Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen6 rollable review: The most fun we've had with a laptop in a long time

While unique laptop designs like the ThinkPad X1 Fold or Asus ZenBook Duo are exciting to see, they sacrifice some ergonomics along the way in order to incorporate their distinctive displays. The former relies heavily on cumbersome accessories to function while the dual screen setup of the latter can be buggy in terms of software support with tricky viewing angles. The ThinkBook Plus Gen6 rollable avoids all of these issues by offering one large 16.7-inch display in a traditional and familiar 14-inch clamshell design; no clunky extras or stands required. This difference is arguably one of the model's biggest advantages especially for travelers who are constantly dealing with small items or tighter work spaces.

There are a few drawbacks to the tall 16.7-inch OLED screen. Landscape orientation and touchscreen, for example, are not supported while weight and thickness are heavier and thicker, respectively, than most traditional subnotebooks like the HP EliteBook G1i 14 or Dell XPS 14.

Beyond the display, port options are disappointing and the price can be hard to swallow at almost $3500 compared to the low $2000 range for the aforementioned ZenBook Duo. Hinge angle is narrower than average which makes the system more difficult to use on the lap particularly when in extended display mode.

Because the extended display requires no additional desk space or accessories, however, we find that there is almost no scenario where we would prefer to use the 14-inch screen over the 16.7-inch screen. The feature becomes almost addicting to the point where regular 14-inch laptop displays can start feeling cramped or too small.

Lenovo is currently shipping the ThinkBook Plus Gen6 Rollable for $3300. The model is not yet widely available through other sellers.

Unveiled at CES 2025, the ThinkBook Plus Gen6 is a unique 14-inch clamshell laptop with the ability to extend its OLED screen vertically for a larger 16.7-inch screen size. It follows on the footsteps of other unique Lenovo models like the ThinkBook Plus Twist Gen4 with E-Ink, ThinkBook Plus Gen5 Hybrid 2-in-1 with dual-boot Android and Windows, and the ThinkPad X1 Fold 16 with foldable OLED.

There are no other configurations available at the moment outside of our Core Ultra 7 258V test unit as sales are not expected to be extensive. Indeed, the model launched with a hefty price tag of $3300 USD.

Competitors in this space include traditional 14-inch clamshells like the Dell Pro 14 Premium or HP EliteBook X G1i 14 AI or dual-screen models like the Asus ZenBook 14 Duo.

More Lenovo reviews:

• IdeaPad 5 2-in-1 16
• ThinkPad E14 G7
• ThinkBook 14 G8
• Yoga Pro 9i 16 G10
• LOQ 15

The chassis consists of anodized aluminum for the top and bottom with MIL-STD-810H certification much like on most other ThinkBook models. It feels and looks like a regular laptop for the most part when closed, but the rollable screen becomes obvious when the lid is opened.

Chassis rigidity is a mixed bag. While the base is firm, the lid is weaker than on many traditional laptops like the Dell XPS 14 or HP Spectre. The OLED screen here lacks any Gorilla Glass reinforcement and so the lid is consequently more susceptible to warping and twisting.

Users will want to be careful with the hinges as the maximum angle is narrower than on most other laptops at only ~120 degrees. They can feel a bit fragile as well especially when the display is in extended mode and the center of gravity changes.

Ports are disappointingly limited to just two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports along the left edge. Traditional clamshells like the Dell Pro 14 Premium or HP EliteBook X G1i 14 integrate more options including full-size HDMI and USB-A in comparison.

A 5 MP webcam comes standard alongside IR and an electronic shutter.

Lenovo utilizes 30 percent post-consumer content recycled plastics for the battery pack and speakers, 90 percent recycled plastic for the GaN USB-C AC adapter, and 50 percent recycled aluminum for the bottom cover. The packaging is plastic-free.

The model does not depend on any cumbersome accessories to maximize its unique feature unlike on the ThinkPad Fold and so the retail box comes with no extras. The standard one-year limited warranty applies if purchased in the US.

The typing experience remains similar to most other ThinkBook and IdeaPad models for better or worse. A more ThinkPad-like keyboard would have been preferable over the softer and shallower keys found here. Key labels are now larger and centered when compared to older ThinkBook models.

We set Windows to Performance mode prior to running the benchmarks below. The three power profiles in Lenovo Vantage (Battery Saver, Adaptive, and Performance) are synced with the three Windows power profiles for easier control.

The Core Ultra 7 258V has been well-benchmarked as it is becoming a common CPU option amongst higher-end ultrathin laptops. Raw processor performance is comparable to last year's Core Ultra 7 155U albeit with much faster integrated NPU and GPU performance fit for Co-Pilot+ and more light-moderate editing workloads, respectively.