Appearances can be deceptive: this PC may look humble, but it signals a number of changes for Lenovo. For starters, it's the first worldwide launch of a Lenovo-branded product since the company took over IBM's personal computer group in 2004. It's also the first Lenovo machine we've ever seen to include an AMD processor, which is, in turn, a reflection that this PC is aimed at the small-to-medium business buyer rather than a corporate.
Then there's Lenovo Care. Anyone familiar with IBM's ThinkVantage technologies will already appreciate excellent applications like Rescue and Recovery, which offers a one-click route to creating backups and also restoring them, as well as offering a way to rescue a PC even if Windows is entirely corrupted. Lenovo Care takes the main components of ThinkVantage and wraps them up in a new, friendlier interface. So if one of your staff has an emergency - a virus strikes, for example - they're able to press the Lenovo Care button and hopefully find a solution. In reality, they'll almost certainly still need to find a tech-savvy member of the team to help them, but it's a big step up from the built-in Windows tools that most small-business PCs are shipped with.
What you shouldn't expect is any management software. While Lenovo ThinkCentres include tools like Software Migration System to make deployment and management easier, the J105 is designed to be bought off the shelf. So Lenovo makes no commitment to this particular disk image, specification or longevity; if you come to buy again in three months' time, you'll have to accept that even the motherboard chipset may have changed.
There's a lack of flexibility too; in crude terms, you get what you're given. The J105 is only shipped in a midi-tower system, unlike Lenovo's Intel-based J100 series, which can also be bought in a small-form-factor desktop chassis. If you buy the J105, you should certainly consider hiding it away under desks, especially as the yellowy orange plastic buttons don't scream quality.
Aside from the cosmetics, the chassis is actually identical to that of Lenovo's ThinkCentre range, which typically cost £100 more. That means there's plenty of room inside the chassis if you wish to add to the supplied hard disk; our review system (code PPHJ8UK) came with a 160GB disk, and you could take advantage of the SATA RAID controller on the motherboard to add another disk for mirroring.
Alternatively, you could just back up to a recordable DVD. The lower-end J105 systems only come with a combo CD-RW/DVD drive, but the price here includes a DVD writer and we prefer to have the option of archiving the full contents of the system to disc. Our initial backup took 30 minutes, and Lenovo estimates weekly backups will then take only two-to-five minutes, depending on the amount of new data created.
One area that could be considered a compromise is the processor. While HP's dx5150 is based on an Athlon 64 3200+ processor, Lenovo has opted for an AMD Sempron 3400+ chip. Coupled with the same 512MB of RAM found inside HP's machine, the lower-spec processor didn't make a huge amount of difference in our benchmarks: Lenovo's machine scored 0.83 compared to 0.86 from HP.
In terms of day-to-day use, it's unlikely anyone would be able to tell the difference. They're both fast machines, and if all you need a PC for is Word, Excel, email and web browsing you'll be more than happy with the J105.
The only time you might wish for more firepower is if and when you upgrade to Vista. As standard, the J105 comes with a low-powered integrated graphics chipset, which isn't able to run the advanced graphics effects like transparent windows. You can upgrade, but note that the slot is AGP 8x rather than the PCI Express 16x slot we'd have preferred.
We were certainly very happy with the Lenovo's noise levels. After an initial whir of startup activity, the fans are whisper quiet. In fact, the only noise we noticed was when accessing data on the hard disk, so if you intend to replace an office-worth of PCs with a set of J105 systems you'll have a very grateful workforce.
They should also be pretty pleased with the mouse and keyboard. While HP bundles a non-optical model, Lenovo opts for optical technology. The keyboard is up to the high standard we've come to expect, with minimal rattle and a pleasant feel. There's no monitor bundled, but this is no bad thing. By shopping around at time of purchase, you'll be able to pick up a batch of bargain 17in TFTs that severely undercut the price of Lenovo's own.
Overall, it's a strong offering. If you're looking for a very basic system, the lowest-spec J105 costs just £220 and our review system hits a very sweet spot in terms of spec-for-buck - the HP only includes an 80GB hard disk and a combo drive for £319. Despite this, there isn't quite enough to knock the dx5150 off the A List: we prefer the HP's small form factor and it includes XP Professional rather than Lenovo's choice of Home Edition. But if you like the sound of Lenovo Care, the J105 is an excellent alternative.
System Specifications
2GHz AMD Sempron 3400+; 512MB PC3200 RAM; ECS K8M800-M3 motherboard; 160GB Western Digital WD1600JS hard disk; HL-DT-ST GSA-4163B DVD writer; integrated VIA/S3G UniChrome Pro IGP graphics; 10/100 Ethernet; Windows XP Home; Lenovo Care; 1yr on-site warranty
Verdict
The J105 will be attractive to anyone upgrading their business PCs thanks to decent performance, low noise levels and software designed to solve technical problems
Author: Tim Danton
PC Pro Online