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The M-series of desktops are part of Lenovo'sThinkCentre product line. Formerly an IBM brand, Lenovo acquired the ThinkCentre desktop brand following its purchase of IBM's Personal Computing Division (PCD) in 2005. Following its acquisition of IBM's PCD, Lenovo has released M-series desktops in multiple form factors, ranging from traditional tower, small form factor, to ultra small form factor, and all-in-ones (AIOs).
2003
In 2003, IBM redesigned and re-launched their ThinkCentre product line. The first desktop released was an M-series desktop – the M50.
M50
The first desktop in IBM's redesigned ThinkCentre line was the M50, announced in 2003.[1] The desktop offered the following specifications:
While the desktop was made available as a consumer PC, it was more suited to a corporate environment, with the limited storage and graphics capabilities.[2]
2005
The ThinkCentre desktop released by Lenovo in 2005, following its acquisition of IBM's PCD was the M52.
M52
The ThinkCentre M52 desktop was announced in May 2005 following Lenovo's acquisition of IBM's Personal Computing Division.[3] PC World called the M52 desktop, "A corporate machine for the security conscious business user looking for stability and reliability".[4] The M52 desktop was equipped with a 3 GHz Pentium 4 processors, an 80 GB hard disk drive, up to 4 GB of RAM, eight USB 2.0 ports, two serial ports, a Gigabit Ethernet connection, VGA output, and a chassis that did not require tools to open − a toolless chassis.[4]
2006
The ThinkCentre M55, M55p, and M55e were announced by Lenovo in September 2006.[5]
M55
The ThinkCentre M55 received a positive review from PC World, with the reviewer stating that "The Lenovo ThinkCentre M55 9BM is a compact and quiet business PC that keeps maintenance simple and makes upgrades easy. Its design and functions are well-suited to an office environment and we think it's a good choice for any business searching for a uniformed PC roll-out."[6]
Despite the fact that the desktop was capable of handling Windows Vista Business, it was preloaded with Windows XP.[6] While the chassis was similar to previous ThinkCentre desktops, it was made smaller to fit better in office spaces.[6]
M55p
The ThinkCentre M55p desktop offered the following specifications:
It was described by About.com as being "a very solid system for business users" and a "general purpose PC" for consumers.[7] However, both multimedia performance and storage space were criticized.[7]
PCMag listed the pros as being the dual-core processor, small form factor, enterprise-class hardware, ThinkVantage Technologies, and the three year on-site warranty.[8] The price, the 90-day subscription to Symantec client security, and the lack of a DVD writer were listed as the cons of the desktop.[8]
2007
The ThinkCentre M-series desktops released by Lenovo in 2007 were the M57 and M57p.
M57 and M57p
The ThinkCentre M57 and M57p desktops were announced in September 2007 by Lenovo.[9] These were the first desktops from a manufacturer to receive a GREENGUARD certification.[10] In addition, both desktops were EPEAT Gold and Energy Star 4.0 rated.[10] They were also the first ThinkCentre desktops to incorporate recycled material from consumer plastics.[10] The desktops were equipped with up to Intel Core 2 Duo processors, up to 2 GB DDR2 RAM, integrated graphics, and up to 160 GB hard disk drive.[10]
2008
M57 Eco and M57p Eco
The ThinkCentre M57 Eco and M57p Eco were announced by Lenovo in March 2008.[11] These were eco-friendly versions of the M57 and M57p, which were released in 2007.[12] The desktops were dubbed "eco" and had an ultra-small form factor with low power consumption.[12] According to Desktop Review, the M57 used a fraction of the power needed by standard desktops, and a little more than that of an energy-saving notebook.[12]
The M57 desktop offered the following specifications:
The M58p was received by Desktop Review in a manner similar to the M58, with the reviewer stating, "The M58p is designed to meet all the stringent requirements commercial organizations have while still providing that Lenovo touch through OEM software, warranties and support."[15]
The M58p desktop offered the following specifications:
The pros of the system were listed by Desktop Review as the high-end configuration, the handle for easy movement, and the capacity for expansion.[15] The cons were listed as being the price and the lack of DVI ports.[15]
2009
The ThinkCentre M-series desktop released by Lenovo in 2009 was the M58e. The Small Form Factor version uses a BTX motherboard.
M58e
Lenovo announced the ThinkCentre M58e desktop in March 2009.[16] The desktop offered the following specifications:
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Business[17]
The desktop was EPEAT Gold rated and met Energy Star requirements.[17] The M58e was also compatible with solar charger packs.[17]PC Mag summarized its review of the desktop by saying "The Lenovo ThinkCentre M58e is a middle-of-the-road business PC, both in performance and features, though it does have the added benefits of Intel vPro and IT-friendly features. It's certainly worth a look if you need a PC environment that can grow with your business."[17]
2010
The ThinkCentre M-series desktops released by Lenovo in 2010 were the M70e, M70z, M90, and M90z.
M70e
The M70e desktop was released by Lenovo in 2010 with the following specifications:
The M90 desktop received the "PCPro Recommended" award upon release, with an overall rating of five of six stars.[20] The desktop was summarized as, "Expensive but, thanks to superb design and power, worth the cash for demanding business users".[20]
M90z
Also released in 2010, the M90z was an all-in-one (AIO) desktop released by Lenovo. The AIO desktop offered the following specifications:
PCMag listed the pros of the desktop as the compact design, HD display, support for two monitors, simple multi-touch interface, good component mix, stand options, and easy servicing.[21] The cons were listed as the dull colors on videos because of the matte screen, the lack of an eSATA port, and the need for an adapter when using external DVI.[21]
Computer Shopper summarized the capabilities of the M90z with the statement, "In our test configuration, the business-oriented M90z is overkill for most office tasks. Configuration options, however, can bring down the price while still delivering a peppy big-screen office PC."[22]
2011
M71e
The ThinkCentre M71e desktop was described by PCWorld as being "a basic PC designed for small and medium-sized businesses".[23] The desktop was powered by an Intel Core i5-2500 processor and included 4 GB of DDR3 RAM, a 500 GB 7200 RPM hard disk drive, and AMD Radeon HD 5450 discrete graphics.[23] The desktop was indicated to be good for everyday office tasks and offering suitable responsiveness.[23] Despite the presence of three fans, the desktop was not "annoyingly loud".[23]
The DVD bay was powered by a strong motor; the drive tray would eject and close almost as soon as the button was pressed with very little lag.[23] The desktop was, overall, described as being a simple machine with a decent configuration, without "fancy features" such as a USB 3.0 port.[23] Some legacy features, such as a PS/2 port were available on the desktop. Also, the assembly of the machine was described as "basic", with a messy internal appearance.[23]
The one year on-site warranty was indicated as being one of the best features on the desktop.[24] Other features on the desktop included four USB 2.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, DVI, DisplayPort, and analogue audio ports.[23]
M71z
The M71z was described by IT Pro as being "a rare business all-in-one with a touchscreen."[25] The default configuration offered a non-touch screen, with multi-touch as an optional upgrade.[26] The touchscreen was described as being precise and responsive, with Lenovo applications using suitably large icons.[25] However, the applications themselves were indicated to have not been optimized for touch control.[25] Further, there were no touch-specific applications commonly found on consumer touchscreen devices.[25]
The 1600 x 900 display was indicated to be "spacious enough" with acceptable color accuracy.[25] However, the brightness level was indicated to be low, at 210.8 cd/m2.[25]
The processing and graphical power was acceptable for everyday office tasks, with the all-in-one powered by an Intel Core i3-2100 processor and Intel HD 2000 integrated graphics.[25] The use of graphics- and processing-intensive software was indicated to be a challenge, because of the lack of discrete graphics.[25] Power consumption, heat levels, and noise levels were low.[25] IT Pro commented that "the fans never became irritatingly loud. In fact, we had to press our ears up against the computer to even hear them."[25]
The build of the all-in-one was described as being good, with strong, matte black plastic. Both keyboard and mouse were called reliable, with the keyboard described as responsive.[25]
Detailed specifications of the M71z all-in-one are as follows:[26]
Processor: Intel Pentium G260 (2.6 GHz)
Operating system: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64-bit)
Screen: 20-inches (non-touch by default; optional multi-touch upgrade)
The ThinkCentre M75e desktop was praised by SlashGear for its processing power and small form factor.[27] In terms of design, the desktop was similar to other ThinkCentre products from Lenovo, with no unnecessary styling and designs. Components could be accessed by removing two screws on the chassis.[27]
The desktop contained an AMD Athlon II X4 640 processor, 4 GB of DDR3 RAM, a 500 GB hard disk drive, and ATI Radeon HD 3000 discrete graphics.[27] The desktop was indicated by Lenovo to be "multi-monitor friendly", with the capacity to power two displays even with the basic configuration.[27] An optional half-height graphics card also allowed two additional monitors to be powered, for a total of four independent displays.[27]
The primary points of criticism were a direct result of the desktop's small form factor.[27] Although the space for cooling was reduced, the M75e did not exceed stable temperatures.[27] However, noise was a concern.[27] The PC's fan would only run for a short duration at a high speed, making it louder than some desktops and workstations.[27]
Detailed specifications of the ThinkCentre M75e desktop are as follows:[27]
Announced on October 28, 2011,[28] the ThinkCentre M77 could be upgraded to include AMD's FX processors and up to 16GB of RAM.[29] According to Tom Shell, the vice-president and general manager of Lenovo's Commercial Desktop Business Unit, this represented a level of processing power previously found only in premium desktops.[28] The desktop was made available in both tower and small form factors.[28]
According to Lenovo, the use of Enhanced Experience 3.0 allowed the desktop to boot in less than 30 seconds.[28] The desktop optionally included AMD Radeon discrete graphics, with support for up to four independent displays.[28] Additional features on the desktop included a hard disk drive of up to 1 TB, eight USB 2.0 ports, a 25-in-1 memory card reader, Trusted Platform Module, and hard disk encryption.[29]
Processor: Up to 3rd generation Intel Core i7-3770 (3.4 GHz clock, 3.9 Turbo)
Operating system: Windows 7 Professional (64-bit)
RAM: Up to 8 GB DDR3 Memory
Storage: Up to 2x1 TB 7200 RPM SATA (Tower)
Graphics: Up to AMD Radeon HD 7450
2013
M92/M92p
The M92p is a desktop computer designed for business use. Like other computers of the M series, it exists in three form factors: tower, small form factor (SFF) and tiny. The M92p uses Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processors and makes use of DDR3-1600 RAM. Graphics processing is done by an integrated Intel HD Graphics 2000 GPU. The M92p is available with both hard drives and solid-state storage. One difference with the M91p is that the M92p comes with four USB 3.0 ports on the rear of the computer, whilst the M91p only offers USB 2.0 ports.[31]
In a review for ZDNet, Charles McLellan wrote, "Unless internal expansion is required, we can find little wrong with Lenovo's ThinkCentre M92p as a business-class small-form-factor PC (and there are bigger models in the range if expansion is required). Our review unit was only a moderate performer, but alternative configurations are available to give it more muscle if required."[31]
The M900 series was announced in December, 2015.[40] The M900 series is available in Tower Form Factor,[41] Small Form Factor,[42] or Tiny Form Factor.[43] The M900x was only available in Tiny Form Factor.[44]
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