Lenovo Ideacentre B520 review

In our benchmarks, the PC’s Core i5-2320 processor helped it score a respectable 85, making it more than capable of handling any desktop applications you care to throw at it. A massive 8GB of memory means you won’t have any problems multitasking, while a 1TB hard disk will provide enough storage for most people. The PC has six USB ports – two at the side and four at the back – Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet, a multi-format memory card reader and a PS/2 mouse or keyboard port. It’s a shame there’s no USB3, though, as unlike with normal desktop PCs there’s no way to add it later, but you do get an HDMI output to add a second monitor.

The PC’s weakest feature is its sound – the integrated stereo speakers are incredibly quiet, to the point that we had to connect headphones or external speakers just so we didn’t have to strain to hear anything. Your options are limited there, too, as there’s only a 3.5mm stereo output, although the PC can output surround sound via its HDMI port to an AV amplifier and you can buy USB surround sound cards for around £20. Our only other irritation is that the Bluetooth mouse and keyboard – which are very well designed and extremely comfortable to use – take a while to wake up after Windows has started and go to sleep if you don’t use them for a couple of minutes.

Despite these minor complaints, the B520 is the best all-in-one PC we’ve yet seen for all-round entertainment. If you want one device to handle modest gaming and standard desktop tasks, as well as to watch TV and 3D Blu-rays, this is all you need. £940 is expensive, but we feel the PC’s fantastic range of features justifies the cost.