Lenovo ThinkServer TS140 70A4000HUX i3-4130 3.4GHz Server Desktop Computer

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Received server today, so this is just quick feedback for all you thinking about it out there.



I got it for use as home server, similar to what other people use HP mini server. Nicely built heavy metal case, sound dampening and quiet. No dust filters.



Inside it has:

280 W HE Bronze PSU.

4 memory slots, One stick 4 Gb installed.

5 SATA ports

1 PCI slot, 2 PCI-E X16, 1 PCI-E X4

2 well ventilated HD inch bays with front fan blowing on them, 2 HDs more can be installed into slots that are not so well ventilated.

2 display ports and 1 VGA



There are reports about these servers (this one and earlier version, TS130) not supporting certain OS (i.e. Ubuntu, Centos). I took 80 Gb Intel SSD with Lubuntu 13.4 from my Lenovo T420 laptop, plugged into SATA inside and booted Lubuntu in under 10 sec. Using it to write this review right now. I believe the problem is incorrect configuration of UEFI boot, suggest switching to legacy BIOS boot. You will loose space over 2 Tb on larger HD though.



Lubuntu is lightweight Ubuntu mod and I believe boot is the same. Can not quite understand if audio works in Lubuntu. Dont need it anyways.



Power usage by Lubuntu with one SSD installed is 19 W at idle and 45 W at max CPU according to my watt meter. Most of the time it will be idle so the annual 24/7 energy use expected at 166 KWh which translates into about $30 per year where I live. Every HDD will add about 10W but they can be configured to go to sleep when not in use.



Windows 7 with drivers installed consumes 17.5 W when idle. Wundows experience index with single memory stick:

CPU: 7.3

Memory: 5.9

Graphics: 5.0

Gaming Graphics: 6.5

I expect Memory and Graphics go up when second memory stick installed and dual channel mode kicks in.



To enter BIOS press F1 the moment you see first text or logo after you turned it on.



Did I mention it has remote management capability? Startup/shutdown only though?



Update 12/16/2013:



Added 4 GB memory for second channel: Crucial Technology CT51272BD160B 4GB, 240-pin DIMM, DDR3 PC3-12800 CL=9 Dual Ranked Unbuffered ECC 1.35V 512Meg x 72 Memory, installed into blue slots.



Windows experience index for Win 7 64 bit with memory in dual channel mode:

CPU: 7.3

Memory: 7.6

Graphics: 6.6

Gaming Graphics: 6.6



UPDATE Deb. 23, 2014

I have this server working as Windows 7 Mediacenter fed by HDHomerun Prime with Cable card. Used old small SSD as OS disk and two WD Greed 3 Tb for recording. JBOD, no RAID on any kind. It easily handles 3 channel recording and playback. Any significant CPU usage only observed when compskip kicks in to mark commercials.



I first attempted to connect TV via VGA port on motherboard but no avail. Unless there is another monitor attached to the display port it would refuse to display through VGA to the TV. I ended up using very old PCI_E v1 video card GeForce 8500GT I had from 2007 with loss of video performance. Was still ok though even with 1080 video. It works well when you have regular display attached to VGA even with 2560x1440 resolution but not when attached to 1080p TV.



I bought cheapest Display Port to HDMI female-female cable of fleabay. Standalone video card was removed and both video and audio are fed through that cable. HDCP works for protected content with TV; it did not work with Dell monitor. Plenty of power and memory remains to run few small VMs and transcoding. Typical power usage with two HDDs while recording is about 30W.

Lenovo C260 19.5-Inch All-in-One Desktop (57327436) Black

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I purchased this as a back up computer simply to access cloud based applications on the web in a business situation. For the price it is a pleasant surprise. It is able to access net applications without issue and it does so quickly. It is a bit slower to install software than my more robust computers, but outside of this, it does what I need it to do. I plan to purchase another one.

Lenovo IdeaCentre H500s Slim Desktop (57327931) Black

CUSTOMER REVIEW



This review is for the Lenovo H500s Slim Desktop, Model Number 57327931. I bought this computer for my teenage son's room a couple of weeks ago. So far so good...



Here are a few things you might want to know if you're considering purchasing the H500s:



1. Since there's no picture or description on Amazon (or anywhere else, for that matter...) of what the back of the tower looks like, here's a list, going from top to bottom, of the connections on the back of the unit:

a. USB 3.0 port

b. VGA monitor connection

c. Two USB 2.0 ports (you'll probably end up plugging in the included keyboard and mouse to these two ports)

d. Ethernet jack

e. Microphone, Speaker, and audio line-in jacks

f. Power cord connection that looks a lot like a USB port, except that the tongue is yellow instead of black or blue



2. List of extra software that comes pre-installed on the computer (not including Windows 8 Store apps):

a. Baidu PC App Store

b. CyberLink MediaStory

c. CyberLink PhotoDirector

d. CyberLink PowerDirector

e. Lenovo Assistant

f. Lenovo Black Silk USB Keyboard Driver

g. Lenovo Browser Guard

h. Lenovo Photos

i. Lenovo Power2Go

j. Lenovo PowerDVD 10

k. Lenovo Reach

l. Lenovo Rescue

m. Lenovo SoftAp

n. Lenovo Web Start

o. LVT (Lenovo Vantage Technology)

p. Maxthon Cloud Browser

q. McAfee LiveSafe (trial)

r. Nitro PDF Reader

Note regarding the software listed above: If you're unsure of what to uninstall and what to keep, like I was/am, here's a quick and easy alternative to uninstalling: Download and install CCleaner. Open CCleaner and go to Tools<Startup, then select the above items and click on the "Disable" button for each one. Restart the computer, and the software will be disabled until you choose to re-enable it. I disabled everything mentioned above, and have had no resulting problems so far...



3. The only way to connect this computer to a monitor or TV is with a VGA cable. There is no HDMI Out port on this model.



4. There is absolutely no built-in speaker, not even a little one.



5. It has built-in Wi-Fi, but can only detect networks operating on the 2.4GHz spectrum band. It cannot detect or use networks operating on the 5GHz spectrum band. That being said, the built-in Wi-Fi seems to work pretty well.



6. This computer doesn't have an internal power supply, like most desktops do. Instead, it comes with a 65 watt (no, that's not a typo...65 watts!) external power supply that looks pretty much like something you'd get with a typical laptop computer. Sorry to state the obvious but, as you can probably guess, aside from maybe adding more RAM, the lack of a true internal desktop ATX power supply severely limits future internal hardware upgrade options.



7. The included keyboard feels pleasantly heavy and sturdy.



8. The included mouse works fine, but feels a little too large and light, and becomes a bit uncomfortable to use after a few minutes.



BOTTOM LINE: This is a pretty good value ($209 on Amazon at this time) if you're looking for a basic desktop computer and you're not too concerned about the fact that internal hardware upgrade options are limited. I would have given it five stars, if not for the power supply concern.



HERE ARE THE FULL SPECS:



Warranty Terms-Parts: 1 year limited

Warranty Terms-Labor: 1 year limited

Height: 15.75 inches

Width: 11.5 inches

Depth: 3.9 inches

Weight: 17.4 lbs.

Processor Brand: Intel

Processor: Intel Celeron

Processor Speed: 2.41 GHz (with Turbo Boost up to 2.58GHz)

Cache Memory: 1MB

System Memory (RAM): 4GB

System Memory (RAM) Expandable To: 8GB

Type of Memory (RAM): DDR3

Graphics: Intel HD

Video Memory: Shared

Audio: 5.1-channel surround sound support

Speakers: None Built-in

Network Card: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet LAN

Wireless Networking: Built-in 802.11b/g/n wireless LAN

Recordable DVD Drive: Yes, DVD+-RW/CD-RW

Recordable DVD Drive Speeds: Drive speeds not specified

Direct-Disc Labeling: No

Digital Media Reader or Slots: Yes, digital media card reader

Available Expansion Slots: 1 PCI Express x16

USB Ports: 1 USB 3.0 (rear); 4 USB 2.0 (2 front, 2 rear)

Keyboard Description: AccuType USB

Other Control Devices (mouse, etc.): USB mouse

Operating System Platform: Windows

Operating System: Windows 8.1

Operating System Bit Version: 64-bit

HDMI Output: No

Blu-ray Player: No

Graphics Chip: Intel

Drive Capacity: 500GB

Hard Drive Size: 500GB

Hard Drive Type: SATA (7200 rpm)

UPC: 888772100339

EPEAT Qualified: No

Dell Inspiron i3646-1000BLK Desktop

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I bought the desktop personally through Best Buy.



The website informed me there was 6 USB entries for 2.0 & 2 entries for 3.0. I opened the box, counted only 4 ports of 2.0 (two in front &rear) and only one 3.0 in the rear. The Amazon description also falsely advertised this PC several weeks ago when I went to purchase it, but I see they;ve updated the correct information. When I called them, they wanted me to bring it back and they suggested an adapter of multiple USB entries. I got so angry, I wanted my money back. Thing is, aside from this, the PC is fantastic. So I politely dismissed their suggestions & took it back home. I was caught in their web, along with many customers they've misinformed..



Now, if it's one thing that impressed me the most from this desktop--it's incredibly quiet & small. I keep it nice and safe on my desk, you can barely hear it. I adore the simplistic interface. And what a relief putting away my Ethernet cable away--the umbilical cord has been cut! I enjoy the wireless feature with my router, and the Bluetooth feature is fantastic. It also has an HDMI port in the rear so my TV can mimic as a monitor for special occasions. the power adapter cable is thin & small, so it can fit anywhere. Trying Windows 8 for the first time, is completely overrated & nothing special. Luckily you can always change it back the Windows 7 interface easily. Intel Core Celeron J1800 isn't the most impressive processors now, but this is perfect for casual computer users. I stream movies & I use Photoshop frequently so it runs smoothly. This is a great computer for common users & needing an upgrade from XP.



Yes, if you're not needy for USB ports then this PC is absolutely recommended by me. It's a great buy for its fair price. & I strongly suggest you purchase this kind of sensitive technology in person, if it's possible in your circumstances. It's not smart having this delivered on your doorstep.

ASUS CHROMEBOX-M004U Desktop

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Our desktop died a few months ago and we were looking for a replacement. Because my wife and I both have tablets and a laptop, we have found that we have not used the desktop as much. As a result, we were wondering whether we should even get a replacement. We decided it would be nice to have but we didn't want to spend $500+ on a new computer. I had heard of the Chromebox previously but didn't pay too much attention to it. I decided it would be worth looking into and after seeing all the good comments, I felt it was worth taking a chance on getting one.



Is it anything spectacular? Yes! Does it do anything more than Chrome on Windows? No. But here is why (when your desktop finally dies/or you are just sick of how slow it is) you should buy a Chromebox:



1) Fast enough to do everything you want to on the internet. If you are like most people, you will realize that 90+% of the time you are on a computer, you are using a web browser. Everything else on your computer therefore is added weight to slow down your internet experience. This may include Virus/Malware Scanning Software, Viruses and Malware, other background processes, etc. ChromeOS takes all this out and gives you the the web browser and a great way of connecting to it. Will it handle the latest high intensity graphics game around? No, it won't come close but if you are looking for something to do that, you probably aren't even looking at Chromeboxes and therefore are not even reading this post.



2) Still can do Microsoft Office Online. This was actually a surprise to me but it actually works fairly well. For those of you who are not familiar with Office Online, it is a web version of Office that doesn't have all the bells and whistles of regular office. If you are like most people, you really don't use the bells and whistles. I do quite a bit of work in Office with my employment (law) and find that everything that I need can be done on Office Online. If you really don't need a lot of features, check of Google Docs, it rocks as well.



3) 100GB of online storage. From your new Chromebox (or Chromebook) go to http://ift.tt/T5gIes and type in some information an viola, 100GB of online storage.



4) It is simple to use. There is no learning curve with the Chromebox. It is the Chrome web browser and if you have used any browser in the last 5 years, you will be up to speed. There are a few features that you don't get on regular Chrome like Bluetooth and WIFI but even make that easy to operate.



5) It uses Google Print. So this could be a frustration for a lot of people. The Chromebox, even though it has USB ports, does not allow you to connect printers because it doesn't install drivers. So what can you do? First, get a printer that is Google Print capable. Okay, I am with you, I really don't need another printer laying around my house. Second, try the xPrint Server from Lantronix. Granted it is a little expensive (~$150.00) which makes one wonder why not just buy a new printer. Third, use an old computer that runs Chrome as a gateway. While not a great choice, it is better than some of the first options. Fourth, get geeky with a Raspberry Pi. For those that are not aware of what a Raspberry Pi is, it is a $35 computer capable of running Linux. Needless to say, Chrome can run on Linux and it can also install printer drivers. Here is a tutorial on turning a Raspberry Pi into your Google Cloud Print servant.



[...]



Again, this is a hurdle for a lot of people but I will say, after you get Google Cloud Print working, it is awesome. No more worrying about what computer your document is on and what computer is connected to which printer. It is simply, clicking this printer and this document.



6) It can be customized. If you find out that Chrome OS is not your thing that is okay. There are plenty of tutorials on how to install Ubuntu on the Chromebox either as a dual-boot or replacement. If you are interested in this, I would recommend getting an extra 2GB stick of ram (Laptop DDR3). It may also be smart to upgrade the size of the SSD as well. If that looks greek to you, then just stick with Chrome OS.



Hopefully you have found my review helpful of the Chromebox. Just to recap, this is a great desktop replacement if all you need is something to surf the internet with and do homework. You will be pleasantly surprised at how fast it loads up and how easy it is to use.

ASUS VivoPC-VM40B-02 Desktop

CUSTOMER REVIEW



At $250, the ASUS VivoPC-VM40B is a dream come true for customers needing a full interfaced desktop in a small, sleek package. Measuring 7.5" x 7.5" x 2.2", this sleek desktop with a spun metal finish allows me to have a nice computer attached to the playroom for both games, movies, and homework on the big screen. With 4GB of memory (upgradeable to 16GB) and 500GB of on board storage, this machine is just right for our playroom.



Powered with a dual core CPU driven by an Intel Celeron 1007U Processor (1.5 GHz), this is an all-around general purpose machine - not a machine geared towards hardcore gamers or video editors where a much faster chipset would be required.



It comes stock with the following connectivity ports:



2 x USB 3.0

4 x USB 2.0

1 x HDMI

1 x VGA Out

1 x LAN

1 x Optical S/PDIF out (Toslink)

3 x Audio Jacks (Line in/Mic in/Speaker out)



Its even Bluetooth 4.0 compliant!



I would prefer to have another HDMI slot, but you can't ask for the world at this price and in this size of a console.



The ASUS VivoPC-VM40B is a nice alternative to a Chromebox for those who need a little more functionality and control. It is quiet and doesn't get too warm during use. A great addition for my family's computing needs.

Dell Inspiron i3847-5078BK Desktop (Windows 7)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Vine Customer Review of Free Product (What's this?) OK... A little background: I am the kind of guy who builds his own PCs. Sure, over the past three-and-a-half decades I've owned several pre-builts, including several from Apple, ASUS, IBM (old school!), Acer, Compaq, HP, Lenovo, Gateway and other companies, but those usually ended up being cannibalized for parts because I never really liked how limited the designs were in those systems. They lacked expansion slots, or the memory couldn't be upgraded, or they weren't flexible enough to allow me to add more hard drives (you can never have enough hard drives). So I frequently just built Frankenputers from pieces and parts, and tailored them to my needs, all the while working in various computer stores (years ago) selling pre-built units-- including Dells-- to customers (until all the computer stores went out of business thanks to Best Bigbox killing them). I have to add that my experience with Dell at that time left me less than enthused.



Enter the Dell Inspiron i3847. They advertised it as "That expandable" and I was intrigued. "Truly? A pre-built desktop that doesn't make expansion a chore? This I've got to see!"



When the Dell arrived, I fired it up and was, indeed pleased by the fast setup and the lack of bloatware-- indeed, the only extra software on it seemed to be the 30-day trial of McAfee, but as I have my own subscription with Kaspersky, I didn't even need this and it was easily deleted, leaving me the majority of the 1TB hard drive for future software installations.



The speed was also quite nice. I was coming from an AMD Phenom X4 955 3.2 GHz, and the boost in speed when going to the Intel Core i5 (also 3.2 GHz) is quite welcome. That's not to say the AMD was slow, but that the Intel is just more optimized. It's simply faster in day-to-day functions, and plays nicer with my various applications.



The 8GB of RAM was also pretty helpful, I must say. It's nice to get a PC loaded with enough RAM to do any job. Too many pre-built PCs cheap-out in this regard, giving the buyer 4GB to deal with. In this era of 64-bit Windows, there's simply no reason not to slap the other 4GB in there and make the end-user experience that much more pleasant.



The on-board graphics? Well, they're Intel on-board graphics. Fast enough for web browsing, basic games, basic video, and business applications, but I'm a bit of a gamer and video editor, and so I was exceptionally pleased to see the free slot and ample space in the Dell Inspiron to allow me to install my Radeon HD 7850. Yes, yes... I know I'd be better served on an Intel with a GeForce card, but right now I'm happy with my existing Radeon pulled from an AMD system, and you can bet I was happy to see that it fit in the Dell.



Of course, there was one problem: Power. The Dell Inspiron i3847-5078BK comes with a very basic 300-watt power supply, and no, it does not have PCI-E connections. That meant swapping over my Corsair RM550 so that I could provide power to my Radeon card... And then, as long as I was in there, I mounted a second and third hard drive. I had to provide an extra SATA connector, and to be clear, there is no third HDD bay, but I happened to have a 5.25 caddy around, and so my third hard drive fit nicely in the second optical drive bay (which I wouldn't have needed, anyway... I really don't see the point to two optical drives unless you do a lot of disc-to-disc copying). While I was making changes, I decided to pull the stock DVD-RW drive (not a bad drive, mind you) and replace it with my own BD-RW drive.



It took some work getting the cables from my modular power supply managed, but once done, everything worked perfectly. The power supply mounted with no problems, the new hard drives all work, and the system is still so remarkably quiet I'm amazed it's got such a beefy CPU.



I didn't stop there, though. This system came with Windows 7 64-bit. That's nice and all, but after a couple years of using Windows 8 and 8.1, I was too used to the new OS and all the advancement in it (and before you gripe about how terrible Windows 8.1 is, let me point out that the under-the-hood improvements are enough of a performance boost for any gamer to think twice about being pedantic about the UI changing slightly.) With Windows 8.1 in place on this Core i5 system, with an improved video card and 8 GB of RAM, the system boots up super-fast and everything blazes.



Even before I put Windows 8.1 on this PC, though, it was pretty darn fast. The hardware is solid. The Core i5 CPU is absolutely lovely, and I have no complaints about it. The added RAM was probably the real boost to the system, though. If you absolutely hate Windows 8.1 then you will still see plenty of speed on this system as-is, with Windows 7 on it.



Despite this being an excellent computer that has changed my mind about pre-built systems, I am knocking off a point from my review for a combination of things:



First, the stock power supply was woefully inadequate for any expansion of the system. It was enough to run the hardware included, but if the average user wants to add a hard drive or video card, they're going to find out soon enough that they needed to upgrade the power supply. What's more, the included PSU has exceptionally short wires going to the CPU and motherboard, making it useful only for this particular PC & motherboard's layout. This is a minor complaint, but when they advertise that it's "That Expandable", they really should see fit to stick a beefier, more well-equipped power supply in the case.



Second, I just don't see the point to having two 5.25 bays and only two 3.25 bays when there are four SATA connections. Most people simply aren't going to need an extra optical drive, and would want that extra hard drive some day. Maybe it's just me, but I think a third 3.25 rack would have been preferable in a case like this, or, barring that, at least include a caddy to transform that 5.25 bay into a 3.25 bay. I had one lying around, but most people won't, and again they're selling this series as "Expandable" so I'd think this hardware would be part of the case design.



Finally, there are no front fans whatsoever. No hard drive cooling, no intake. I may correct this myself if I can figure out how to make it work with the nearly-sealed front panel, but I found it strange that a system that is supposed to be expandable wouldn't take into account the possibility that future upgrades might increase the interior heat and require some additional cooling.



These are, of course, all nitpick from a PC builder's point of view. For the average consumer looking for a powerful system this is a great choice. You have the ability to add that GeForce (or AMD) video card, as long as you make sure to swap out the power supply, too. You have the ability to add an extra hard drive easily (the SATA and power connectors are right there, held in place on the empty drive bay). You have 8GB of RAM and almost the entire 1 TB hard drive to work with thanks to Dell not packing in a bunch of unnecessary bloatware. You have excellent speed, and best of all, quiet cooling and power that makes this system purr.



This is an excellent choice in pre-built PCs. I can safely say that the next time I am looking to help a layperson find a pre-built desktop computer that I won't have to help them fix all the time, it will likely be a Dell. My assessment of Dell's hardware (and software) has *vastly* improved after my experience with this system. They've made consumer-friendly systems that still cater to the desires and needs of tinkerers and people in-the-know, like me.



Final Verdict: FOUR STARS for me, but it could be FIVE STARS for the average consumer who never intends to do any upgrading themselves. Let's call it FOUR AND A HALF STARS, if Amazon would let me do that.

HP Pavilion 500-281 Desktop (Windows 7)

HP Pavilion 500-281 PC With convenient expandability options, the HP Pavilion500 is the versatile PC that will grow as your needs do. With its clean modern style, it'll fit seamlessly anywhere you put it. With fast processors, strong graphics, and more storage, you've found your ideal PC. Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. 4th generation Intel Core i3-4130 processor. 4GB PC3-12800 DDR3-1600 SDRAM memory 1x4GB(expandable to 16GB). 1TB 7200RPM Serial ATA hard drive. Intel HD Graphics 4400. USB keyboard with volume control and optical mouse. SuperMulti DVD Burner. 4 USB 3.0. Wireless LAN 802. 11b/g/n featuring Single-band (2.4Ghz). 1 year limited hardware warranty and 1 year technical support. Featuring Windows 7. DTS Sound+: Delivers immersive surround sound complete with deep bass, clear dialog and maximum volume to multimedia content. HP Simple Pass: Easily access your online accounts with a single password or PIN, and keep your identity to yourself. HP Simple Pass remembers your passwords, so you get to the good stuff faster. McAfee: Free 30-day Trial of McAfee Live Safe service included. McAfee LiveSafe service enriches your digital life by protecting your data, identity and all your devices so you can connect with confidence. 24x7 technical assistance via on-line chat, e-mail, HP Support Forum or HP Total Care.

• Intel i3-4130 Processor 3.4 GHz( cache)


• 4GB SDRAM DDR3


• 1024 GB 7200 rpm Hard Drive


• Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

Dell Inspiron 3000 Series i3847-5386BK Desktop (3.2 GHz Intel Core i5-4460 Processor, 12GB DDR3, 1TB HDD, Windows 8.1)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



This machine will work with Windows 7 fine, I would download the ethernet drivers just in case - if this is your only machine... I am a sneakernet fanatic. I play GTA IV/EFLC at 800x600 with medium settings, but the weird thing is that it looks like the mormal resolution of the LCD monitor (1440x900). Also after updating the onboard Intel video drivers, the windows experience index jumped from 5.2 to 6.6! Dell's stupid motherboard configuration only lets GTA IV see like 27mb at first, you need to use -availablevidmem 10.0 (or more) in your commandline. Lately I have started dismantling all my other gaming computers, because I DON'T NEED THEM ANYMORE... If anyone has a question about this computer, please ask here and I will try to get back and help

Acer Aspire ATC-605-UR2A Desktop (Black)

Acer Aspire ATC-605-UR2A Desktop PC comes with these specs: 4th Generation Intel Core i5-4440 processor 3.1GHz with Turbo Boost Technology up to 3.3GHz , Windows 8.1, 8GB DDR3 Memory, Intel HD Graphics, 16X DVDR/RW SuperMulti Drive, 1TB 7200RPM SATA3 Hard Drive, Digital Media Card Reader -Secure Digital (SD) Card, High Definition Audio with 5.1-Channel Audio Support, 4 - USB 2.0 Ports, 2 - USB 3.0 Port, HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet, Keyboard and Mouse, 20.42 lbs. | 9.26 kg (system unit only), 1 Year Parts and Labor Limited Warranty with Toll Free Tech Support, Registration/ Limited Warranty Card, McAfee Internet Security Suite Trial.

• Intel Core i5-4440 3.1 GHz Processor (6 MB cache)


• 8 GB DDR3 RAM


• 1 TB 7200 rpm Hard Drive


• Intel HD Graphics


• Windows 8.1

Lenovo IdeaCentre H500s Slim Desktop (57327931) Black

CUSTOMER REVIEW



It's a basic desktop that offers a lot for the price. Get quite a bit in terms of processor, memory and hard drive space. Mouse and keyboard are not wireless. 4 USB-2; 1 USB-3 ports. Has ethernet and WiFi. DVD recordable (not blu-ray) drive. Has a fan on the CPU but not on the case. If you are going to use it in a hot environment, adding an external fan would be a good idea. Internal upgrading or add-on possibilities are limited. Adding more memory or a bigger hard drive are possible. There is a PCI-express slot, but the space and power for it are limited. If you want a computer with good upgrade options, spend a little more and get one with a bigger layout.



Unfortunately, it comes with Win8 rather than Win7, and apparently Win7 can't be installed on it. Uses an external, wart-on-a-cord power supply. Lenovo website is only fair in providing info on the unit. A basic user's manual comes with the unit along with a DVD with drivers. However, there is a hardware manual on the website that does not come with the computer that should be downloaded. If you need a cheap, basic, small brick, and its limitations aren't going to bother you, it's a good choice.

Dell Inspiron i3847-5078BK Desktop (Windows 7)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Vine Customer Review of Free Product (What's this?) OK... A little background: I am the kind of guy who builds his own PCs. Sure, over the past three-and-a-half decades I've owned several pre-builts, including several from Apple, ASUS, IBM (old school!), Acer, Compaq, HP, Lenovo, Gateway and other companies, but those usually ended up being cannibalized for parts because I never really liked how limited the designs were in those systems. They lacked expansion slots, or the memory couldn't be upgraded, or they weren't flexible enough to allow me to add more hard drives (you can never have enough hard drives). So I frequently just built Frankenputers from pieces and parts, and tailored them to my needs, all the while working in various computer stores (years ago) selling pre-built units-- including Dells-- to customers (until all the computer stores went out of business thanks to Best Bigbox killing them). I have to add that my experience with Dell at that time left me less than enthused.



Enter the Dell Inspiron i3847. They advertised it as "That expandable" and I was intrigued. "Truly? A pre-built desktop that doesn't make expansion a chore? This I've got to see!"



When the Dell arrived, I fired it up and was, indeed pleased by the fast setup and the lack of bloatware-- indeed, the only extra software on it seemed to be the 30-day trial of McAfee, but as I have my own subscription with Kaspersky, I didn't even need this and it was easily deleted, leaving me the majority of the 1TB hard drive for future software installations.



The speed was also quite nice. I was coming from an AMD Phenom X4 955 3.2 GHz, and the boost in speed when going to the Intel Core i5 (also 3.2 GHz) is quite welcome. That's not to say the AMD was slow, but that the Intel is just more optimized. It's simply faster in day-to-day functions, and plays nicer with my various applications.



The 8GB of RAM was also pretty helpful, I must say. It's nice to get a PC loaded with enough RAM to do any job. Too many pre-built PCs cheap-out in this regard, giving the buyer 4GB to deal with. In this era of 64-bit Windows, there's simply no reason not to slap the other 4GB in there and make the end-user experience that much more pleasant.



The on-board graphics? Well, they're Intel on-board graphics. Fast enough for web browsing, basic games, basic video, and business applications, but I'm a bit of a gamer and video editor, and so I was exceptionally pleased to see the free slot and ample space in the Dell Inspiron to allow me to install my Radeon HD 7850. Yes, yes... I know I'd be better served on an Intel with a GeForce card, but right now I'm happy with my existing Radeon pulled from an AMD system, and you can bet I was happy to see that it fit in the Dell.



Of course, there was one problem: Power. The Dell Inspiron i3847-5078BK comes with a very basic 300-watt power supply, and no, it does not have PCI-E connections. That meant swapping over my Corsair RM550 so that I could provide power to my Radeon card... And then, as long as I was in there, I mounted a second and third hard drive. I had to provide an extra SATA connector, and to be clear, there is no third HDD bay, but I happened to have a 5.25 caddy around, and so my third hard drive fit nicely in the second optical drive bay (which I wouldn't have needed, anyway... I really don't see the point to two optical drives unless you do a lot of disc-to-disc copying). While I was making changes, I decided to pull the stock DVD-RW drive (not a bad drive, mind you) and replace it with my own BD-RW drive.



It took some work getting the cables from my modular power supply managed, but once done, everything worked perfectly. The power supply mounted with no problems, the new hard drives all work, and the system is still so remarkably quiet I'm amazed it's got such a beefy CPU.



I didn't stop there, though. This system came with Windows 7 64-bit. That's nice and all, but after a couple years of using Windows 8 and 8.1, I was too used to the new OS and all the advancement in it (and before you gripe about how terrible Windows 8.1 is, let me point out that the under-the-hood improvements are enough of a performance boost for any gamer to think twice about being pedantic about the UI changing slightly.) With Windows 8.1 in place on this Core i5 system, with an improved video card and 8 GB of RAM, the system boots up super-fast and everything blazes.



Even before I put Windows 8.1 on this PC, though, it was pretty darn fast. The hardware is solid. The Core i5 CPU is absolutely lovely, and I have no complaints about it. The added RAM was probably the real boost to the system, though. If you absolutely hate Windows 8.1 then you will still see plenty of speed on this system as-is, with Windows 7 on it.



Despite this being an excellent computer that has changed my mind about pre-built systems, I am knocking off a point from my review for a combination of things:



First, the stock power supply was woefully inadequate for any expansion of the system. It was enough to run the hardware included, but if the average user wants to add a hard drive or video card, they're going to find out soon enough that they needed to upgrade the power supply. What's more, the included PSU has exceptionally short wires going to the CPU and motherboard, making it useful only for this particular PC & motherboard's layout. This is a minor complaint, but when they advertise that it's "That Expandable", they really should see fit to stick a beefier, more well-equipped power supply in the case.



Second, I just don't see the point to having two 5.25 bays and only two 3.25 bays when there are four SATA connections. Most people simply aren't going to need an extra optical drive, and would want that extra hard drive some day. Maybe it's just me, but I think a third 3.25 rack would have been preferable in a case like this, or, barring that, at least include a caddy to transform that 5.25 bay into a 3.25 bay. I had one lying around, but most people won't, and again they're selling this series as "Expandable" so I'd think this hardware would be part of the case design.



Finally, there are no front fans whatsoever. No hard drive cooling, no intake. I may correct this myself if I can figure out how to make it work with the nearly-sealed front panel, but I found it strange that a system that is supposed to be expandable wouldn't take into account the possibility that future upgrades might increase the interior heat and require some additional cooling.



These are, of course, all nitpick from a PC builder's point of view. For the average consumer looking for a powerful system this is a great choice. You have the ability to add that GeForce (or AMD) video card, as long as you make sure to swap out the power supply, too. You have the ability to add an extra hard drive easily (the SATA and power connectors are right there, held in place on the empty drive bay). You have 8GB of RAM and almost the entire 1 TB hard drive to work with thanks to Dell not packing in a bunch of unnecessary bloatware. You have excellent speed, and best of all, quiet cooling and power that makes this system purr.



This is an excellent choice in pre-built PCs. I can safely say that the next time I am looking to help a layperson find a pre-built desktop computer that I won't have to help them fix all the time, it will likely be a Dell. My assessment of Dell's hardware (and software) has *vastly* improved after my experience with this system. They've made consumer-friendly systems that still cater to the desires and needs of tinkerers and people in-the-know, like me.



Final Verdict: FOUR STARS for me, but it could be FIVE STARS for the average consumer who never intends to do any upgrading themselves. Let's call it FOUR AND A HALF STARS, if Amazon would let me do that.

Lenovo ThinkServer TS140 70A4000HUX i3-4130 3.4GHz Server Desktop Computer

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Received server today, so this is just quick feedback for all you thinking about it out there.



I got it for use as home server, similar to what other people use HP mini server. Nicely built heavy metal case, sound dampening and quiet. No dust filters.



Inside it has:

280 W HE Bronze PSU.

4 memory slots, One stick 4 Gb installed.

5 SATA ports

1 PCI slot, 2 PCI-E X16, 1 PCI-E X4

2 well ventilated HD inch bays with front fan blowing on them, 2 HDs more can be installed into slots that are not so well ventilated.

2 display ports and 1 VGA



There are reports about these servers (this one and earlier version, TS130) not supporting certain OS (i.e. Ubuntu, Centos). I took 80 Gb Intel SSD with Lubuntu 13.4 from my Lenovo T420 laptop, plugged into SATA inside and booted Lubuntu in under 10 sec. Using it to write this review right now. I believe the problem is incorrect configuration of UEFI boot, suggest switching to legacy BIOS boot. You will loose space over 2 Tb on larger HD though.



Lubuntu is lightweight Ubuntu mod and I believe boot is the same. Can not quite understand if audio works in Lubuntu. Dont need it anyways.



Power usage by Lubuntu with one SSD installed is 19 W at idle and 45 W at max CPU according to my watt meter. Most of the time it will be idle so the annual 24/7 energy use expected at 166 KWh which translates into about $30 per year where I live. Every HDD will add about 10W but they can be configured to go to sleep when not in use.



Windows 7 with drivers installed consumes 17.5 W when idle. Wundows experience index with single memory stick:

CPU: 7.3

Memory: 5.9

Graphics: 5.0

Gaming Graphics: 6.5

I expect Memory and Graphics go up when second memory stick installed and dual channel mode kicks in.



To enter BIOS press F1 the moment you see first text or logo after you turned it on.



Did I mention it has remote management capability? Startup/shutdown only though?



Update 12/16/2013:



Added 4 GB memory for second channel: Crucial Technology CT51272BD160B 4GB, 240-pin DIMM, DDR3 PC3-12800 CL=9 Dual Ranked Unbuffered ECC 1.35V 512Meg x 72 Memory, installed into blue slots.



Windows experience index for Win 7 64 bit with memory in dual channel mode:

CPU: 7.3

Memory: 7.6

Graphics: 6.6

Gaming Graphics: 6.6



UPDATE Deb. 23, 2014

I have this server working as Windows 7 Mediacenter fed by HDHomerun Prime with Cable card. Used old small SSD as OS disk and two WD Greed 3 Tb for recording. JBOD, no RAID on any kind. It easily handles 3 channel recording and playback. Any significant CPU usage only observed when compskip kicks in to mark commercials.



I first attempted to connect TV via VGA port on motherboard but no avail. Unless there is another monitor attached to the display port it would refuse to display through VGA to the TV. I ended up using very old PCI_E v1 video card GeForce 8500GT I had from 2007 with loss of video performance. Was still ok though even with 1080 video. It works well when you have regular display attached to VGA even with 2560x1440 resolution but not when attached to 1080p TV.



I bought cheapest Display Port to HDMI female-female cable of fleabay. Standalone video card was removed and both video and audio are fed through that cable. HDCP works for protected content with TV; it did not work with Dell monitor. Plenty of power and memory remains to run few small VMs and transcoding. Typical power usage with two HDDs while recording is about 30W.

ASUS VivoPC-VM40B-02 Desktop

CUSTOMER REVIEW



At $250, the ASUS VivoPC-VM40B is a dream come true for customers needing a full interfaced desktop in a small, sleek package. Measuring 7.5" x 7.5" x 2.2", this sleek desktop with a spun metal finish allows me to have a nice computer attached to the playroom for both games, movies, and homework on the big screen. With 4GB of memory (upgradeable to 16GB) and 500GB of on board storage, this machine is just right for our playroom.



Powered with a dual core CPU driven by an Intel Celeron 1007U Processor (1.5 GHz), this is an all-around general purpose machine - not a machine geared towards hardcore gamers or video editors where a much faster chipset would be required.



It comes stock with the following connectivity ports:



2 x USB 3.0

4 x USB 2.0

1 x HDMI

1 x VGA Out

1 x LAN

1 x Optical S/PDIF out (Toslink)

3 x Audio Jacks (Line in/Mic in/Speaker out)



Its even Bluetooth 4.0 compliant!



I would prefer to have another HDMI slot, but you can't ask for the world at this price and in this size of a console.



The ASUS VivoPC-VM40B is a nice alternative to a Chromebox for those who need a little more functionality and control. It is quiet and doesn't get too warm during use. A great addition for my family's computing needs.

ASUS CHROMEBOX-M004U Desktop

ASUS CHROMEBOX-M004U Desktop

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Experience the Best Chrome OS Computer

With easy out-of-the-box setup, integrated virus and malware protection and feature-enhancing updates, ASUS Chromebox starts up in seconds to get you to your favorite websites and apps instantly. And why a box? Because with a box it houses a processor powerful enough for ultrafast multitasking performance in Chrome OS and the connectivity options to choose your own screen size, connect to multiple displays at once and even attach to any VESA-mountable monitor or HD TV. ASUS Chromebox is the always-new computer that just makes sense.

Personalized Access with Parental Controls

Personalized data access makes ASUS Chromebox the ideal family device. Easily switch between accounts while ensuring each person’s data is kept private and secure; while parental controls ensure safe, family-friendly web surfing.

Recommended with ASUS Monitors

With VESA mount built in and HDMI port, ASUS VE228H and VE247H monitors are the ideal displays to pair with ASUS Chromebox.

Experience snappy performance to get you to your digital world faster

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A Simpler and Smarter Digital Life

ASUS Chromebox boots up in a flash and synchronizes instantly with your existing Chrome services to get you closer to the internet than ever before. With 100GB of free Google Drive space, access all your data and files in the cloud simply by logging into your Google account wherever you are.

Choose your own screen size or connect two monitors at once

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Small in Size, Big on Features

It may be the world’s smallest Chrome device, but ASUS Chromebox is big on connectivity. It comes with high performance 802.11 n dual-band wireless, four USB 3.0 ports for fast data transfer, HDMI and DisplayPort for connecting to the latest displays and HD TVs, including support for dual displays and an SD card reader for easily accessing stored photos and documents.

Enjoy a high quality experience, online and offline

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A More Beautiful Web Experience

Kick back and relax as you browse the web, watch movies and shows on Netflix, or view photos from your SD card. And with a wide assortment of offline apps, ASUS Chromebox lets you edit documents, play games and use other popular apps without an internet connection.

Easy setup and use for people at any tech level

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Getting Started

When booting Chromebox up, browsing the web or performing your essential tasks, it’s all about speed when it comes to Chrome OS. It gets you closer to what you want to do, simply boot up Chromebox and go.

• 1.4 GHz Intel Celeron 2955U Processor


• 2GB DDR3 RAM, 16 GB SSD HDD


• Intel HD graphics


• Google Chrome OS

Lenovo C260 19.5-Inch All-in-One Desktop (57327436) Black

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I purchased this as a back up computer simply to access cloud based applications on the web in a business situation. For the price it is a pleasant surprise. It is able to access net applications without issue and it does so quickly. It is a bit slower to install software than my more robust computers, but outside of this, it does what I need it to do. I plan to purchase another one.

ASUS VivoPC-VM40B-02 Desktop

CUSTOMER REVIEW



At $250, the ASUS VivoPC-VM40B is a dream come true for customers needing a full interfaced desktop in a small, sleek package. Measuring 7.5" x 7.5" x 2.2", this sleek desktop with a spun metal finish allows me to have a nice computer attached to the playroom for both games, movies, and homework on the big screen. With 4GB of memory (upgradeable to 16GB) and 500GB of on board storage, this machine is just right for our playroom.



Powered with a dual core CPU driven by an Intel Celeron 1007U Processor (1.5 GHz), this is an all-around general purpose machine - not a machine geared towards hardcore gamers or video editors where a much faster chipset would be required.



It comes stock with the following connectivity ports:



2 x USB 3.0

4 x USB 2.0

1 x HDMI

1 x VGA Out

1 x LAN

1 x Optical S/PDIF out (Toslink)

3 x Audio Jacks (Line in/Mic in/Speaker out)



Its even Bluetooth 4.0 compliant!



I would prefer to have another HDMI slot, but you can't ask for the world at this price and in this size of a console.



The ASUS VivoPC-VM40B is a nice alternative to a Chromebox for those who need a little more functionality and control. It is quiet and doesn't get too warm during use. A great addition for my family's computing needs.