Lenovo IdeaCentre K210
Expanding its desktop line, Lenovo has unleashed its consumer-focused IdeaCentre series. The IdeaCentre K210 competes head-to-head with popular budget PCs from Dell, HP, and eMachines. While it’s on a par with these systems in performance, it excels in features by including things like an antibacterial keyboard and face-recognition security. It’s new design, balance of features and performance, expandability, and low price all come together to make this our new Editors’ Choice winner for value desktop PCs.
If it weren’t for the embossed logos on the front and side chassis, you might not recognize this PC as a Lenovo. The design, complete with two-tone colors and chrome-esque accents, is a departure from the bland aesthetics of Lenovo’s well-known business systems. The K210’s overall look has major consumer appeal that puts it in line with consumer offerings from Dell and HP.
Like the eMachines T5274, the IdeaCentre K210 is powered by an Intel Pentium Dual E2180 running at 2.0 GHz. The Dual E2180 is basically a pared-down Core 2 Duo (based on the Allendale core) that uses less cache (a total of 1MB) and runs on a slightly slower system bus (800 MHz). Although it’s no powerhouse, it can easily handle general tasks, like Web browsing, and even light touch-up jobs in Adobe Photoshop.
The IdeaCentre’s 2GB of system RAM is becoming a standard in Vista value systems, while its Intel GMA 3100 graphics are limited to the casual gaming crowd—those who play online Web-based games, like poker and Tetris, that don’t require a video card capable of rendering 3D. There is a 320GB SATA hard drive that should satisfy the average home user’s digital storage needs for years, and an easily accessible multicard reader, which accepts Compact Flash, XD, SD, Memory Stick, comes in handy for quick downloads/uploads. The multi-dual-layer DVD +/- RW drive is well suited to movie viewing and archiving data.
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