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SINGAPORE : When pictures of the Lenovo IdeaCentre A600 first propagated on the Internet, we were pleasantly surprised at how slick this all-in-one machine looks.
The A600 (S$2,199) sports glossy black aesthetics and a thin 27mm widescreen display that supports resolutions up to 1,920x1,080. It comes with a wireless keyboard and mouse combo.
Nice touches include the integrated trackpad on the keyboard, which makes it easy to use the computer from the couch or bed. There are touch-sensitive controls on the display and keyboard, with icons that light up only when your finger grazes the surface. The slim 21.5-inch display pivots on the sturdy flat base, allowing it to be tilted to a certain degree.
A 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor is the main muscle behind this machine, along with 4GB of memory and 640GB of storage. A capable ATI M86 powers its graphics. The computer has Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth and WiFi built in, an integrated media card reader and an 1394 port so you can easily transfer data.
In use, the A600 feels speedy, handling conventional tasks and multimedia files with ease.
Spend a little more time with it though, and you'll notice that Lenovo could have paid a little more attention to detail. Multimedia playback on the screen is smooth and the display has good contrast and is bright enough, just as long as Lenovo's built-in software does not dim the screen too much to keep you from damaging your eyes.
We disabled the software eventually because it tended to dim it too much. Concerned parents might find this useful for their children though.
And then there were the jarring beeps the machine would emit each time you adjust the display's brightness. There is no way to customise or change the sound of this beep, too.
The 2.1 speaker system at the base of the display was somewhat of a let-down as well, despite its inclusion of a subwoofer. Music and audio sounded thin and basslines did not quite rock our socks off. That's a pity because the A600 could be a decent multimedia centre with its built-in TV tuner and Blu-ray drive. We guess you could hook it up to a much better set of dedicated speakers instead.
The all-in-one also has a 4-in-1 remote control which you can use as a media remote, a wireless VOIP handset, or to control the mouse cursor just by moving it in the air (thanks to the accelerometer that it houses). The A600 even includes a handful of novelty games that make use of the remote's Nintendo Wii-like feature.
It might be a little rough around the edges but with all the thoughtful software and features Lenovo has packed into it, the A600 does make a capable, entertaining and cool family computer.
- TODAY/il
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