Don’t get it twisted: size matters. But short of lugging around ridiculously bulky contraptions that resemble surveillance tech from 90s action flicks starring Christian Slater, there’s only so much you can do if you want an XL laptop display on the go. Until now with the Spacetop.
Leveraging the non-invasive power of augmented reality (AR), this $60 million plus product of Tel Aviv-based startup Sightful has scrapped the traditional clamshell form factor of your conventional laptops and replaced the display component with a pair of customised NReal AR glasses.
Paired to the keyboard, essentially, rather than having to rely to the limited dimensions of a physical screen, next-gen desk jockeys from all across the globe will soon be able to enjoy a generous 100 inches of visual real estate, curved around your point of view in every direction.
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So what’s the trade off? As form has obviously been prioritised over function, the Spacetop is powered by the equivalent to smartphone hardware from 2020. Key specs include the following:
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 CPU
- Adren 650 GPU
- 8GB RAM
- 256GB storage
- 5-hour battery life (fast-charging supported)
… meaning you probably won’t be undertaking any hardware intensive duties, i.e. graphic design, 4K video editing, serious gaming.
That being said, virtual screen aside, it’s pretty damn portable. The keyboard measures 10.47 inches wide by 9.8 inches deep with a height of 1.57 inches; and weighs an incredibly negligible 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) without the NReal glasses (which adds an extra 0.2 lbs).
Whether you think that’s worth coughing up US$2,000 for, however, is entirely up to you. Hit the link below to apply for early access to Sightful’s Spacetop.
