Lenovo 3000 J100 and J105: a first look
Published: 24 Feb 2006
Lenovo's new 3000 small-business desktops mix low prices, a variety of different configurations and sleek styling. Featuring low-end to mid-range Intel- and AMD-based configurations, Lenovo isn't billing its new 3000-series PCs as Photoshop-blasting, 3D-modelling dynamos. Instead, it's aiming these systems at those who need a basic work computer and don't want to spend a lot of money and effort to acquire and maintain one.
The Lenovo 3000 J100 and J105 systems are the first Lenovo-branded systems to hit the UK, a move made easier after the company's purchase of IBM's computer business last year. The Intel-based J100 models start at £280 (ex. VAT) and use the SiS 661 chipset, which gives you the flexibility to use a Celeron D, a Pentium 4 or a Pentium 4 with Hyper-Threading processor. The J105 models start at £260 (ex. VAT) and feature AMD Sempron and Athlon 64 chips.
Lenovo is offering low-end to mid-range, fixed-configuration systems with an attractive design and affordable prices. The company is able to hit extremely low price points by offering fixed configurations that feature single-core, budget-level CPUs -- it offers only the lower-end models from Intel's and AMD's lineups. The AMD-based J105 systems come with 256MB or 512MB of SDRAM, while the Intel-based J100 systems feature 512MB or 1GB as standard. Serial ATA drives are available in 80GB or 160GB capacities, and there are DVD/CD-RW drives or dual layer DVD burners on offer. Small businesses may also appreciate the Lenovo Care tools -- a pared-down version of Lenovo's ThinkPad ThinkVantage support that includes a system recovery tool, an autoupdater and other business maintenance and service features.
We like the design of the tower case. Its clean lines look crisply professional, but the orange/yellow buttons help it avoid the stuffed-shirt appearance that plagues most corporate desktops. Lenovo visually links the 3000-series systems to its more full-featured ThinkCentre desktops, maintaining the distinctive design in which the upper portion of the front bezel extends slightly past the top of the case. The horizontal small desktop case is equally smart-looking.
For small businesses without a dedicated IT department, the Lenovo Care package might prove an important factor. Still, value is perhaps the most important consideration for systems costing less than £500: we'll have the full story once we're able to review one of Lenovo's new PCs.
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Lenovo launches own-brand notebooks and desktops
Preview Lenovo has launched a range of SME-focused notebooks and desktop PCs under its own brand, to complement the more corporate products it bought from IBM. [24 Feb 2006]
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