Overview and specs
If you're thinking of purchasing a desktop computer, you'll probably want to start your search with the 27-inch iMac with Retina Display ($2,499, £1,999, AU$2,999) with a 5K (5120 x 2880) resolution screen.
Lets say you want design innovation but you lack the bucks to go with the iMac. You should probably check out Acer's Aspire U5 ($999, £582, AU$1,067), a 23-inch all-in-one PC whose stand tilts a full 90 degrees. You could also give the 27-inch Samsung Ativ One 7 ($1,299, £1,129, AU$1,449) and its curved screen a whirl. Both give you a sexy (and unnecessary) feature to show off to your friends without forcing you to break the bank.
Like the Aspire U5 and the Ativ One 7, Lenovo has upgraded its B50 all-in-one ($1,249 £742, AU$1,347) to include Intel's RealSense 3D camera, a frustrating feature that seems really cool in theory, but is totally irrelevant.
Specs and design
Before we delve too deeply into the 3D camera, you should know what's happening beneath the hood. The B50 features a 23.8-inch Full HD touchscreen display, with booming JBL speakers and a fourth generation i5 processor, which can be upgraded to an i7. Design and gaming enthusiasts will enjoy the Next Generation NVIDIA GeForce graphics, which make motion images look spectacular.
The B50 comes with up to 16GB of DDR3 memory, and up to 1TB HD or SSHD storage. The device features WiFi 802.11 a/c and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity. You'll certainly not lack for ports, as the B50 is loaded with 2 USB 3.0, 3 USB 2.0, an HDMI-out, HDMI-in, and a 6-in-1 Media Card Reader.
The display's stunning edge-to-edge design leaves little horizontal real estate unused. The ultra-thin silver bezel is pretty slick, so you'll enjoy having the unit serve as your desk's centerpiece.
If all you're looking for is a solid machine that performs well, looks good and has a ton of room for storage, this is a cool desktop. Unfortunately, the 3D camera doesn't live up to the rest of the B50's build.
Flaws and early verdict
Earlier this year, HP unveiled Sprout ($1,899, £1,176 or AU$2,135), a double touchscreen all-in-one PC designed for visual artists, videographers, designers and photographers. Sprout features a 23-inch LCD touchsceen monitor, a built-in projector that hangs over the monitor onto a 20-inch touchpad mat that can project inanimate objects onto the desktop for printing and graphical manipulation.
Earlier today, HP also launched the Zvr Virtual Reality Display (pricing TBD), a desktop monitor that, when paired with 3D glasses, can provide real-time virtual experiences. Built with four cameras that connect with sensors built into complementary 3D glasses and a stylus pen, the 23.6-inch full HD, stereoscopic monitor tracks your head and hand movements in order to enable you to manipulate on-screen content.
Like these machines, the B50 is designed to provide users with a more realistic way to interact with content on-screen. Lenovo bills the B50 as a multimedia machine that can recognize gestures and expressions in order to enhance video chats, 3D editing and gaming.
Unfortunately, the images produced by the camera aren't replicated perfectly, especially when motion is involved. For example: nearly all real-time images were surrounded by distortions (think of the T-1000 after a bullet has grazed his body parts).
Perhaps even more annoying: gestures and motion aren't replicated quickly enough. My colleague Joe Osborne played what should have been a fun soccer game in which his hand gestures were supposed to mimic a goalie's. Unfortunately, whenever he went to deflect a shot it took a few milliseconds for the machine to register his movements, which caused him to get scored on more times than Brazil in the 2014 World Cup semi-final.
Lenovo says the tool can be helpful in demonstrating and presenting complex tools and PowerPoints via video chat. This may be true, but if you're thinking of buying the machine for games, I'd recommend you wait a few years for the technology to catch up to the inspiration.
Early verdict
The B50 is a solid machine. It runs smoothly, it stores a ton of data, and it has a pretty design. Unfortunately, it's billed as a desktop that, when combined with a 3D Camera, can provide interactive multimedia experiences. This just isn't the case. The 3D movements are so clunky and distorted you'll wind up wanting to smash the gorgeous full HD screen.
from TechRadar: Technology reviews http://ift.tt/1BBrOvq
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