Lenovo's Prototype Handheld Computer Is Basically A Nintendo Switch

Computers come in all shapes and sizes these days, but they all have the exact same problem in their design: None of them resemble a Nintendo Switch. Chinese hardware manufacturer Lenovo has tackled this dilemma head-on with its latest prototype, the LaVie Mini.

Revealed at CES 2021, Lenovo's concept machine imagines what one of its laptops would look like if it were pocket-sized and on the verge of receiving a legal takedown notice from Nintendo.

Like the Switch, the LaVie Mini features detachable controllers on the side, a docking station that can display to TV, and can also function as a portable device. It isn't the exact same shape as the Switch, with a bit of space on the edges of the tablet. NEC is shown under the screen, and that company actually played a major role in creating the TurboGrafx-16 several decades ago as a competitor to the NES.

Its theoretical specs are also impressive, as the 8" WUXGA touch panel display has a 1920 x 1200 resolution, internal storage is a 256GB SSD, and the computer is powered by an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 mobile processor. With Intel Iris Xe graphics on the chipset and 16GB of RAM, it'd be more than capable of playing any of your favorite indie games and also running a few work apps.

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Lenovo's not the first company to chase the dream of a PC take on the Switch, as Alienware also unveiled its UFO concept last year. A powerful Windows 10 gaming PC with a handheld form factor, it never managed to move beyond the prototype stage. Razer also unveiled a portable gaming device of its own at CES this year, the Junglecat gaming controller which turns your Android phone into a Switch-influenced gaming console.