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AT A GLANCE
EDITORS RATING
EXCELLENT
In the Lenovo C40 you get a lot of computer at the price of a mid-range tablet, while still enjoying the must-have features that you’ve wanted from an all-in-one desktop, like a performance-ready quad core processor, 8GB of memory, a responsive 1080p HD touch screen (10-finger multi-touch), HDMI input and output, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi
The Lenovo C40 is an all-in-one desktop PC priced like a mid-range tablet, but it will deliver on your daily computing needs without feeling the pinch of a sluggish machine. With an affordable entry-level price, the system boasts of a 21.5-inch HD (1,920-by-1,080 resolution) touch screen, is powered by a quad-core AMD processor, has some of the best connectivity options we’ve seen in entry-level AIOs, including HDMI-in and HDMI-out ports (in most desktops you can only find HDMI-out) and 802.11ac Wi-Fi.
The full array of features and components at a surprisingly affordable price give the Lenovo C40 a longer shelf life than most bargain PCs, and for that it is our Editors’ Choice for entry-level all-in-one desktops.
Design
The Lenovo C40’s borrows lots of props from previous Lenovo systems, especially the design which has a striking resemblance to the Lenovo C460 and the Lenovo C260 Touch. The C40 is set on a silver-colored stand with tilt adjustability, with all the components being built into the screen. The min advantage with tilt adjustable stand is that you get enough space underneath to stow a keyboard. While on the keyboard, the system comes with a wired keyboard and mouse that some will find quite inconveniencing that a wireless set, but it is an agreeable compromise for the price. You can always find a decent wireless keyboard-mouse like the Logitech Wireless Combo MK270 without breaking a sweat.
The C40’s 21.5-inch supports 10-finger touch capability. Which gives you ample time to use both hands in interacting with the PC. One good thing about the screen must be its fast and accurate touch functionality, although there exist a slight glitch in that the glass protecting the screen tends to reflect lights and bright details in the room around you. If you regularly watch web videos, then the 1,920-by-1,080 resolution screen will make you happy.
The resolution is a major upgrade from the 1,600-by-900-resolution on the Lenovo C260 Touch. The high resolution means that movie trailers and video streaming are near perfect, although general design narrows the viewing angles, they are fine if you’re sated a few feet away. The C40’s speakers are loud and clear, but at top volume you’ll get some slight distortion but its not overly uncomfortable. If you need to blast your ears at top volume, you’re better of using a pair of headphones.
Connectivity
If you have your headphones at hand, you can easily plug them since the port is set on the left side of the system, and so is the microphone jack, an SD card reader, and two USB 3.0 ports. On the right side is a DVD burner, and an Ethernet port; while on the backside is a trio of USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI-in and an HDMI-out port, which makes it possible for you to extend the screen’s useful life. If you want to connect your work laptop or a set-top box to the Lenovo C40’s screen, the HDMI-in comes in handy, plus you can optionally connect another external monitor to the HDMI-out for multiple-display.
Performance
The C40’s AMD A6-6310 quad-core processor and an integrated AMD Radeon R4 graphics processor are more than adequate for day-to-day use. With a score of 1,583 points on the PCMark 8 Work Conventional test, the Lenovo C40 comes slightly behind its predecessor the Lenovo C260 Touch (1,783), and is even way behind the Lenovo C460 (2,586), but is definitely faster than the Gateway ZX4270-UR32 (1,254). Similarly, on multimedia tests the C40 eschews the Gateway ZX4270, but remains in the same arena with the C260.
On a performance level, the C40 compares well against most entry-level desktops powered by Intel Celeron, Pentium and Core i3 processors. Apparently, most entry-level systems are not designed with potent graphics processors, higher 3D gaming scores and the C40 is no exception. To be safe, keep the lane of everyday and video tasks but 3D gaming and RAM-intensive photo editing will take a toll on your system.
The 8GB of non-upgradable RAM and 1TB, 7,200-rpm SATA hard drive are plenty if you’re a typical consumer, and you can supplement that with additional cloud storage, a NAS device, or USB drives. The hard drive is mostly free of bloatware, and we only found a few extra programs on the Start screen, like Amazon, Evernote, TripAdvisor, and Zinio. There isn’t any room for additional internal drives, but you can open up the C40 to replace the existing drive with a faster mechanism or one with more capacity. In contrast, all-in-one desktops like the Lenovo Horizon 2e have a totally sealed chassis. The system comes with a one-year warranty.
Summary
In the Lenovo C40 you get a lot of computer at the price of a mid-range tablet, while still enjoying the must-have features that you’ve wanted from an all-in-one desktop, like a performance-ready quad core processor, 8GB of memory, a responsive 1080p HD touch screen (10-finger multi-touch), HDMI input and output, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi.
If we get to the bare basics, the system has a higher-resolution than the Lenovo C260 Touch, as well as a better wired and wireless connectivity options, has more memory, has double the storage space, and superior overall performance. For that, we give it thumbs up and having it on top of your shopping list is what we can call a step in the right direction.
Editors' Choice
Lenovo IdeaCentre AIO 3 AMD All-in-One Computer, 24" FHD Display, Ryzen 5 5500U, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, DVD RW Drive, Windows 11
4 used from $345.79
