The Most Innovative Laptop Of 2023

Laptops will have problems in 2023. For the first time in many years we are seeing a decline in units sold and it seems like there is no momentum. But that doesn't mean there aren't any that really excite me. The three laptops listed below show how bold laptop manufacturers can be, and my top picks really go to the extreme.

While these aren't the best new laptops of 2023 that everyone should buy, they still feature some important innovations in technology and design.

Want to see the rest? Check out our full list of the most innovative technology products of 2023!

Winner: Lenovo Yoga Book 9i

Ah, dual-screen laptops. This concept was killed before it even saw the light of day. I am of course referring to the Surface Neo, the project announced and then canceled by Microsoft that envisaged two screens that could be used in different modes. After years of silence, Lenovo came along this year and revived the idea with the Yoga Book 9i, the company's most successful experiment in years. I knew it was something new when I first saw it at CES earlier this year.

So what's so innovative about two displays mounted on a hinge? The answer lies in how Lenovo's designers have used this concept. Firstly, you can use it in different laptop modes, either with a virtual keyboard or in different configurations with a handy detachable keyboard accessory.

Things get even more interesting if you use a folding “origami stand”. Powerful magnets allow the stand to fold flat so you can use both Yoga Book 9i displays simultaneously, side by side, or vertically. This is where the Yoga Book 9i feels fresh, as Windows can control two screens as if they were two external monitors. These days you can do this with a standard laptop and a portable screen, but it's pretty cool to have everything in one package. The portrait mode is also interesting, if a bit impractical. But if you're watching YouTube videos, for example, and want to leave the other screen free to use, that's great. There's nothing special in terms of performance, battery life, or other basic laptop features, but it wastes nothing in maintaining its unique design. He is very capable.

The most amazing thing about the Yoga Book 9i is that the price is not too high. There's only one configuration (with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage) that costs $2,000. It's not exactly cheap, but it's nice to see some real innovation that doesn't justify the high price tag.

Runner-up: HP Specter foldable PC

HP was late in launching laptops with foldable screens. Lenovo ThinkPad By reducing the device's thickness to 0.33 inches, it is much more useful and portable than the competition, which is crucial to the device's usability. There's also a new mode that's hard to explain, but in laptop mode it offers the ability to attach a detachable keyboard to the bottom of the device. Add more ways to use this interesting concept and try to push the boundaries in new ways.

The only problem? The ridiculous price of $5,000 makes it almost impossible to recommend. I guess that's the price of innovation, but as the Yoga Book 9i above shows, it doesn't always have to be that way.

Honorable Mention: HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook.

I know what you're thinking. Really a Chromebook? Fine. But it's not just any Chromebook: The HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook is easily the best Chromebook ever made. It brings a ton of high-end features to the Chromebook world that we've never seen before, including an 8-megapixel webcam, Thunderbolt 4 connectivity, a 14-inch 2560 x 1600 display, a trackpad haptic feedback and even RGB. Backlit keyboard. It's a complete package and a clear sign of HP's confidence in the Chrome OS platform. And finally the technical specifications. The Core i5-1235U, 16GB RAM, and 256GB SSD may look like a regular Windows laptop, but it's just as high-quality for a Chromebook.

This may not seem like the first innovation, and you're right: it isn't. But when it comes to innovation on the Chrome OS platform, this is the biggest advance we've seen in years.

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