This laptop design includes a rollable display that extends horizontally.

      Compal Electronics has unveiled the Infinite Laptop, a concept device with a display that expands horizontally from 14 inches to 18 inches. In contrast to most expandable display concepts that extend vertically, Compal's design enhances screen width, providing a wider aspect ratio that could improve multitasking, content creation, and entertainment experiences. The mechanism extends from both sides, ensuring structural integrity and durability when fully opened.

      Additionally, the laptop is equipped with LED arrays on the lid, capable of displaying notifications such as emails or system alerts. While this feature is not crucial, it allows for quick, glanceable updates without the need to open the device.

      Compal Electronics is not the first company to explore expandable laptop screens. Lenovo has also introduced similar concepts, such as the ThinkBook Plus Rollable and the newly revealed ThinkBook Flip, both of which investigate various methods to increase screen size while ensuring portability. Lenovo's designs tend to emphasize secondary or folding displays, while Compal's Infinite Laptop focuses on a continuous, side-expanding mechanism.

      Importantly, Compal has earned an IF Design Award for this innovation, indicating that the concept may soon be realized. As an Original Design Manufacturer (ODM), Compal generally develops prototypes instead of marketing products under its own brand. The Infinite Laptop, akin to many of Compal's previous concepts, may act as a reference design for major brands like Dell, HP, or Lenovo, which could refine the concept for commercial release. Although the company has not disclosed technical specifications, it seems likely that the extending display will utilize a rollable OLED panel.

      While it remains unclear if this specific design will go into mass production, expandable displays are increasingly attracting interest in the laptop industry. As manufacturers seek new ways to boost productivity while maintaining portability, concepts like the Infinite Laptop could influence the future of laptop design, especially for users requiring larger workspaces on demand without needing multiple devices.

      Kunal Khullar is a computing writer at Digital Trends, contributing to various topics such as CPUs, GPUs, monitors, and more.

      2023 is projected to be a significant year for laptops featuring foldable screens, with industry analyst Ross Young predicting at least seven foldable laptops to be released. The founder of the Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) research firm has noted that the foldable laptop market is anticipated to evolve next year, with more companies introducing variants of portable computers with flexible displays.

      One of the most awaited laptops of 2022 is finally set to launch this month. Asus has announced that its unique foldable laptop, the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED, will be released on August 31 at 5 a.m. PDT. The laptop was initially showcased at CES 2022 in January, with plans for a mid-year announcement. However, those plans have been postponed until the IFA 2022 conference, scheduled from September 2 to September 6, according to Notebookcheck.

      Dell has announced updates to its 17-inch Alienware laptops, which now feature the first 480Hz screens ever available on gaming laptops. This option is now available for the previously announced Alienware x17 R2 and will debut on the all-AMD Alienware m17 R5. Earlier this year, we had a glimpse of 480Hz laptop displays in May, but their market arrival was unexpected so soon. As observed earlier, the Alienware laptops come with Full HD resolution to achieve the high refresh rate, although the response times are slightly higher than what gamers might typically expect, at 3ms compared to the usual 1ms.