Lenovo's 3000 K100 tower isn't so attractive

Lenovo's first US consumer-oriented laptops might have hit yesterday, but the company isn't about to ignore its core office users -- say hello to the Death Star prop-looking 3000 tower. The unit gets its distinctive mug from the integration of a couple nifty power-management features, including a "Power Dial" that allows users to adjust energy usage and system performance and a "Breathing" LED that changes color and brightness based on power usage. All models rock gigabit Ethernet and Intel X3100 graphics, but buyers can choose configs ranging from an E2140 Intel Core Duo with 2GB of RAM and a 320GB disk for $589 to a Q6600 Core 2 Quad with 3GB of RAM and a 500GB disk for $1,129. The systems are available now, for all you aspiring Star Wars set designers out there.

[Thanks, James R.]

[Boz @ Oct 30th 2007 12:00PM]

Dude, what do you mean 'not attractive'?

Thats hawt.

[Tony @ Oct 30th 2007 12:03PM]

It's downright bulky, and it looks like it's a computer concept from 1990.

[nerdtalker @ Oct 30th 2007 12:45PM]

What is it with engadget critiques and aesthetics? Granted, this thing did make me double-take, but why do we always need to critique "the looks" of the darned thing in a 200x236 image before we even get to specs?

Honestly, I'd love to see the engadget editors' spouses. They must all be super models given the incredible weight placed on aesthetics in all of their reviews.

[Justin @ Oct 30th 2007 1:28PM]

That's what I'm talking about.

[Jon @ Oct 30th 2007 1:50PM]

I doubt engadget bloggers even have spouses.

[EI8HT @ Oct 31st 2007 2:33AM]

this PC is telling me
"WE ARE BORG, resistance is futile"

[Tony @ Oct 30th 2007 12:02PM]

Shame, there's only one model without the Intel graphics card, and that's not even dual core.

http://www.microcenter.com/search_results_e.phtml?web_group=pc_desktops&manufacturer_title=Lenovo

[kevinm @ Oct 30th 2007 1:05PM]

Also look at the return of the "Turbo Mode."

[getz76 @ Oct 30th 2007 1:26PM]

@kevinm,

Most of the kids here will have no idea what you are talking about.

Now to blow the dust off of my Hercules graphics adapter...

[Sean @ Oct 30th 2007 2:37PM]

@getz76:
Sadly enough we still have a stockpile of computers with turbo mode in our back office.

[Ethan @ Nov 6th 2007 6:18PM]

I'm 17, and I miss Turbo Mode.

[Deuz Augustine @ Oct 30th 2007 12:05PM]

Even as someone who loves the Mac aesthetic, I kinda dig that.

[apeguero @ Oct 30th 2007 12:08PM]

WTF is that? It's the ugly duckling of the PC world.

[Justin @ Oct 30th 2007 12:09PM]

I didn't realize the way the outside of the case looks suddenly started affecting how well the machine runs.

How about we talk about that for a fucking change?

[Shane @ Oct 30th 2007 12:09PM]

I always liked the "breathing" standby light on the macs. Good to see a PC adopt the concept as well.

[ZekeSulastin @ Oct 30th 2007 1:43PM]

If the breathing light is new to PCs, what exactly HAVE I been staring at when my 2.5 year old Dell is in standby mode?

[dkffiv @ Oct 30th 2007 2:22PM]

That's no moon

[Mike @ Oct 30th 2007 12:22PM]

"...distinctive mug from the integration of a couple nifty power-management features, including"

I think there's something missing in there. Actually I'm sure it.

[John @ Oct 30th 2007 12:31PM]

It looks fine to me. Because, see, it's a damn case for a computer, and I honestly don't give a damn what my desktop computer looks like.

[Craig @ Oct 30th 2007 12:39PM]

Here's how it works: Catch a bass, remove the hook, and drop the bass - that's the whole bass - into the Super Bass-o-Matic '76. Now, adjust the control dial so that the bass is blended just the way you like it.

[Gerbens @ Oct 30th 2007 12:48PM]

HAL 9000 anyone? This may be its baby brother or sister.

http://www.cineaste.com/hal9000.jpg

[Jaroslav @ Oct 30th 2007 1:16PM]

And I was so hoping that I would be the first one to make this reference. Oh well. I hope it opens the pod bay doors when the users ask.

[Bobby @ Oct 30th 2007 7:45PM]

What are you doing, Dave?

[strider_mt2k @ Oct 30th 2007 9:40PM]

I thought it looked more like an AE-23 unit.

[V3LOCIP3D3 @ Oct 30th 2007 12:45PM]

It looks like an old Nintendo console . . vertically.

[N30 G30 @ Oct 30th 2007 3:58PM]

Lol. That's what I was thinking. "It looks like an ... NES... ... ..."

[Jon @ Oct 30th 2007 12:49PM]

Looks retro. Nice. But I rather wait to see Lenovo's take on a new ThinkCentre and NetVista.

[I'm With Stupid @ Oct 30th 2007 12:52PM]

"Death Star prop-looking"?

Try "HAL 9000 prototype looking".

[MrFuNKy76 @ Oct 30th 2007 12:58PM]

I think its a transformer...

[MrFuNKy76 @ Oct 30th 2007 12:58PM]

I think its a transformer...

[brian @ Oct 30th 2007 1:22PM]

Borg Qube

[James Rainey @ Oct 30th 2007 1:39PM]

I like it.. the dial on the front glows red when in high performance mode. "Hello Dave"

These look a great deal better in person than in pictures.

[Reid Conti @ Oct 30th 2007 1:51PM]

Originally I thought it had a projector built in.

[blade417 @ Oct 30th 2007 1:58PM]

That's a pretty nice looking subwoofer... Why does it have that keyboard there next to it.... oh wait..


;)

[MosquitoControl @ Oct 30th 2007 2:43PM]

250 watt power supply. You can't even throw a real graphics card in there for a cheap quad-core system.


If you want quad you still need to build. Dell doesn't offer them for under $3,000, and Gateway doesn't offer enough perks to go prebuilt instead of building your own. A shame, right now Dell is basically giving 20 inch widescreens away, and I could use a third monitor.

[St. Stephen @ Oct 30th 2007 2:49PM]

I am completely operational and all my circuits are functioning properly.

[Ian @ Oct 30th 2007 3:51PM]

Never mind the packaging, the specs look OK!

[Brent @ Oct 30th 2007 4:47PM]

Seriously, is IBMs #1 goal to make sure than anything they have a hand in is always the most terrible and cheap looking yet most expensive to date?

[John @ Oct 30th 2007 6:55PM]

Fail.

[Brent @ Oct 31st 2007 12:24AM]

No, SUCCEED!!! Haha! I guess it's all a matter of opinion, but I would simply challenge someone to send a link of a new model PC that is any less attractive than this one and even near the same price range. Man, if you get a decked out PC, why not have a pretty case? I dunno, maybe it's just me, but I would be embarrassed for any chick to see that PC in my house, and people in here were talking about Engadget Blogger's not having spouses. What kind of women do you people date (or are you married to) that would ever find this thing attractive? No No, I'm not arguing of course. I just think it's funny that someone's eyes see appeal here...

[strider_mt2k @ Oct 31st 2007 6:37AM]

So it ISN'T a pencil sharpener?

[Molly C @ Nov 6th 2007 10:32PM]

It looks like what someone in the 1960's might've imagined what computers would look like today. I think it's pretty ugly, but I can see how it might appeal to some.

[rbovay @ Dec 27th 2007 10:55PM]

Perhaps the $799 price for the Quad-Core 3GB of RAM (Office Depot rebates) will help me get over the case. Oh wait, It's going inside a cabinet anyways.