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How to Find the Best Desktop Computer For You

Do people still buy desktops? You bet. Despite the fact that we live in an increasingly mobile world, and rely heavily on our smartphones and tablets for much of our computing needs, there are some things that desktops still do better than those other devices. So let us take you on a little journey through the current desktop landscape. Our mission? To help you find the best desktop, whether it’s for the home, for business, or for gaming. Let’s begin…

Why buy a desktop?

Desktops have three key advantages over laptops:

Power: It’s hard to make things small, so generally speaking, the fastest, most powerful CPU chips from companies like Intel and AMD will be offered for desktop computers before mobile versions make their way into laptops. The same principle is true for all of the other major components, whether its graphics cards or hard drives.

Expandability: If a laptop is the one-bedroom condo of the computing world, think of desktops as the 5,000 square foot split-level ranch. With way more room inside, you can add, remove, and upgrade almost any component. Lenovo desktops are even engineered to let you make those changes without so much as a screwdriver.

Value: Why pay for portability if you don’t need it? A desktop computer will always be a better value dollar-for-dollar than a laptop because it doesn’t need to carry a battery, fold up into a briefcase, or cram all of the same components into such a small space.

Who are you?

Whoa, deep question, we know! But the key to buying the best desktop is to first figure out your needs. Is this a desktop computer for your whole family to share? Is it going to be used mostly for your business? Or are you looking for a machine that will give you an edge when online gaming, and everything else is secondary? Knowing the answers to these questions will keep you focused on the features and form factors that will make the biggest difference in your buying decision. After all, why spend money on a killer gaming rig when you’re just looking for a productivity computer?

Form follows function

If you’re a hardcore gamer, a tower desktop, or mini-tower desktop is the way to go. The cases of these desktops are designed for you, with easy access to every internal component – so important when you’re ready for an upgrade. Lenovo’s Legion line of gaming rigs have a tool-free chassis that makes swapping a hard drive or memory module a snap, literally. The cases are also designed for maximum airflow; because extreme gaming means extreme heat build up.

Tower desktops are also masters of connectivity. They possess more and varied ports than laptops, something that power users can never get enough of. This includes the ability to connect multiple external hard drives, optical drives, monitors, and up to 7.1 speaker systems.

On the other hand, business and home users have more choice when it comes to the shape of their desktops. An All-in-One (AIO) is an attractive option – literally – thanks to its simplicity of shape and setup. With just a single power cable to contend with, and designs that are incredibly elegant, AIOs will work anywhere a traditional desktop might be used, and thousands of more places where only a single piece of hardware makes sense. Though they might lack some of the configuration options of their tower-based cousins, All-in-One desktops are still fully-featured machines, and support the latest processors and graphics chips.

The best desktop computer for gaming

Gaming has become one of the most demanding computing activities from a pure performance point of view. Hugely popular titles like Call of Duty, and Overwatch, might be a blast to play, but they’re non-stop torture sessions for your PC. These games push every single component to its limits, from the keyboard and mouse, to the GPU. You simply can’t expect a basic desktop to handle this kind of abuse. That would be like trying to compete in a Formula 1 race behind the wheel of a minivan. That’s why gaming desktop computers have become their own distinct category in recent years – they’re built from the ground up to reliably deliver the highest possible performance.

Lenovo’s Legion Y520 tower is a great example. It delivers everything gamers need, including VR ready hardware, at a price that won’t leave you screaming uncle! For those who want a step-up rig, the Lenovo Legion Y720 offers more discrete graphics options, and room for more RAM, while still not breaking the bank. With its optional 4.2GHz Intel® CoreTM i7 CPU, that can turbo boost up to 4.5GHz, and can be overclocked to 4.9GHz, the extreme Lenovo Legion Y920 is the ultimate in face-melting performance.

The best desktop computer for the home

In some ways, the home represents the most challenging scenario for picking a computer. A home desktop PC has to be a virtual Swiss Army knife, handling day-to-day tasks like email and web surfing as easily as it can manage photo libraries and stream NetflixTM in full HD. If you place it centrally – say, in the kitchen -- everyone in the family will end up using it. There’s a good chance it will become the go-to device for Skype sessions with relatives.

That’s why All-in-Ones like the 23” Ideacentre AIO 520S are becoming such a popular choice. Its minimalist design all but disappears, with only a single cord to contend with; even the keyboard and mouse are wireless. The screen is the perfect middle ground for size: Big enough for movies and games, but also small enough to fit on the tightest of work surfaces. The dual HDMI in/out port lets the 520S double as an HDTV, saving even more space. Its unique, bottom-mounted web cam retracts when not in use, which not only looks better, it means you can be sure no one is watching you unless you want them to.

The best desktop computer for business

We know -- every business is different. So how can we choose a best desktop for business? Truth is, we can’t, which is why Lenovo makes dozens of models to choose from. But what all businesses have in common is a need for reliability at a reasonable cost.

No lines of business desktops provide this better than Lenovo’s ThinkCentre series. With form factors that range from enterprise desktop towers, to sales floor friendly All-in-Ones, all ThinkCentre desktops are built for reliability, and come with one year of on-site warranty coverage.

We’ve even got a business class desktop that is so small, you can piggyback it on an existing monitor: The ThinkCentre M710q Tiny. With a sub-$400 starting price, the only thing that isn’t pint sized is its performance. We’ve still managed to pack a 7th generation Intel® CoreTM i7 CPU and PCIe SSD storage into its chassis, which gives it the speed of a machine five times its size. Throw it anywhere you can find room -- it won’t care. With a dust and vibration resistant enclosure, it will be just as happy in a metal shop as it is on a bookshelf.

One brand, tons of desktop choices

Selecting the right desktop computer requires some thought on your part, but we’re ready to do the heavy lifting once you have. Whether it’s a family friendly All-in-One, or a gaming rig built for total online domination, Lenovo gives you dozens of ways to make one of our desktop computers your desktop computer.