Review: Lenovo C260

Introduction and design

If there are two things to be said about the Lenovo C260 Touch, it's that it's inexpensive and space-saving. But beyond that, there's not much else to say about this all-in-one PC. Priced at around $479 (about £302, AU$538), the C260 is relatively affordable, and houses some decent components for the price.

There's a 500GB, 7,200 rpm hard drive, 4GB of RAM, 802.11bgn WiFi and built-in LAN, three USB 2.0 ports, one USB 3.0 and a media card reader. There's also an included 720p webcam and speakers, both of which are rather standard. The back also has an HDMI-out port in case you want to hook a second screen up, which is a little unusual, considering how many all-in-one PCs have HDMI-in for hooking up accessories.

Unfortunately, built-in Bluetooth is missing here, unlike in many competing all-in-one PCs. What's worse is the surprisingly slow, quad-core Intel Pentium CPU, clocked at 2.42GHz and packing integrated Intel HD graphics.

The 19.5-inch, 1,600 x 900 touchscreen is also noticeably smaller than some all-in-one PCs within the C260's price range, like the Acer Aspire Z3. Truth be told, all-in-one computers are generally designed as space-savers. Unless you're comparing this system to one with a 23-inch screen or greater, there's not a ton of desk space being freed up here.

While I liked the look and size of Acer monitor better, the Lenovo panel produces a little less glare. Plus, it is surprisingly responsive to touch commands, given the processor inside. However, that's about the only task this computer performs fairly quickly.

A need for speed

If you didn't already guess, the C260's biggest issues are speed and power. While you shouldn't expect much from a PC that costs less than $500, don't expect much punch for your hard-earned pennies. But do expect some whimpering.

It isn't as if this computer was built to run Chrome OS, like the LG Chromebase, and therefore doesn't require much processing power. (Although you could probably get away with setting Chrome to Windows 8 mode and pretend.) Or you could stick with the Windows 8.1 Start Screen interface and try keeping to lightweight apps. Either way, you'll want to avoid taxing the C260 by either using web-based applications or lighter local pieces of software.

Although there are certainly worse systems out there, the C260 is noticeably sluggish. Even simple tasks, like minimizing and maximizing windows and loading videos, have a perceivable half-second redraw. New desktop programs can take a long while to install and run. Apps designed specifically for Windows 8 tend to go a little faster, but performance can be inconsistent.

Other quirks include the keyboard layout, which presents quite the learning curve. The Function key is the last key on the bottom left side, where Control usually sits. So, using keyboard shortcuts like copy and paste is a pain early on. The group of keys on the right side – Delete, Home, End, Page Up and Page Down – are also arranged uniquely with an oversized Delete key. It's also worth noting that both the keyboard and mouse are wired, and together, they account for two of the three available USB 2.0 ports.

Almost entertaining

The C260's screen is pretty reflective, but it's not quite as bad as some rivals, like the Aspire Z3, and it can be overlooked with some clever placement. Its viewing angles are very good, but the picture can look a little dark, even with the brightness set to maximum.

Another ding is that this computer's built-in speakers don't produce much volume. I had to turn everything up to maximum just to get a decent amount of sound.

Also, if you enjoy video games, you'll need to stick to ones that feature relatively simple graphics, because the integrated GPU doesn't handle complex 3D visuals well. This isn't a hard and fast rule, considering how Child of Light, a recent game with sophisticated 2D graphics, sees the character move as if she's underwater. Meanwhile, GT Racing 2, a 3D racing game optimized for Windows 8, plays just OK.

Another disappointment is that the computer only has an HDMI-out port. Most other all-in-one PCs offer HDMI-in, so that electronics like Blu-ray players can be used with the screen. Having to use a second screen for other gadgets undermines the space-saving nature of the computer. Combined with the lack of Bluetooth connectivity, the Lenovo C260 seems a little light on features.

That said, at least the microphone picks up audio quite well during video calls (sometimes a little too much). And while camera adjusts well in low light, it produces a grainy, low quality image in even the best conditions.

Specifications, performance and verdict

Frankly, the Lenovo C260's loadout is pretty minimal. There's enough power for Windows 8.1 to run smoothly, but there isn't a whole lot to spare. This is a concern, because performance may only drop as new applications are installed and the hard drive is filled up.

While testing the system, boot times seemed to increase with the number of apps I installed. If the C260 is noticeably sluggish with only a handful of programs installed, how will it be after a year's worth of use?

Given that this is a budget system, perhaps it deserves some slack. But there are all-in-one PCs, like the LG Chromebase, which can do just as much as the C260, if you're willing to learn Chrome OS (which is a significant switch). Plus, the Acer Aspire Z3 might not be as fast on paper, but it offers better and more features.

Spec sheet

• CPU: 2.42 GHz Intel Pentium J2900 (quad-core, 2MB cache)


• Graphics: Intel HD Graphics


• RAM: 4GB DDR3


• Screen: 19.5-inch, 1600 x 900 display with 10-point multi-touch control


• Storage: 500 GB, 7,200 rpm HDD


• Optical Drive: DVD-RAM; ±R; ±RW drive


• Ports: 1 USB 3.0 ports (side), 3 USB 2.0 ports (1 side, 2 rear), HDMI-out (rear), 1 headphone jack (side), 1 microphone jack (side), 1 SD card reader (side)


• Connectivity: 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi,


• Camera: 1,280 x 720 HD webcam


• Size: 18.63 x 2.13 x 13.95 inches

So, the C260 won't be winning any races. The hardware is better than what you would find in an LG Chromebase for $349 (about £207, AU$376), packing an Intel Celeron chip with 2GB of memory. That system costs a little less, but Chrome OS requires far fewer resources than Windows 8.1. Chrome OS also lacks the versatility of Windows, so it's tough to directly compare the two. But since you would be limited to relatively simple or web-based tasks with the C260 anyway, the experiences actually aren't too dissimilar.

A better comparison is the Acer Aspire Z3 for $799 (around £477, AU$851). The C260's quad-core CPU barely keeps up the Aspire Z3's dual-core, third-generation Intel Core i3 chip. The Aspire Z3 packs a bigger price tag, but it includes a larger 1TB hard drive, a large 23-inch screen, and built-in Bluetooth. The performance differences between the two systems is negligible, so it might be worth spending the extra money on better features. However, I experienced some frequent and significant performance hiccups while using the dual-core Aspire Z3, which I did not encounter while using the quad-core Lenovo C260.

Performance

One doesn't expect much from a system like the Lenovo C260. Unsurprisingly, the system doesn't seem to pack much power on paper, with our suite of synthetic tests producing some low scores.

• 3DMark: Ice Storm: 20,467; Cloud Gate: 1,548; Sky Diver: 603


• PCMark 8 Home: 1,452


• Cinebench Graphics: 4.47 fps; CPU: 151 cb

Interestingly, benchmark performance matches very closely with the Aspire Z3, with the Acer coming out just a tiny bit ahead in rendering graphics. The Z3's scores includes 20,656 for 3DMark's Ice Storm and 1,789 for Cloud Gate. The Z3's Cinebench numbers are also similar: 4.45 fps on OpenGL, with the CPU scoring 167 points.

Neither machines are particularly star performers, but the C260 touchscreen is much faster to respond. This might be due to the C260's significantly lower screen resolution: 1,600 x 900 compared to 1,920 x 1,080. Practically, both systems perform about the same, but are limited to light applications, like web browsing, email, office applications and a few other everyday activities, like watching videos.

Everyday use

If your plans for an all-in-one PC don't extend much further than a few basic tasks, like email, office applications, social media, and watching some online videos, then the Lenovo C260 can handle the job. However, I'm talking about a low bar for performance here.

More intense tasks, like editing home photos, can be a bit slow going depending on the size of the file, but not terrible. Just keep to simple activities, like cropping or applying preset filters. Short home videos (2 to 5 minutes) took a while to load up. So, it's probably a good idea to use a web app to edit those baby videos destined for Facebook. The small screen might save space, but you're probably not going to want to watch movies on it anyway. That is, unless it's the only screen available – especially with those weak speakers.

When using the C260, it's a good idea to stick with native Windows 8 apps, since they tend to perform fairly well. Some of them are optimized to work on a wide range of systems, including Windows 8 tablets, which benefits this desktop greatly.

We liked

The Lenovo C260 features a responsive touchscreen that doesn't produce as much glare as some other all-in-one PCs. The display's responsiveness is surprising, given the hardware driving it. Overall, this is an inexpensive, budget-friendly system that gets everyday tasks done with no frills.

We disliked

That said, there are a few downsides to the low price tag. Despite working well in less-than-ideal lighting, webcam the picture quality is overall poor and grainy. That aside, there's no built-in Bluetooth support, as you would find standard in many all-in-one PCs.

The lack of HDMI-in here sort of undermines the space saving quality, since a second screen would presumably take up more desk space. More importantly, also makes it impossible to hook up external devices like Blu-ray players. Lastly, the keyboard layout can be extremely annoying for those used to keyboard shortcuts in their everyday computing.

Final verdict

The Lenovo C260 is inexpensive, and offers just enough power for everyday tasks. However, in both performance and design, this is not really a system worth showing off. The C260 seems as if it could be forgotten until it's time to balance the checkbook – not serve as your workhorse. Under $500 makes for a cheap computer, but an expensive house decoration.

There are competitively priced all-in-one PCs with similar performance that offer better and more features. Options like the LG Chromebase might fill your everyday needs, and save you a few hundred dollars.

The C260 tries to balance performance, features, and cost, but I'm not convinced that endeavor was a success. If you need a small Windows system right away and don't want to spend a lot of money, then the C260 will do. Otherwise, shop around for a package with better features.

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