The Nintendo Switch Pro has been rumored for quite some time already, with some reports suggesting it will launch early this year. But officially there's no word from Nintendo. However, some companies are already imaging a beefier Switch-like handheld device. The latest in this trend is the LaVie Mini concept from Lenovo and its sub-brand NEC which was introduced at CES 2021. This netbook-lookalike features a foldable keyboard, an 8" touchscreen, dedicated gaming controller attachments à la Joy-Cons and would weigh 1.28 pounds without these.

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If it were to get produced, the LaVie Mini would pack the following specs:

• 8-inch touchscreen
• 1900x1200 resolution
• Intel 11th-gen i7-1180G7 processors
• 16GB of LPDDR4x 4266MHz RAM
• 256GB m.2 SSD
• Two USB 3.1 and Type-C ports
• An optical touch sensor instead of a trackpad

While it's a concept and might not get mass produced like the UFO from Alienware, other handheld PCs are already on the market like from GPD and AYA-NEO. What do you think of the LaVie Mini concept? Do you wish to see it available for purchase?

SOURCE 1, SOURCE 2

 

[Prans]

I think Alienware already did this, meh

yes, that was the UFO concept. it's mentioned in the article as well.

 

[Deleted User]

This concept has Windows as it premise Operating System and I fail to see what middling PC Gaming title is worth paying for a middling Handheld PC.

In a bubble, it may make some sense, but Nintendo already has a sizeable share of the Market and its own IPs, alongside several Franchise Exclusives and a host of Cross-Platform Titles. That leaves Emulation which are already taken care of by either older versions of Nintendo Handheld Consoles or Smartphones and|or Tablets.

Outside of those, there is very little left and even less that is specifically designed for Gaming on-the-go.
This is another case of not understanding the need to create a unique Gaming Environment to support the hardware.

That said, if Lenovo were to somehow incorporate the Android Operating System into this, alongside the Android Game Library, it would probably be the next hardware cheat sought after by the Mobile Esport Community.

the pc ecosystem is open, you don't have to hack a pc to play emulators like on the switch
plus there's A LOT of games that still aren't on the switch

 

[slaphappygamer]

Only if they incorporate 4K UHD graphix with dot by dot matrix and 300mhz backlit lcd oled liquid metal screen, would I even look. Maybe it’ll play doom pretty well, though.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

isn't the new one going to use amd vega graphics, i know that the win max used a ryzen cpu with vega graphics, which is still miles better than anything intel can crap out

The GPD Win Max used an Intel i5, none of the GPD products use any AMD SoC. The GPD Win 3, which is the newest one, is using the same generation Intel CPU as this concept would.

Also, Intel's new integrated Xe GPUs are much better than potato Intel HD stuff from the last few years, their current Xe GPUs match, and exceed in some cases, AMD's integrated Vega stuff and is said to be about on par with Nvidia's entry level "MX 350" GPU.

 

[Deleted User]

The GPD Win Max used an Intel i5, none of the GPD products use any AMD SoC. The GPD Win 3, which is the newest one, is using the same generation Intel CPU as this concept would.

Also, Intel's new integrated Xe GPUs are much better than potato Intel HD stuff from the last few years, their current Xe GPUs match, and exceed in some cases, AMD's integrated Vega stuff and is said to be about on par with Nvidia's entry level "MX 350" GPU.

are these not "allegations" though? is there actually a cpu with this stuff onboard? also which version of the mx350, there's 2 variants, one's poopoo garbage and one's actually decent

 

[The Catboy]

I am glad this is a concept because it’s ugly as fuck

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

are these not "allegations" though? is there actually a cpu with this stuff onboard? also which version of the mx350, there's 2 variants, one's poopoo garbage and one's actually decent

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel...-96EUs-GPU-Benchmarks-and-Specs.462145.0.html < Intel's Xe GPUs have been out since September, and there are multiple laptops around now with basically the same SoC as the concept.

Not sure what you mean by "two variants" of the MX 350, because uh...there isn't.

 

[Deleted User]

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel...-96EUs-GPU-Benchmarks-and-Specs.462145.0.html < Intel's Xe GPUs have been out since September, and there are multiple laptops around now with basically the same SoC as the concept.

Not sure what you mean by "two variants" of the MX 350, because uh...there isn't.

i might be mistaken for the mx150 then, guess i'm wrong on all fronts. i don't really keep track of laptop hardware too closely so my knowledge is all over the place

 

[TheCosmicWarrior]

View attachment 240916​

The Nintendo Switch Pro has been rumored for quite some time already, with some reports suggesting it will launch early this year. But officially there's no word from Nintendo. However, some companies are already imaging a beefier Switch-like handheld device. The latest in this trend is the LaVie Mini concept from Lenovo and its sub-brand NEC which was introduced at CES 2021. This netbook-lookalike features a foldable keyboard, an 8" touchscreen, dedicated gaming controller attachments à la Joy-Cons and would weigh 1.28 pounds without these.

View attachment 240915 View attachment 240914​

If it were to get produced, the LaVie Mini would pack the following specs:

• 8-inch touchscreen
• 1900x1200 resolution
• Intel 11th-gen i7-1180G7 processors
• 16GB of LPDDR4x 4266MHz RAM
• 256GB m.2 SSD
• Two USB 3.1 and Type-C ports
• An optical touch sensor instead of a trackpad

While it's a concept and might not get mass produced like the UFO from Alienware, other handheld PCs are already on the market like from GPD and AYA-NEO. What do you think of the LaVie Mini concept? Do you wish to see it available for purchase?

SOURCE 1, SOURCE 2

If only it wasn't a Lenovo product. this looks like a dream console

 

[AmandaRose]

For a moment I thought that Lenovo bought NEC.

In 2011 Lenovo and NEC started a new business called Lenovo NEC Holdings to build PCs. Lenovo owns 51% and NEC owns 49% of the business.

 

[Deleted User]

the pc ecosystem is open, you don't have to hack a pc to play emulators like on the switch. plus there's A LOT of games that still aren't on the switch

You also don't need to hack an Android Smartphone nor Tablet to play Emulators, the rationale being most people would already own those before purchasing this Concept Product.

So what is left, after the fact, are PC Titles that middling in performance to be able to run on this; in that scenario, a whole host of normal Laptops would work and are much better suited for the other aspects of the Consumer's life that aren't limited to an 8" Screen for Productivity.

For the Android Smartphone environment, however, 8" is a nice size and suits the established Gaming Environment, hence my suggestion.

 

[Deleted User]

You also don't need to hack an Android Smartphone nor Tablet to play Emulators, the rationale being most people would already own those before purchasing this Concept Product.

So what is left, after the fact, are PC Titles that middling in performance to be able to run on this; in that scenario, a whole host of normal Laptops would work and are much better suited for the other aspects of the Consumer's life that aren't limited to an 8" Screen for Productivity.

For the Android Smartphone environment, however, 8" is a nice size and suits the established Gaming Environment, hence my suggestion.

m8 you're missing out on like 20 years worth of games that don't run on android or the switch, native pc games, that wouldn't run middlingly on such low end hardware
laptops also tend to be huge and unwieldy, compared to an 8" something orother that does the same tasks anyway

 

[Frankbel]

The GPD Win Max used an Intel i5, none of the GPD products use any AMD SoC. The GPD Win 3, which is the newest one, is using the same generation Intel CPU as this concept would.

Also, Intel's new integrated Xe GPUs are much better than potato Intel HD stuff from the last few years, their current Xe GPUs match, and exceed in some cases, AMD's integrated Vega stuff and is said to be about on par with Nvidia's entry level "MX 350" GPU.

That's the reason I am upgrading to Dell xps 9310.

 

[Deleted User]

m8 you're missing out on like 20 years worth of games that don't run on android or the switch, native pc games, that wouldn't run middlingly on such low end hardware

People who want to play 20 years' worth of old PC titles or have any memory of them whatsoever would already be playing them on their cheaper and price-conscious hardware, even an old laptop hanging around that can't keep up with Windows Updates.

I'm curious, though, what is your sales pitch to new users with this product.
"Here's a 2021 piece of kit with an 8" Screen that does a 2-Decade backlog of PC Games justice; you might need to squint for school and office work but those 20 years that you weren't probably alive for are worth it, Mate."

 

[Delerious]

Okay. But will people actually buy it?

 

[Deleted User]

People who want to play 20 years' worth of old PC titles or have any memory of them whatsoever would already be playing them on their cheaper and price-conscious hardware, even an old laptop hanging around that can't keep up with Windows Updates.

I'm curious, though, what is your sales pitch to new users with this product.
"Here's a 2021 piece of kit with an 8" Screen that does a 2-Decade backlog of PC Games justice; you might need to squint for school and office work but those 20 years that you weren't probably alive for are worth it, Mate."

who says that people playing their long ass backlog of games has to use price conscious hardware? same goes for console games, some people spend way too much on retro consoles and retro games just to play those games semi properly lol

 

[eriol33]

I doubt it could find a market.

 

[SecureBoot]

great another shit handheld to play INDIES on

Where there is gaming news, there is Blade to complain about indie games.

 

[Deleted User]

That controller doesn't look too comfortable.

 

[orangy57]

I love little weird PCs like this. I hope someday a company will consider trying something like the OQO UMPC since we now have the technology and small enough CPUs to make a PC of that size feasible.