Lenovo IdeaCentre A720 review

The PC has 8GB of RAM, which is plenty for any task up to and including editing massive high-resolution images, but that’s as much memory as the motherboard can handle, so there’s no scope to upgrade. There’s a 1TB hard disk to store all your media, a card reader which can handle SDXC and Memory Stick PRO cards among others and a 720p webcam.

The PC’s speakers are built into the front of the base which houses all the system’s innards, so keeping your desk nice and clear. Like most integrated speakers, they’re fine for system sounds, spoken word and even a spot of YouTube viewing, but a muddy mid-range, minimal bass and oddly muted treble tones mean they’re not suitable for music.

The PC has a 3.5mm headphone port for speakers and headphones, and the system comes equipped with Dolby Home Theatre virtual surround sound processing software. There’s also a microphone port and you can always use the HDMI port to output your audio and video to a proper set of surround sound speakers via an AV receiver. The PC also has four USB ports – three on the back and one at the front right of the base. The front-right port and one of the rear ports are USB3.

At just shy of £1,300, this all-in-one is by no means cheap – it only costs £100 less than the cheapest 27-inch Apple iMac. However, although it lacks the iMac’s 2,560×1,440 display and can only take a maximum 8GB of memory, the PC’s specification is otherwise superior, with a more powerful processor, TV tuner, touchscreen and a Blu-ray drive. If photo editing and design work are your key interests, the prize still goes to Apple, but the IdeaCentre A720 is more suitable for home entertainment and gaming, so is still an excellent all-in-one.