With smaller form-factor CPUs and extravagant gaming desktops crowding the market these days, the Lenovo Ideacentre 700 tower sits comfortably in the middle.
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Lenovo Ideacentre 700 Overview: A Well-Balanced Entry-Level Gaming Desktop
An age old saying goes not to judge a book by its cover.
In this sense, the 700 computer has much to offer internally, from its spacious internal real estate to its noteworthy processing capability.
Build and Design
The Ideacentre 700 desktop sports a brushed-aluminum finish with silver accents on its front. Aesthetically pleasing as it may seem, the 700’s chassis is mostly made of plastic. On the other hand, potential buyers will be happy to learn that this desktop’s tower remains durable and sturdy despite the aforementioned.
Lenovo furnishes this gaming desktop with a tray that takes up two-thirds of the top space to seat gadgets for charging.
Also, the shiny section that holds the connectivity ports at front also hides the handle for easy lifting and moving of the tower from one area to another.
Performance and Graphics
The Lenovo Ideacentre 700 caters to the latest 6th generation Skylake Intel Core i7 processor. And although it may not have the best gaming specs upright, the 700 offers easy upgrade options from twin GPUs to tool-less access to its interior.
Performance-wise, the Ideacentre 700 will play most modern games flawlessly at moderate settings. However, hardcore gamers who are into testing the graphic limits of their gaming rigs will need an additional GPU to work with the bundled NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960.
Fortunately, when it comes to intensive system processing, media editing and high-end productivity tasks, this desktop delivers more than what’s expected of it.
Connectivity
While the top portion houses 2 USB 3.0 ports, a multimedia-format card reader and in/out audio jacks, the back provides interface for 2 more USB ports 2.0 and 3.0, both digital and analog audio jacks, Ethernet, VGA and HDMI ports.
Pros and Cons
It’s no surprise that Lenovo has a long way to go in launching the perfect gaming desktop. However, the Ideacentre 700 offers a balance between upgradeability, productivity and entertainment. The list below summarizes the 700’s pros and cons.
Pros
1. Tool-less chassis access. Lenovo offers an extra degree of freedom by using tool-less screws so users can remove the 700’s side panel with bare hands.
2. Fast performance. The desktop may not break any benchmark score, but it’s definitely a fast performing desktop.
3. Expandability. Unlike other gaming CPUs of similar price point, the Ideacentre 700 offer spacious internal real estate for upgrade options.
4. Fast Built-in Wi-Fi. If there’s one add-on users should consider in getting the 700, it should be to include Lenovo’s stock Wi-Fi in their package.
5. Quiet as a mouse. Even at full load, the Lenovo 700 is one of the most silent gaming desktops there is.
Cons
1. Mediocre gaming graphics. Some models sports the Intel HD Graphics. The 700 tower won’t be wowing anyone with its visual prowess. Nonetheless, the option for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX960 should suffice for moderate visual settings.
2. Few USB 3.0 ports. This Ideacentre only has 4 USB Superspeed 3.0 ports.
3. Bloatware. Some users may be pleased with Lenovo’s full version software bundles. Then again, others will always prefer doing these installations on their own.
Verdict
The Lenovo Ideacentre 700 is an affordable entry-level gaming desktop that provides its users freedom to choose their own upgrades.
It may not have the highest benchmark scores in terms of graphics and performance, but the 700 remains a solid choice. Price, performance and upgradeability are just some of its strong selling points.
Quick Specifications:
Processor: up to 6th Generation Intel Core i7
Operating System: Windows 10 Home 64
Graphics: up to NVIDIA GeForce GTX960 2GB
Memory: up to 16.0GB DDR3
Hard Drive: up to 1TB 7200 RPM + 192GB SSD
Optical Drive: DVD Recordable
Warranty 1 year
Weight 20.9 lbs
Dimensions 21.85H x 9.45W x 23.22D inches
Price starts from $699 >