A company called Expanscape created the device most like the Inspector Gadget that I’ve ever seen. It’s a prototype laptop called Aurora 7 (a working title) and attached to its huge black chassis case are six extra monitors that extend in all directions from the main screen, each showing its own windows and apps.
If you’re like me, the first thought that comes to mind is “that poor hinge!” Yes, poor hinge, indeed. Many laptop hinges don’t quite support having a connected screen, let alone seven. Linked to the 17.3-inch 4K main screen are three other screens of the same size and resolution. Above the left and right displays is a single seven-inch 1200p monitor. You’ll also find another 1200p seven-inch touchscreen mounted on the palm rest. This prototype weighs about 26 pounds and is 4.3 inches thick. It has an imposing and intimidating presence, and I have never seen it in person.
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Which GPU is responsible for powering your four 4K monitors? Nothing less than the mid-range Nvidia GTX 1060, which is not exactly a powerhouse. It also features an Intel Core i9-9900K processor and 64 GB of RAM. You can find more specifications here. In future reviews, Expanscape wants to use the Nvidia RTX 2070, with options for the AMD Ryzen 9 3950x or Intel i9-10900K processor.
Even though it is built primarily to be a mobile security operations station (and stays connected almost all the time), it may also be able to run some games. Gizmodo noticed in your article about this gadget that your current prototype can last only an hour before the battery cries for more energy, which is frankly more than I expected. It uses a 148Wh secondary battery just to power its additional monitors, and this is above the FAA’s legal limit for flying on an airplane. Expanscape says it is working to remedy this in future prototypes. In other words, the company is committed to allowing you to to bring a seven-screen laptop to an airplane. You would probably have to buy an entire row of seats to have the space needed to use it, however. (If you’re reading this in the future, take a picture of one if you see it on your plane.)
Of course, Aurora 7 looks rougher than Razer’s triple-screen Project Valerie laptop a few years ago. Still, Expanscape says it is really willing to sell this thing, which is more than Razer can say about its Valerie concept. If you want to buy one, Expanscape says it can help interested parties book a prototype for their next revision. As for the price, the company will ask you to sign a confidentiality agreement, prohibiting you from publicly sharing the cost. This does not bode well for the bank account.
I look forward to hearing more about future revisions of Aurora 7, especially if it receives a button that makes all screens open in a comical way. It currently looks like an extremely manual process.