Lenovo IdeaCentre Flex 20 Pro Reviews

The Lenovo IdeaCentre Flex 20 is a good all-in-one desktop for general users, but a few nits keep it from being the tops in class.

The Lenovo Flex 20 makes a lot of compromises to achieve its light weight and low price. Most people would be better off saving a little more cash to buy a machine they won’t outgrow so quickly.

Tabletop PCs, a term not yet used as widely as it should be to describe this style of computer, are a lot of fun, and a strong potential growth area as buyers decide what the family PC of the future should look like. Lenovo's version breaks no new ground -- it's not the fastest, largest, thinnest, or longest lasting. But thanks to some post-launch price adjustments, it is the least expensive. The real hook for this product over the competition is Lenovo's excellent Aura software interface, plus the sold-separate accessories, including air hockey paddles and wireless e-dice. But if you're looking for the ultimate tabletop PC, wait for the next version of Lenovo's 27-inch Horizon model, coming later in 2014.

We recommend the Flex 20 for the table PC curious because it allocates its funds wisely: It doesn't cut corners that detract from its design or utility, or look or feel like a cheap machine. Instead of sacrificing its sleek design and elegant software, it surrenders some performance for its low price. But its pricier competitors aren't multimedia or gaming powerhouses, either, and the Flex 20 has enough muscle for its intended purpose as a friendly family PC.

Lenovo’s Flex 20 is not the best implementation of a portable all-in-one design we’ve yet seen, but it is the only one we’ve tested with a price tag that makes sense. Dell’s XPS 18 and HP’s Envy Rove, both of which start at almost $1,000, are too expensive for what they offer. Lenovo’s $799 Flex, on the other hand, is only a tad pricier than a typical budget all-in-one. And while its performance is lackluster compared to traditional desktops, it’s not that far behind other devices in its class. The question, then, is whether you buy the argument that a large, tablet-like device is a reasonable alternative to owning a desktop and tablet together. We still think that’s dubious because the Flex 20, try as it might to slim down, remains a bulky device that’s truly unwieldy in tight spaces and lacks the battery life needed for long journeys. Lenovo carefully markets the Flex as an around-the-house device, but that raises the question; why buy a portable device that’s a chore to carry? Doesn’t it make more sense to buy an iPad and, if the screen appears too small, simply hold it closer to your face? We still don’t see the logic of this form-factor, which makes it impossible for us to recommend the Flex 20.