At CES 2024, Lenovo surprised us tech journalists with a brand new machine we weren’t expecting: a Windows laptop that’s also an Android tablet. The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid (yes, it’s a ridiculous name) was impressive at first glance, not just to us but also to you: our hands-on video with the ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid we filmed in Las Vegas is filled with excited comments from viewers talking about how much they would love to get one.
There were also comments from folks who remembered that devices like this were available many years ago. Some dual-booted Windows and Android, like the ViewSonic ViewPad 10, while others had dedicated hardware for both operating systems. Lenovo itself made one in the early 2010s: the Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid. It’s interesting that the company should try now, in 2024, to bring that idea back. The question then becomes, was that a good idea?