IBM recently sold their business PC division to Lenovo, but the desktop computers for business users coming out of the company still look and feel a lot like IBM's ThinkCentre lines. Lenovo's new 3000 J series of business PCs are well made and cost effective systems for office environments.

But these desktop computers for business offer some unique features that make them stand out. They boast a new design that includes side-access air venting for better cooling. The beige front panel sticks out above the tower so you can use it as a handle for relocating your system.

Lenovo claims "worry-free computing" with these systems and incorporates a variety of options into the systems to keep you up and running. For example, you can perform a system recovery at the touch of a button through their Lenovo Care feature. They don't include the level of management software that you'll find in the ThinkCentre systems, but these systems are aimed at smaller businesses.

The J105 systems feature AMD processors and start at an excellent price of $349 without monitor. The baseline system runs on AMD's budget Sempron processor and starts out with only 256MB of RAM, but many businesses don't need that much at the core of their desktop computers for business.

The CPU is a 1.8GHz Sempron, so there is decent power there. And the 400MHz DDR memory is fast enough for most business users' needs. But you will probably want to beef up the amount of memory, since these systems are running Microsoft Windows XP (albeit the Home edition at the low end). There are two memory slots on the motherboard, so you can always pop in another 256MB of RAM and be better able to run XP.

The low-end system in the series also ships with only a CD-ROM drive that won't do anything more than read CDs. Business users looking to start a little higher without really pushing the price up too much should consider the mid-range business desktop computer in the 3000 J series.

It starts at $529, but that price increase includes a bump up to a 2.2GHz AMD Athlon 64 processor, 512MB of memory, and a CD-RW/DVD-ROM combination drive that lets you burn data CDs and create 650MB backups to rewriteable disks. It also ships with the Professional version of Windows XP, which features more advanced networking tools that better suit the office environment.

Either of these business desktop computers includes an 80GB 7,200rpm drive which provides a good amount of storage space for the average corporate user. They also have floppy drives built into the tower, a device that some businesses might still find handy. There are also two USB 2.0 ports (with four more around back) for connecting high-speed peripherals easily as well as a headphone jack and microphone port for conferencing with colleagues online.

Graphics are integrated on these business desktop computers with up to 64MB of video memory shared with the main system RAM. If you want to upgrade to a dedicated video card, you will have to get an AGP card as there's no PCI Express x16 slot on the motherboard. But most business users won't have need for more than the standard integrated graphics.

Lenovo includes a 10/100 Ethernet connection as well as a modem so you can connect these desktop computers for business to a small office network or to the Internet via a dial-up provider.

There is no monitor included at the baseline price for these business desktop computers, although Lenovo discounts their displays if you purchase your system direct. For example, you can get a 17-inch ThinkVision CRT for under $150 or a 15-inch ThinkVision flat panel for less than $200 with your 3000 J system.

A basic pair of stereo speakers is included with these desktop computers for business and the stock input devices are serviceable - a full-sized keyboard and an optical USB mouse. Any of these options can be upgraded if your business needs something more robust.

Lenovo offers only a one-year limited warranty on this business desktop computer line; pretty short for office PCs. But you can extend the length of the coverage rather inexpensively, adding another year for less than $40. And the coverage comes from IBM's service and support division, so you know it's dependable.

If you are looking for desktop computers for business users that sell for a great price and offer decent components as well as some useful extras, the Lenovo 3000 J series is not a bad place to start.


Pro: Good price, some helpful extras
Con: Limited management software, monitor not included

Warranty
1-year limited