The Lenovo IdeaCentre B540 ($899 list) is a moderately priced touch-screen all-in-one desktop PC with a decent, if unremarkable, feature set. For about $900, you get a full touch-screen Windows 8 experience on a nicely equipped, nicely designed system. It's missing a couple of future-proofing items like HDMI-in and DX11 graphics, but the B540 is certainly a decent enough machine for today, and one of the least expensive ways to get a full 1080p HD 23-inch touch-screen PC into your home.
Design and Features
Some might call the design monolithic, some might call it a black vertical slab. Whatever it is, the IdeaCentre B540 looks kind of like a mid-market HDTV, with a standard two feet and easel stand design. Its seamless glass lets you drag your fingers all over the screen, bringing up Windows 8 features like the Charms bar and the full list of apps from the Start screen. There's a little bit of drag on your finger, but otherwise the touch-screen sensors are plenty sensitive and accurate enough. The screen measures 23 inches and has 10-finger touch functionality, so you can share the screen if you're close to the person sitting next to you.
The B540 has a 1,920 by 1,080 screen, the native resolution for 1080p online videos. Unfortunately, it lacks a Blu-ray drive, so you'll need to use an external optical drive for Blu-ray movies. The screen looks fine playing back DVD movies with the tray-loading DVD burner. The screen is certainly large enough for the touch interface, particularly when you are in desktop mode, using older pre-Windows 8 programs.
The system comes with a wireless mouse and keyboard, which is pretty standard for all-in-one desktops these days. The keyboard's key caps use Lenovo's standard curved design, which is very comfortable to type on. The USB dongle for the mouse and keyboard fits snuggly in any of the system's four USB 2.0 ports. The B540 also has a pair of USB 3.0 ports, but they are on the back panel; they would be more convenient for external drives and USB keys if they were on the left (or right) side panel. The left side panel has two of the USB 2.0 ports, plus the SD-based card reader, audio ports, and the power button. The back holds the remaining USB ports, HDMI out (for an external monitor), and Ethernet. The system has a standard power port, which means that the system doesn't need an external power brick, a plus in tight workspaces. It would have been nice if the system had a HDMI-in port, so you could continue to use the B540's monitor once the PC internal components become obsolete.
The system comes with a few pre-installed programs in the Start screen, including eBay, accuweather.com, rara.com, Evernote, and Angry Birds. For the most part these additions are less obtrusive than if they had been left as icons in desktop mode. The system comes with Dolby audio enhancements, which will noticeably change the sound while listening to music and movies. The speakers themselves are loud and clear enough for a mid-sized room, though bass is fairly light. The easel-style arm in back lets you tilt the screen a decent amount backwards to accommodate tall or even standing users, but it can't be tilted to true vertical or given a negative tilt for shorter users or people who like to recline while surfing the Web. The spring-loaded arm also means that the system will eventually endeavor to come back up to a more vertical orientation, which means you'll have to readjust the system during extended touch sessions with the screen reclined. The B540 comes with a one year limited warranty.
The B540 we reviewed comes with an Intel Core i3-2130 processor, 4GB of system memory, a 1TB hard drive, and integrated Intel HD Graphics 2000. While this is all you need to do most day-to-day tasks you'd want to do with a PC, the older second-generation Intel Core i3 means that the system can't play DX11 3D games (more on that below). The system is notable because of its user serviceability. Systems like the Apple iMac 21.5-inch (Late 2012) and the Sony Vaio Tap 20 have no user upgradability or serviceability, but the IdeaCentre B540 easily sets you in to upgrade system memory (8GB max) or swap out the included hard drive for something faster, more capacious, or both. Both back panels slide off easily, giving the end users a modicum of hands-on serviceability.
Performance
The B540 comes out fine against the competition, but the older processor holds it back a little in terms of performance. Sure, the older CPU allows the system come in for less money than systems like the Vizio CA24T-A4, the Editors' Choice iMac 21.5-inch, the Toshiba LX835-D3230 and its more capable brother, the Toshiba LX835-D3380, but on the other hand there isn't a lot to make the B540 stand out either, aside from the price. It's certainly a usable system, and could be recommended to anyone looking to save a few bucks on their all-in-one purchase. Whatever capabilities you give up in the 3D game grid, you'll save in dollars in the real world.
BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS
COMPARISON TABLE
Compare the Lenovo IdeaCentre B540 with several other desktops side by side.
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??? Lenovo IdeaCentre B540
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/Vv3l0-Wd3VY/0,2817,2414623,00.asp
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