For the past few months, my family and I have been testing the awesome Lenovo Horizon 27″ Table PC (Lenovo IdeaCentre). I first laid eyes on one at CES back in January. I was intrigued, but being able to play with one in my own home was amazing. My kids took right to it. The Horizon is not just an all-in-one PC. The Horizon has a beautiful 27″ touchscreen. And, if that is not enough you can lay it flat for family game play.
Say what?? Yes, it is as awesome as it sounds. Laying the computer flat allows for playing great games like air hockey, Monopoly, Fishing Joy, and more. The Horizon comes with a wide array of games installed to get you started. And once I connected my Microsoft account my kids wasted no time downloading more games from the Windows store.
Since it is a full PC with Windows 8 Pro you have full access to not only download games from the Windows Store but also install other applications that you need to get your work done.
Lenovo IdeaCentre All in One Horizon Specifications
There are several models of the Horizon available. All offer the following specs:
- Intel i5 or i7 Processor
- 27″ All In One FHD Anti-Glare with Multi-touch 1920×1080
- NVIDIA GeForce GT620M 2GB
- 8.0GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz
- 1TB 5400 RPM
- Broadcom 11b/g/n Wi-Fi wireless
- BlueTooth 4.0
You can check out the Lenovo store for all of the different models and choose the one that is right for your household.
You can even get a model with a built-in battery which is what we tested. This allows you to move the Horizon around like a large tablet for play on the dining room table, kitchen table, family room floor, or wherever. The estimated battery life is only less than 2 hours though, so don't try to go too far.
My kids were so attached to the Horizon that I hardly got to touch it. However, I did test it out once they were in bed a few times. The very large screen made browsing the Internet and replying to emails very pleasant. But even better with 27″ of screen real estate to work with editing photos and videos, or multi-tasking with multiple windows open is easy.
Once the Horizon arrived, they took a break from our summer game of Monopoly to check it out. They were instantly hooked. Having 4 children it is great that many of the games allow 4 players with the included 4 joysticks. Also included are 2 strikers for use in Air Hockey, and an E-dice which can be used in Monopoly and Lenovo Tycoon.
At 27″ it will take up quite a bit of space on your desk or table, however, the width is only 1.25 inches when standing.
The huge touchscreen makes it easy and more fun to navigate through apps, play games, and draw. And with the included Lenovo Aura interface you can navigate touch-enabled games, apps, and much more.
Highlights/Pros
- Solid specs that make it a great all-in-one work PC
- Thin footprint
- Built-in battery
- Convertible lay flat design for family game play
- 27″ screen great for watching movies
Cons
- Internal battery life limited to 2 hours
- At 18 lbs, it is a bit heavy to move around the house
Summary
Overall the Lenovo Horizon IdeaCentre Table PC is a great machine. It has the ability to be a viable desktop PC for working from home, replying to emails, photo editing, and much more. And when ready, just move it to the dining room, kitchen, or wherever for some family fun time. The 27″ monitor has great resolution supported by a great graphics card needed to run many games. It comes standard with 8gb of RAM, so things run smoothly and the 1TB hard drive ensures you have plenty of space for more games, photos, and more. Kids will love it. And when they are not playing you can certainly use it to get your work done (or play). Plus the 27″ 1920 x1080 make it a great TV replacement for watching Netflix, Hulu, or DVDs.
Prices for Lenovo IdeaCentre PCs vary depending on the model chosen.
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