Lenovo Essential C540 - 57313093 Pro Reviews

Bottom line here, the Lenovo C540 all-in-one seems to be well suited for the intended audience. That is to say the average home user that wants something powerful enough for day to day use. Of course, the good looks and relatively slim design only go to further that thought. The model as configured is priced from $500 and can be found with a variety of online retailers with prices through the $500 range. Also, as one would expect with desktop computers there is always the option to upgrade. In this case, Lenovo has options for faster processors, more RAM and even additional storage. Needless to say, based on what we have tested — we think this ‘as tested’ model will be just fine for the majority of users.

Lenovo delivers a decent software bundle for the price. There's Lenovo PowerDVD 10 (by CyberLink) for music, video, and DVD playback, plus the PowerDVD for IdeaCentre version that wraps the functionality in a slick Windows 8 skin. The CyberLink Power2Go application lets you create all manner of DVD and CD discs. It even supports writing data Blu-ray discs should you connect an external Blu-ray burner. We also like the Power2Go Express option, a quick-and-dirty way to create discs by just dragging and dropping files to the appropriate icon. You also get 30-day trials for McAfee Internet Security and Microsoft Office 2010. Lenovo warrants the system for one year, which again is fair for this price point. In the cutthroat world of budget PCs, it's hard to stand out from the pack. After all, there's only so much an OEM can deliver for around $500. There's a lot to like about the C540, first and foremost the beautiful screen. But if you are shopping on price, be sure to check the competing all-in-ones from HP, Acer, and Gateway. You might find one with slightly better specs at a similar price. But if you settle on the C540 you won't be disappointed, as long as you modulate your performance expectations appropriately.

For average users on the market for a reasonably-priced all-in-one desktop that can tackle daily home productivity tasks like surfing the web or watching movies without looking like a total eyesore, the Lenovo C540 is a solid choice.