Lenovo's Table-Sized IdeaCentre Horizon PC
The rapid uptake of touch-based interfaces is leading to so many new form factors. We're seeing smartphone screens grow, Ultrabooks turn into convertibles (to give them that tablet-like feel), and all-in-one desktops struggle to find their place in the world. After all, who really wants to reach up and touch their monitor when a keyboard and mouse does the job just fine?
Realizing this, Lenovo set out to do something a little different with its IdeaCentre Horizon, building an all-in-one with a 27" 1080p display and calling it a Table PC. Naturally, this thing's too big to be considered a tablet, and at close to 20 pounds, it's not something you'd want to haul around with you. Nevertheless, Lenovo arms two of its four Horizon SKUs with a built-in battery and carrying bag. The extent to which we see ourselves moving a machine this large around would probably be from the kitchen to the backyard, or maybe from a bedroom to the living room for family-night gaming. It probably wouldn't leave through the front door, despite its modest weight and impressive 1.3-inch thickness. But that seems to be the point; you get a nice big surface you can relocate at will, for any number of reasons.
Before we dig further into Lenovo’s vision of the ultimate all-in-one desktop, let's have a look at the machine's specifications in comparison to Dell's previously-tested XPS One 27 Touch.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon 57315058 | Dell XPS One Touch 27" (2710) |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Intel BGA 1023, HM76 Express, Embedded PCIe Graphics | Intel LGA 1155, H77 Express, Embedded PCIe Graphics |
| CPU | Intel Core i5-3337U (Ivy Bridge, 1.8-2.7 GHz, 3 MB Shared L3 Cache, 17 W Max TDP) | Intel Core i7-3770S (Ivy Bridge, 3.1-3.9 GHz, 8 MB Shared L3 Cache, 65 W Max TDP) |
| RAM | 2 x Ramaxel RMT3160ED58E9W1600 (2 x 4 GB) DDR3-1600 SO-DIMM, CL11 | 2x Nanya NT8GC64B8HB0NS-DI (2 x 8 GB) DDR3-1600 SO-DIMM, CL11 |
| Graphics | Nvidia GeForce GT 620M: 625 MHz, 2 GB GDDR5-3600 | Nvidia GeForce GT 640M: 645 MHz, 2 GB GDDR5-4000 |
| Display | 10-Point Multi-Touch 27" LED Backlit Glossy LCD, 1920x1080 | Capacitive Touch 27" LED Backlit Glossy LCD, 2560x1440 |
| Webcam | 720p (0.9 Megapixel) w/dual array microphone | 2.0 Megapixel w/dual microphone and sliding cover |
| Audio | Realtek Integrated HD Audio with Dolby Home Theatre V4 | Realtek Integrated HD Audio with WAVES MAXXAudio 4 |
| Security | Kensington Security Slot | Kensington Security Slot |
| Storage | ||
| Hard Drive | Samsung Spinpoint ST1000LM024: 1 TB 5400 RPM 8 MB Cache, SATA 3Gb/s | Seagate Barracuda ST2000DM001: 2 TB 7200 RPM 64 MB Cache, SATA 6Gb/sSamsung MZMPC032HBCD-00000 32 GB MLC Cache Drive, mSATA 6Gb/s |
| Optical Drive | None | HL-DS 8x Slot-Loading DVD Burner/BDR Combo HL-DT-ST DVDRWBD CT40N |
| Media Drive | 6-in-1 SDXC/MMC/MS flash media interface | 8-in-1 SDXC/MMC/MS/xD flash media interface |
| Networking | ||
| Wireless LAN | Realtek RTL8188CD 802.11n PCIe | Intel Advanced-N 6235 802.11n PCIe |
| Wireless PAN | Integrated Bluetooth Transceiver on Wireless Combo Card | Integrated Bluetooth Transceiver on Wireless Combo Card |
| Gigabit Network | None | Atheros AR8161 PCIe 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet |
| IEEE-1394 | None | None |
| Telephony | None | None |
| Peripheral Interfaces | ||
| USB | 2 x USB 3.0 | 6 x USB 3.0 (4-rear, 2-side) |
| Expansion Card | None | 1 x empty Mini PCIe (for optional TV tuner) |
| External HDD | USB-only | USB-only |
| Audio | Headphone, Microphone | Headphone, Microphone, Rear Out, S/PDIF |
| Video | HDMI In (Display-Only) | HDMI Out, HDMI In (Display-Only) |
| General Stats | ||
| Weight | PC 18.4 lbs, peripherals 2.8 lbs, Total 21.2 pounds | PC 34.4 lbs, peripherals 1.6 lbs, Total 36 pounds |
| Operating System | Microsoft Windows 8 64-bit, OEM | Microsoft Windows 8 Pro 64-bit Edition, OEM |
| Warranty | One-year parts non-transferable | One-year parts/Labor w/In-Home Service |
| Price | $1499 | $2599 |
The pricey Dell unit employs more performance-oriented parts, including a 2560x1440 screen, to justify its 42%-higher price. Alternatively, Lenovo counters Dell with portability in the form of lower weight and an integrated battery, adding to the attractiveness of saving $1000. Still, these two all-in-ones are the most closely-matched from a component perspective of any we’ve tested.
