Lenovo has created a Nintendo Switch-like mini laptop that can transform into a handheld gaming console.
The prototype is called the Lavie Mini, and it and comes from a joint venture between Lenovo and Japan’s NEC Corporation. The product looks like an old-school netbook with an 8-inch screen. However, it’s also a laptop convertible, meaning you can flip it into a touch-screen tablet, thanks to a 360-degree hinge.
In tablet mode, you can attach an optional gaming controller and turn the Lavie Mini into a handheld console for PC games. “The controller comes with all the functions you’d expect and in a familiar gaming layout, including immersive vibrations, left/right trigger buttons, and analog thumbsticks,” Lenovo said.
Although the laptop is small, the product does pack some power. The prototype can be configured with up to Intel’s 11th generation Core i7 mobile processor, which contains a built-in GPU through the Iris Xe graphics. The hardware has also been outfitted with an infrared camera to enable Windows Hello, 16GB of RAM, up to 256GB of SSD storage, and a Wi-Fi 6 modem.
In addition, the Lavie Mini features a 1,920-by-1,200 WUXGA panel and an HDMI port. The product itself comes in at 1.28 pounds, which is about double the weight of a Nintendo Switch without the Joy-Con controllers attached.
There’s no word on if the Lavie Mini will ever become an actual product. But we expect the company to show it off during next week’s CES. Stay tuned for our coverage.