Jabra and Lenovo are expanding their collaboration to offer a second-generation videoconferencing meeting room solution—the Jabra PanaCast 50 Room System 2, optimized for heavy AI workload and offering greater flexibility and a simplified user experience.
[Videoconferencing Industry in Same Sandbox but with Different Toys]
“As hybrid work continues to evolve, so do the demands for how teams connect and collaborate, especially with the increasing use of AI-enhanced tools," said Holger Reisinger, SVP enterprise video business unit at Jabra. "We’re proud to collaborate with Lenovo on the second generation of the Jabra PanaCast 50 Room System to deliver an AI-optimized, future-ready solution. Together, we’re equipping meeting spaces with more compute power, greater flexibility and more options to support seamless and inclusive collaboration in any environment.”
The new solution retains Jabra’s 180-degree panoramic 4K plug-and-play video solution, the Jabra PanaCast 50, while introducing the Lenovo ThinkSmart Core Gen 2—an AI-optimized compute device built for demanding meeting room workloads. It also features two new touchscreen controller options, a USB and IP version, providing flexibility for various room setups and ensuring easy installation. The PanaCast 50 Room System 2 is designed to elevate Microsoft Teams Rooms setups, so teams can connect, share and collaborate seamlessly and with enhanced security features.
The Jabra PanaCast 50 Room System 2 meets a growing need for simple, reliable technology that supports better hybrid meetings. Research shows that remote participants feel more included, more focused and less fatigued when high-quality audio and video are used in meeting rooms. By collaborating with Lenovo, Jabra is offering a solution that delivers the clarity, flexibility and control needed to make meetings more inclusive and effective for everyone—whether they’re in the room or joining remotely.
Future-Proof Video Conferencing Solution
The PanaCast 50 Room System 2 delivers targeted improvements to address the evolving demands of hybrid work and the increasing use of AI-enhanced collaboration tools. As workplaces adopt more AI-driven features to improve productivity and communication, the system’s infrastructure must keep pace. While the PanaCast 50 video bar remains unchanged delivering AI-powered 4K video and crystal-clear audio, the new bundle introduces a more powerful Lenovo compute device optimized for AI-heavy workloads and two Lenovo controller options to provide greater flexibility and adaptability.
The Lenovo ThinkSmart Core Gen 2 is purpose-built to handle the increasingly heavy AI workloads with faster AI processing. The compute device is powered by Intel Core Ultra 5 processors, improving video, audio and AI performance, while reducing power consumption by up to 40% for increased energy efficiency.
Giving a more flexible and seamless experience, the compute device also now features USB-C integration, so users easily can share their screen, charge their laptop or run a meeting in BYOD (bring your own device) mode, which enables access to the PanaCast 50 video bar from any platform.
Furthermore, it comes with several hardware improvements. It features a more functional cable cover that users can slide open, ideal for behind-the-display installations where there isn’t enough space to open a lid. Additionally, it includes a detachable cable management tray, which is beneficial for placing compute devices in areas with very limited space. Lastly, it comes with a power adapter cage for easy cable management when mounting.
To meet different room configurations and budget needs, the system now offers two new touch controller options. A simple plug-and-play USB touch controller for straightforward deployments, the Lenovo Thinksmart USB controller, and a flexible network-based IP touch controller, the Lenovo IP controller, for high-performance environments giving flexibility in installation as this touch controller can be placed up to 100 meters from the compute device.
“Hybrid collaboration is evolving fast, and meeting spaces need solutions that are ready for what’s next with AI-enabled applications and features," said Marcus Kennedy, general manager, commercial solutions at Lenovo. "Together with Jabra, Lenovo has created a system that brings advanced compute power and greater flexibility together with industry leading Video experience—helping teams connect more easily and work more effectively from anywhere.”