Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold, Acer ConceptD 7 Ezel, Xiaomi Mi 11, and more: ZDNet's reviews roundup

The ThinkPad X1 Fold's signature folding screen worked faultlessly and is a marvel. That said, there are some significant usability issues to contend with, such as the poor mini-keyboard, a dearth of ports and connectors, and moderate battery life. Factor in the price, which is high, and it's hard to recommend the ThinkPad X1 Fold.

For more see: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold review: An innovative shape-shifting tablet/laptop

This is an impressively lightweight convertible 13.3-inch laptop, with slim bezels giving it a decent screen-to-body ratio (81.3%). Knowledge workers can expect all-day battery life and a bit more, and the fast charge capability is a plus point. It functions well in tablet mode, but the attachment method for the provided stylus is clunky.

For more see: Dynabook Portégé X30W-J-10C review: A featherweight 2-in-1 with all-day battery life

Not everyone will require an adjustable 'Ezel' display. However, the versatile display and impressive performance of Acer's ConceptD 7 Ezel will have a lot of appeal for designers who need a powerful digital drawing board that's suitable for working at home or in the office.

For more see: Acer ConceptD 7 Ezel review: A multi-mode creator laptop with impressive GPU performance

A very thin, light and elegant-looking second touch-screen. Available in either 13.3-inch (£249/$299) or 15.6-inch (£279/$349) sizes, the Espresso Display is only 5.5mm thick and weighs 710g or 920g respectively. If you spend extra on the MountGo stand, and get used to a lower resolution than your laptop, the Espresso Display is a decent way to stretch out a little.

For more see: Espresso Display, hands on: A slim and stylish external touch-screen

The Xiaomi Mi 11 showcases the new Snapdragon 888 chipset, with high-end features – particularly the 120Hz AMOLED screen. The camera array is well thought-out, and while battery life isn't stellar, thanks to the high-end chipset and display, fitting in a larger battery would have been quite a challenge. Xiaomi has done well to hit such a competitive price point.

For more see: Xiaomi Mi 11 review: Snapdragon 888 chipset, 120Hz OLED screen, 108MP camera, all at a good price

The Poly Sync 20 can't be described as 'affordable' at £161.95/$169.55, but it does effectively straddle work and leisure use cases. It's nicely designed, the touch controls are intuitive to work with, and the ability to charge a handset could come in useful.

For more see: Poly Sync 20, hands on: Portable sound for work and play

Logitech's latest trackball, the Ergo M575, costs £44.99 (inc. VAT) or $49.99. We found using the Ergo M575 to be a smooth and trouble-free experience. The two large buttons deliver a satisfying 'click', while the small buttons respond with a quiet 'thunk'. You can refine accuracy up to 2000dpi, although the 400dpi default will be enough for most users. 

For more see: Logitech Ergo M575, hands on: An affordable ergonomic wireless trackball

The diskAshur M2 offers a welcome combination of features from iStorage's previous SSD and USB stick models: the one-time PIN from earlier diskAshur models and the protective cover from datAshur. It's also smaller, neater and more rugged than earlier offerings. But the interface continues to be opaque and occasionally frustrating.

For more see: diskAshur M2, hands on: A sturdy and secure SSD, with a frustrating user interface