With foldable smartphones being relatively mainstream now, it'd be relatively easy to forget that the technology that enables those can also be used for other devices. 

Lenovo is one company seeking to adopt these bending displays and sturdy hinges in the laptop market, to give us a folding tablet/laptop that has a variety of different modes and functions. 

Lenovo X1 Fold images photo 6
Lenovo

With its latest ThinkPad X1 Fold model for 2022 - announced during IFA 2022 - it's taken that original concept and upgraded it with some high-end specs, and made it easy-ish to repair.

It starts with a large 16-inch flexible OLED display which then enables the flexible X1 to fold down to the size of a much smaller 12-inch laptop. The idea being you can have a massive laptop screen in your backpack, without it taking up much space.

Lenovo X1 Fold images photo 4
Lenovo

It can be used opened up in portrait or landscape mode to suit whichever program you're running, or you can fold it at an angle and have it as a mini laptop of sorts, complete with an optional physical keyboard that clips over the top of the bottom half. 

Being OLED means it's bright, contrast rich and vibrant, and has the right capabilities to support Dolby Vision content too.

Inside, everything's powered by the Intel Core 12th generation U processor (configurable up to Core i7), up to 32GB LPDDR5 RAM. 

Lenovo X1 Fold images photo 5
Lenovo

There are no fans inside. Instead, Lenovo dissipates heat using graphite and copper sheets, to ensure you don't even need to put up with any noise while working. 

Lenovo has said it's considered the environmental impact of its product too, by offering woven plastic covers made from recycled water bottles. What's more, they can be removed easily for repairs (by authorised repairers). 

It also uses recycled or "post consumer" products in the X1 Fold's power supply and speakers and even built its retail packaging out of bamboo and sugar cane to make it compostable. 

This latest Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold will hit the market in November 2022, with prices starting at a pretty hefty $2499 in the US.