This Prototype Takes The Nintendo Switch Concept One Step Further
What if the Nintendo Switch could also act as a personal computer? Lenovo has imagined just that by announcing a prototype called the LaVie Mini. Described by the company as "the concept convertible PC offering huge possibilities and gaming connectivity," the LaVie Mini takes everything that makes the Switch great and builds on it. For one thing, the LaVie Mini has added an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 mobile processor and Intel Iris Xe graphics. The small computer would feature a backlit keyboard with round keys and a detachable gaming controller to make gaming on the go a breeze.
The unit weighs only 1.26 pounds, not too much heavier than the Switch itself. Just like the Switch, the LaVie Mini can be placed in a dock to play games on a television with an HDMI port. Unlike the Switch, the LaVie Mini offers multiple input and output options, including USB-C. The dock can also serve as a charging station. Gamers who like a few extra options may find these aspects of the LaVie Mini most appealing.
The LaVie Mini's gaming controller has an almost identical layout to the Nintendo Switch, with a joystick on either side of the screen, a D-pad on the left side, shoulder buttons, four buttons on the right hand side, and small buttons on the inside corners of both sides of the controller. However, Lenovo does not mention a price for the LaVie Mini in the specs, and handheld gaming can be costly. However, the LaVie Mini concept also boosts impressive features like touchless login and Modern Standby, which the Switch does not currently offer. These features highlight the fact that this device is, at the end of the day, a computer, not a dedicated gaming console.
As of now, the LaVie Mini does not have an official release date, but the prototype has gamers talking nonetheless. Hopefully, even if the LaVie Mini does not support Nintendo games, it will at least support Netflix, unlike the Switch. Of course, people have used jailbreaking to make their consoles do far more than intended, so the precise need for Lenovo's tiny gaming computer is debatable.
In the meantime, handheld gaming fans can fantasize about owning a custom Nintendo Switch or a Nintendo Switch Pro while they wait for more information on the Lenovo LaVie Mini. Of course, the LaVie Mini likely won't have the dedicated game library of the Nintendo Switch. However, as games move the way of cloud gaming, who knows what could happen.