Something I found out the hard way: Smart PCs need smart ecosystems.
In the early 1990s, when I was still running my own startup, laptops were just starting to take off. We knew they were the future, and we built our business around that conviction. I flew to London for a critical investor pitch, carrying one of our newest laptop models. It was sleek, powerful, ahead of its time. The product was strong, the business case was clear.
But then the real world got in the way.
The meeting room had a fixed projector with a VGA input I couldn’t access directly. I had no external mouse, no keyboard. I spent half the meeting trying to get the presentation to display properly on the tiny built-in screen. There was no audio output. I ended up hunched over a single machine, squinting at slides, narrating a future that was held back by the present.
I somehow survived that scramble, but no one should have to do that today.
That moment taught me something I have carried with me since: even the most advanced device is only as effective as the ecosystem that surrounds it.
What failed that day wasn’t the laptop…it was the experience.
The problem with device-centric thinking
Too often, our technology conversations have focused on what a single device can do. This ultra-thin phone, AI-powered PC, voice-integrated tablet or cutting-edge smart display is going to change the whole game.
We add more cores, more RAM, more display pixels. At Lenovo, we regularly push those boundaries and even redefine form factors, yes. But we never stop there because we know that smarter tools for better personalization, productivity, and creativity are important.
In today’s world, we’ve realized that’s just one key piece of the puzzle. That fact is, people work across screens, across rooms, across cities, and across countries. They move from home to office, from shared spaces to solo work sessions.
A powerful stand-alone device still matters — and it may sit at the heart of your productivity and creativity. But it’s not enough and never has been. Today’s workflows demand fluidity, adaptability, and interoperability. Whether you’re a hybrid worker, a remote teacher, a traveling consultant, or a startup founder, what matters is that everything just works.
Smarter devices need smarter ecosystems
At Lenovo, we’re reimagining how we design accessories and monitors to build a smarter, connected ecosystem. Our strategy focuses on creating real-world setups that work seamlessly.
As AI PCs become more capable in analyzing context, optimizing workflows, and enabling real-time creation, the bar raises for the entire experience. The intelligence doesn’t stop at the PC; it flows through every connected device.
This shift drives our approach:
- PC + Monitor + Accessories = One Experience.
- Smart docks, modular stacks, and AI-optimized tools need to adapt to any work style.
- Displays and input devices do more than function – they actively support the user.
An on-the-go setup
Our workflows need to stand up to the pressure of live presentations or virtual workshops, the unpredictability of travel, or the long hours of remote collaboration. What’s why when designing our monitors and accessories, our team focused on a range of real-life scenarios. One was a consultant who moved between client offices, airports, and coworking spaces. She doesn’t have a fixed desk, but she needs a dual-screen setup, seamless connectivity, and quality audio for presentations and video calls.
Her Lenovo setup might include a ThinkVision M14t Gen 2 Mobile Monitor that weighs less than some hardcover books, a portable Lenovo Multi-Device Wireless Mouse and TWS Earbuds (ThinkPad X9 Edition) great for carrying anywhere, and a compact Lenovo Charging GaN Dock that combines a power charger and connectivity hub into a single device. Altogether, that’s under 3kg for all this easily carried tech. With this setup, she can turn hotel desks, client tables, or even quiet airport lounges into high-functioning workspaces without sacrificing portability.
The fixed, high-performance desk
When we looked at more stationary users, it’s clear that fixed setups come with their own set of challenges. Remote creators and educators often juggle multiple tasks, from delivering lessons and running livestreams to managing content and video calls. All from the same desk.
These users — and many professionals as well — don’t just put a laptop on their desk and call it a day. At least, I hope they don’t! They build full setups that may include dual or triple monitors, docking stations, laptop fans for thermal control, tablets for side-by-side referencing, external cameras for high-quality video, and modular audio gear.
Our portfolio team studied how remote educators and digital creators used their dedicated home studio for teaching, streaming and content production. This user’s desk is their studio, their classroom, and their control room.
A full Lenovo setup is built around consistency and clarity. A high-resolution ThinkVision monitor ensures lessons look professional, while a modular ThinkVision webcam and soundbar stack keeps speakers centered on screen and heard clearly by students. A wireless headset and self-charging solar-powered keyboard powered by ambient light remove common interruptions, so they don’t have to take charging breaks or fiddle with connections. And with a single plug into a universal dock, display, audio, inputs and power comes to life at once.
This kind of setup also works well in private school classrooms that support hybrid teaching, coworking spaces with dedicated creator stations and office environments designed around flexible, shared desks.
Why this matters
Beyond just advancing the PC, we’re building a smarter ecosystem that boosts productivity, supports creativity, and fits seamlessly into real-world work and life.
In mobility scenarios, we help professionals work without friction. In fixed settings, we provide scalable, intelligent setups that simplify deployment, enhance user experience, and support centralized IT oversight.
The PC may remain at the center of how we work, create, and connect. But what’s changing is everything around it.
What that pitch in London taught me
That investor pitch in London years ago taught me something I have never forgotten: success often depends on whether your setup can keep up with the moment. And back then, many of us had to scramble.
Since then, three principles have stayed with me:
- A powerful computing device needs a connected ecosystem to reach its full potential.
- Accessories and monitors aren’t add-ons. They’re part of a better experience.
- A great setup should adapt as fast as its user does.
That’s what we are building now. Today, I can sit down at any desk, connect instantly, extend my display, sync my input devices, and be fully operational in seconds. Thirty years ago, I would have been very envious of the full ecosystem of devices available to today’s workforce!
That’s the kind of experience Lenovo is designing for: not just faster, but smarter, more intuitive, and ready the moment you are.
