March 15, 2009

Lenovo IdeaCentre A600
By Billy Joe I. Allardo
Published in the December 2008-January 2009 print edition of PC World Philippines

P46,112
www.lenovo.com/ph

There is no need to explain – space is essential to offices. This is the reason why a number of companies have been replacing their bulky CRTs with slimmer LCDs and if their budget allows them, desktops with notebook PCs.

However, notebooks still have a number of disadvantages compared to their desktop kin. Foremost is the need for long uptimes, particularly if you need to download or transmit big files that require a night or a couple of days to complete. Another is the necessity to upgrade in order to improve performance and meet current demands, which is too darn hard or impossible to do with a notebook. Hence, PC manufacturers have been churning out small form factor (SFF) PCs in order to meet the demand of space-saving and rigorous computing environments.

Among the current SFF PC options available in the market today is the Lenovo ThinkCentre M57p Ultra. It comes primarily in matte black, dousing it with an esoteric charm that has been the mark of Lenovo desktop and notebook. Accentuating it is a mesh front that doubles as a simple ploy to cool the PC.

By default, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M57p Ultra comes with a 3GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 processor and 1GB DDR2 memory. For storage, it has a 160GB 7200RPM hard drive with integrated Intel GMA 3100 and Pro 1000T Gigabit controllers for graphics processing and networking, respectively. Also bundled are a laser mouse and a USB keyboard.

However, you can still customize the M57p Ultra’s spec at the point of sale to fit the buyer’s needs. One of the notable enhancements includes the Intel ADD2 DVI-D Adapter that provides extra connectivity to another display.

The unit we had came with an extra gigabyte of memory and double the stock storage capacity. It also came with a 19-inch LCD. However, you need to shell out extra for the display, as it is not part of the package. The only issue I had with Lenovo ThinkCentre M57p Ultra is that it needs to use an AC adapter to run, similar to a notebook PC. It somewhat eats a tad of space that the PC aims to not use. On the other hand, it does save internal space and lowers the temperature from inside the case.

Due to its wee form, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M57p Ultra costs a bit higher than the usual desktop package. Despite the aforementioned snags, I enjoyed using the ultra SFF. It offers a light punch when it comes to games, but this PC packs enough grit for tedious office tasks. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M57p Ultra angles well not only for offices, but also for mobile users who need to setup a remote office and be up for extended periods.