Dual-screen laptops make more sense with this spiral notebook-like hinge
Dual-screen laptops make more sense with this spiral notebook-like hinge

          
          
Bulky and striking, the hinge design allows Screen B to flip back and snap onto the backside of Screen A. This setup makes it somewhat easy to share what I'm viewing with someone else. I used this view to show my husband dogs I was interested in adopting. He was able to peruse my potential future children without having to get up from his own system or squeeze in tight next to me.
But before I was able to move Screen B from its default position to this sharing mode, I accidentally sent a pen rolling off the table and nudged a glass; my husband stepped in to pick up the items I didn't see (and admittedly, didn't look for) before adjusting the laptop. In a similar, and potentially easy, oversight, there were times when I closed the laptop with the secondary screen folded backward, leaving Screen B exposed. If I wasn't careful, I easily could have dropped something on or otherwise damaged the second screen. A lid with a screen on both sides calls for extra attentiveness.

A step in the right direction
The X1's integrated second screen does a lot of what I like about dual-screen laptops: It challenges the need for portable monitors. The user experience is similar to what people get when buying a single or dual-portable monitor that attaches to a laptop screen but for much less money.
But dual-screen laptops still have some kinks to work out, including dual-screen adjustability, bezel size, and battery life concerns. For the X1's design, some sort of base or kickstand, even if it were detachable, could also add some stability to the setup.
But while using the X1 makes me feel a little nervous about Screen B wobbling or banging into something, the laptop also makes more sense to me than a laptop without a built-in keyboard. The X1 is imperfect but shows that there are still new approaches to laptop displays. Designs like that of the X1 delve into different approaches for giving people more screen real estate without loading them down with extraneous weight, peripherals, or costs. I'm eager to see how an X1-like design might be improved for those seeking more screen space with minimal sacrifice.
Correction: This article previously stated that Shenzhen Shanminheng Technology Co., Ltd. owns AceMagic; however, an AceMagic rep told us that CTONE does. Shenzhen is a sister company primarily for Amazon stores, per AceMagic's rep. We regret the error. 


          
                  