery life when using it for reading.
  - Versatility: Ideal for reading e-books, annotating PDFs, sketching ideas, mind-mapping, and even triaging emails without the main screen on.
Seamless Switching: Lenovo has implemented software that makes switching between the two screens relatively seamless. You can “throw” windows from one screen to the other, or simply flip the lid to engage the e-Ink display. It’s intuitive, though it takes a little getting used to the different refresh rates.

Performance Under Pressure: Powering Your Workflow

So, it looks good, and it’s got a fancy e-Ink screen. But can it actually do work? Absolutely. Lenovo doesn’t skimp on the internals, ensuring that the ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 can handle demanding tasks without breaking a sweat. This isn’t just a reader. it’s a productivity powerhouse.

Processor and Graphics: The Engine Room

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 typically comes with the latest Intel Core processors, ensuring that you have plenty of horsepower for multitasking, complex computations, and even light content creation.

Processor Options:
- Intel Core i5 13th Gen: Great for everyday tasks, office suites, web browsing, and general productivity.
- Intel Core i7 13th Gen: The sweet spot for most professionals. Handles heavy multitasking, virtual machines, light video editing, and complex data analysis with ease. The higher clock speeds and core counts make a noticeable difference.
- Intel Core i7-1355U or i7-1360P: These are common choices, offering a good balance of performance and power efficiency. The ‘P’ series typically provides higher base power for sustained performance.
Integrated Graphics Intel Iris Xe: Lenovo Thinkpad E16 Gen 1 Review
- While there’s no discrete GPU, the Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics are surprisingly capable.
- Capabilities: It can handle 4K video playback, light photo editing, casual gaming, and ensure smooth operation across multiple high-resolution monitors. It’s not for heavy 3D rendering or AAA gaming, but it’s more than sufficient for business and creative professional tasks that don’t rely on dedicated graphics.

Memory and Storage: Keeping Pace with Your Ambition

Lag is a productivity killer.

Lenovo understands this, equipping the ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 with ample RAM and fast storage to keep everything running smoothly.

RAM Memory:
- Configurations: Typically offered with 16GB or 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM.
- LPDDR5 Benefits: This is the latest generation of low-power double data rate synchronous dynamic random-access memory, meaning it’s faster and more energy-efficient than previous generations.
- Why it Matters: 16GB is a good baseline for most users, but 32GB is highly recommended if you frequently run multiple demanding applications, work with large datasets, or dabble in virtual machines. It significantly reduces reliance on slower page filing to disk, keeping your workflow snappy.
Storage SSD:
- Type: Fast NVMe PCIe Gen 4 SSDs. These are the gold standard for laptop storage today.
- Capacities: Available in 512GB, 1TB, or even 2TB options.
- Speed: Expect blazing-fast boot times, near-instant application launches, and rapid file transfers. A typical Gen 4 NVMe SSD can deliver sequential read speeds of 5,000-7,000 MB/s.
- Recommendation: Aim for at least 1TB if you store a lot of large files, videos, or professional software. 512GB can feel restrictive quickly.

The Ecosystem: Software, Pen, and Connectivity

A laptop is more than just hardware. it’s about the entire experience.

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 aims to integrate its unique features seamlessly into your daily routine, and that means paying attention to software, accessories, and crucial connectivity options.

Software Integration for Dual Screens

This is where the rubber meets the road for the e-Ink display. Lenovo has done a commendable job with its proprietary software, called Lenovo Freestyle, to manage the dual-screen interaction.

Freestyle Software:
- Screen Mirroring/Extension: Easily mirror your main screen content to the e-Ink display useful for presentations in specific scenarios or extend your desktop, treating the e-Ink as a second monitor.
- Application Optimization: Specific applications are optimized to run better on the e-Ink display. This often includes e-readers, PDF viewers, and note-taking apps. The software can intelligently switch modes or suggest best uses.
- Quick Launch Panel: A customizable panel on the e-Ink screen for quick access to frequently used e-Ink optimized apps or settings.
- Pen Integration: Software automatically recognizes pen input on the e-Ink screen, making it a natural digital notepad.
- Reading Mode: Dedicated modes that adjust contrast and clarity for optimal e-Ink reading, even allowing for different “paper” textures.
Operating System: Runs on Windows 11 Pro, providing a familiar and powerful environment for all your applications. Windows Ink Workspace is fully supported, enhancing the pen input experience. Onanoff Buddyphones Playears Plus Review

The Included Stylus: Your Digital Pen

A key differentiator for the e-Ink screen’s utility is the included stylus. It’s not just an afterthought. it’s an integral part of the workflow.

Wacom AES 2.0 or Similar: Typically uses a Wacom AES Active Electrostatic protocol, known for its precision and responsiveness.
Pressure Sensitivity: Often boasts 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity, allowing for nuanced lines and shading, mimicking a real pen or pencil.
Tilt Support: Some versions might offer tilt support for more natural shading in art applications.
Garaged Pen: A brilliant design choice is the inclusion of a garaged pen. This means the stylus slots directly into the laptop chassis, charging discreetly and ensuring it’s always available when you need it – no more lost pens!
Use Cases:
- Note-Taking: Perfect for digitizing handwritten notes in meetings, lectures, or brainstorming sessions.
- PDF Annotation: Mark up documents, sign forms, and highlight text directly on the e-Ink display without eye strain.
- Sketching and Drawing: While not a dedicated drawing tablet, it’s excellent for quick sketches, diagrams, and mind maps.
- Navigation: Can be used to navigate the e-Ink interface directly, reducing finger smudges.

Ports and Connectivity: Staying Connected

A professional laptop needs robust connectivity, and the ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 delivers.

USB-C with Thunderbolt 4: This is the king of modern ports. You’ll typically find at least two of these.
- Data Transfer: Blazing fast data transfer speeds up to 40Gbps.
- Video Output: Can drive multiple external 4K displays.
- Power Delivery: Used for charging the laptop itself.
- Docking Stations: Supports powerful docking stations that expand your port selection significantly.
USB-A: Usually at least one USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port for legacy peripherals like older flash drives or mice.
HDMI: Crucial for presentations and connecting to external monitors without an adapter.
Audio Jack: A standard 3.5mm combo audio jack for headphones or headsets.
Wireless Connectivity:
- Wi-Fi 6E: The latest Wi-Fi standard, offering faster speeds, lower latency, and better performance in congested networks. Essential for quick downloads and seamless cloud access.
- Bluetooth 5.2: For connecting wireless peripherals like mice, keyboards, and headphones.
Optional WWAN 4G/5G: For true mobility, some configurations may offer integrated cellular connectivity, allowing you to stay online even without Wi-Fi. This is a must for frequent travelers or field workers.

Port Type	Quantity Typical	Key Functionality
Thunderbolt 4 USB-C	2	Data, DisplayPort, Power Delivery
USB-A 3.2 Gen 1	1	Standard USB devices
HDMI 2.0	1	External Display Output
3.5mm Audio Jack	1	Headphone/Microphone Combo
Power Button with Fingerprint Reader	1	Security, Power

Usability and Ergonomics: Working Smarter

Beyond raw specs, how does it feel to use the ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 day in and day out? Lenovo has a strong reputation for keyboard and trackpad quality, and they largely deliver here, crucial for a productivity machine.

Keyboard: The Typing Experience

Lenovo’s ThinkPad line is legendary for its keyboards, and the ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 generally follows suit.

It’s a critical component for anyone doing serious work. Taskade Review

Key Travel and Feedback: Expect decent key travel around 1.5mm and a satisfying tactile bump. This provides a comfortable typing experience, reducing fatigue during long writing sessions. It might not be quite ThinkPad X1 Carbon level, but it’s well above average for a thin and light laptop.
Layout: Standard chiclet-style layout with well-spaced keys. No odd key placements, which is always a plus.
Backlighting: Essential for working in low-light conditions, typically with multiple brightness levels.
Spill Resistance: While not fully waterproof, most business-grade Lenovo keyboards offer some level of spill resistance for minor accidents.

Touchpad and Pointing Stick Optional

Touchpad:
- Size: Generously sized precision glass touchpad.
- Tracking: Excellent tracking accuracy and responsiveness.
- Gesture Support: Fully supports Windows Precision Touchpad gestures two-finger scroll, pinch-to-zoom, etc., making navigation intuitive.
Pointing Stick TrackPoint:
- While more common on the ThinkPad line, some ThinkBook models, particularly those aimed at business users, may include a TrackPoint the red nub in the middle of the keyboard with dedicated physical buttons. This offers an alternative, highly precise pointing method that some users swear by, allowing them to navigate without taking their hands off the home row keys. Check specific configurations if this is a must-have for you.

Pen Input on E-Ink: A Natural Extension

As discussed earlier, the pen input on the e-Ink screen is a standout feature. It’s not just about the screen. it’s about the seamless interaction.

Writing Feel: The textured surface of the e-Ink display, combined with the pen’s tip, often provides a friction that mimics writing on paper much better than glass displays. This reduces the “slippery” feeling and makes writing more natural.
Latency: While e-Ink has inherent refresh limitations, the pen input latency is generally quite low for note-taking and sketching, making it feel responsive.
Palm Rejection: Robust palm rejection ensures that only the pen input is registered, preventing accidental marks from your hand resting on the screen.

Battery Life and Charging: Powering Through Your Day

A powerful, portable laptop with dual screens sounds great, but what about its endurance? Battery life is crucial for a device designed for mobility and extended productivity.

Battery Capacity and Expected Life

Battery Size: The ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 typically comes with a respectable battery capacity, often in the range of 60-70Wh.
Primary Screen Use: When using the primary OLED display for typical productivity tasks web browsing, office apps, video conferencing, expect around 8-10 hours of real-world usage. OLEDs are power-hungry, especially with higher brightness and dynamic content.
E-Ink Screen Use: This is where the magic happens for battery life. When primarily using the e-Ink display for reading, note-taking, and light tasks, the power consumption drops significantly. You could easily see 15-20+ hours of battery life in e-Ink-centric scenarios. This makes it a fantastic device for long flights or extended periods away from a power outlet where you’re primarily consuming content.
Mixed Usage: For a balanced workflow involving both screens, you can anticipate solid all-day battery life, likely in the 10-12 hour range. This is impressive given the dual-screen setup.

Charging Technology: Fast and Convenient

USB-C Charging: The laptop charges via one of its Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports. This is a huge convenience, as you can use a single charger for your laptop, phone, and other compatible devices.
Fast Charging: Lenovo typically incorporates Rapid Charge technology, which can provide a significant battery boost e.g., 0-80% in about an hour with the included power adapter. This is invaluable when you’re on the go and need a quick top-up.
Power Adapter: Comes with a compact USB-C power adapter, often around 65W or 100W, which is powerful enough to charge the laptop quickly even under load.

Security Features: Protecting Your Data

For a business-oriented laptop like the ThinkBook Plus Gen 4, robust security features are non-negotiable.

Lenovo integrates several layers of protection to keep your data safe. Petcube Cam 360 Review

Biometric Authentication: Quick and Secure Access

Fingerprint Reader:
- Location: Usually integrated into the power button for seamless login.
- Technology: Fast and accurate, supporting Windows Hello for quick, password-less authentication. It’s much more convenient and often more secure than typing out a complex password.
IR Camera for Facial Recognition Optional/Configuration Dependent:
- Some configurations may include an IR camera that supports Windows Hello facial recognition. This allows you to log in simply by looking at the camera. It’s incredibly fast and convenient, especially when your hands are full.

Hardware-Level Security

Discrete TPM 2.0 Chip:
- Function: A Trusted Platform Module TPM is a secure cryptoprocessor that stores cryptographic keys, passwords, and digital certificates. It verifies the integrity of the system at boot-up.
- Benefits: Essential for advanced security features like BitLocker encryption, secure boot, and protection against firmware-level attacks. It helps ensure that your system hasn’t been tampered with.
Physical Webcam Shutter:
- A simple, yet effective physical slider over the webcam ensures your privacy when the camera is not in use. No more sticky notes!
Kensington Lock Slot:
- Allows you to physically secure your laptop to a desk or other immovable object, deterring opportunistic theft.

Software and Firmware Security

Self-Healing BIOS:
- A feature that can restore a damaged BIOS to a previous working state, protecting against certain types of low-level attacks or corrupted updates.
Lenovo Commercial Vantage:
- A suite of software tools that allows IT administrators and end-users to manage security settings, system updates, and various device configurations. It provides a centralized control panel for maintaining system health and security.
Microsoft Windows 11 Pro:
- Comes with built-in security features like Windows Defender antivirus, firewall, SmartScreen, and device encryption. The Pro version offers enhanced management and security capabilities for business environments.

Who is This For? Target Audience and Value Proposition

We’ve delved into the nitty-gritty. Now, let’s address the elephant in the room: who exactly should buy the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 4? It’s not for everyone, and that’s precisely its strength. This is a highly specialized tool designed for a particular kind of user.

The Ideal User Profile

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 shines brightest for individuals whose workflow benefits significantly from extended reading, annotation, and digital note-taking, combined with traditional laptop productivity.

Academics and Researchers:
- Use Case: Reading countless research papers, annotating PDFs, cross-referencing notes, drafting articles, and analyzing data. The e-Ink screen is a godsend for literature reviews ands.
- Benefit: Reduced eye strain during long reading sessions, natural pen input for highlighting and marginalia, and the primary screen for computational tasks like statistical analysis or bibliography management.
Lawyers and Legal Professionals:
- Use Case: Reviewing contracts, case files, legal documents, and making extensive annotations.
- Benefit: The e-Ink screen offers a paper-like experience for document review, allowing for comfortable, detailed markup without printing reams of paper. The main screen handles legal research databases and document drafting.
Editors and Writers: Steelseries Alias Pro Review
- Use Case: Proofreading manuscripts, editing drafts, outlining ideas, and drafting content.
- Benefit: Reading long-form content on e-Ink is far superior for eye comfort than a backlit screen. The pen allows for direct edits and comments, mimicking traditional red-lining. The main screen is for word processing and research.
Consultants and Business Analysts:
- Use Case: Reviewing reports, analyzing charts, brainstorming, and preparing presentations.
- Benefit: The e-Ink screen is great for reviewing data visualizations without fatigue, sketching out process flows, or taking private notes during client calls. The main screen handles complex spreadsheets and presentation software.
Engineers and Architects:
- Use Case: Reviewing schematics, technical drawings, CAD files, and making quick annotations or calculations.
- Benefit: Reading technical documents on e-Ink, sketching initial concepts, and marking up drawings.
Digital Nomads and Frequent Travelers:
- Use Case: Working on the go, extended periods away from power outlets, needing a versatile device for varied tasks.
- Benefit: Exceptional battery life when using the e-Ink screen, lightweight design, and the ability to comfortably read in various lighting conditions.

Value Proposition: Why Invest?

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 is not a budget laptop, and its value isn’t simply in its specifications. It’s in the unique workflow it enables.

Enhanced Productivity: The dual-screen setup genuinely boosts efficiency for specific tasks, allowing you to multitask across different display types for optimized output. It’s about doing more and doing it better.
Superior Eye Comfort: This is a huge selling point for anyone who spends hours reading. The e-Ink screen significantly reduces eye strain, potentially preventing headaches and improving focus over long periods.
Sustainability: Reduced reliance on printing documents contributes to a more sustainable workflow, saving paper and ink.
Innovation and “Cool Factor”: It’s a head-turner. If you appreciate cutting-edge technology and want a device that truly stands out, this is it.
Niche Dominance: For the specific users who can leverage its dual-screen capabilities, there’s currently no direct competitor that offers the same comprehensive package of a powerful laptop paired with a high-quality color e-Ink display.

In essence, if your professional life involves a lot of reading, reviewing, annotating, and the idea of doing that on a power-efficient, paper-like screen appeals to you without sacrificing the full power of a Windows laptop, then the ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 is a worthy, albeit specialized, investment. Hp Eliteone 870 G9 Review

The Verdict: Is the ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 Worth It?

After dissecting every aspect of the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 4, the question remains: is it worth the investment? The short answer is, yes, for the right person. This isn’t a laptop designed for the masses, and its price point reflects its innovative, niche-specific features.

Strengths: The Unquestionable Wins

Revolutionary Dual-Screen Experience: The combination of a stunning OLED primary display and a highly functional color e-Ink secondary display is genuinely groundbreaking. It’s not just a gimmick. it fundamentally changes how you can interact with a laptop for specific tasks.
Exceptional Eye Comfort for Reading: For anyone who spends hours consuming digital text, the e-Ink screen is a must, drastically reducing eye strain and fatigue.
Versatile Pen Input: The garaged stylus with strong pressure sensitivity makes the e-Ink display an excellent digital notepad, annotation tool, and sketching surface.
Solid Performance: Equipped with current-generation Intel Core processors and fast LPDDR5 RAM and NVMe SSDs, it handles demanding productivity tasks with ease.
Premium Build Quality: The aluminum chassis feels robust and looks professional, contributing to a premium user experience.
Excellent Battery Life Especially with E-Ink: The ability to switch to the highly power-efficient e-Ink screen significantly extends endurance, making it ideal for mobile professionals.
Comprehensive Connectivity: Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 6E, and optional WWAN ensure you’re always connected and can expand your workspace.

Weaknesses: Where it Could Improve

Niche Appeal: Its biggest strength is also its biggest weakness for a broader market. If you don’t foresee yourself using the e-Ink screen extensively, much of the laptop’s unique value proposition is lost, and you could find a more traditional laptop with similar core specs for less.
Price Point: This is a premium device, and its price reflects the innovative technology. It’s a significant investment, making the “value for money” proposition highly dependent on how much you leverage the e-Ink capabilities.
Software Optimization: While good, further software integration and optimization for a wider range of applications on the e-Ink screen would always be welcome.
Slightly Heavier/Thicker than Single-Screen Equivalents: While impressively designed for a dual-screen, it’s still marginally heavier and thicker than some ultra-portable, single-screen 13-inch laptops.

The Final Recommendation

If you are a professional, academic, researcher, lawyer, editor, or writer who spends a significant portion of your day reading, reviewing, annotating, or brainstorming digitally, and you value eye comfort and a paper-like experience, the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 is an outstanding and highly recommended investment. It offers a truly unique workflow enhancement that no other laptop currently matches. Its ability to seamlessly blend powerful traditional computing with an ergonomic, power-efficient e-Ink display for specific tasks makes it a highly specialized tool that can genuinely elevate your productivity and well-being.

However, if your primary use case is purely general productivity, gaming, or heavy creative work requiring a discrete GPU, and the e-Ink screen is more of a curiosity than a necessity, then its premium price might be better spent on a more traditional high-performance laptop or a dedicated e-reader device alongside a separate laptop.

For everyone else in that specific niche, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 is a bold, innovative, and incredibly effective solution.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 4?

The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 is a unique laptop featuring a dual-screen design: a primary 13.3-inch 2.8K OLED display and a secondary 12-inch color e-Ink display on the lid, designed for enhanced productivity and eye comfort. Lenovo Legion 9I Gen 8 Review

2. What are the main benefits of the dual-screen design?

The dual-screen design allows users to switch between a vibrant OLED for demanding tasks and a paper-like color e-Ink screen for reading, note-taking, and annotation, significantly reducing eye strain and extending battery life for specific workflows.

3. Is the e-Ink screen color or black and white?

Yes, the e-Ink screen on the ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 is a color e-Ink display, capable of showing millions of colors, making charts, graphs, and images more discernible than traditional monochrome e-Ink screens.

4. What kind of processor does the ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 use?

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 typically uses the latest Intel Core i5 or i7 13th Gen processors, providing robust performance for professional applications.

5. Does it come with a stylus?

Yes, the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 usually includes a garaged stylus that slots directly into the laptop chassis for charging and storage, enabling natural pen input on the e-Ink display.

6. What kind of tasks is the e-Ink screen best suited for?

The e-Ink screen is best suited for reading e-books, annotating PDFs, taking handwritten notes, sketching ideas, and reviewing documents for extended periods, thanks to its eye-friendly, paper-like display. Monoprice Bt 600 Anc Review

7. How does the battery life compare to standard laptops?

Battery life on the ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 is excellent, especially when primarily using the power-efficient e-Ink screen, which can offer 15-20+ hours.

Mixed usage typically yields 10-12 hours, while primary OLED use offers 8-10 hours.

8. Is the ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 good for gaming?

No, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 is not designed for gaming.

It uses integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, which are sufficient for casual gaming and multimedia but not for demanding modern titles.

9. What is the resolution of the primary OLED display?

The primary OLED display typically boasts a crisp 2.8K resolution 2880 x 1800 pixels, offering stunning visuals and sharp text. Microsoft 365 Personal Review

10. Does it support Thunderbolt 4?

Yes, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 typically includes Thunderbolt 4 ports, providing high-speed data transfer, video output, and power delivery capabilities.

11. Can I use the e-Ink screen as a second monitor for any application?

Yes, you can extend your desktop to the e-Ink screen, treating it as a second monitor for most applications.

However, some applications may not be fully optimized for e-Ink’s refresh rate and color limitations.

12. Is the keyboard comfortable for long typing sessions?

Yes, Lenovo is known for its excellent keyboards, and the ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 generally offers good key travel and tactile feedback, making it comfortable for extended typing.

13. Does it have a fingerprint reader?

Yes, most configurations of the ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 include a fingerprint reader, often integrated into the power button for secure and convenient login via Windows Hello. Expressvpn Review

14. What operating system does it run?

It typically runs on Microsoft Windows 11 Pro, offering a familiar and feature-rich environment for business and personal use.

15. Is the ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 heavy?

No, despite having two screens, it remains surprisingly thin and portable, weighing approximately 1.5 kg 3.3 lbs, making it suitable for travel.

16. Can I disable one of the screens if I only want to use the other?

Yes, you can choose to use only the primary OLED screen or flip the lid to exclusively interact with the e-Ink screen, optimizing power consumption and focus.

17. How does the color e-Ink display compare to a regular tablet screen?

The color e-Ink display offers a paper-like reading experience with significantly less eye strain and glare than a regular backlit tablet screen.

However, it has slower refresh rates and less vibrant colors compared to an LCD or OLED tablet. Canon Maxify Gx2020 Review

18. What are the storage options available?

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 typically comes with fast NVMe PCIe Gen 4 SSDs, with storage options ranging from 512GB to 2TB.

19. Does it support Wi-Fi 6E?

Yes, it usually supports Wi-Fi 6E, providing faster and more reliable wireless connectivity, especially in congested network environments.

20. Is the webcam quality good for video conferencing?

Yes, the webcam quality is generally good enough for video conferencing, often featuring a Full HD resolution and potentially AI-enhanced features like noise cancellation.

21. Can I charge it with any USB-C charger?

While it charges via USB-C, it’s recommended to use a charger with sufficient wattage typically 65W or 100W to ensure optimal charging speed, especially under load.

22. Does it have a dedicated graphics card?

No, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 relies on integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, which are suitable for productivity and light multimedia tasks, but not for graphics-intensive applications or gaming. Analogue Duo Review

23. Is it good for digital artists?

While the e-Ink screen supports pen input for sketching and note-taking, it’s not a dedicated drawing tablet replacement for professional digital artists who require high refresh rates, extensive color accuracy, and powerful discrete GPUs.

24. What security features does it include?

It includes features like a discrete TPM 2.0 chip, fingerprint reader and optional IR camera for facial recognition, a physical webcam shutter, and self-healing BIOS for robust security.

25. Is the screen reflective or matte?

The primary OLED screen is typically glossy, while the e-Ink screen has a matte, anti-glare finish designed to mimic paper, reducing reflections.

26. Can I upgrade the RAM or storage later?

No, the LPDDR5 RAM is typically soldered onto the motherboard and is not user-upgradeable.

The NVMe SSD might be upgradeable, but it’s best to check specific model configurations or consult with Lenovo support.

27. What is Lenovo Freestyle software for?

Lenovo Freestyle is proprietary software that manages the interaction between the two screens, allowing for seamless content transfer, application optimization for e-Ink, and enhanced pen integration.

28. Does it have an HDMI port?

Yes, it typically includes at least one HDMI port for connecting to external displays or projectors.

29. Is it suitable for students?

Yes, it can be excellent for students who do a lot of reading, research, and note-taking, especially those in fields like law, humanities, or sciences where extensive document review is common.

30. How durable is the e-Ink screen on the lid?

The e-Ink screen is protected by a durable glass layer, but like any screen, it requires care to prevent scratches or damage.

Lenovo designs the lid to be robust for everyday use.

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