All-in-one PCs (AIOs) are much easier to buy and set up than traditional desktop PCs, which explains their enduring appeal for offices and basic home use. AIOs combine every piece of a desktop into a single package that takes up about the same space as a display by itself. (Many include a mouse and keyboard in the box, too.) That sums up the appeal of the 27-inch Lenovo ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 (starts at $1,499; $2,204.99 as tested). This sixth-generation AIO provides all that convenience and backs it up with desktop-grade Intel processors (up to 20 cores), Intel vPro support for extra business-level security, plenty of configuration options, and a gorgeous IPS display. While Lenovo's ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 sharply increases in price as you configure it with better components, it delivers uncompromised performance for productivity and content-creation tasks. While we would recommend this model, up-configured, over its Editors' Choice award-winning predecessor, we're still looking for that next business AIO to earn the trophy, as this configuration is too light on storage for the price.

Configurations: A Dizzying Array of Choices

You can select from several prebuilt models of the ThinkCentre M90a Gen 6, or choose individual components and configure your own starting at $1,499. This review covers the 27-inch model, though Lenovo also sells a smaller 24-inch model, starting at $1,099.

For the processor, the choices cover a variety of Intel Core Ultra 200-series desktop chips, ranging from the Core Ultra 5 225 to the Core Ultra 9 285 vPro. The Intel vPro processors include advanced support for enterprise management and security suites, a nod to business buyers, which you can find in all but the base model. You can also opt for an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics processor to augment Intel’s integrated graphics. Lenovo offers just one display option: a 27-inch QHD (2,560-by-1,440-pixel) IPS panel, with your choice of Lenovo's new precision-delivery Focus Sound audio system for an additional $59.

You cannot configure this ThinkCentre M90a with a touch display. While the general professional audience likely won't miss it much, it's unfortunate that it's missing for the customers who might still want that function, especially since it was an option last generation.

(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

Memory options range from 8GB to 64GB of DDR-5600 RAM in dual- and single-channel SODIMM configurations, and the system has three M.2 SSD slots, with drive options ranging from 256GB to 1TB. (Each slot supports up to 2TB capacity.) Lenovo also provides three options for Wi-Fi radios from Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 to Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, a 3-in-1 media-card reader, and a 5-megapixel (MP) webcam/microphone combo that you can upgrade with an infrared sensor for $19. Finally, you can choose from two stands with different flexibility options, which I'll dig into later.

As for cost, prices go from $1,499 with a Core Ultra 5 225 chipset, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and integrated Intel graphics, all the way up to $3,639 with the Core Ultra 9 285 vPro, 64GB of RAM, three 1TB SSDs, the RTX 4050 GPU, and the rest of the niceties mentioned above.

The unit provided for this review is a CDW configuration priced at $2,204.99 for a Core Ultra 7 265 vPro, integrated Intel Graphics, 32GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. It also includes Lenovo's higher-end UltraFlex stand and a basic keyboard and mouse. This configuration is pricey for just 512GB of storage, but businesses may get better pricing through volume-purchase negotiation.

Design: High-End and Buttoned-Up for Business

From the front, the ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 looks a lot like a basic computer monitor, with narrow black bezels and the swiveling webcam/microphone combination mounted on top. The stand is dark gray, and the base features a cutout on the right side for standing up your smartphone, with a red accent that complements Lenovo’s ThinkCentre aesthetic. (You'll also spot that red accent on the monitor's display control knob in the back, mimicking Lenovo's ThinkPad TrackPoint navigator on its laptops.)

(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

Look at this AIO from the side and the rear, though, and you can tell it’s more than just a display. It’s naturally thicker than a monitor, with a dark gray center panel to match the stand and base. All in all, it makes for a reasonably attractive, conservative design that won’t take up any more space than necessary.

The ThinkCentre M90a Pro measures 17.8 by 21.2 by 10.4 inches (HWD) in its tallest vertical mode with the UltraFlex stand. Of course, its depth increases in its flattest orientation, and the optional UltraFlex stand (seen below) allows for -5 to 70 degrees of tilt and up to 70 degrees of lift, the latter via the lower pivot shown in the image below. It can also lie almost entirely flat. Lenovo's standard Full Function Stand LTPS provides less tilt (just -5 to 22 degrees) and less lift (only 45 degrees), but it can rotate 90 degrees into a portrait orientation, which the UltraFlex can't.

(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

If I were to buy this AIO, I would only choose the UltraFlex stand if it included touch controls on the panel. Otherwise, I would probably opt for the greater flexibility provided by the Full Function Stand LTPS. As a writer and web worker, the ability to pivot to portrait mode is more valuable to me. Note that you can also configure the machine without a stand and connect it to your own mount using a standard 100mm VESA setup.

The chassis—fully plastic on the outside with a metal structure inside—looks and feels premium despite lacking the solid build quality of all-metal systems like Apple’s iMacs. Of course, a similarly configured iMac won’t have the same flexibility or security features, but iMacs aren't common business machines to begin with.

(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

In terms of comfort, using the ThinkCentre M90a Pro is no different than using a quality display with a standalone desktop. As mentioned, it’s easy and smooth to reorient, so it has no real downside unless you need to upgrade core components. 

As for expandability and upgrades, you can swap out the RAM and install up to three SSDs, which is impressive for an AIO. However, practically all AIOs cannot support CPU or GPU upgrades due to their design. At least the ThinkCentre M90a Pro has Thunderbolt 4, so an external GPU enclosure using that connection can boost graphics if you skipped out on the RTX 4050 GPU option.

While this is all well and good, what sets the ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 design apart from your average living room AIO? Aside from the UltraFlex display stand, Lenovo's chassis provides the space and cooling to house a desktop-grade processor. Coupled with Intel vPro support, this AIO not only enables desktop-level multithreaded performance but also enterprise management and security options. Lenovo’s ThinkShield security, with optional Human Presence Detection and a self-healing BIOS, provides more protection than a typical consumer desktop, making this product a good fit for fleet managers and home offices.

Display, Audio, and Webcam: Ready for Meetings

An AIO’s display is a crucial consideration, since you can’t choose the desktop hardware separately from the monitor. You can add more displays, of course, but the centerpiece needs to perform well on its own.

The ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 has a 27-inch QHD (2,560-by-1,440) IPS display that refreshes at up to 120Hz. Subjectively, this monitor provides a better-than-average viewing experience, with more than enough brightness and lively, accurate colors. The panel's contrast is deep enough to avoid blacks rendering as gray, and its resolution is just sharp enough to avoid overly pixelated text. The fast refresh rate is welcome, too, providing smooth Windows 11 navigation. All told, you won't be upset that this screen is a permanently part of your PC.

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(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

Two 5-watt Focus Sound speakers render passable audio, with Dolby Atmos support and dual microphones, while the neural coprocessor in the Intel chip powers AI-based noise cancellation. The sound setup delivers plenty of volume, but I hear significant distortion when I crank the sound all the way up. Worse, when I lower the volume enough to avoid the distortion, I can hardly hear the audio. On top of that, the speakers produce scarcely any bass. You’ll most likely want to use some external speakers or headphones for anything other than video meetings.

(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

The top-mounted 5MP webcam provides sharp enough video quality for typical videoconferencing use. Lenovo also sells a webcam with an infrared sensor for Windows 11 Hello facial recognition, but my review unit didn't include this.

Ports: Plenty of Them, But Some in Tricky Spots

The ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 comes with plenty of ports. While some are a bit hard to reach, nestled in a nook on the back of the display, a handful are more easily accessible on the right side of the panel, particularly the audio and USB connections. Whether on the side or around the back, all of the ports are in the same general area. At least Lenovo's display stand options can tilt, pivot, and rotate, making them easier to access.

(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

On the side, you'll find one USB-C port with Thunderbolt 4, one 10Gbps USB-C connection, a 10Gbps USB-A port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The rear nook houses most of the connectivity, including four USB-A ports (two 10Gbps and two 5Gbps), a DisplayPort 1.4 output, and an HDMI 2.1 output. Finally, you'll also find an RJ-45 Ethernet jack for wired internet.

Performance Testing: Multicore Power Is the Story Here

We rounded up a variety of AIO desktops for comparison purposes, starting with the previous-generation ThinkCentre M90a Gen 5 ($1,834 as tested). We also looked at the HP OmniStudio X 31.5 ($2,728.99 as tested) and Lenovo Yoga AIO (27-inch, $1,319.99 as tested), which run on earlier Intel processors. Finally, the latest Apple iMac ($2,299 as tested) rounds out the picture. This new ThinkCentre M90a configuration is quite light on storage for its price, but competitive on memory and indeed processing muscle, as you'll soon see.

The ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 reviewed here is equipped with the Intel Core Ultra 7 256 with vPro. That’s a desktop-grade "Arrow Lake" processor with 20 cores (eight Performance cores and 12 Efficient cores), with those P-cores running at up to 5.3GHz. Of the comparison machines listed in the charts below, only the previous-gen M90a Gen 5 has a desktop-class CPU. The rest contain a mix of last- and current-generation mobile Intel chips and Apple’s versatile M4 processor.

Productivity and Content Creation Tests

Our primary overall benchmark, UL's PCMark 10, puts a system through its paces in productivity apps ranging from web browsing to word processing and spreadsheet work. Its Full System Drive subtest measures a PC's storage throughput. (Apple's Mac computers are not compatible with this test, so the iMac is missing from the chart below.)

Three more tests we rely on are CPU-centric or processor-intensive: Maxon's Cinebench 2024 uses that company's Cinema 4D engine to render a complex scene; Primate Labs' Geekbench 6.3 Pro simulates popular apps ranging from PDF rendering and speech recognition to machine learning; and we see how long it takes the video transcoder HandBrake 1.8 to convert a 12-minute clip from 4K to 1080p resolution.

Finally, workstation maker Puget Systems' PugetBench for Creators rates a PC's image-editing prowess through a variety of automated operations in Adobe Photoshop 25.

The ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 proved the fastest machine in almost all our tests. It fell behind the Gen 5 model, whose similarly built "Raptor Lake" chip is slightly faster at boost clock, at 5.4GHz, and the Yoga AIO (by an almost negligible amount) in the Geekbench 6.3 multi-core test, and it predictably trailed the much faster Apple iMac in the PugetBench Photoshop benchmark, where Apple’s M-series chips tend to outperform. The iMac was also faster in the single-core Cinebench and Geekbench tests, thanks to the M4 processor's powerful individual cores. (It's a notable niche win for an otherwise mobile processor, beating out a desktop-only chip.)

If you need to tackle demanding creative tasks, then you’ll want to upgrade to the available Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU. Also, the neural processor (NPU) built into the Core Ultra desktop CPU isn’t Intel’s fastest, so on-device AI processing won’t be all that impressive. Finally, you should note that upgrading to the available Core Ultra 9 285 processor option doesn't add any more P-cores to the package; they just run a little faster, at 5.6GHz, which could limit the speed boost you might expect going from 7-class to 9-class.

Regardless, the ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 is a potent desktop for demanding productivity users. It outstripped almost every system here, save for some predictable edge cases, proving that it's ready for some pretty intense work, so long as it doesn't involve complex graphics or geometry.

Graphics Tests

We challenge each reviewed system’s graphics with a quintet of animations or gaming simulations from UL's 3DMark test suite. The first two, Wild Life (1440p) and Wild Life Extreme (4K), use the Vulkan graphics API to measure GPU speeds. The next two, Steel Nomad's regular (4K) and Light (1440p) subtests, focus on APIs more commonly used for game development to assess gaming geometry and particle effects. A fifth test, Solar Bay, emphasizes ray-tracing performance. We did not run any of our gaming tests on the ThinkCentre M90a Pro, since the ThinkCentre line is business-oriented and equipped only with integrated graphics.

Indeed, the ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 will be practically crying for that Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU upgrade if you task it with anything more than Photoshop. That’s apparent in these graphics tests, where the AIOs with either the RTX 4050 or even Intel Arc 140T graphics turned in significantly faster performance. None of these machines is a gaming desktop, but the ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 placed near the bottom of the pack.

We did not get to run 3DMark graphics testing on the 2024 iMac, but we have run it on the M4 processor in mobile implementations. Even in a 14-inch MacBook Pro's limited thermal environment, the M4 processor blew well past every other integrated graphics solution here in the tests it can participate in (Wild Life Extreme, Steel Nomad Light, and Solar Bay), save for a narrow loss to the Lenovo Yoga AIO in 3DMark Solar Bay. Still, the M4 is no match for even Nvidia's last-gen mobile GPU on these tests.

Display Tests

As with laptops, we use a Datacolor SpyderX Elite monitor calibration sensor and software to measure the color saturation of each all-in-one desktop display—what percentage of the sRGB, Adobe RGB, and DCI-P3 color gamuts or palettes each screen can show—and its 50% and peak brightness in nits (candelas per square meter).

According to my colorimeter, the ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 display outperformed most IPS displays in terms of color gamut coverage. In my display testing, I find that IPS displays usually come in at around 95% sRGB coverage and 75% coverage for AdobeRGB and DCI-P3, respectively. This year's M90a surpassed all of those marks. Lenovo's display was also very bright: 236 nits at 50% brightness and 442 nits at 100% brightness, though the HP and Apple AIOs took the cake for brightness and color, being the best panels in the comparison set.