Final Thoughts
Lenovo has really done a great job with the IdeaCentre A720. Just the design itself is something you really would not expect from Lenovo. If you took all of the Lenovo logos off of the A720 and put it in front of people I don’t think anyone would guess it was a Lenovo machine. The A720 has to be one of the best looking all-in-ones that I have seen. Lenovo decided to separate the system and the display, which allows the display to be thin and not real clunky like many of the other all-in-one systems I have seen. The rest of the system acts as a stand, but Lenovo also made the stand look awesome. All metal with a brushed aluminum finish it really looks great and brings the whole system together.
Besides the great looks of the A720 the thing that really sets it off is the large 27-inch display. While is this a full HD screen (1920 x 1080), it would have been nice to have a larger resolution as many 27-inch displays feature a resolution of 2560 x 1440. The 27-inch display is a 10-point touchscreen as well. The touchscreen is very responsive and I did not encounter a single issue when using it. The screen itself can be pivoted up or down for a better viewing angle and can actually be moved to lay flat. This allows you to use it as more of a surface device, which is actually pretty cool.
The A720 that we received came loaded with Windows 7. You should also consider installing a VPN service to secure your connection. Windows 7 is not really made to be used with a touchscreen device, but Lenovo has their IdeaTouch software that is a touchscreen loader for your favorite programs and apps. The system also comes with some touchscreen games like Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja, which are a lot of fun to play on the A720. Keep in mind if you are going to be purchasing this unit it will ship with Windows 8, which is really designed for a touchscreen.
One thing that I really liked about this system was that it was not just a PC. Lenovo included extras like the TV tuner and HDMI in that makes this system a multimedia hub of sorts. With the TV tuner you can watch live TV on the system. Using the HDMI in you can connect your favorite game console or HD cable box and who can forget about the Blu-ray player to enjoy your favorite movies. This is the perfect system for a dorm room or your bedroom because it can act as both a TV and PC at the same time. The speakers on the system, while they work pretty good for general PC use if you are going to be doing any gaming or watching movies I would suggest getting an external set of speakers.
As far as performance goes the system we received, which was the lower-end system (Core i5, 6GB memory) performed pretty well. When it came to basic tasks the system did not have any issues, although I would not expect it to do that great when it comes to things like encoding video or hardcore gaming. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 630M will allow you to play many different games, but don’t expect to be able to play the latest games at full HD resolution and high settings.
The version of the A720 we tested today sells for $1369 at my favorite online retailer. The high-end version of the A720, which has a Core i7-3610QM, GeForce GT630M 2GB, 8GB of memory and 1TB hard drive sells for $1849.
When you put it all together Lenovo has a really great system on their hands, albeit missing a few things, but it is one of the better all-in-ones out there. Overall ThinkComputers gives the Lenovo IdeaCentre A720 a 9 out of 10 score and our Recommended Award!
Pros:
– Sleek and stylish design
– 27-inch touchscreen display
– Display can be made flat
– TV tuner and HDMI in
Cons:
– Could have had a larger resolution on the 27-inch display
– Speakers are not the best
