ThinkCentre A series
| Company type | Product line |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer hardware |
| Predecessor | IBM ThinkCentre |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Products | Desktop computers (tower, small form factor, all-in-one) |
| Owner | Lenovo |
The A Series desktops belong to Lenovo’s ThinkCentre lineup. Lenovo took over the ThinkCentre brand following its acquisition of IBM’s Personal Computing Division in 2005. The inaugural model in the A Series was the ThinkCentre A50p. Throughout its history, Lenovo has provided A Series desktops in multiple designs, such as classic tower units, compact small form factors, and all-in-one (AIO) configurations.
A70
Launched in 2010, the A70 came equipped with:
- Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 running at 2.93 GHz
- Memory: Up to 4 GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM
- Storage: Maximum capacity of 500 GB
- Optical Drive: DVD reader and writer
- Graphics: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500
- Case Type: Small form factor
A70z
The ThinkCentre A70z, an all-in-one system released in 2010, featured:
- Processor: 2.93 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E7500
- RAM: 2 GB
- Graphics: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500
- Operating System: Windows 7 Professional (32-bit)
According to Engadget, the A70z offered straightforward installation and booted up in approximately 35 seconds, aligning with Lenovo’s performance claims. It handled high-definition video playback and applications such as Adobe Photoshop efficiently, rendering it suitable for routine office tasks. However, its integrated graphics limited its ability to run demanding 3D games.
The A70z received favorable evaluations from Inc., Desktop Review, and Hardware Central. Inc. placed it third among ‘Best New Business Desktops’, Desktop Review included it within their ‘Top 10 Desktops for Back to School’, and Hardware Central awarded it a score of 12 out of 15 stars, praising its features, performance, and overall value.
A58
Introduced in March 2010, the ThinkCentre A58 desktop was powered by an Intel Pentium Dual-Core E5200 processor clocked at 2.5 GHz, with upgrade options up to a Core 2 Quad Q9x50. It supported up to 3 GB of 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, and offered storage choices ranging from a 250 GB 7200 RPM SATA hard drive to a 1 TB 7200 RPM or a faster 160 GB 10,000 RPM drive. The system included integrated HD audio with a mono speaker, Intel GMA 4500 graphics, ran on Microsoft Windows Vista Business, featured six USB 2.0 ports, two PS/2 connectors, and audio jacks for headphones and microphones. Desktop Review commended its sturdy build quality, inclusion of legacy ports, and power management software but pointed out drawbacks such as unused internal space, lack of card reader slots, and a somewhat limited array of ports.
A55
Released in January 2007, the ThinkCentre A55 small form factor desktop was described by PC World as a “pure business PC.” It was equipped with an Intel E6300 Core 2 Duo processor running at 1.83 GHz and supported up to 4 GB of DDR2 RAM at 667 MHz via two DIMM slots. On PC World's World Bench 5 benchmark test, it achieved a score of 89, demonstrating reliable performance for business applications of that time.
A61e
Debuted in September 2007, the ThinkCentre A61e was marketed as Lenovo’s most compact, quietest, and energy-saving desktop model. It featured an AMD Athlon X2 BE-2350 processor at 2.1 GHz, came with 2 GB RAM, a 180 GB hard disk drive, ATI Radeon X1200 graphics, and ran Microsoft Windows Vista Business. PC Mag highlighted its small footprint, efficient power consumption, solid processor speed, quiet operation, affordability, ThinkVantage software suite, case design aesthetics, and lightweight build. Nevertheless, it noted some compromises including slightly lower performance compared to other business desktops, absence of internal PCI/PCIe expansion slots, use of notebook-grade memory modules, and reliance on an external power adapter.
A60
Introduced in August 2006 after Lenovo completed its acquisition of IBM’s Personal Computing Division, the ThinkCentre A60 was regarded by PCMag as a mid-tier desktop model. It was equipped with an Athlon X2 dual-core CPU, a chassis designed for tool-free upgrades, ample hard drive capacity, and notably retained a floppy disk drive. Despite operating on Windows Vista, it utilized shared video memory and was outperformed by desktops powered by Intel Core 2 Duo processors.
A53
The ThinkCentre A53 debuted in September 2006, featuring an Intel Pentium D 945 dual-core processor clocked at 3.4 GHz, a SiS662 chipset, support for up to 2 GB of DDR2 non-ECC SDRAM, an 80 GB SATA-300 hard drive spinning at 7200 RPM, integrated high-definition audio, and built-in speakers.
A55
Equipped with an Intel Pentium 4 541 processor, the ThinkCentre A55 included 512 MB of PC2-4200 DDR2 RAM, an 80 GB SATA hard drive running at 7200 RPM, and a combo optical drive capable of CD-RW and DVD functions at 48x speed. Its graphics were handled by Intel GMA 3000 integrated with 128 MB of shared memory, complemented by AC'97 audio and six USB 2.0 ports. While the processor speed and storage capacity drew some criticism, the software package bundled with the system received positive remarks.
A50p
The first model in the ThinkCentre A Series lineup, the A50p was aimed at business users requiring basic storage—40 GB—which sufficed for documents and software but was limited for multimedia applications. It came with an Intel Pentium 4 processor running at 2.8 GHz, 256 MB of PC2700 DDR memory, a hard drive spinning at 7,200 RPM, a 48x CD-ROM drive, SoundMAX Cadenza (AC'97) audio system, Intel Extreme 2 integrated graphics with 64 MB shared memory, a 10/100 Ethernet interface, and six USB 2.0 ports.
PC Magazine characterized the A50p as a "high-end consumer PC," appropriate for home office environments with options to enhance multimedia capabilities. Subsequent upgrades offered configurations including an Intel Pentium 4 CPU, 1 GB of RAM, a larger 120 GB hard drive, and a 17-inch LCD monitor.