10 Laptops With The Most Interesting Features

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

To many people, the only difference between a laptop and a desktop PC is the former's portability. You wouldn't need to rely on a full-sized computer's durability as much as a laptop's, which is why the most reliable laptop brands are taken into careful consideration by many buyers. However, laptops have their own unique capabilities, allowing them to boast features that few other machines can match. In fact, some laptops are special because they're more similar to desktops, standing above similar devices thanks to performance-boosting enhancements.

What makes a laptop truly "interesting" is subjective, but there are a few that stand out for various reasons. Some might have improved visuals that can't normally be found in their form factor, while others might take things a step further with truly innovative hardware. If you decide to get one of these for yourself, you'll almost certainly be using it differently from any other laptop you'll see.

The Asus Zenbook Duo takes the idea of a dual-monitor setup and applies it to a laptop. It includes a pair of connected screens that detach from the keyboard, both allowing for touch controls and featuring OLED technology. You can orient these screens in plenty of different ways, or even use one as a keyboard on its own. As noted in our Asus Zenbook Duo review, the laptop comes with specialized software to make sure everything runs smoothly no matter how you use both screens.

Keep in mind, though, that a laptop with two screens can be pretty cumbersome. The design and weight were some negative points in our review, with a notable issue being that the displays don't sit flush with one another. You probably won't run into any problems with build quality, but you still want to handle this device with care. Considering the near-$2,000 price tag, it's worth avoiding a mishap with one of the displays — even if the other can still pull its weight.

If the Zenbook Duo was the laptop equivalent of a Nintendo DS, then Acer's ConceptD 7 SpatialLabs Edition isn't too far from a 3DS. In other words, this laptop features 3D visuals without the need for special glasses. With this, you'll be able to see objects popping out at you in regular programs and even in games, with some specialized software letting you create your own 3D media. The technology found in the ConceptD 7 was later brought to other Acer laptops, allowing more powerful specs to take the unique screen as far as it could go.

Unfortunately, these 3D laptops aren't without their problems. Our Acer Predator Helios 300 SpatialLabs Edition review mentioned a lack of universal support for the technology, with major crashes in games that were supposedly compatible. Its pricing comes in around $4,000, so a lack of stability really hurts this type of laptop more than most. Around half of that cost is solely due to the 3D screen, and while there are dedicated monitors that can offer a similar experience, you won't have much luck finding another laptop that's built with glasses-less 3D in mind.

In a trend started by smartphones in recent years, certain laptops now include foldable screens, allowing you to close the display in on itself. Lenovo was one of the first companies to make a laptop that could do this, with our Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold 16 review praising the device's unique versatility. Its size and use of a magnetic keyboard allow you to fit it just about anywhere, and it does all this without sacrificing good looks, thanks to an OLED panel. Unfortunately, it normally costs around as much as the aforementioned SpatialLabs laptops, and it doesn't have nearly as much overall strength.

Today, Lenovo isn't the only manufacturer that provides foldable laptops. Asus was able to throw its hat in the ring with the Zenbook Fold, which includes a lot of similar features and layouts. Its price and specs share similarities as well, lacking a dedicated graphics card while still having a cost of over $3,000. Like the other laptops mentioned earlier, most of this cost comes from nothing more than the screen itself, so you'll have to decide if these rare capabilities are worth the dent in your wallet.

The Framework laptops attempt to eliminate a key flaw of devices like it. While most laptops don't allow any sort of upgrades whatsoever, Framework has sought to provide options that you can customize later down the line. On top of a more powerful graphics card, users can swap out the keyboard and even the ports for a wider variety of inputs and connections. You can even have the laptop shipped to you in pieces, allowing it to be built step-by-step like a custom PC.

Framework offers smaller laptops alongside its more capable 16-inch model, but these have some notable limits on customization. Only the Framework Laptop 16 allows you to upgrade its graphics module, and other bonuses like a keyboard numpad can't fit on the alternatives. The larger version is perfectly capable when it comes to gaming, though it isn't going to blow minds in terms of overall performance or cooling. Of course, considering it's a completely modular laptop, that fact is almost certain to change in the future.

The most unique thing about the Lenovo Legion 9i is actually a feature you'll find in a large number of modern desktop PCs. This laptop is one of the few to feature liquid cooling, which helps bring its performance in line with most high-end PCs. While it boasts a hefty price tag that rivals its 3D and foldable counterparts, this device actually has the power to back up its cost. Seeing as how it includes one of the most powerful GPUs found in a laptop to date, that liquid cooling is more than just a bullet point.

Our Lenovo Legion 9i review confirmed the laptop's power, with it managing to make modern games playable at their absolute max settings. Overheating was no issue whatsoever, even with the high-resolution display pushing the components to their limits. There have been other liquid-cooled laptops in the past, including the Asus ROG GX800, but you aren't going to get your hands on one as capable as the Legion 9i any time soon.

The Acer Swift Go 14 is, admittedly, not quite as exciting as most other laptops mentioned here. However, it does have one unique feature in the form of light-up media controls built directly into its touchpad, allowing you to easily take control of whatever you're watching at your leisure. It's a very simple addition to a device that's not particularly innovative otherwise, but this also means its price stays under $1,000. If all you're looking for in a laptop is to watch your favorite movies wherever you like, there are few alternatives as attractive as this one.

Interestingly, this type of touchpad hasn't been imitated by any other laptop on the market today. If you want media controls on something other than the Swift Go 14, you'll need to find a device that has physical buttons for them. Of course, physical buttons might end up being more reliable in the long run, and users have had some trouble fitting the touchpad controls to their needs. Even so, it's a nice extra feature to have on a relatively inexpensive laptop, especially for casual users who don't need high-end hardware for their day-to-day lives.

Although Alienware didn't rank too highly when looking at every major gaming laptop brand, the m18 R2 manages to stand out thanks to its pure strength. On paper, it looks like just about any other high-performance laptop, able to boast some of the strongest components on the market today. However, if you're willing to bring its resolution down a bit, you can bump its refresh rate all the way up to 480hz. Only other Alienware laptops have managed to hit this refresh rate, making them the fastest displays found in this form factor.

There was actually a 600hz laptop display unveiled a few years ago, but no actual laptops have included it in their design. The most viable rivals are only able to reach 360hz, and many of them don't even have the strength to rival the m18 R2. Even when looking at dedicated monitors, only a select few are able to reach similarly high numbers, though they do also boast higher resolutions. Simply put, if you want the absolute best screen for competitive shooters and other titles that rely on refresh rates, Alienware's m18 R2 is one of the greatest options you'll find.

While it lacks a great deal of performance, Purism's Librem line is practically unmatched when it comes to security. In 2020, the Purism Librem 14 brought hardware kill switches to a bigger laptop than anything before it, allowing users to control when their computer can access the microphone and camera. It even takes things a step further with a custom-built Linux OS to maximize how secure your files are. Combine that with hardware keys and physical anti-tampering measures, and you're unlikely to find any similar laptop with so much security out of the box.

Many of Purism's other products are just as focused on privacy, including custom-made smartphones and mini PCs. As for the Librem 14 itself, some users have noted issues with build quality, including its lack of repairability and the company's poor customer service. While it's able to act as a secure device, you probably shouldn't expect a lot more out of this laptop. Of course, for users who want the best privacy and security possible, this laptop is likely to be more than satisfactory.

While it didn't make our pick as the best laptop for SlashGear's Best of CES 2024, Lenovo's ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid ended up being listed as our choice for best tablet. That's because, as the name implies, it's actually two devices in one, with the screen alone functioning as a dedicated tablet with Android functionality. When connected to the keyboard, it becomes an Intel-powered laptop, and that keyboard can even connect to other displays to continue normal use on its own. If you'd like, you could even split the two devices and hand one off to a friend or family member.

This ThinkBook Plus was designed with the extra tablet functionality in mind, being custom-made to let you continue your work on either device instantly. It's not the most well-integrated solution, but it's more capable than trying to mix a dedicated laptop and tablet together. It's also notably more expensive at over $2,000, but if you have a hard time sticking to one device anyway, this all-in-one solution could be worth the additional cost.

As a more recent addition to the lineup of unique laptops, Lenovo's ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable takes even more liberties with its choice of screen. At the press of a button, users can extend the display's size from 14 inches to nearly 17 inches, storing the extra screen space underneath the keyboard when it's not in use. It's a way for the device to maintain its compact size while still providing plenty of visual real estate for your programs and media. The spread of rollable displays has only just begun, and the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 is the first laptop to take advantage of them.

This laptop is scheduled for release in June 2025, and its cost — like many other laptops with unique screens — is set at over $3,000. Many of these more innovative products end up with a massive price tag for those who want to get in on the action while it's still brand-new, which can ruin the excitement a bit when you look at each device's unimpressive specs. Still, it will likely be a few years at best before a cheaper laptop is able to boast anything as special as a rollable screen. If you get your hands on one and other products don't build on its capabilities, you might be one of just a few people in the world to experience this kind of unique technology.