Lenovo IdeaCentre AIO 5i 24: An All-in-one With Plenty Of Style

The Lenovo IdeaCentre AIO 5i 24 packs impressive performance into a compact 24-inch chassis but falls short when it comes to display quality. Powered by Intel’s latest 12th Gen Core i5 processor and 16GB RAM, it offers plenty of pep for productivity, content creation, and even light gaming. However, the dim, backlit screen may deter users looking to deploy it in brighter home and office environments.

Key Features Of Lenovo IdeaCentre AIO 5i 24

A Cleverly Compact Yet Durable Design

At just 11.8 inches wide x 13.4 inches tall x 6.6 inches deep, the matte black IdeaCentre AIO 5i 24 cuts a pleasingly compact profile ideal for cluttered desks and counters. Despite the small footprint, it doesn’t feel flimsy or cheap. Sturdy metal arms connect the display to the squared-off grey plastic base, providing stability when interacting with the touchscreen. And at 11.5 pounds, it stays firmly planted when typing aggressively.

The IPS touch display itself offers crisp 1920 x 1080 resolution, which we found perfectly usable for documents and webpages at its 24-inch size. Buttons and ports are thoughtfully distributed along the sides and back as well. Connectivity includes dual USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C ports (regrettably, no Thunderbolt support, however), triple USB-A ports including one fast USB 3.2 Gen 2, HDMI-in and out, Gigabit Ethernet, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack.

That diverse assortment of modern and legacy ports caters conveniently to both older and newer peripherals. We appreciate the inclusion of an HDMI input for connecting external media devices or an additional PC. When combined with the system’s compact footprint, it makes for flexible desktop real estate usage.

Processing Performance Of Lenovo IdeaCentre AIO 5i 24

At the heart of the IdeaCentre AIO 5i 24 lies Intel’s 12th Gen Core i5-12500H, a powerful 6-core, 16-thread mobile CPU clocked at 2.5GHz. Together with 16GB of dual-channel DDR5 RAM, it propels the system to chart-topping results on benchmarks like PCMark 10 and PugetBench compared to AIOs equipped with lesser 11th-gen chips. Boot times and load times are swift thanks to the NVMe SSD storage, despite its cramped 256GB capacity. Integrated Intel graphics allow for casual gaming, video editing, and other graphically-intensive tasks. Overall, processing pep is this AIO’s forte.

An Affordable AIO with One Glaring Flaw

Starting at just $900, the Lenovo IdeaCentre AIO 5i 24 rightfully earns praise for its compact dimensions, strong productivity performance, and future-proof ports. But interested home and business buyers should note the display’s profound lack of brightness which renders it unsuitable for well-lit environments. We recommend stretching the budget to Lenovo’s larger but brighter 27-inch IdeaCentre AIO 5i instead. For spaces where visuals don’t matter as much, the IdeaCentre AIO 5i 24 presents a compelling bang-for-buck package.

In terms of processing performance and future-forward connectivity, the IdeaCentre AIO 5i 24 punches far above its budget weight class and deserves applause. However, interested home and business buyers must seriously consider its subpar visuals and audio before purchasing. For darker dorm rooms and basement offices, its low price and peppy productivity speeds may justify overlooking the dim display.

Price and Availability

Buyers can get the Lenovo IdeaCentre AIO 5i 27 with a 12th-generation Intel Core i5-12500H with Intel UHD graphics, 8GB DDR5 RAM, and 512GB SSD online for $899.99.  Another choice on Lenovo’s website is a 13th-gen Intel Core i7-13700H with Iris Xe integrated graphics, 16GB DDR5 RAM, and 512GB SSD for $1,319.99, but we’ve seen it knocked down to $1,029.99.  Till recently, the UK sold the IdeaCentre AIO 5i 27 in two configurations: £949 and £1,249, both with 512GB SSD storage. The lower variant had 8GB DDR5 RAM and a 12th-gen Intel Core i5-12500H. The higher-priced variant has a 13th-gen Intel Core i7-13700H and 16GB RAM for additional performance.

Pros and Cons

Conclusion

With its fast performance and compact footprint, the IdeaCentre AIO 5i 24 shows potential as an affordable home or office PC. However, the incredibly dim display makes it hard to recommend for environments with even moderate ambient light. Shoppers may want to consider spending a bit more for the 27-inch IdeaCentre AIO 5i model instead.

FAQs

1. What processor powers the IdeaCentre AIO 5i 24?

It uses Intel’s 12th generation Core i5-12500H processor with 6 performance cores, 16 threads, and max clock speeds up to 4.5 GHz.

1. How much memory and storage come standard?

Our review unit came equipped with 16GB DDR5 RAM and a 256GB solid-state drive. Both provide plenty of headroom and snappy speeds for typical home and office needs.

1. Does it have discrete graphics or integrated?

Like most affordable all-in-ones, the IdeaCentre relies solely on Intel’s integrated UHD graphics, which allow for light gaming and GPU-accelerated tasks. Don’t expect high frame rates in modern AAA games, though.

1. What kind of display does it use?

It’s a 24-inch 1920×1080 IPS LCD touchscreen panel with matte anti-glare coating. Colors and brightness disappoint even at maximum settings.