Lenovo Ideacentre Q190 review

The Q190 comes with 4GB of DDR3 RAM and a 1.8GHz Intel Core i3-3217U processor, a model that was common to several Core i3 laptops last year. It struggled slightly with our multi-tasking test, but its overall score of 31 in our multimedia benchmarks is still good for a system of this size and price. This puts it just behind a bang-up-to-date Core i3 laptop, so it’s more than capable of handling everyday computing tasks. The relatively limited amount of memory won’t be a problem for most people, but you may run into problems when running virtual machines.

The processor’s integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 chip is beginning to show its age, however, as it isn’t powerful enough to run the latest 3D games. It failed to produce 15fps in the laptop version of our Dirt Showdown test, which we run at 1,280×720 with 4x anti-aliasing and High detail, and even less demanding 3D titles weren’t particularly smooth. We were just about able to play the Trine 2 platform game on Low quality at 1,280×720, thanks to an average frame rate of 17.6fps, but it was still too jerky to be much fun.

The PC’s built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi makes it easy to connect to your home network, giving it plenty of potential as a home media centre for streaming services such as iPlayer and Netflix. You’ll have to stick with Full HD video, though, as the PC struggled to produce anything more than a stuttering mess of pixels when we tried playing our 4K test footage.

For those willing to brave the Q190’s basic BIOS, there’s also the possibility to wake the PC from LAN when it’s in Sleep mode. This is particularly handy if you’ve mounted the PC to the back of your TV or monitor, as you can wake it up from a tablet or smartphone. Unlike other mini PCs, such as those based on Intel’s NUC platform, there isn’t an option to wake the PC from LAN when switched off.

The Lenovo IdeaCentre Q190 has its drawbacks, and its 4GB RAM means you’re limited in how many intensive tasks you perform at once, but at just £330 it’s certainly an enticing prospect for those who want a neat and tidy mini PC and don’t want to pay an extra £150 for the equally powerful PC Specialist NUC Lite. It wins a Budget Buy award.