Lenovo's new laptop doubles as a Nintendo Switch-like gaming console

Remember those old netbooks? Lenovo has developed one that doubles as a Nintendo Switch-like handheld console. It’s called the Lavie Mini and the laptop is a concept for now.

Lavie Mini has been developed by Lenovo and its sub-brand NEC. There’s only a prototype version for now and no word on if it will actually get a commercial release. The laptop is white in colour with black bezels, and gold outlines on the keyboard. It’s a 2-in-1 convertible so you can use it as a tablet as well.

Also in the tablet mode is where the Nintendo Switch experience comes in. You can attach a gaming controller to the Lavie Mini and use it as a handheld console to play PC games. Lenovo said the controller has all the functions, trigger buttons, analog thumbsticks and immersive vibrations as well. There’s an optional dock as well that can be used to connect to the TV to play games.

In terms of specs, the Lavie Mini features an 8-inch touchscreen display with 1900x1200 pixels resolution. It is powered by Intel’s 11th-gen i7 processor paired with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. The Lavie Mini has two USB 3.1 Type-C ports, and an optical touch sensor that works as a trackpad. The laptop also has a tiny keyboard with cute-looking circular keys.

The pocket sized laptop weighs 579 grams so you can easily carry it around. It also has an IR camera along with Windows Hello facial recognition. There’s a 26WHr battery, and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity on the Lavie Mini.